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Boardman bowler cashes in big prize
By JOHN BASSETTI
BOARDMAN
While some of us await a refund check that might be worth a couple hundred dollars, Steve Sullivan, “The Machine,” of Boardman has been waiting for a $50,000 check.
The 21-year-old YSU student’s remitter, however, will be AMF — not the IRS.
Sullivan earned the prize on April 17 after beating a Charlotte, N.C., competitor in the AMF National In-League Tournament finals at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
AMF’s inaugural $500,000 event was this year’s richest amateur bowling tournament in Las Vegas. Sullivan’s earnings would have to be considered the most-ever won by an area amateur.
Although Sullivan bowls in the Zarbana Industries League at Camelot on Wednesdays, he also bowls in the Rotek/Akron-Canton Waste League at Twinstar Lanes in Ravenna, an AMF house.
The first step in the In-League tournament entailed two rounds of qualifying. It cost Sullivan $3 to enter the first round and $10 for the second round.
“Anybody in a league in an AMF-run house could get into it,” Sullivan said.
After two rounds, the top three qualifiers advanced to the district finals at Sawmill Lanes in Columbus.
The winner got an all-expenses paid trip to Vegas, where Sullivan was in a 27-person field of Division A qualifiers, who represented 27 districts across the U.S.
Of the other four divisions — open, B, C and D — only open required a higher qualifying average.
Steve’s average at Twinstar at the time of initial qualifying was 195.
His qualifying score out of Twinstar was based on pins-over-average, which was 114: the difference between his three-game 699 set during league bowling on a designated night and his 195 average tripled (585).
After four games in Columbus, Sullivan was one of the district’s five division winners headed to Nevada.
Although he expended $13 in entry fees, Sullivan won $100 when he advanced out of Twinstar and another $375 in Columbus.
Accompanying Sullivan, who had never been to Las Vegas, were his parents, younger brother, grandmother, aunt and girlfriend.
Sullivan’s first day of bowling included a four-game round, which cut to the top 16, and another three games, which cut to the top 8.
It was during the three-game round that a 167 almost KO’d Steve.
On the second day, a two-game third round cut to the top 4, from which Sullivan emerged as the top seed. Later that afternoon, the 4 vs. 3 winner met the No. 2 winner and that winner faced Sullivan in a one-game match for $50,000.
In the championship, Sullivan beat Daryl Peake, 222-205.
“It was close the whole game and it came down to the absolute end,” Sullivan said of the nail-biting finale.
“By the 8th frame, I knew I had to strike out to have a chance,” Steve said before finishing with five strikes. “That forced him to throw all strikes and at least the first two in the 10th,” Sullivan said of Peake, whose 10th-frame throws were a strike, then a 9-count and spare.
Watching Peake in the 10th had Sullivan on pins and needles.
“He struck on the first ball, but missed the second, leaving a 4- pin standing. It’s unusual to leave a 4-pin, especially for a lefty.”
Sullivan said the other division finals were blowouts.
“Making it all the way and winning $50,000 is unbelievable,” Sullivan said.
He averaged 234 for the weekend.
Following his biggest day in bowling, Steve enjoyed a good dinner and saw the Strip with his family and companion.
The 2007 Boardman graduate studied mechanical engineering at the University of Toledo before returning home to attend YSU.
He’ll soon finish his first of four years in the nursing program at YSU.
Sullivan said he plans to use the money to pay off school loans.
After bowling for Boardman, Sullivan bowled at Toledo, too. Although he won’t be eligible for YSU’s bowling club team until the 2010-2011 season, Sullivan is its treasurer.
Sullivan’s final night at Twinstar was April 22, but his Topfer Oil team just missed the roll-offs.
Once Sullivan gets his official check from AMF Bowling Centers, Inc., he may be hearing from Uncle Sam after all.
“I’ll probably get a 1099, so I’ll square up with taxes,” the young man said.
Peake receive $25,000, followed by prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 for the remaining Div. A finishers.