Do bowlers want tougher conditions? Stay tuned

John Bassetti | Bowling

As a nation, it’s no secret that we’ve transformed from an economic producer to a consumer, but are our bowlers just as lazy?

The answer is yes.

Broaching the subject was Paul Trgovac, who thinks that there should be more of a challenge if we want to consider bowling a sport.

“Between the easy lane conditions, and the advances in the bowling balls of today, the game has become a ‘carry’ contest. Yes, it is nice to be able to go out and have success on your one night of bowling in a week, but where is the reward for the player who works at the game with practice?”

Trgovac goes through the progression — from rubber, plastic and urethane — to reactive resins which brought about the explosion of higher scores.

Plus, lane-oiling rules were relaxed by the American Bowling Congress.

“I don’t know if bowlers in the Youngstown area really want to be challenged,” Trgovac says. “They don’t play in the tournaments like the Youngstown Masters, which draws less than half of what the Warren version does.

“Maybe if someone really went out and was able to get a sponsor with some real money behind it, then the bowlers might be willing to make the effort.

“But in this area I really don’t think it would fly. I just wish I was healthy enough to try, especially when the now defunct GBT was here a couple of years ago.”

He was referring to the Generations Bowling Tour.

Trgovac continues: “With about double the number of bowlers 24 years ago, the highest average was 227 by Danny Guerrieri and me — with my 834 the highest set that season. I believe there were about 27 total 300 games that season and only about 100 or so averaged 200.”

The question: Do you think local houses should apply tougher shot conditions to offset a surge in ridiculously high scores en masse? — was posed to several area bowlers and a proprietor.

Responses from the informal survey examining hard shot/easy shot will appear next week.

Ron Jones had 805 in Wed. Men at Holiday on Jan. 14, while Julie Tufaro’s 299-750 topped Thursday Matchplay Ladies at Amron on Jan. 14.

Winners of the second 3rd in Bob’s Auto Service Seniors at Amron were the The Hot Shots of Andy Huff, Bill lfft, Willie Provitt and Nate DuBose.

Dave Kausits Sr.’s 290 was the top single in Variety Mixed at Holiday during week 17.

Also, winner of the second 3rd in Fiber Clean Seniors at Boardman was the Boardman Pro Shop team of Joe Wilkos, Bob Gresh, Jim Ellis and Doug Zolla.

After week 20 in Window World Wednesday Nite Men at Boardman, Good Ole Boys won the second 3rd with Rich Heberling, John Terranova, Marc McCutcheon, Rick Hornyak, Dennis Massey Sr., Dennis Massey Jr. and Stephen Pavlik.