I started bowling in Westchester, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in the 1950s at Eden Lanes (still located on 22^nd Street a few blocks east of Manheim Road).  My brother Bruce and I tagged along with our Dad when he had a standing Saturday afternoon reservation to bowl $1.00 pot games with his friends along with drinking a few martinis.  Some of our friends, along with kids of my Dad’s friends would join the group regularly.  We kids would bowl on adjacent lanes to the men.  We didn’t make bets, but there was considerable trash talk as the years went by.  These are fond memories of my Dad because we did this from the time I was 8 or 9 years old until I went away to college.

In college, I joined my first league which was a fraternity league at the Purdue University Student Union.  The leagues were by the semester and in three years (6 semesters) we won 2 or three times.  We were hot shots with 160 to 170 averages on wood lanes with rubber balls.

After I graduated from college, I suggested to my Dad and brother Bruce that we join a local league in Naperville, Illinois where my parents lived at the time.  We won a couple of those as well.  Bruce and I still bowl in leagues and Dad did so until he could no longer bowl with sciatica at about age 75.

I moved to Wyoming in 1977 and bowled leagues at Rancho Bowl in Green River.

After moving to Colorado in 1984, one of the first things I did was join a bowling league.  Since about 1989 I have been bowling with many of the same guys in local leagues and in city, state and national tournaments.  It’s amazing.  I don’t think there’s ever been a cross word between us and we have traveled all over the country to USBC (ABC) Nationals since 1995.

Up until about 1995, I averaged in the 180’s, but that changed when I made a conscious decision to put golf aside to concentrate on bowling.  I used to be called “No Tap” because I’d get a lot of 9’s and picked up the spares.  But after picking up some books on bowling and coaching 'Juniors' - where I learned along with the kids - I raised my average into the 220’s consistently with a few years in the 230’s – highest at 236 in 2004-2005.

I bowled my first 300 game in 1999 (age 48) and 16^th in November, 2014.  I have eight-800 series with my high at 836 in December, 2014.  I was a PBA member from 2001 to 2015 and was able to cross lanes with Del Ballard Jr., Sean Rash, Wes Mallott, Jason Belmonte and others – a great experience.  Some of my greatest bowling experiences:

• Induction into Denver Bowling Hall of Fame in 2012 – thanks to Randall Schamp – I wish my Dad was alive to see it
• Winning the Denver Adult-Youth Tournament with my son, Brett (now a 215 average)
• Cashing in the Tour Qualifying event on the National Tour at my 'then' home house – Broadmoor Bowl in Lakewood in 2004.
• Winning the 2008 Denver Senior Masters
• Denver Men’s Team of Honor for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons
• Winning three Bronze Medals and one Silver Medal at the USBC National Championships
• Rolling a 300 game at the Colorado State Tournament in Greeley in 2000
• Placing 64^th in the Petersen Classic Tournament in Chicago in 2007
• Beating my brother with a 300 game – beating him at anything (but he kicks my butt at golf).

While these were all great experiences, the best thing about bowling is all of the friends I have made over the last 30+ years bowling in Denver.  The three best are my friends Randy (Sasquatch) Schamp, Terry (Grumpy) Clark and Gary (Gasman) Davis.  We have traveled all over the country together to national, state and city tournaments and we never had an argument that I can remember.  That even includes a broken down motor-home in Pueblo on our way back from Albuquerque; a long detour along the Colorado River to Moab on our way from Grand Junction to Salt lake City (State Tournament to National Tournament in one trip); and Grumpy reminding me that the 10-pin is awfully close to the channel at a City Tournament (yes, I missed it).