It's been a recurring theme over the past decade or so. A bowler does something special and somehow it's linked to a new bowling ball. But here's one you don't hear too often -- or almost ever.
B.J. Freeman had been out of the sport for four seasons. Last month the 34-year-old was coaxed out of retirement and wound up in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League at Oakwood Lanes. He was looking for a ball and found a gem in a most peculiar place.
''Bowling balls are expensive so I found one on the house ball rack. It's an old Ebonite Urethane and it fit,'' said the Washington resident. ''Didn't have to have it re-drilled or anything.''
With secret weapon in tow, Freeman unleashed not only his fourth career 300 to open his match, he found his way to his first career 800 by finishing with 278 and 235 for 813.
''I was actually having a bad day and I think I took out my frustrations at bowling," Freeman said. "I was in a rhythm and the 300 I flowed right to the 10th. There was a kid bowling next to me and he was oblivious to what was going on. He just kept admiring his own shots. It was actually pretty distracting.''
Patience paid off and Freeman took down the final three racks for 300. He admitted to celebrating a bit too much with his mates, but it didn't seem to affect his scores as he picked up the front four in Game 2. The streak ended at 16 and a couple of single pins left the righty with 578 after two.
''I knew what I needed and the ninth frame my arm felt very heavy," Freeman said. "I think I got it from the celebrating I was doing. But I knew I needed a mark in the 10th. I just got up and went and felt no real pressure."
Freeman struck three more times to finish his record-setting performance. The 813 topped his previous high of 786 he rolled while living in Arizona. The big match bumped his average from 205 to 215.
Freeman's journey just might compel others to search the racks in their local centers for a hidden jewel that still has a bit of lightning left in its bottle.
The area 300 engine is in dire need of some oil as it's sputtering to a crawl.
Freeman was only one of two 300s turned in last week as the Fleas Club is off the schneid thanks to Darryl Mills who turned in his fifth career perfect game in four different centers. He surrounded his 300 with games of 193 and 197 to earn the Fleas' first perfecto of the season.
The lack of single game glory didn't totally derail area scoring. Blue Valley hosted three 800s led by Rick Clark. The lefty didn't have to shoot at too many second attempts thanks in part to games of 279, 258 and 289 for an 826.
Bill Weber and A.J. Cordi raced to join the 800 club. Weber shot 805, including a 278 finishing game; Cordi was deadly consistence with a pair of 268 and a 265 for an 801.
D.J. Cryan nearly eclipsed 800 but fell 10 pins shy with 790 at Blue Valley.
A couple of key series were produced by the seniors at Oakwood as Mike West put up 706 while that total was trumped by the 726 from George Mendell.
Sal Fortunato rang up his first career 700 series in the Robot League at Bar-Don with a 707.
Dennis Kocher used games of 257 and 246 on his way to a 705 set at Blue Valley, giving the junior product four 700s. Lauren Scholes and Jessica Bendekovitz tallied the lone 600s for the girls. Scholes used a 266 sole en route to 653 at Oakwood. Bendekovitz has monopolized all of Town & Country's 600 as she tossed 651 on games of 239, 191 and 221.