Timms leads the way, bowls 300

By By Mike Carson/Bowling Columnist
Feb. 5, 2002
Big scores and big new boomed from the lanes this week when Bob Timms carried the day with his first career 300 Game while bowling in the Senior Citizens league. With his twelfth strike the 72-year-old senior became the oldest bowler in the state to reach perfection. Bob has been bowling for over forty years and has come close on several occasions, always coming up just short. This time, though, things were different as the seasoned veteran calmly slammed three shots in the pocket to make state bowling history. As if that wasn't enough, Timms went on to record a 276 the next game before ending the day with a 202 and an impressive 778 series. Congratulations to Bob. I hope this performance can be a lesson to all bowlers who think they will never reach "the big one". Keep plugging at it, and you never know when your time to shine will come.
Not to be outdone, Johnnie Blackmon decided to show Bob that "the young guys can do it too" when later that evening Johnnie punched out twelve straight strikes to record his third career 300 while bowling in the Hucklebuck league. Johnnie has been having a great season and with his effort also recorded the 19th 700 series of the season to lead all bowlers in that category. (It was even sweeter to me because he was subbing on my team!)
Other local bowlers also reached new heights during action this past week. Vic Love, Meridian's oldest woman bowler at the ripe age of 88 rolled a 192 game in the Bowlerettes league proving once again that age can only be a number. Andy LeBlanc recorded a career high 269 by stringing his last ten strikes during action in the Wednesday Night Mixed league while Robert Brown carded a 268/719. Mike Munn picked up his first "7" of the season with a 719 and Mike Cothern continued to hold a hot hand with a 276/701 performance. Marty McMullen also checked in with a 266.
David Cross was one strike away from an 800 Series, but a nasty 4-9 split in the tenth frame took care of that. But all was not lost as David broke the MBA Strike Jackpot only days after Curtis Rutledge had collected $128 on Friday night.
As for the ladies, there were no lack of scores to report on their end as Debbie Jones scattered the pins for a career high 255 game and 653 series to lead all women. Sue Kirkpatrick fired a nice 253 game/623 series while Richelle Porter punched out a 244. Marlene Hill added a 226 and Pat James rounded out the top women with a 223. Congratulations go to Dee Barfield who recorded her first career 200 Game with a 202 while bowling in the Dixie Belles league.
I would also like to wish Billie Coleman good luck as she recovers from knee surgery. Get well soon, Billie. And finally (whew!) I send apologies to Janie Tisdale. In last week's column I mistakenly credited Janice Kasper with recording a 267/623 the week before when, in fact, it was the one and only Kemper County Flash who performed that feat. Maybe one of these days, I will be able to tell them apart!
Such ends a busy week of bowling. Keep the scores coming. Until next week…Good luck and good bowling!