Bowling, The Wright Way - May 2, 1997 by Don Wright
Best Friends and Bowling

Being retired from the military, my wife and I have made many friends throughout my career. It's difficult to maintain close relationships when you transfer every three years, but in our case we have been very fortunate.

About 25 years ago we made friends with Dee and Jerry Northrop and that friendship has flourished for all these years. We are very much alike and love to do basically the same things. Jerry was a career soldier also, and we were stationed together often, and retired just three years apart. We learned from the beginning that we shared the same interests, watched our kids grow up and once we were retired and the kids all on their own we knew that we would enjoy each others company and have great times together. We all love to travel, eat in fine restaurants, laugh and bowl.

In the early years of our friendship we bowled on the same leagues, but not on the same team. But, in 1983 the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) National Tournament was held at Showplace Lanes in Las Vegas and during a conversation we decided to take a small vacation after the tournament and travel to Grand Canyon. Dee and Jerry decided they would follow us and we really had a great time. Since that time Jerry has been my doubles partner and Dee has been my wife's partner in all our tournament competition. We have bowled mixed leagues together for nearly 15 years.

Everyone knows when we are together because of the laughter that comes from our area. We simply have a great time.

The last tournament Jerry and I competed in was the Texas State Bowling Association Tournament that was held in Amarillo. We bowled on April 19 and 20 and I took three teams to the event. I bowled really well in the team event and Jerry struggled. The next day for doubles and singles, Jerry bowled great and I didn't. But, we went out to dinner, spent a lot of money on Route 66 and went home the next day. We had a great time on the way home, a 7 hour drive, and as we hugged and kissed in the driveway we laughed about the fact we had two tournaments scheduled for May and would be on the road again. It was Monday night.

Tuesday, Jerry came to my office. It was odd because he rarely came to my office. I knew something was bother him and I immediately closed my office door. As tears filled his eyes he told me that Dee had suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital. Suddenly everything was given a new perspective.

As of this writing she is doing fine. She is part of the few of us that has survived a heart attack, myself included. What it has done is bring us even closer together. They always were our best friends, but when we laugh now we know that we truly have something to be happy about.

So, I guess in the grand scheme of things, having a bad night on the lanes, or having a bad game is somewhat insignificant. G.G. and I are just happy to have our team at full strength and know that when The Skillet Lickers arrive at your restaurant you'll hear the laughter coming from that table.

Are Inflated Averages Bad For Bowling?

People like to make comparisons between golf and bowling, something I try to avoid because I don't think we should compare the two. I know that golfer's are usually pretty good bowlers and bowlers can hold their own on the links, but that's about it as far as I am concerned. However, lately I am seeing something that closely relates the two. Bowling is seeing a significant increase in high averages and high scores. For many this is a decline in the integrity of the sport and reduces the game from sport to recreation. Well, look what's happening in golf. Tiger Woods destroyed the myth of Augusta. While being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey she said that based on his win they are considering making the course more difficult. Wood's response was "if they make it more difficult for me, it will be more difficult for everyone else."

Hale Irwin, another golfer on the Senior Tour recently captured the PBA Senior's Championship by 12 strokes.

My point is no one in the golf world seems concerned that records for courses are falling, yet bowlers are concerned about the rise in honor scores. Let's face it, both games are changing as they should with the times. The equipment is better in every sport today. Tennis racquets, baseball gloves, hockey sticks, golf clubs and bowling balls.

I listen to people and, yes even I, have said and written that scores are soaring and averages are inflated. But, are they? And, should we be making changes in the sport to lower scores and averages?

When the great Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain were setting scoring records and the sky-hook and playing above the rim began, no one said let's raise the basket. Let's control the offense and keep scoring lower. If teams were to play a four corner offense or zone defense and scores were in the 50's and 60's, no one would go to a basketball game.

Football has relaxed their rules to enhance scoring. The days of Doomsday Defense and the Steel Curtain are long gone.

Yes, the games have changed, the equipment is better, but could it be there is also a better athlete playing the game. Bowlers are in better shape now and realize that to be at the top of any sport you have to take care of the body. Running, weights, less alcohol and fewer smokers all make for a better athlete.

Personally, I am re-thinking this whole inflated average business.