Chris Barnes with his winning Go RVing Match Play Championship trophy.
Livingston Manor bowler Bob Cady, left, with PBA Pro Tour bowlers Tom Baker, center, and Jason Couch .
Monticello bowler Dean Shattuck, right, with PBA Pro Tour bowler Tom Baker. 
Sullivan County bowlers attending the Go RVing PBA tour stop at Norwich, Conn. last weekend included, from the left, Barbara Cady, Bob Cady, Dean Shattuck, Kelly Shattuck, Shirley Townsend, Joan Redington and Bowling Highlights Columnist Ed Townsend. 
Professional Bowling Association tour bowler Rhino Page, left, shared some bowling time last weekend with Joan Redington of White Sulphur Springs.Joan Redington Attends Her First PBA Event
White Sulphur Springs bowler Joan Redington calls her first appearance at a Professional Bowling Association (PBA) Tour stop "just awesome" and "I appreciate and liked the dedication and professionalism these professional bowlers show towards us fans."
Joan attended the Go RVing Match Play championship last Friday through Sunday at the Norwich Bowling and Entertainment Center at Norwich, Conn.
This 51-year-old local well-known bowler grew up in the bowling industry and started bowling at the age of five in her mother and father's four-lane George's Colonial Inn Lanes in Jeffersonville.
George's Colonial Inn Lanes were owned and operated for many years by George and Joan Redington where Joan remembers they had double shifts bowling there six nights a week. The Redington family purchased the building in 1950, added the lanes in 1952 and installed Brunswick automatice pinsetters in 1958. They sold the popular 4-lane Brunswick bowling center in 1979 to Ed Mootz and Dan Fisher.
Joan started bowling in leagues as a teenager and has bowled in leagues throughout Sullivan County for some 32 years.
In most recent years Joan bowled actively in doubles leagues with her late husband, well-known local bowler Tom Skiff Jr., who passed away last October.
Not only did Joan view the professionals in competition on Friday, Saturday and during the Sunday ESPN finals she also actively participated for the first time in her life in the Saturday Pro-Am No-Tap Tournament and bowled with Professionals Steve Jaros, Robert Smith, Mike Edwards, Chris Warren, Tom Baker and one of the new upcoming stars of the PBA tour left-handed ace Rhino Page.
Joan noted that she just couldn't get over "how approachable these PBA bowlers are with all the dedication and professionalism they possess....they definitely are not like other professional athletes....when signing autographs they thank us for coming out and watching them."
She expressed "amazement" at the ESPN Sunday Afternoon TV show where the finals are played "and all the work that is put together to put this show on the air." "I don't know how these professional bowlers can keep their focus with all that is going on," Ms. Redington said.
Other Sullivan County bowlers attending last weekend's PBA event in Norwich were Bob and Barbara Cady of Livingston Manor, Dean and Kelly Shattuck of Monticello, Shirley Townsend of Livingston Manor and this columnist.
And quite a TV show is was last Sunday afternoon as reigning Lumber Liquidators PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes fought his way back into contention to repeat with an impressive three-game 722-693 victory over Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the title match of the Go RVing Match Play Championship.
Barnes, the No. 3 seed in the PBA's "March Madness" match play elimination tournament, used the three-game, total pinfall format to his advantage in winning his 12th career title and back-to-back titles for the first time in his career. Two weeks earlier, Barnes won the Don Johnson Buckeye State Eliminator in Columbus, Ohio. Barnes, who has been notorious for making critical mistakes in a number of past TV losses, had the luxury of three games to make up for an error this time, and that's exactly what he did.
Williams and Barnes both flirted with perfection in the first two games, but unforced errors by both players kept the contest up in the air going into the decisive third game.
The No. 5 seeded Williams, the PBA's all-time titles leader with 45 titles, looked like he was going to run away with the match early. Williams, who has been the victim of three perfect games on TV without ever bowling onehimself, started the match with nine strikes. But when he left a 7 pin on his first shot in the 10th frame and missed the spare, he gave Barnes hope, finishing with 267 to Barnes's 241. Instead of a possible 59-pin lead, Williams led by only 26 pins.
"Brain (expletive)," the 49-year-old Williams said of his uncharacteristic missed spare. "That's what happens when you get old."
Barnes quickly erased his deficit in game two, starting with nine strikes himself. With back-to-back splits and open frames, Williams struggled to a 192. But Barnes returned Williams favor, leaving a 4-10 split to end his perfect-game bid. Despite that error, Barnes finished with 266 and took a 48-pin lead into the third game. "It was the same bad shot I made when I left the Big Four in the first game," Barnes said. "But in general, the move I made worked, so I waspleased."
Williams threw a couple more strikes than Barnes in game three, but it was basically a contest of staying out of trouble. Working on three strikes, Williams left a 4 pin in the seventh frame that took away the momentum he needed to overcome Barnes's lead. Williams won the third game, 234-215, but he was still 29 pins short.
"Chris bowled a lot better than I did," Williams said. "If it had been a best of three match, I win, but that's not the way it went today."
"Three games was a big deal for me. It gave me a chance to win," Barnes said."Normally, I leave the Big Four in game one and I'm out."
"The right lane was troublesome for both of us," he continued. "I was just able to put together a bigger string on that lane than Walter Ray was, but it was getting to be a problem. Fortunately, we ran out of frames before I ran out of pins."
Barnes, who won $25,000, surged into third place in the Player of the Year points race behind Wes Malott and Norm Duke, and he still has a mathematical chance to pass both and retain his Player of the Year title.
"Things seem to be going my way right now," the Double Oak, Texas, resident said. "The U.S. Open is the toughest tournament of all to win. I will need that to happen to have a chance," Barnes noted.
The Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour this week is the Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic at AMF West Babylon Lanes in West Babylon, N.Y., with the ESPN TV match at 2 p.m Sunday.
This season marks the 50th Anniversary of the PBA Tour.
Complete photo coverage of this PBA tournament can be found on our Web page, http://bght.blogspot.com/
Local Scores
Callicoon Lanes
Recent highlight scores in the Monday Ladies Hortonville league included a 200, 534 by Mary Ardizzone, Lillian Zieres 517, Ingrid Ott 198 and Debra Loughrey 180.
In the Tuesday Delaware Valley Men's league Tad Doscher scored a 201, 213, 247, 661, Jeremy Gulley 222, 247, 266, 735, Roger Miller 208, Charlie Reichenback 264, 620, Mark Schriber 268, Brian Kitson 212, Jamie Grier 231, Kurt Buddenhagen 236, 618, Mark Goda 202, Mike Hubbard 264, 213, 287, 764, Damien Vanluven 221, 245, 642, Mark Herbert 257, 627, Ken Darling 208, Scott Herbert 253, 224, 209, 686, Josh Mulucky 245, 222, 649, Jon Wayne 216, Karl Adams 240, 201, 204, 645, Mark Hawley 230, 210, 231, 671, John Fink 210, Frank Leonardo 236, Tom Russell 278, 266, 704, Bob Cady 222, 210, 606, Eric Kubenik 218, Randy Berrian 228, 231, Ed Leroy 232, 212, 621, Gary Erlwein 201, 209, 602 and Steve Lagoda 236.
In the Wednesday Mixed Businessmen league Mark Rutledge scored a 204, Kory Keesler 222, Bruce Rutledge 202, Mark Hawley 243, Joseph Gager 235, Dave Maus 200, Bob Cady 202 and John Fink 215, 204.
Gravity Alley
Recent highlight scores in the Wednesday Mixed Fun league include a 190 by Darlene Burnett, Scott Ropke 217, 205, 614 and Jerry Kammeier 213, 245.
Fox Bowling Center
Recent highlight scores in the Ladies Tuesday Earl Birds league includes a 202, 193, 533 by Nikki Andriano, Anne Couse 505, Kathleen Maltese 187, 500, Cheryle Ostrander 199 and Laura Ballard 180.
In the Wednesday Men's Independent league Donald Marino scored a 268, 204, 213, 685, Josh Rice 253, 225, 667, Rod Pudney 235, 252, 664, Robert Johnson 226, 201, 235, 662, Sam Rowe 230, 242, 640, James Dibble 227, 217, 636, Scott Ostrander 214, 237, 631, Ryan Kille 265, 203, 630, Tony Wright 203, 213, 213, 629, Pat Kille 243, 624, Brian Drumm 226, 205, 620, Thomas Anderson 225, 219, 617, Robert McNaught 237, 616 and Josh Milucky 246, 609.
In the Deposit Men's National league Paul Ignatovich scored a 299, 244, 225, 768, Bill Gleim 203, 200, 257, 660, Andrew Bullis 254, 223, 659, Neil Mosher 245, 203, 628, Greg Keesler 203, 230, 624, Jeff Curtis 206, 222, 620 and Jim Valentine 226, 204, 620.
In the Friday Mixed Couples league James Dibble scored a 202, 267, 212, 681, Daniel Wormuth 258, 210, 641, Howard Couse 207, 225, 630, Robert Ellis 246, 203, 620, Paul Fritz 225, 201, 617, Mark McGraw 236, 212, 616, Bill Gleim 236, 612, Anne Couse 192, 194, 201, 587, Sandy Winans 197, 216, 572, Catherine Resti 201, 184, 529, Janet Ellis 209, 528, Tammy Stanton 196 and Tracy Resti 182.
In the Sunday Mixed Fun league Don Marino scored a 235, 603 and Jean Mills 192, 508.
Kiamesha Lanes
Recent highlight scores in the Monday Men's league include a 258, 622 by Willy Bartley, David Graham 226, 257, 688, Keith Smith 225, 607, Francisco Martinez 233, 256, 674, Steve Rivera 242, Mike Mulligan 237, Roy Sweeney 279, 632, Danny Ricco 238, 232, 676, Tom Belgiovene 227, 224, 604, John Hoffmann 251, 225, 225, 701, Rudy Belanchia 228, 606, Peter Mitro 226, 643, Jim Frost 236, Paul Durland 246, 651, Jaryl Scott 247, 657, Mark Wegener 232, 245, 700, Tom Caycho 233, Al Caycho 237, 233, 683, Jack Moylan 246, 684, James Ratner 236, 652, Kort Wheeler 236, 651, Rick Lake 238, 650 and Allan Jones 267, 672.
In the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league Ailene Washington scored a 190, Cara Nicholson 213, 512, Joan Gregory 180, Pat Mulhern 193, 526, Mary Lee Williams 191, Joan Lake 194, Todd Telesky 228, Shane Cunningham 231, 665, Lisa Cartwright 191, 551, Debbie Durland 205, 187, 550, Donald Durland 256, 675, Kevin Stackhouse 233, 618, John Fischer 239, 658, John Hoffmann 248, 300, 765, Linda Schaefer 206, 517 and April Aldrich 193, 203, 573.
In the Wednesday Men's league Gregory Fallon scored a 266, 617, Rick Lake 298, 661, Richard Bradford 267, 678, Donald Durland 254, 231, 674, George Battle Jr. 227, Dean Shattuck 249, 639, Paul Durland 241, 604, Art Eggleton 226, John Hoffmann 236, 258, 715, Tom Belgiovene 237, 638, Vinnie Collura 268, 275, 734, Kenny Atkins 256, 658m Eddie Lake 236, 235, 688, Timmy Minton 226, David Porter Jr. 227, 634 and Frank DiCostanzo 226, 603.
This column is written by Ed Townsend, a consultant to the professional and amateur sport of bowling. He is also chairman of the Publicity committee of the Tri-County NY USBC and a member of its board of director. If you have a topic that would make good reading or have league scores or tournament information Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177 or by sending an email to bowlgolfect1@yahoo.com For a more expanded version of our bowling column visit our Web site at http://bght.blogspot.com/
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