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Oak Orchard Bowl

Robbie Hanks fires 290--802; four Genesee Region bowlers cash at 60-and-Over event

By Press Release

Press Release:

Robbie Hanks added to his impressive record at his home bowling center this week when he registered an 802 series in the Thursday Men's Triples League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

Hanks, who is employed at the center owned by his father, Randy, rolled games of 290-268-244 for his seventh 800 series at Oak Orchard. He came through with two strikes and nine pins in the final frame to secure the honor score.

It is the first 800 series in league play in the Genesee Region USBC this season.

Elsewhere around the GRUSBC:

-- Jeff Parton stayed hot at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, spinning a 280 game and 741 series in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League. Steve O'Dell was close behind with 736.

-- Lefties Tom Baker and Rich Wagner led the way in the Toyota of Batavia 4-Man League at Mancuso Bowling Center with 278--751 and 265--742, respectively.

-- Michele Larson started with 244 en route to a 669 series in the Meyer's RV Monday NFL League at Mancuso's.

In tournament action:

-- The team of Ron Ricker, Josh Bowman and Greg Daniels captured first place at the 9th annual PAWS Triples No-Tap Tournament at Oak Orchard Bowl on Nov. 12, taking home the top prize of $750. Eighty-five teams competed in the event that raised about $4,000 for the PAWS Animal Shelter in Albion.

-- On Sunday, four GRUSBC bowlers cashed in the Tommy Kress 60-and-Over Tour stop at Oak Orchard Bowl. Fred Gravanda (623 qualifying score) and Kevin Gray Sr. (658) each made it to the second round, earning $110 each, and Mike Pettinella (687) and Bob Hodgson (596) made it to the first round of the finals, winning $80.

Dan Eberl and Mike Domicolo tied for first place, posting 236 in the title match, to split the first place ($400) and second place ($300) money.

Larson spins 704; Gurnsey rolls 290--774

By Mike Pettinella

Michele Larson is back in the Meyer's RV Monday NFL League at Mancuso Bowling Center after a three-year absence and so are her high scores.

The Batavia resident rolled a 704 series last week, posting games of 202-234-268.

The right-hander averaged 197 in 2019-20 and 201 in 2018-19 and has three honor scores to her credit -- 300 in 2014, 290 in 2002 and 299 in 2001.

In other league action, Albion's Brandon Gurnsey finished with a 290 game last week for a 774 series in the Sneezy's Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

Curtis Foss rolls two 800 series, 300 game; Bailey 781

By Mike Pettinella

Curtis Foss of Medina added to his long list of honor scores this week by rolling an 814 series in the Sneezy's Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

The 34-year-old right-hander had games of 278, 257 and 279 for the big series -- his second 800 in 10 days at Oak Orchard Bowl.

On March 18, he rolled 300-279-231--810 in the Rick & Morty Doubles League.

Elsewhere around the Genesee Region USBC, Chris Bailey of Batavia posted 258-265-258--781 in the Turnbull Heating Triples League and Fred Gravanda of Batavia finished with 276 in a 765 series in the Toyota of Batavia 5-Man League, both at Mancuso Bowling Center.

For a list of the high scores for the week, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

Bowling industry reeling from mid-March shutdown, facing an uncertain future

By Mike Pettinella

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt devastating blows to businesses of all types and sizes, but not many have been hit harder than the bowling industry.

The 2019-20 bowling season was cut short when the virus hit in mid-March, forcing leagues to cancel their seasons with four to eight weeks remaining.

As the crisis continued, tournaments at the national, state and local levels were cancelled – keeping bowlers on the sidelines and preventing organizations and center proprietors from generating millions of dollars in budgeted revenue.

With June a day away, bowling centers remain closed in most states. In New York, bowling has been lumped together with other forms of entertainment into Phase Four of the state’s reopening plan and it likely will be at least another month before centers are allowed to open their doors.

Proprietors, reeling from end-of-season losses, also have seen their spring and summer league programs washed away. They are uncertain about the start of the 2020-21 season in late August and early September, and wonder what league bowling will look like going forward.

“Bowling is not going to be the same for a while,” said Jack Moran, proprietor of Roseland Family Fun Center in Canandaigua, a facility that offers 34 traditional bowling lanes as well as eight VIP lanes, café, sports bar, and an arcade with laser tag and bumper cars.

Social distancing parameters – requirements that people stay at least six feet away from each other – have prompted the United States Bowling Congress to temporarily waive playing rules stating that two lanes must be used for competition and that bowlers must alternate lanes.

The USBC also waived the requirement that both lanes must be used for a bowler to be eligible for awards and average recognition.

What that means is, for league play, a team could bowl the entire game on lane one, for example, and its opposing team, could bowl its entire game on lane three.

Additionally, bowlers will be allowed to use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to clean their bowling balls during competition – a change from the current rule that states that no cleaners can be used during competition.

Although it is yet to be seen whether those new rules will be put into play, proprietors hoping to run summer leagues after reopening may have no alternatives.

“What are we going to do for six to eight weeks of summer leagues? We’re better off trying to run a special promotion to get people in the doors again, so that they feel safe,” said Moran, a past president of the NYS Bowling Proprietors Association. “We’re not even sure if people coming back in September are going to feel safe.”

Randy Hanks, proprietor of the 18-lane Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, said he is planning to separate customers by around 15 feet for open bowling.

“If a family’s is using a pair (of lanes) and they’re on lanes one and two, the next one used will be lane five – 15 to 20 feet away,” he said. “Plus, I’m going to have them prepay, leave the (house) balls and shoes on the ball return, and we’ll sanitize them after everybody is done.”

The NYS BPA already has drafted a long list of health- and safety-related protocols that proprietors will use to ensure a safe environment. Details can be found in the article below.

Hanks said the restaurant portion of his business has been open for take-out only, but revenue pales in comparison to normal operation.

“We lost four summer league, including our adult-junior league that would have ended the day we maybe can open up – June 26th,” Hanks said. “I don’t even want to look to see how much I lost since March 15 compared to the same time the last two years.”

Moran said his staff has been working hard to implement the protocols – markings on the floor, plexiglass shields, acquiring digital thermometers to check everyone’s temperature coming into one specified entrance, and so on.

“From what we’re being told, we will be allowed to open at 50 percent of our occupancy,” he said. “In my case, it equates to about 120 people in my center.”

He said he has talked to colleagues in other states to get a pulse on the situation.

“Talking to my friends in Ohio and Florida – they have been able to open up but it’s limited hours and every other lane for social distancing,” he said. “Right now, we’re trying to look at what the league structure will be like in September – and it’s not looking good if this thing goes six months.”

Mike Sputore, manager of Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia, said he is looking to reopen the 24-lane center in mid- to late-August with all the protocols in place.

Echoing the concerns of the whole industry, he said time will tell on how to proceed.

“There are just too many uncertainties at this time,” he said. “How do we run the leagues? Do we use just one lane? How much time will it take to bowl? Will more than one league be able to bowl at a time? I just hope people don’t give up league bowling.”

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