CANTON — Bowlers have too often said, “if I could make a spare, I’d be dangerous.”
Malvern’s Brady S. Forrester was the epitome of that statement during the doubles portion of the 101st Stark County USBC Open Championships earlier this month at Eastbury Bowling Center.
The 44-year-old right-hander put together games of 277, 267 and 267 for an 811 series in doubles, his 32nd career 800 to go along with 42 300 games. But it could have been even better except for a pair of spare misses.
“I don’t think I have thrown the ball better all season. But if I could pick up a spare, I’d be dangerous,” said Forrester, a MAC Trailer employee who echoed that famous statement after his first 800 of this season. “It was just wonderful to shoot another one.”
Forrester, who rolled a 779 series during his first night in team event and 698 in the other, started doubles with a 277 game. He had the first eight strikes before leaving a 2-4-8 in the ninth.
“I just didn’t hit the ball on that shot,” said Forrester, who covered that spare and then struck out.
Game 2 was a similar start, with Forrester striking on his first nine shots before leaving a solid 9-pin on his first ball in the 10th frame. This time, he missed the spare.
That would continue in Game 3, with Forrester starting with the first eight strikes before leaving a 10-pin. He missed that spare also, but struck out for the final total.
“On the 9-pin, the ball just backed up a little on me and I missed it to the right,” Forrester said. “The 10-pin I missed it to the left.
“I played right around 12 or 13 (board) all night. I threw like three practice balls, struck on all of them, and then sat down.”
Following his milestone series in doubles, Forrester added 664 in singles for 2,254 total pinfall to ultimately win the tournament title in all-events scratch with 2,254 pins, just 12 pins ahead of Perry Township right-hander Paul Sanko III, who shot 800 during the team event. Canton’s John Randolph was third with 2,241.
In doubles, Forrester also teamed with Dennis Welty to finish fifth overall with 1,515 after the latter posted a 704 series. That placed the pair 77 pins behind champions Shane Minger and Kevin Allman of Canton (1,592).
The tourney result had not been decided at the time of this interview. But Forrester still had to wonder.
“Like I said,” Forrester added, “if I could make a spare …”
See completed Stark USBC results here: