NEW PHILADELPHIA — Parker Bohn III was not about to pass on an opportunity to bowl with one of his sons in a Professional Bowlers Association event.
He made that decision despite a nagging ankle problem that has bothered him on and off since Labor Day weekend plus not bowling very well in a Midwest Region event at Osage Beach, Mo., where he finished 25th in the field.
“It’s in the back part of my left ankle, and it really hasn’t allowed me to be me,” said the 59-year-old PBA Hall of Fame left-hander, adding he hurt the ankle doing something other than bowling in connection with the $32,000 scholarship tournament he hosted at RevRate VIP Entertainment in Howell, N.J.. “I just can’t seem to stretch out and really go for it like I want to.”
But he also knew about the member-non-member PBA Central Region event going on at Wabash Lanes last weekend. So, after doing a few clinics in the Midwest, he called his son, Justin, and asked him to bowl.
“I really didn’t know there was an opportunity to bowl doubles. But dad called and said to fly out here, meet in Cleveland, go bowl and drive home,” said 21-year-old right-hander Justin Bohn, a two-handed righty who came in from the family’s New Jersey home.
“I was OK with that and said I’m in. I feel like I’ve been bowling really well the past couple of months and to have a chance to lace them up with dad one more time is always awesome.”
Justin, who captured the 20U Junior Gold Championship this season to qualifying for Junior Team USA, and Parker bowled for only the second time as doubles partners in an adult situation. Both times they have finished third.
During Sunday’s Baker System match-play finals in the PBA Wabash Lanes Member-Non-member Doubles Central Open, the duo opened with a 4-2 win over Andre Gonzales and Justin Knowles before falling in the semifinals 4-1 to Dave Wodka and Frank Testa.
This came after the pair had qualified seventh overall during Saturday’s eight-game opening round.
“Friday (during the pro-am) it was a mini-nightmare getting through it. I just had to keep stretching it out. On Saturday, the ankle felt awesome. Then, this morning, it’s back again,” Parker said. “Maybe it’s one of those age things, but I don’t believe in that. It also felt fine at the regional earlier, but then a couple of days later, it hurt again.
“Knock on wood, I don’t think it’s any catastrophic … at least I don’t believe it is.”
Justin believed the injury actually helped his dad’s game during the event.
“It forced him to throw it slower and get the ball to shape more,” said Justin, who works at Bohn’s Elite Training inside RevRate VIP Entertainment. “There were some shots where I was asking what’s going on there? Obviously, when you are not 100 percent, those shots are going to happen.”
In the latter match, Justin lost a 10-9 rolloff after a tie in Game 1. Later, in Game 5, he needed to strike out to tie in the 10th frame, but left a 2-pin on his final shot.
It’s all part of the learning experience for Justin, who has done a lot of tournament bowling during the summer months, including an appearance at June’s MEGA tournament in Columbus.
“I’ve stayed pretty active, working at the training center at home and taking weekends off to travel and bowl,” Justin said. “It’s definitely what I want to do. I feel I’ve got a lot of learning left to do at this level to be a full-time bowler out here. It’s a stairway to success.”
Parker put it simply: “If you’re there enough times to open the door, eventually you will close it on somebody.”
“When you get in this (regional) field, the superstars in our sport may not be here, but the superstars in this region are along with a couple from outside who participate on the Tour,” Parker said. “You’re not going to come in here and run over this field. It’s just do our best, get to Sunday and take our chances.”
But dad, who owns 35 career PBA titles and 10 more on the PBA50 Tour en route to claiming PBA50 Player of the Year honors this season, wouldn’t pass up this opportunity again.
“It’s just unbelievably awesome. You watch your kids grow up and become not just their own little person, but a young adult and, as time goes on, a thriving adult,” Parker said. “To be able to get on the lanes and share moments like this with them is unquestionably one of the most gratifying things you can have.”
NEXT UP IS PARK CENTRE
Parker plans on attending this week’s PBA50-PBA60 Doubles Park Centre Lanes Central Open at Park Centre. Bohn will be bowling with Sam Maccarone — who was there at the start of the Hall of Famer’s illustrious career.
“When I bowled my first PBA Tour stop in Peoria, I rode there with Sam,” Parker said. “Our relationship goes back 37 years.”
Other top pros scheduled to participate this weekend include Wayne Webb, Pete Weber, Brian Kretzer, Ryan Shafer, Ray Edwards and Brad Angelo, among others.
The pro-am is set for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 23, with bowlers rolling three nine-pin, no-tap games with three professionals. The tournament begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 24 with eight qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 12 (based on 36 entries) for match-play finals at 9 a.m. Sept. 25.
Less than a year from his 60th birthday, Bohn already is in demand for next year’s event.
“I’ve already had some platers put in some bids,” Bohn laughed.
But it doesn’t beat competing with family.