NORTH CANTON — Hartville right-hander Thomas Martinez has made a couple of recent changes in his bowling game.
First, he has gone to a smooth-surface pair of Crocs shoes, usually worn by nurses, on the approach.
“I like to plant and throw … I don’t slide at all,” the 37-year-old mechanical drafter for The K Company said. “It’s made a difference.”
Then, on the recommendation of high school friend and fellow bowler Paul Goebel, Martinez went away from both thumb and finger inserts in favor of putting his hand in the solid surface of the ball.
“My scoring has been off the past couple of years, and I was willing to try something different,” Martinez said. “It was Paul’s idea to switch, and I also switched my span. It has worked out.”
Goebel was the victim of Martinez’s improvement in the Spectrum Orthopaedics league at Park Centre as the latter put together games of 268, 279 and 298 for 845, his fifth career 800 series to go along with five 300 games. It came against Goebel’s team.
And Martinez was bowling with two other generations of the Martinez family — grandfather, Nat, and father, Craig — both Greater Canton Bowling Association Hall of Famers. His grandfather owns four career 800s to go along with 13 300s while his father had eight 800 series and 13 300 games.
Admittedly having no indication a big night was in store, Martinez maintained his line using a Storm Alpha Crux all night.
“I didn’t have to move one board left or right,” said Martinez, who is a strong straight down-and-in player. “I just stayed right there.”
He doesn’t remember what he left in Game 1 en route to the 268 — “All I remember is that it was a smooth game,” he added — but he ran off the first nine strikes in Game 2 before leaving a 10-pin to start the 10th.
Then, during Game 3, he ran off the first 11 strikes before leaving a 4-7 on his final ball.
“I left two chances out there for another 300. Last week (during the Foxfire Mixed league also at Park Centre), I had another shot at 300 in Game 3 and came up short,” Martinez said.
Not one of Martinez’s 800 series includes a 300 game, with his high being 848 in 2019, also at Park Centre.
“I really wasn’t thinking about the 800 that much, but I really wanted the 300 games,” Martinez said. “When I had the first nine, you know I had the 800 locked up. That’s the hardest point, getting that ninth one for both that and a 300.
“The funny thing is, I was more concerned about winning some pots, not the scores.”
He also is looking forward to a fourth generation of the Martinez family joining the team.
“My kids will be next,” he added, “With grandpa and dad, we want to keep this going.”
And he wants his solid start to continue.
“It’s nice to get that next 800,” Martinez said. “I’d just like to stay on Cloud 9 and keep this going the rest of the season.”