NORTH CANTON — Matt Calabretta goes against the norm when it comes to bowling.
He doesn’t have new equipment, doesn’t practice at all and takes long periods of time off between appearances at the lanes.
“But I’ve always been a competitive bowler … understanding how the lanes break down, understanding the transitions and make it so I can shoot big games,” the 40-year-old North Canton right-hander said.
He stepped away from league play following the 2014-15 season due to family concerns and his job, which is director of store support for Pearl Vision, which covers 90 locations and 16 states.
“I didn’t pick up a ball for about four years,” Calabretta said. “I think since 2018 I’ve bowled maybe 30 games total.”
He rolled three league games earlier in the season at Park Centre Lanes, finishing with a 720 series. But it was his next three when everyone took notice.
Using an eight-year-old Columbia Dark Encounter in only his second substitute appearance of the season, Calabretta had games of 279, 300 and 223 for 802 in the Hannon Electric league at Park Centre, his third career 800 series.
His career high of 825 came several years ago during the Ohio State USBC Open Tournament at HP Lanes in Columbus. He also owns 19 300 games.
He left a 6-pin in the seventh frame of Game 1, going a little high. After another high shot that carried, he made a two (boards)-and-one move left.
“I pretty much stayed there all the way through until the third game,” he added. “Then the lanes really started to break down.”
After starting with a strike in Game 3, he left back-to-back spares, before rolling a double into the fifth. Disaster hit in the sixth frame when he failed to convert a 10-pin spare.
“The thought about the 800 was always going to be there,, but I knew after that miss that I really had to focus and string it together,” Calabretta said. “That’s what I ended up doing.”
He ran off the next four strikes in a row to seal the 800 series. He left a 9-pin on his second ball in the 10th frame — and rolled the ball between his legs to miss the final spare.
“It really feels good,” Calabretta said. “It just goes to show that I still have it.”
What has been his biggest challenge returning to bowling?
“My biggest challenge is getting tired in Game 3. My hamstring gets a little tight. Trying to be able to get through three games since I don’t bowl is tough,” Calabretta said.
But he also did it with older equipment.
“You don’t need new balls either,” he added, laughing.