NORTH CANTON — Even though he has been there six times before, the nerves still were there as Austin Crowe rolled toward his seventh career 800 series.
“I knew I was close and I had a string going (in Game 3), so I knew I was within a few shots of getting there,” the 44-year-old North Canton right-hander said. “But the nerves started setting in.
“Even as old as I am and as many times as you’ve done it, it still gets to you.”
Crowe, a commercial driver for Ohio Disposal who also is an assistant coach for North Canton Hoover High School’s boys bowling team, completed his quest, finishing with a 277 in Game 3 for an 814 in the Hannon Electric league at Park Centre Lanes.
He started the night with 279, leaving a 4-pin on his first ball in the 10th frame.
“I just threw a terrible shot, but picked it up,” said Crowe, who remains “stuck” on 19 career 300 games.
In Game 2, he came back with a 258 after missing an 8-pin spare.
“I throw my plastic ball at it and I just completely whiffed it,” Crowe said.
After leaving a 10-pin to open Game 3, he again went on a roll, striking until the first ball in the 10th frame when he left the 2-4-5-8 bucket spare. He converted to clinch the 800 and added a strike for good measure.
As his friend and fellow North Canton Recreation alumnus Matt Calabretta had done two weeks prior in the same league, Crowe was bowling as a substitute that night.
“I really enjoy bowling with those guys, and I’ve done it for over 20 years on and off,” said Crowe, whose brother-in-law, Brian Barth, and nephew, Justin Barth, are on the team. “I’m kind of like the sixth man on the team. I’ve bowled I think 15 games with them this season.
“I was running around doing high school stuff that day, but they asked if I could bowl. I was tired, but sometimes things go slower then and it worked out.”
Although he used an older Storm Idol bowling ball, he joked it wasn’t as old as one Calabretta had used for his 800.
“Mine was only about five years old,” Crowe said. “ I got it about five years ago in the traveling league when I bowled with Team Storm. But it’s not as old as his (Calabretta used an eight-year-old ball).”
Crowe said he made about a two-board move during the course of the night, adjusting hand positions.
“The first game, I was carrying everything. But the look changed in Game 2, so I wanted to make adjustments to get the 10-pin out,” said Crowe, who bowls in only an every other week mixed league at Park Centre on a regular basis.
Crowe, who had been helping with the Vikings girls team the past three seasons while his daughter was on the team, moved to the boys this year for his son’s final season.
“I’ve noticed a lot more things as I’ve been coaching, but I really don’t think it has changed my game at all,” Crowe said. “I’ve been doing this since the fourth grade, and I really don’t bowl that much any more.”
But that didn’t stop the nerves from coming.
“My all-time high is 841 at Colonial,” Crowe said, “but it had been awhile since the last one.”
800 SERIES THIS SEASON
(Total 800s: 21) 1, Thomas Martinez (Park Centre) 845; 2, Jalen Mosely (Wayne Lanes) 838; 3, Kevin Schott (Eastbury) 837; 4, (tie) Eric Randazzo (Eastbury) and Keith Zeigler (Park Centre) 833; 6, Rod Kurjian (Triway) 825; 7 Dan Block (Park Centre) 824; 8, Jim Williams (Park Centre) 823; 9 (tie) Steve Belopotosky Jr. (Eastbury) and Dustin Dingler (Park Centre) 822. Other 800 series: Adam Kutz (AMF Hall of Fame) 823. Brian Reichard (Park Centre) 820; Rick Kmetz (Park Centre) 815. Kevin Schott (Eastbury) and Austin Crowe (Park Centre) 814; Max Shankle (Park Centre) 813; Bucky Williams (Eastbury) and Brett McCourry (Eastbury) 812; Kade Rainsburg (Wabash) 806; (tie) Jim Williams (Park Centre), Dan Block (Park Centre) and J.D. Jones (Eastbury) 805; Jeff Mowls (Park Centre) and Brian Ball (Eastbury) 804; Matt Calabretta 802.
(If you have shot an 800 series in the five-county area (Stark, Summit, Wayne, Carroll or Tuscarawas counties), 700 for women or a 300 game, please contact your center for a form or email to snierw@gmail.com or via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085500570405 and we will send one back to you. This feature will appear on a weekly basis throughout the fall-winter bowling season.)
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