CANTON — After starting Game 1 of the Amvets-Santangelo’s league at AMF Hall of Fame Lanes with three strikes, Mark Boron threw a crossover shot and left a 5-pin.
Not really a good indication of what was to come for the 62-year-old Perry Township right-hander and Perry High School assistant bowling coach, who was subbing in the league for the first time.
Boron went on to shoot 258 that game, then added 268 and 279 for an 805 series, his 17th 800 series to go along with 41 300 games.
It marked his third 800 series in the past three years, including one during summer league play, after going 14 years without a series milestone.
And it took a tip from a teammate on his Pizza Oven Classic team at Park Centre to make the difference.
“Tom Glines saw a flaw in what I was doing,” said Boron, who retired after 42 years working for Fishers Foods and Dave’s Supermarket. “He said I was walking right and opening and closing too quickly. It’s something you don’t notice unless someone sees it.
“I’ve shot some big scores since he told me about it.”
Prior to his milestone series, Boron had eight strikes in a row in one game and 10 in a row in another en route to 287. His problem has been spare shooting.
“I told Alex (Lincoln) when he asked me to sub that all I wanted to do was shoot 600 and make my spares,” Boron said. “The previous Wednesday and Thursday I had 11 open frames in six games and missed five 10-pins.”
Boron made his only two spares in Game 1, left a pair of 10-pins in the first and ninth frames, respectively, in Game 2 (covering both) and then had a solid 7-pin in the fourth frame of Game 3 (made that one, too). He used the Storm Dark Code, a ball he received through the league he bowled in during the summer at AMF Hall of Fame.
Boron didn’t make a move until Game 3, but it was only with his feet. His target from the 12th board to seven remained consistent.
“The third game, I moved at least a board every frame after the fourth. The one thing you can’t do at Hall of Fame is move left and tug it because it will jump on you,” Boron said. “I moved my feet, but the target remained at zero … just opening the area.”
Boron took almost 18 months away from bowling during the COVID-19 pandemic, but averaged 221 a year ago.
“But I really didn’t feel right last year. That 221 felt more like 121 to me,” said Boron, who bowled just one league during the first half of this season, but will add two more as a regular during the second half, including the Stark County Senior Traveling League.
“I think not working has made a difference. I come in refreshed now,” Boron said. “The big thing is staying clean, and ever since Tom caught that, it feels good. Everything is clicking except for my spare shooting. I’ve got to go and practice that.”
Boron also admits coaching the high school team has helped his own game.
“Remembering to stay slow and balanced, little things I remind them of, also makes me think about it,” Boron said. “It was a little rough picking up a ball and practicing again after the layoff. But Tom pointing that out and Tony Johnson helping me were big.”
And finally being able to consistently hit his target has been the key.
“If I’m looking at my target and hitting it dead on,” Boron said, “then you feel like you can bowl on any shot and compete. That’s where I’m at right now.”