CANTON — They were on the same pair of lanes that night at Eastbury Bowling Center, chasing career milestones.
But while one player was hoping to achieve a round-number goal after recovering from an off-season injury, the other was looking for much more after a few years of battling his inner demons.
Richard Stoffer and Curtis Duffield, who both rolled 800 series during the Northeast Ohio Travel League, bowled against each other that night. They both were aware of what the other was doing.
But they also have different stories that got them to where they are now.
STOFFER BATTLES INJURY
Stoffer admitted the pair were “kind of watching each other” as they both chased 800 quests.
But it was Stoffer, a 44-year-old Alliance right-hander, who came out strong, leaving only a 10-pin on his final ball in Game 2 en route to 299. That came following a 268 in Game 1 and closing with the same score in Game 3 for a 835 series.
It marked Stoffer’s 30th 800 series — “Finally, round numbers,” he said — to go along with 60 300 games. He left just five 10-pins all evening, converting all of them.
“I had a pretty good look all night,” said Stoffer, a MAC Trailer Manufacturing employee who used a 900 Global Reality Check during his milestone series. “I think we were the only match bowling on a fresh pair the night.”
Stoffer, who also bowls regular league play at Eastbury, made one change off the bat that night.
“I moved five boards right of where I’m at normally, which is odd,” Stoffer said. “Usually at Eastbury, you start moving left.”
He did make one slight move during the final game after leaving back-to-back 10-pins in the sixth and seventh frames.
“I decided to move everything back one board. I knew what I needed, and it was like ‘I hope this works,’ ” Stoffer said.
Stoffer hopes to bowl a couple of PBA Central Region events this season after a hip problem forced him to withdraw from a Canfield stop in early summer 2022.
“I was really having a problem with my left hip. During my release, I would get pain down my backside and upper leg,” Stoffer said. “I took off about four months.”
It was diagnosed as a sciatic nerve problem, which has improved with rehabilitation.
“Lots of rehab and lots of stretching,” said Stoffer, who is averaging 229 at Hunt Club Lanes in Salem and 232 at Eastbury this season in addition to 222 in the travel league. “But obviously, I’ve come back stronger. I just feel like it’s been a good season so far.”
Stoffer felt going into the 10th frame of Game 3 that Duffield had a shot at his own 800.
“Me and Jon Boyajian thought he had it when he struck on his first ball,” Stoffer said. “But we were both wrong. He needed another one.”
And that second one meant a lot more than just another number for Duffield.
DUFFIELD’S BATTLE OFF LANES
Duffield neither knows how many 800 series he has nor his number of 300 games.
The 42-year-old Perry Township resident has one thing on his mind when he enters a bowling center: Team.
“To me, the most important thing is the team. I love winning,” said Duffield, who is employed as the North Canton YMCA’s associate membership director. “To me, it’s all about winning. Nothing is more important in this life than the team.
“I know bowling is an individual sport, but to me, it’s about the team, having fun and enjoying the camaraderie. I really don’t keep track of that stuff (milestones) … never have.”
Duffield had games of 246, 278 and 276 to hit 800 on the nose. He does however emember his last 800.
It came in 2020, right before the coronavirus pandemic, when he had his all-time high of 836 as a substitute also at Eastbury. It also was during his personal battle with inner demons.
“I battled what they called a dual diagnosis addiction and mental health problems for a long time, and it was an uphill battle,” Duffield said. “I’m doing so much better at life now.
“I’m involved in a 12-step program that keeps me steady plus I’m helping other people, and I love that. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, but life is great now.”
Duffield started his night with a missed 10-pin spare in Game 1. He started Game 2 with the front four strikes before leaving another 10-pin. He converted that one and struck until the fill ball.
“I knew that Rich was 540 after two games and I was more worried about if we were going to get a win or not,” Duffield said. “I actually lost that second-game match 279-278.”
In Game 3, Duffield started with the first eight strikes before leaving a 6-9-10 spare. He converted to set up his run in the 10th frame.
“It was not a very good shot at all. I was a little nervous … I was thinking about the 300 a little,” Duffield said. “I knew what I needed to do in the 10th frame. All I had to do was get nine on the fill ball after the double, and I left a 10-pin.
“It’s a great feeling to do it again after all I’ve been through. I really haven’t done that much bowling the last couple of years.”
Duffield, who used a Storm Infinite PhysiX he purchased at the start of the season, is averaging 227 in the traveling league and also bowling in an every-other week league with his wife, Brittani. His two young daughters also are bowling in league for the first time.
“The girls are into bowling now and they love it. They are just into sports period,” Duffield said. “My wife gets frustrated because she’s not very good at it, but we have a good time and it’s a fun night for us.”
He accepted all the congratulations for his milestone, but didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.
“Everyone is like this is awesome, but it’s just one game of bowling,” Duffield said. “I enjoy it and everything about it, but honor scores aren’t that big a deal to me.
“It’s just an honor to be able to come back and do this after what I’ve been through.”
And Duffield and Stoffer proved that personal issues and health problems cannot prevent them from excelling on the lanes.
“I just love this sport man,” Duffield said. “Talking about it, being involved in it … it’s just a great game.”