CANTON — Steve Forrester made a decision during practice in the Las Vegas Mixed league at Eastbury Bowling Center.
“I don’t think I’ve put tape in a thumb hole in 10 years,” the 45-year-old Malvern right-hander said. “But in practice balls, the ball was falling off my thumb.”
So Forrester asked his brother, Cecil, for a piece of tape.
Then, on his first shot of the night, he left a 4-7-10 split in the first frame.
“It kind of stuck on my thumb a little bit,” the MAC Trailer employee said. “But I made an adjustment and moved on board left, but kept the tape in the ball.”
It was the right move all around.
Forrester had games of 256, 279 and 279 for an 814 series, his 41st 800 series overall to go along with 50 300 games. He has an all-time high of 832.
“It feels really good, but after so many, it really doesn’t bother you any more when you get close,” said Forrester, who averages 230 and 218 in two Eastbury leagues. “But it definitely doesn’t get any easier.”
After his opening split in Game 1, Forrester doubled and then left a 10-pin. He followed that by striking out.
In Game 2, it was more of the same as Forrester had the front eight strikes before leaving a 7-pin in the ninth. A 4-pin in the eighth frame of Game 3 after seven strikes in a row ruined his other 300 bid.
And he did it with an 8-year-old ball — a Storm Halo.
“I really just throw old stuff,” said Forrester, whose last 300 came in the Stark USBC Open Championships last year also at Eastbury. “I really haven’t bought a new ball in a while.”
When Cecil Forrester had his 800 earlier this season, Steve was on a hunting trip and missed it. Cecil was there for this one.
“I really had no indication at all it was going to be a good night,” said Steve Forrester, who kept his same target area from the 15th board to eight after his opening split. “It’s been a pretty good season so far. I like the way I’m throwing the ball.”