By BILL SNIER
CANTON — The two men have been friends for years, going back to their days on the coaching staff for Perry High School’s bowling team and beyond.
Roger Webb, recently inducted into the Stark County High School Bowling Conference Hall of Fame, ran the Panthers’ program while Don Sprout served as his assistant for several years.
Recently, both hit milestones in their bowling careers, even through they are nearly 10 years apart in age.
But both men let the other know about their accomplishments via text.
“I know he was in a slump, but you could see the difference in his release,” Sprout said of Webb. “He has his timing down, he’s throwing the ball well.
“And, of course, he had to one-up me.”
WEBB BACK AFTER SLUMP
Webb, a 57-year-old Canton right-hander who works part-time for Koala Kruizers, was coming back after taking a year off following shoulder surgery. He had rotator cuff and bicep tendon repairs that cost him the 2022-23 season.
“Then, two months into rehab, I tore the bicep again,” Webb said. “It really doesn’t hurt while I’m bowling. After the surgeries, I didn’t throw a ball until last July and August.”
Bowling in two leagues at Eastbury Bowling Center, Webb started the season solid, averaging 230 in one league and 229 in the other.
Then came the slump.
“I lost about 10 pins off my average in a two-month period,” Webb said. “I had a really good first half of the year with a 289 and quite a few 279s. I was throwing the ball well.
“Then, things changed.”
Unable to pinpoint the problem, the former coach sought advice from two other Stark County USBC Hall of Famers — Joe Altimore III and Jeff DiMarzio.
“The problem was physical actually. It was something in my hand position and being too fast with my arm swing,” Webb said. “It was something that you really couldn’t feel or see yourself.”
The advise paid off as Webb had the 20th 800 series of his career (827) in the Liberty Vending league at Eastbury. He had games of 279, 259 and 289 for the milestone.
A 4-pin late in Game 1 cost him a possible 27th career 300. A pair of 10-pin spares led to his score in Game 2, with a 10-pin in the first frame and a 4-pin on the fill ball after 10 strikes in a row giving him the final verdict.
He used a Track Stealth for the milestone — admittedly, a ball he usually doesn’t throw on that side of the center.
“I usually use a Track Proof pearl on the low side, but I started with the other ball,” Webb said. “Everything just carried. I just hit what I was looking at and it all felt good.”
The only drama was in the 10th frame of Game 3 when he tripped a pair of 4-pins for strikes — but then left a 4-pin on his final shot.
“After that slump,” Webb said, “this just feels fantastic.”
SPROUT HAS MILESTONE
Sprout, a 66-year-old Alliance right-hander and retiree, still is surprised by his 800 in the Hannon Electric league at Park Centre Lanes.
“It was one of those nights where I was thinking which ball to start with,” Sprout said. “I went to the Pyramid Force. I’ve had two 300s and an 800 with that ball in seven years there, so why change?”
Sprout hd games of 289, 264 and 257 for his 810, giving him “over 10” 800s along with 25 300 games.
“I bring two balls with me and it was one of those typical nights where you get your practice and see what you have,” Sprout said. “One had a little more back end than the other.”
He left a 10-pin in the 10th frame of Game 1.
“It was a weak 10 … not a good shot,” Sprout said.
Game 2 he started with the front seven strikes before leaving a 7-pin. Then, in the 11th frame he threw “just a terrible shot” and left a 2-6 split. Then, he started Game 3 with a 4-9 split.
“The first thing I thought was, I should move. But I was thinking I threw that ball a little slower.,” Sprout said. “So I stayed there and just kept on chucking it. I didn’t have to move, which surprised me.
“If I got the ball in a little, it still carried. And, if I got it wide, it still had some force behind it. It was one of those nights where everything fell and everything was right there.”
Both players played similar lines: Webb going 10 board to about six; Sprout going 14 to around seven or eight.
And during each milestone, they communicated with each other via text.
“We both support each other. If I’m struggling with this or that I’ll ask him,” said Sprout, who bowls with Webb at Eastbury on Wednesdays. “We try to help each other out.”
Webb has ruled out coaching again.
“Do I miss it? Yes. I had some great kids over the years,” Webb said, “but I don’t think about coming back.”
Sprout recently resigned as Perry’s boys coach after one season.
“It’s tough having eight good bowlers and only being able to bowl five,” Sprout said. “Sometimes, it’s difficult for people to accept.
“I just take everything too personal. I loved the kids and they understood what they had to do.”
Sprout has not ruled out returning to coaching, but not necessarily running a program.
“I might want to be an assistant again. I loved working with (Perry coach) Joe (Altimore III) and Roger,” Sprout said. “I might see what’s out there.”