By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — A simple conversation with another bowler can make all the difference in one’s game.
Just ask 44-year-old Canton right-hander Steven Driver.
It had been a few years since Driver, a carpenter for OCP Contractors, had bowled league play at Park Centre Lanes. He also bowls in a pair of leagues at Eastbury Bowling Center, where he threw his ninth career 300 game earlier this season in the Liberty Vending league.
“I just couldn’t understand why I’ve been struggling (at Park Centre) this season,” said Driver, who averages 228 and 234 in his Eastbury leagues but just 217 in the Honeymoon Grille league at Park Centre.
“The last time I bowled here, I was around 228 and 229. I just wasn’t getting the same ball reaction.”
A chance conversation with fellow Monday and Sunday night league bowler Tyler Bugara inside the Foxfire Lounge at Park Centre prior to the start of the Honeymoon Grille league changed it all for Driver.
“He also bowls in the Sunday (mixed) league (at Eastbury), and we just started talking about the differences,” Driver said. “He told me how he had to move up about four inches in his stance and the dot pattern on the approaches kind of threw him off a bit.”
That was the secret. The dots on the approach, which line up with lane arrows at three different parts of the approach (front, middle and at the foul line), are different at the two centers. Eastbury has seven dots in the middle; Park Centre has seven.
It made Driver think.
“I didn’t even realize what I was doing until we talked about it,” said Driver, who was standing around the third arrow on the approach. “I look at the foul line when I bowl and I was off about four boards from where I stand at Eastbury.”
Driver made a three-board move right to get more aligned with the second arrow, and played his usual target just inside the first arrow (six board).
“I threw three practice balls, struck on all of them and then sat down,” Driver said.
He didn’t stop striking the rest of the night.
Driver had games of 256, 278 and 288 for 822, his third career 800, with the last ironically also coming about eight years ago at Park Centre.
He had one open frame all night, missing a 10-pin spare in Game 1.
Driver ran off the first eight strikes in Game 2 before leaving back-to-back 10-pin spares to finish. He then had the first 10 strikes in Game 3 before another 10-pin denied him a run at 300.
“That first one was a little flat in the 10th, but it carried. The second one I thought was a good ball,” Driver said. “It would have been nice to finish with 300. I’ve never had that combination (300-800) before.”
Driver use his Roto Grip Idol Helios, the same ball he uses at Eastbury. He essentially plays the same line at both centers.
At least, he does now following the adjustment.
“I just never put it together. But that night, the light bulb went on,” Driver said. “It’s funny how a simple conversation can change everything.
“It was nice to get another one. Anyone can get a 300, but that consistency of three high games means you have to be in the pocket all night long and get that carry. There can be nights where you hit the pocket and can’t carry anything. That night, the ball was rolling well for me.”
And a three-board right move also makes all the difference.