By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — Want to see an honor score shot in a bowling center?
Chances are if you shed up for the Tuesday 6:15 p.m. Hannon Electric league at Park Centre Lanes this month you might have seen something special over the past three weeks.
Consider:
- On Feb. 4, 300 games were shot by left-hander Dan Block, right-hander Steve Krajci and two-handed righty Zach McCutchan, with Krajci’s 300 being part of an 800 series — his second of the season. In addition, right-hander Dave Tabellion recorded his first career 800 that night.
- On Feb. 11, three more 300s were shot, with Krajci recording his second in two weeks and third of the season. Also shooting 300 were right-hander Austin Crowe and left-hander Terry Belty.
- On Feb. 18, McCutcheon — who has become “Mr. Park Centre” this season at the age of 19 — recorded his fifth 800 series and third 804 to go along with eight 300 games. His high game that night was 299.
To say this league has been strong is an understatement. Here’s a look at the two new members of the 800 club:
KRAJCI TIMES TWO
The 62-year-old Krajci, who had his first 800 of the season in December, again did not have a big start out of the gate for his second one. In December, he started with 223; this time, it was 234.
But, as he did in December, he recorded a 300 in Game 2 — at that time, his 10th overall.
“I’ve never had two in a season,” said Krajci, who went on to record his third the following week without an 800 series.
“I just got lucky with this one,” he added, after a late messenger off the wall took out the five pin as the last one to fall for the 300.
During his first one, the Harbor Castings employee had 279 at the finish for 802. This time, he started Game 3 with five strikes in a row before leaving a 6-7 split in the sixth frame.
“I had the first five and popped that split, and (teammate Mike) Spitale tells me I had to string strikes to the end to get 800,” Krajci said. “Nothing like putting pressure on a guy.”
But Krajci did just that.
“The first two were good shots. The last one, I just knew I had to have it,” Krajci said. “I didn’t want another 799 … I’ve had one of those before. I’m just on cloud nine right now.”
Krajci used a Motiv Trident for his second 800.
“I kind of brought it out of retirement,” said Krajci, who used the Motive Pride and Motive Prime Empire during his last one. “Every once in a while, I would bring it out for the third game.”
The last 300 game also had its own story.
“The thumb hole just wasn’t feeling right, so I took the tape out of the thumb hole before the third game,” Krajci said. Then he gets 300 No. 3 on the season.
FIRST FOR TABELLION
Until returning to bowling this season, Tabellion has not bowled since 2018 after suffering a pair of cracked vertabra in his back during a work accident.
“I didn’t have surgery, but I was barely able to walk for a couple of months after the accident,” the 60-year-old Canton resident and Sonoco Metal Packaging employee said. “I just needed time to heal. I just feel lucky to be able to bowl after being hurt like that.”
Despite bowling just 24 games this season due to work commitments, Tabellion is averaging 225 — far over his averages in the 214 range when he left the game.
“I just feel relaxed and grateful,” Tabellion said. “I’ve been shooting good all year. I practiced about two or three weeks before the start of the season and everything went well.
“I think I shot 700 my first night back.”
This night, Tabellion had games of 256, 268 and 289 for 813. His previous high series was 769 and he owns just one career 300 game.
It did not start well as he left a split in the first frame of Game 1, using a 15-year-old Tropical Storm. It was his only open of the night.
In Game 2, he started with the first five strikes before another spare, and then ran strikes to the 10th frame.
The big streak came in Game 3, when he ran off the first 10.
“I really wasn’t nervous … just relaxed. The 10th ball was a little light, but it carried. The 11th ball was good, but it wasn’t good enough to carry,” said Tabellion, who is playing the same line (around eight board) that he did when he was forced to shut it down in 2018.
“I’m disappointed that I didn’t get the 300, but I would take 800 over a 300, that’s for sure.”
Neither player knew what the other was doing that night.
As for McCutcheon, the 2024-25 roll continues for the McKinley High School graduate and Park Centre Lanes employee, who is enjoying unprecedented early success.
He had just one career 300 and no 800 series coming into the season.
“You don’t expect something like this just two years out of high school,” said McCutchan recently. “I knew I could average 215 to 220, but I didn’t expect this.”
Nor did league members expect this type of surge in February.
What’s next?
Well, it happened again Feb. 25 as now-two-handed right-hander Cooper Smith, who just converted to a two-hand delivery this season, recorded a 300 — his first as a two-hander.
Smith works in the Ten Back Pro Shop at Park Centre, owned by his stepfather, Frank Testa.