By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — Chris Logan had begun to get frustrated with his bowling game.
“I bowl three nights a week, and I think I was averaging about 190 over three leagues in January,” the 34-year-old Canton right-hander said. “I felt like I was hitting the pocket, but just not scoring.”
The big change came in his mental game — and developing his own pre-shot routine.
“A lot of people ddi that, but I had never really adapted to that before,” the Tractor Supply employee said. “But the Ten Back Pro Shop staff — Jesse (Gonzales), Frank (Testa) and Cooper (Smith) — said one of the things you should have is a routine every time you go up on the approach.
“You have to do the same thing over and over to stay in that groove. I’ve bee focusing on that.”
Logan’s breakthrough came recently in the Pizza Oven Classic league at Park Centre Lanes when he had games of 266, 276 and 258 for an even 800 — his first career 800 after a previous high of 798 shot at the former 77 Colonial Lanes.
“This is just huge. I’ve been taking on so many things with Ten Back Pro Shop, changing my ball arsenal, my ball layouts and practicing a lot,” Logan said.
In Game 1, he left 7-pin and 10-pin spares, then ran off the first nine strikes in Game 2 before “getting lazy with the ball” in the 10th frame and leaving a 6-count spare.
In Game 3, three 10-pin spares came in the first nine frames before he faced having to strike out to hit 800 on the nose.
“With that 10-pin in the ninth, I just told myself, ‘please, don’t miss this … you’ve given yourself an opportunity for 800,’ ” Logan said. “There have been times I’ve had really good looks at possibly shooting 800, but ended up missing a spare or two and throwing it out the window.”
This time,, he converted, which set up the big 10th frame.
“Honestly, I think I was less nervous about this than throwing a 300,” said Logan, who has seven career 300 games. “Going for a 300 would kind of choke me. I would get nervous in like the seventh or eighth frame, get a little antsy and walk around a little.
“This time, I just went up there and chew one at a time. It was a strange feeling. It really didn’t hit me until I threw the last one.”
One of Logan’s traditions is hearing from his grandmother, Brenda Wallace, before he bowls on a regular basis.
“She always tells me, ‘If you throw anything good, let me know … it doesn’t matter what time,’ ” Logan said.
This was one call — the first one he made — that Logan enjoyed that night.