By BILL SNIER
AKRON — It was a moment Matt Black had been working toward during his 19-year bowling career.
“After the first two games, I knew I needed to get to 280 to get there,” the 37-year-old Akron right-hander said of his quest for his first career 800 series.
The steel and aluminum worker for Concept Manufacturing set his run up with games of 267 and 254 out of the gate on Aug. 21, the first night in the Perfect Fit league at Spins Bowl Akron.
After finishing Game 2 with a 10-pin spare and a 4-6-7-10 split on his final ball, Black started Game 3 with a 2-4-8 leave. He covered the spare — and it was off to the races.
“I just tried to stay focused and keep my mind off of it,” said Black, adding no one really talked to him about his run.
Throwing his Roto Grip RST Hyperdrive, the right-hander ran off 10 straight strikes into the 10th frame to finish with 289 and an 810 series. His previous high was 776, shot about eight years ago.
“Once I got to the 10th frame, I knew I needed the first one to get there,” said Black, who was bowling with his father, Jeff. “Once I got that, I thought I was all right. But I kind of miscounted there. I needed the second one, but I really didn’t know it.”
He got that one too, finishing with a 9-pin for the final count.
In Game 1, Black ran off the first eight strikes before leaving a 7-pin in the ninth. After another strike, he left a 4-6-7-9-10 split — picking off the 4-9 on his final ball.
In Game 2, he started with a pair of 10-pin spares before running off seven strikes in a row and leaving another 10-pin.
“I never expected this at all coming out. I’ve never had a start like this,” said Black, who didn’t bowl summer league and didn’t begin practicing three games a week until late in July.
He stayed with the same target area — 15 (board) to around nine — all night.
“The lanes absolutely have changed since last year. They seem to be holding a lot better and not overhooking,” Black said. “I’ve been able to focus more on my feet and arm swing. Last year, I was all over the place.”
He followed up his big series with a 725 in Week 2.
“I just never expected a start like this,” Black said. “I’ll play down and in when I have to, but I like to play an inside-out line.
“This just feels great, especially after last year.”
In addition, on that Aug. 21 debut night at Spins-Akron, Bill White Jr. — son of the longtime former owner of the center — had a 255 triplicate.
BIG SERIES AT YORKTOWN
Meanwhile, at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, a house record was established by right-hander Marty Zeszotek.
After leaving a 2-pin spare in the first frame of the night, Zeszotek never missed again.
He finished with 290, 300, 300 for an amazing 790 series.
Zeszotek played an outside line straight to the pocket for his milestone, according to a video posted on Facebook.
