By BILL SNIER
MINERVA — Chad Bell admits that when he has been in positions before to achieve milestone scores, it can “get into my head a bit.”
“Sometimes, I’ll throw a bad shot and it will get into my head,” the 37-year-old New Franklin right-hander said. “I don’t make the adjustment and just keep throwing the same shot over and over again and get the same results.
“But with a little liquid encouragement, I don’t worry about it too much.”
But last week in the Friday Night Eagles league at Minerva Bowl, Bell admitted he finally did make the necessary adjustments. It produced a milestone during the Palmer family’s 50th year of owning the Stark County center.
Bell, a Land ‘O Lakes Purina Feed employee, had games of 276, 266 and 269 for an 811 series — his career high and only second career 800 series. He also owns 11 300 games.
After leaving only a 4-pin in Game 1 and finishing with a seven-count in the 10th frame, Bell encountered a couple of problems in Game 2, leaving a 5-7 split (his only open frame of the night) and a 2-pin spare.
“I was coming up light, so I had to make a move and slow my ball down,” said Bell, who used a Storm Phaze AI for his milestone — his first honor score with the ball.
“On a few of the shots, my feet were quicken than where my ball was ready to release. I just got up there, took a couple of deep breaths and found my rhythm again.”
Game 3 started with a 4-7 spare before another double and a 6-pin spare. Bell knew what he needed to do from there to reach his milestone.
“I was actually thinking about it the whole game. I had a few beers in me by then, but no one really was talking to me about it at all,” Bell said. “I was kind of like, ‘Why is everyone being so quiet?’ ”
The first he heard of any talk about the 800 was in the 10th frame of Game 3 after his first strike.
“I heard people behind me saying all I needed was a nine-count to get it,” said Bell, who finished with eight strikes. “Well, I wanted more than that, so I’ll just run the strikes out and I’ll be good.”
Also not there that night was good friend Scotty Shields, a steady teammate of Bell in two leagues who owns 14 career 800 series, including one last February at Minerva.
“Not having him in my ear is always a positive,” Bell said, laughing. “I know there would have been a few exchanges if he was there.
“But also, me and him pretty much throw the same type of ball so there probably would have been a few more moves involved that night. As it was, I only had to move one or two boards.”
Bell averages in the 220s in two Minerva leagues, but also is bowling regularly on Mondays at Eastbury Bowling Center in Canton, where he is averaging 232.
“I enjoyed subbing with Todd (Thomas) and Tyrone (Thomas) last year, and they said they had a spot and asked me to bowl. I guess I get picked on a little less there,” Bell said, laughing.
“The shot is pretty much the same for me. It’s maybe two or three boards looser over there. I just try to slow the ball down a bit more.”
Is he surprised to have only two 800 series at this point in his career?
“I guess I don’t work on my game as much as I could,” Bell said. “I just want to come out and have fun, so I just don’t worry abut it too much.”
But an honor score added to the fun that Friday night.