By BILL SNIER
CANTON — The 800 series continue to roll in the Liberty Vending league at Eastbury Bowling Center with nine so far this season.
“I’m really not sure what leads to it,” said 24-year-old Alliance right-hander Richard Elliott III, who joined Canton’s Alex McCourry in rolling the latest 800s in the league Oct. 17. “It seems like on the left side of the house (Lanes 1 to 22), I’ve struggled a bit more. But once I get to the right side, it lights up every week here.
“This is the best scoring league I’ve personally seen with an 870 already and 830s … everyone is just killing it right now.”
Elliott, who recorded his initial 800 last season in the same league, had No. 2 on games of 279, 300 and 277 for 806 — duplicating his first 800 total. At one point, he had 23 strikes in a row.
“I left a 10-pin in the fifth frame,” said Elliott of Game 1, “and it was on the best ball I threw that game. To me, it should have been back-to-back 300s.”
The MAC Trailer employee, who also has 12 career 300 games, didn’t find the going as easy in Game 3. After the front three strikes, he left a 4-pin spare.
He knew it was time for an adjustment with his Roto Grip Exotic Gem.
“I moved two boards (left) after leaving that 4-pin. But then I saw a couple of my teammates go heavy so I moved two more and it kind of evened out,” Elliott said.
But with 579 after two games, Elliott knew what he needed for his second series milestone.
“I had to have the first two strikes in the 10th frame. After I threw the first one, I was kind of feeling (the nerves) a little bit,” Elliott said.
What came next was the “lucky” shot for Elliott. He was able to trip out the 4-7-9 split late with the help of some flying pins.
“I had one that went my way,” Elliott said, laughing. “It was just amazing to see … just to have that feeling that I was able to do it again. It’s a little bit special, but I just feel like I need to do a little bit better because I had 806 the last time, too.”
Elliott bowls in just two leagues, including the Northeast Ohio Travel League, carrying averages of 221 in the NEOTL and 224 at Eastbury.
“The funny thing is I threw that same ball the night before at Clutch Lanes in travel league and shot just 599,” Elliott said. “So I came her Friday and the ball looked good in practice so I decided to go with it and shoot 806.
“Bowling is just that weird sport where you can be terrible one day and the next day you show up and shoot 800. Just strange.”
But having two is better than one.
“I guess it justifies the first one a little,” Elliott said, “but I just want to get a little extra. But that’s just in my own mind.”