USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. – Marc Lineberry of Davenport, Iowa, recently added his name to another chapter of United States Bowling Congress Open Championships history by celebrating his 50th tournament appearance.
Lineberry was joined down the famed center aisle at the National Bowling Stadium by longtime friends Jay and Cindy Garvey as he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate his entrance into the tournament’s 50-Year Club.
“It feels great,” Lineberry said. “It doesn’t really feel like 50 years. I’m just glad I made it to this point.”
While reaching the milestone was significant, Lineberry said the accomplishment wasn’t something he initially planned for when his tournament journey began at the 1975 event in Dayton.
“This was never really a destination or goal until more recently,” Lineberry said. “The most important part has always been the journey, the people you meet, the friendships, the experiences and all the memories you make over the years.”
The friendships created through the tournament played a major role in Lineberry’s milestone moment, particularly with the Garvey/Voda family, who shared decades of tournament trips and memories with him.
Lineberry first started at the Open Championships because of Robert Voda, who later became one of his longtime teammates and closest friends.
“A few years after I started bowling the tournament, I bowled with Bob Voda for a long time,” Lineberry said. “He was a great competitor, had a great sense of humor and just made everybody laugh. Through him, I met Cindy Voda when she was still in high school.”
Years later, Cindy married Jay Garvey, who became part of the same tournament group and now has 38 years of participation at the Open Championships. Their son also has joined the tournament tradition, giving Lineberry the opportunity to bowl alongside three generations of the same family.
“That’s one of the coolest things about all of this,” Lineberry said. “I started bowling with Bob, then Jay came along, and now their son bowls with us, too. It’s been an incredible journey with that family.”
While the memories and friendships stand above everything else, Lineberry’s tournament credentials also include several notable performances on the lanes.
Among his highlights are a third-place finish in doubles at the 1982 tournament in Baltimore and a 300 game during singles competition at the 1993 event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first perfect game of his career.
“That was actually my first 300,” said Lineberry, a member of the Iowa State USBC and Camanche USBC Halls of Fame. “I had 298s and 299s before that, but when I threw the last shot, I turned around before it even hit the pins because I knew it was either going to be cheers or everybody groaning.”
Another memorable performance came during singles at the 1989 event in Wichita, Kansas. He shot 792 and narrowly missed a chance at the title after leaving a split late in the final game.
“If I strike there, I probably win singles that year,” said Lineberry, who finished the year in eighth place. “But those moments still stick with you.”
Now that he has reached the 50-year milestone, Lineberry has turned his attention toward another prestigious benchmark – 100,000 pins at the Open Championships. After sets of 628 in singles, 583 in team and 582 in doubles for 1,793 in 2026, Lineberry has knocked over 87,385 pins for a career average at the event of 194.1.
“I’d really like to get to 100,000 pins,” Lineberry said. “Your name stays on those banners forever, and that would be pretty special.”
After undergoing knee replacement surgery just over a year ago, Lineberry admitted he was uncertain how much longer he would continue competing. A strong performance at the 2025 tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, renewed his confidence.
“I still shot 1,800 all-events last year when scoring was tough, and that gave me confidence that I can still compete,” Lineberry said. “As long as I’m healthy and feel like I’m not hurting the team, I want to keep bowling.”
Even with the milestone now complete, Lineberry says the tournament remains about far more than scores and standings.
“Getting to 50 kind of takes the pressure off now,” Lineberry said. “From here on out, it’s really just about the memories and experiences. We’ve always had fun people around us, and whether we bowl well or not, we always leave with great memories.”
CONNETICUT MAN HITS 50 YEARS
William Monty of Woodstock, Conn., reached an important participation milestone, making his 50th appearance.
The achievement reflects Monty’s dedication, consistency and passion for the sport, and to commemorate the occasion, he was joined by teammates William Kitfield, Monty Baswell, James Hinshaw and David Wilk for a ceremonial walk down the center aisle at the National Bowling Stadium, drawing applause from fellow competitors and spectators in attendance.
He was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin as part of joining the tournament’s 50-Year Club.
Monty’s Open Championships journey began in 1973 in Syracuse, N.Y.. Since then, he has traveled to cities across the country to compete in the tournament year after year. He’s made it back to the tournament each year to compete since 1979.
Among the many host cities he has visited during his remarkable run to 50 appearances, Billings, Mont., in 2002 remains especially memorable.
“Billings, Montana, was by far my favorite,” Monty said. “I would like to go back there again.”
Over the course of his Open Championships career, Monty has knocked down 79,774 pins while maintaining a 178.4 average, a testament to both his longevity and consistency on the lanes.
Despite reaching the 50-year milestone, Monty has no plans to step away from the tournament anytime soon.
“I love the tournament, and I will be back,” Monty said.
FLORIDA BOWLER HITS MILESTONE
Tom Schwartz of Bunnell, Fla., recently reached an important milestone as he made his 50th consecutive appearance.
Schwartz was joined by his wife and teammates for a ceremonial walk down the center aisle at the National Bowling Stadium, marking the occasion in front of fellow competitors and spectators. He was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
“I had goosebumps,” Schwartz said of the moment.
His Open Championships journey began in 1976 in Oklahoma City, and he has not missed a tournament since.
Over the course of his remarkable career at the Open Championships, Schwartz has toppled 77,649 pins while maintaining a 172.5 average.
Schwartz spent many years working for the American Bowling Congress, where he assisted local bowling associations in preparing bids to host tournaments, including the Open Championships.
“I would work with associations to put their bids together to host nationals,” Schwartz said.
Among the many cities that have hosted the event during his 50-year run, the trip to Billings, Montana, in 2002 remains especially memorable to Schwartz. He said he continues to admire the dedication and hard work it took for the community to bring the tournament to the city.
Schwartz’s milestone appearance highlights not only his enduring passion for the sport, but also his lasting contributions to bowling both on and off the lanes.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.