THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604050155
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Who is the best bowler in the Ladies Professional Golf Association?
We're going to find out, because the lady golfers will be starting a bowling league for the members while on tour.
It began with an idea by LPGA Tour member Barb Mucha. And Mucha just might bethe top bowler in the group herself.
She's a bowling fan and enjoys watching the men and women pros in action on the lanes and via television. She also scores in the 185-200 range regularly and says she hopes to compete on the Ladies Professional Bowling Tour someday.
``Golf and bowling are similar in that it takes concentration, focus and good hand-eye coordination,'' says Mucha. ``It's all feel.''
The 35-year-old Mucha has won three LPGA tournaments and is approaching the $1,000,000 mark in career winnings. She joined the tour in 1987 after winning All-America honors at Michigan State.
Bowler of the Week honors go to Fran Sansone, the area's No. 1 ranked woman tenpin bowler the past four years.
Sansone shattered the house record for women at Pinboy's of Military with a torrid 758 series. She backed up games of 247, 265 and 246 in the PA Keglers League.
The previous record was 756 by Edie Ketaner in the 1971-72 season.
This was Sansone's highest series yet.
Tenpin topics: Remarkably, five more bowlers joined the 300 Club in the past week. Larry Martinez closed with a 12-striker after games of 235 and 227 for a 762 series in the Pinbusters League at Pinboy's of Military. Bumm Beach registered his 300 behind games of 222 and 208 in a 730 series in the Ball & Chain League at Indian River. Rodney Waterfield chalked up 300 in the Big Chiefs League, also at Indian River. Scott Hall climbed from 168 to 207 to 300 in his 675 in the Charles Peete League at Pinboy's of Norfolk. Rising star David Sparr, 20, tossed his 300 in the Wednesday Mixed Nuts League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake in a 776 series. Sparr had a 299 earlier this year in the Big Chiefs League at Indian River. . . . The $6.5 million entertainment complex planned by Allan B. Harvie Jr. in Chesapeake will include a 32-lane bowling center. The schedule is for a summer opening of the center in 1997. . . . Youth bowler Kyle Cheatwood slammed a 705 series in the Lynnhaven Junior Mixed League at Pinboy's of Lynnhaven. He put together games of 244, 215 and 246. Earlier this year, the 187-average Cheatwood had a 280 game. This was his first 700 series in this league. His previous best was 675. . . . In the Major/Senior League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake, Phil Aspiras tossed a 254 game and 706 series. . . . Julie Henry's blistering 263 game was posted in the Funseekers League at Pinboy's of Lynnhaven. . . . Remember when it didn't take 700 to gain a position in the weekly Top Ten? Well, in the past week there were 22 series rolled over 700 at just a single center - Pinboy's of Norfolk. . . . Greg O'Bryant had the thrill of hitting his first 700, soaring to 737 in the Tuesday Nite Mixed League at Indian River. . . . Ray Norris joined the Century Club with his 254 game in the Almost Friday League at Pinboy's of Lynnhaven. He averages 149. . . . Bob Zirnheld zinged a 247 game in the AARP Young at Heart Seniors League at Pinboy's at the Beach. . . . Susie McNair socked a 262 game in the Saturday Classic Mixed League at Pinboy's of Chesapeake. . . . Laura Buley zipped 100 over average with her 266 game in the County View Ladies League at Indian River. She averages 151. . posted in the Betty's Hot Shots League at Pinboy's of Military. . . . Joyce Webster pitched a 266 game en route to her 696 series in the Federal Mixed League at Pinboy's of Norfolk. She also fired a 684 series in the Sunday Nite Mixed/Just for Fun League at the same center.
Duckpin data: The Virginia State Youth Tournament will be held at Victory Lanes April 13-14. It draws virtually all the top young bowlers throughout the state. . . . Mark Wilkins carved out a 206 game in the Tuesday Major Trio League. . . . Usually a big strike thrower, Donnie Long had only two strikes en route to a 452 series in the Industrial League. It upped his season average past the 140 mark. . . . Henry Smith, who averages 98 in the Monday Morning Mixed League, shot a 367 series and converted the 9-10 spare. . . . Charlie Goodell joined the Triplicate Club with three 117 games in the Independent Loafers League. . . . Helen Coner forgot her 98 average and heaved a 155 game in the Wednesday Morning League. . . . Ever wonder where all the duckpin bowlers here actually live? An informal survey shows they reside in 14 cities, including a couple of areas in North Carolina. Thirty percent are from Norfolk, 22 percent from Portsmouth, 21 percent from Virginia Beach, 17 percent from Chesapeake, 6 percent from Suffolk and 4 percent from elsewhere. Victory Lanes were Rhonda Shifflett of Charlottesville with a nine-game handicap series of 1,442 and Earl Paine of Falls Church with 1,436. ILLUSTRATION: Mucha
by CNB