Bowling in America: Summer League After a Long Lay Off

I can beat Ludacris at bowling, I'm pretty sure of that, even after a five-year layoff from a very competitive, but fun atmosphere, league bowling.

I stopped in the local bowling house, All-Star Lanes located in beautiful North Fort Myers, Fla., last week, and inquired about summer leagues.

I was informed that someone was needed on Thursday evening which fit into my schedule so off to league I go once more.

Summer leagues are usually less crowded and people are going on vacations, so teams are short, the bowling is fast, usually and a good way for me to get tuned up for some more serious people later.

Thursday arrived so that morning I took my carrier out of storage, The Bowling Ball Motel, a three-tiered job, with compartments for three balls and storage for shoes on the bottom.

Fully loaded, weighs in at 51.3 lb. First try getting that in my Honda trunk.

After a little wrestling, in it went. I have a Rhino that's probably 15 years old now, and a newer 15 lb urethane thing that seems to work well.

The rubber Lt 48 Johhny Petraglia special got left in the yard, I'm sorry to say. That ball saw some good games.

Anyway the balls were pretty dusty, so I hosed them off. No oil left at all on these suckers, I'm thinking. No trouble on the oil this week. The balls will just soak it in for a couple of weeks.

My team has three other people. One guy is 83 and the second game he fires a 200. Nice. I have to establish a new average and I'm sure my spare shooting will be rusty.

The first game back after a 5 year lay-off I shoot an unimpressive 147 in my mind. Four open frames. I can't seem to get my ball to hit the pocket. Everything is Brooklyn, or to far left for a right-hander.

I try to move about the lane a bit for the second game, but the ball still wants to go left a bit. Second game 2 open frames and a 169.

Now, This is B.S., i'm thinking. I used to bowl here a lot, and I noticed a few people I used to Bowl with. Alright folks, here's...Mikee.

I used the brightly colored urethane ball, lined up right over the 10 board on an outside line, and made sure my back swing was high, and bam, buried it. Strike.

I kept that line most of that game, had one open, but two doubles in that game for a 199. 

This is a handicap league, so I come in at 170.  The next team I bowl will have big problems with me, and that low an average.

It's great to be bowling again. It breaks up the week nicely, and distracts me from life's never ending barrage of crap.

Have a nice week, and take a pretty girl bowling.

Thomas[ NFL Mikee] Moreland