Craig Szplett of Beecher, IL can add his name to another historic mark. The right-hander bowled three 300-games on the USBC Open Championship lanes, held this year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada. This marks the first ever bowler to roll three 300’s ever on the Open Championships lanes. This was three of the 30 perfect games bowled at the event and marked the 800th time it has been achieved in the 110-year history of the event.
The 43-year old bowled 300’s at the 1996 Open Championships, held in Salt Lake City, Utah and the 2005 Baton Rouge Open. He summed up the pressure to Bowling Digital,
“I was pretty nervous,”
He also added,
“I just tried to relax and go through the motions the same way I did before, and it worked out. I had a good look in practice, and I adjust pretty quickly, so I think that helped me. Every time something went high flush, I moved off of it. There was a nice shim on the lane, so I tried to stay around it.”
This is Beecher’s first return to the lanes since the 2005 perfect game. After spending time away from bowling, he was urged by teammate Skip Wolfe to return and have a chance to play along side Hall of Fame bowler Wayne Webb,
“He kept bugging me and I kept telling him no. Finally, I said I’d go. It was a little intimidating bowling with Wayne. I watched the guy on TV when I was a kid.” Szplett told Aaron Smith, of the Beecher Herald
Looks like Szplett may be blazing his own unique trail into the Hall himself.
Bowling Center Management Online 