What a series: Canonsburg bowler has a ball
Vince Paris set the Washington County record for a three-game sanctioned bowling series, rolling an 886 at the SNPJ Lodge 138 lanes earlier this month.
The scoreboard from Vince Paris' record-setting three-game bowling series.
Vince Paris knew this moment was special.
He knew by the sweat building on his fingers inside his 15-pound Brunswick bowling ball.
He also knew it by the reaction of most of the other bowlers crammed into the small SNPJ Lodge 138 alley.
They were all watching him.
Standing at the lane, the left-hander glared down at the 10 pins, looking for his mark on the lane to release the bowling ball.
Knock them all down one more time and he would accomplish a rare feat of back-to-back 300 games and easily one of the best three-game series in the history of the league.
His approach was good and the bowling ball left his hand clean. It broke slightly left, then the spin caught the perfectly oiled lane that led to the pocket.
It seemed like a good roll, the pins flew on impact and you could hear the yells from the crowd, then the gasp.
The 7-pin was left standing.
“It was pretty surreal,” said Paris, who lives in Canonsburg. “It started out as pretty much a normal Wednesday night. Everything felt a little different. Every ball was in the pocket. Pretty much, everybody was watching.”
The 7-pin is to the left-handed bowler what the 10-pin is to the righty, pure torture. Those two pins sandwich the back row of pins and are the toughest to knock over, depending on which hand you use.
“I hook the ball pretty good,” Paris said. “But not like these younger guys.”
So Paris, who works for the Canon-McMillan School District, finished with a 299 for the game and an 886 series, setting the Washington County record. The previous high of 869 was set by Jeff Deiley at the West Pike Bowl in Canonsburg in 2016. Paris rolled 287 in his first game.
“Quite honestly, I’ve been bowling for 30-plus years and never thought I would see something as impressive as we all got to witness,” said Jason Cadez, president of SNPJ Lodge 138 and one of the group cheering Paris’ final attempt Wednesday, Feb. 6.
“And there is a good chance we’ll never see it again.”
Like most bowlers, Paris was introduced to bowling at a young age by his parents.
“I grew up bowling at Alpine Lanes (in Washington),” he said.
The 53-year-old Paris carries a 241 average at SNPJ, his main league. He also fills in at Alpine Lanes in Washington on some Thursday nights, but the feeling here is Paris’ phone will be ringing with requests from bowlers in other leagues for him to come lend a hand.
Paris’ previous best series was 855, also bowled at SNPJ but coming last year on lanes 3 and 4. His record series came on lanes 5 and 6.
Once a year, the lanes at SNPJ are oiled to the specifications of the United States Bowling Congress. A bowler who throws his or her first 300 game receives a certificate.
If Paris received one for every 300 game in his five decades in the sport, he’d have 47.
That’s right, 47.
“The majority of them are sanctioned,” Paris said.
Paris competed in local tours around the Tri-State Area and has had some success when he was younger.
So how does Paris top his most recent accomplishment?
“I guess try to shoot a 900,” he said with a chuckle.