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With the bowling season winding down, Jeff Woodman is cranking it up. The 43-year-old right-hander has been assaulting the alleys at Westgate Lanes in the Graphic Arts League with amazing precision. The league itself recently made news by producing five 300 games in a single night. Woodman, of Grand Rapids, had one of the perfect games and shot 839. On Tuesday, he outdid himself, collecting 34 of a possible 36 strikes to finish with a phenomenal 889 series. "It was nothing you could expect to happen," said Woodman, an employee of Alro Industrial Supply for the past 21 years. "It didn't surprise anyone more than me." Woodman opened the evening with a 289, which left a bad taste in his mouth. "I was kind of disappointed," Woodman said. "You don't get the first 10 strikes all that often. When they come along, you want to finish it off." From that point on, Woodman polished off every pin that was set before him, rolling back-to-back 300 games for the first time in a bowling career that has spanned 33 years. Woodman, a Jackson native, now has 17 career 300 games. Woodman has rolled seven 300 games this season, including one in the Jackson Masters, where finished sixth out of 85 competitors with an 835 series. Although Woodman moved to Grand Rapids 12 years ago with his wife, Sheila, he still travels back to Jackson each week to bowl in a league at Airport Lanes. He averaged 226 in both leagues this year. The rash of red-hot games by Woodman lately can be attributed to a change in equipment. Five weeks ago, he began working with a new ball. "When I first bought the thing I didn't even think I could throw it, it hooked so much," said Woodman of his Brunswick Ultimate Inferno. "The ball I had been throwing was straighter and didn't seem to be carrying very well."
Westgate's Tuesday league features five perfect games Bowling in the Graphic Arts League at Westgate Lanes on Tuesday nights always has been tough competition. On March 22, it was downright cutthroat. The astonishing night included five perfect games and three series that broke the 800 barrier. In all, fourteen bowlers from the 24-team league notched three-game totals of 700 or better. Rockford's Tony Buck fired his 23rd career 300 game during the free-for-all. "It was the first night of roll-offs, so maybe everyone was geared up to bowl good," said Buck, 35, a controls engineer for Gill Industries. Buck's team, Sparta Chevrolet, finished the season first in points. While the league-wide shelling took place, Dave Norwick and Jeff Woodman squared off in a fierce, yet friendly, one-on-one battle from their anchor positions. "It seems like every time we bowl (against each other) we have a pretty good match," said Woodman, 43, an employee of Alro Industrial Supply residing in Grand Rapids. This showdown was no different as the pair tossed opposing 300s during the second game of the night. "Pretty much everything stopped on the 10th ball," said Woodman of the crowd which had gathered as the game progressed. "We just went back and forth. We were both fortunate to get them all." Woodman kept up the pace. He struck on his first 10 shots of the third game en route to a blazing 839 series. Norwick stayed right on his heels, firing an 825 that helped propel his FOF Engineering squad past Woodman's AIS team. "It added more suspense and tension trying to advance in the (league) playoffs," said Norwick, who also bowls the Westgate Classic II league each Friday. Norwick, a 44-year bowling veteran, has been particularly hot of late, picking up three of his four all-time 800s in the past six weeks. "It's been a nice run this second half of the season," said Norwick, a retiree now driving valet for Kool Chevrolet. "I've been in a good rhythm. I just have to pinch myself." Donnie Farris, a member of the Graphic Arts league for the past 15 years, was impressed by the number of big games, but not surprised. "That was something else," said Farris, 48, of Northview. "They're some of the best bowlers around." Farris, an assistant superintendent at Kent Country Club, held his own, shooting his second perfect game as part of a 744 series. Other top scorers included Jason Harmson with a 300 (707 series) and Pat Bentley Jr. who rolled an 805. © 2005 Grand Rapids Press. Used with permission |