Sports
Town Hall Lanes Hosts Duckpin Tour
Peter Pierce (178) and Susan Phillips (137) take top tournament honors, as the state record is broken by Chuck Kramer, who bowled a 1398 over eight games.
For more than 15 years, has been hosting the Duckpin Professional Bowlers Association (DPBA) Tour — this year's tournament was held on August 5 through 7 and featured nearly 200 bowlers.
"There were 134 men and 47 women competing in the tournament," said Carol Mazzo, Town Hall Lanes Women's Director. "They come from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, [and] Maryland, and four bowlers are from Canada."
Mazzo explained the men bowl in four different shifts and the women have two shifts. Everyone bowls eight games total.
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Two Johnston residents competed in the tournament: Sal Nasisi, whose high score out of eight games was 205, and Marcus Muratore, who bowled a total score of 1158 for eight games.
This year's tour stop also had the distinction of a new state record being set.
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"Chuck Kramer, who is from Laurel, MD, broke the state record with a score of 1398," announced Tour Director Sue Burucker, adding the previous high score was 1389.
Kramer, who is the president of the Women's National Duckpin Association, explained he "grew up in a bowling alley" and has been bowling for 44 years.
In the tournament format, 36 men start out placed in 16 brackets, with the eight bracket winners advancing to the finals round until a head-to-head contest determines the men's winner.
On the women's side, 24 women play through their bracket and five bowlers go head-to-head for the title. Of the five finalists, four were from Maryland, and one, April Lotezcka, hailed from Connecticut.
Burucker, who has been tour director for 15 of her 30 years with the organization, pointed out the stars on the backs of the bowlers' shirts, which represent a tournament they won.
Peter Pierce of North Attleboro was proudly displaying 14 stars on the back of his shirt, and was about to add another star as he earned the tournament victory over his opponent, Donald Dove of Abingdon, MD, who had an impressive 17 stars. The final score was 178-129, Pierce.
Susan Phillips from Preston, MD, took top honors, outscoring Stacey Gaegler, 137-107. It was Phillips's second tournament win.
Mazzo said that fall leagues are scheduled to start at the local bowling lanes after Labor Day. For more information, visit the Town Hall Lanes website.
