All posts by Dave Rockhold

Club Members

2017 BLBC Mixed Triples

On a beautiful first weekend of August, our club hosted the club’s annual draw mixed triples, and a party to celebrate the big renovation that our club went through this summer, thanks to Ann’s and Bill’s great efforts, and also with the help of many club members who contributed along the way.

Twenty one bowlers signed up to play in their preferred positions, resulting in few teams not competing one of their games, and getting an automated victory. The tournament comprised a qualifying session of three 10 end games, a semifinal game of 8 ends for the top four teams, and a final game with 8 ends. All teams bowled two games before lunch, and the third one afterwards: after the qualifying session, only one team had won all their 3 games, while the other three teams were 2-1 and 2 and a tie.

Families and friends started to arrive to attend the the bbq, and to cheer for the contenders of the two semifinal games that were under way: on one rink, Shawn, Millard and Keith, our new dual member from Sarasota, played against John, Ann and Laile; one the other rink, Jim, Des and Bill played against Rob, Cris and Leslie. Before the final, Erwin and Laile started the bbq and the spectators started munching while waiting and chilling. 

As one would expect, the final game between Shawn’s and Rob’s team was a great game, with beautiful shots and spectacular bowling on each side, which kept the spectators entertained and on the edge of their seats until the very end. Shawn’s team, which came in the final undefeated, took an early lead and kept it until the last two ends. Rob’s team was down 9-4, but the score didn’t discourage him nor his teammates, whom he led to score 5 points to tie, with one end to go. Shawn was still holding shot when the two skips bowled, but eventually Rob drew a shot that in the end, gave his team the victory by two points. 

After the tournament, we all then gathered inside eating sausages, salads and desserts that were kindly provided by many club members, and drinking beers and other liquors, enjoying our beautiful little club and nice conversations.

Thank you to all club members who have contributed to make this event such an enjoyable, fun and memorable day for our club, and many congratulations to Leslie, Cris and Rob for winning this year’s BLBC 2017 Mixed Triples. 

Figure 1 – Winning team (l-r): Rob (skip), Cris (vice) and Leslie (lead).
Club Members, Tournaments

Rob Hoey is the 2017 BLBC Singles winner

 

Our club hosted our first club tournament of the 2017 season today, the BLBC Singles tournament. All of you know that you don’t get any penny from winning this tournament…you get more than that…you get your name on the 2017 Winners Board at our club.

Differently from last year, the weather was perfect to bowl, not too hot, not too windy, and most importantly, also great for having a BBQ, and give Ray (the defending champion) and Shelagh a proper send off, since they will be soon departing for a very long journey across America.

This year, we could only accommodate six rinks, so we had twelve bowlers competing for the title, including the defending champion, Ray. This year’s format was three 12 end games, with a differential limit of ten points, with the top two bowlers playing a 12-end final game. The contestants bowled two games in the morning, took a short lunch break and then bowled the last game.

All games and bowlers had a marker (some even had their own designated marker) throughout the day, and it was a real pleasure to being able to focus on your game and not worrying about setting the jack or dropping it. Someone who knows that I am not very good at recalling things verbatim, may have said to me that marking is a job of love and, boy, we were very much loved today – so thank you Leslie, Sarah, Jim, Bob and Ann!!! Ann is also one of the PIMD umpires so she was on triple duty today!

So back to the tournament. By the end of the last game, there were three bowlers, Rob, Cathy and Lennon who won all their three games, but Rob and Cathy had the same points differential (+22), and moved to the final game, which also showcased two markers, Sarah and Ann. It was a great game: both Rob and Cathy made beautiful shots, all of which were received with applause and compliments from all of us spectators. Rob took an early lead, but Cathy fought her way back into the game, and during the second half of the game, it was a one point game. However, in the end, despite her best efforts, Cathy couldn’t overcome Rob’s great shots and bowls, and the game ended 12-6 for Rob.

After the game, we fired up the grill (thanks Rob for this idea, and thanks Erwin for starting the BBQ), and had hot dogs, chicken skewers, pork chops (thank you Cathy!), veggie burgers, potato salad, cheese and salami, a delicious cherry pie, and lot of drinks and fun conversations.

Huge thanks to Cathy, Ann and Sarah for setting up the club house, getting rid of the weeds near rink 1 and 2, and providing plenty of coffee and snacks throughout the day! Thanks to our Tournament Director Shawn and Ann, our Assistant Tournament Director – today’s event was a great success, and we all had a great time, before, during and also after the games.

Congratulations to all the bowlers who bowled and participated to this event today and to Rob Hoey, the 2017 BLBC Singles Champion!

 

Cathy and Rob before the final game
Club Members, Tournaments

2015 Club Pairs Champs

Ten hopeful bowlers showed up to bowl in the BLBC Pairs Draw Tournament. Before drawing to see who their partners would be, they had to find out who would be skipping and who would be leading. Due to the small number of skips, I had to ask two bowlers who prefer to bowl lead to bowl skip instead. Both graciously agreed to take on the task. After the draw, the teams of John Hooper & novice Hugo Deaux, Lennon Hamilton & Sarah Allday, Cris Benton & Millard Long, Rob Hoey & Ted Crum, and Shawn Roney & Ray Francis stepped onto the green. After bowling three 12-end games, the top two teams would bowl for the right to have their names on the Winners’ Board.

Sadly, we had an uneven number of teams, so one team had a bye in each of the three games. On a more positive note: Most of the games were very close. In the third game, four teams were in contention for the top two spots. Shawn & Ray bested Rob & Ted by one point in a very close match. The win put them in 1st place. Cris & Millard won their match against Lennon & Sarah with enough plus points to capture 2nd place. The rinks were changed and the two teams began the game. All four players bowled very well–no great surprise there! At the end of the game, Shawn and Ray prevailed. Well done Shawn and Ray!

An extra tip ‘o the hat to Ray. After 21 years, his name will now–finally, be on the Winners’ Board!

Huge thanks to Susan and Sarah for helping to organize the food and getting the clubhouse ready for the tournament.

Runners-up Cris Benton and Millard Long.

Club Members, Tournaments

PIMD Women’s Fours Team Wins Second at SW Open

Some of you will remember the PIMD Women’s Fours Team of Ginger Harris, Mary Scott, Cathy Dinnean and I won 1st Place in the 2nd Flight at the US Open last September. Well, the PIMD ladies were at it again at this year’s SW Open. The Women’s Fours Team of Ginger Harris, Judith Perkins, Mary Scott and I bowled our way into the Championship battle for 1st and 2nd Place!

On day one, we won two and lost two. That was just enough to move us into the 7th position of the Championship Flight. On day two, our first game was against the number two team, a very formidable opponent! After 14 ends, we were tied, so we had to play a one end sudden death play off. We won the toss, and I rolled a long jack. We won! In the second game we were bowling against Joanne Kluck, Angie Peet (also from PIMD) and two women from the SW division. I think it’s fair to say they were considered to be the PIMD favorites. Once again we were tied after 14 ends–but only because of a spectacular last bowl by Ginger Harris! They won the toss and rolled a medium long jack. We held it together and won. All of a sudden, we were bowling against the strongest SW team for 1st and 2nd place! (Joanne and Angie’s team went on to win 4th Place. Kudos to them!)

The SW team (Maryna Hyland, Heather Stewart, Jan Hargraves and Betsy Lauryssen) won the toss, rolled a short jack and won the point. Over and over, we kept them to one or two points, but they kept rolling those pesky short jacks. Finally, when we were down 1 to 12, we adapted and won the point. Ginger asked me to roll a long jack, and I did. Over and over again. We crept up until we were two points from tying on the 14th end. Would this be yet again another sudden death play off? Sadly, it was not to be. But we sure made the SW team work for their win!

My understanding is this is the first time in a long time that PIMD women’s teams made it to the Championship Flight. Well done to both PIMD Women’s Fours Teams!

SW Womens Fours 2nd Place Team
Judith Perkins (Vice-SFLBC), Mary Scott (Second-SJLBC), Ginger Harris (Skip-PALBC), Ann Brillhart (Lead-BLBC)

Provided by Ann Brillhart

Club Members

U S Open Success for Berkeley Bowlers

picture of bowlers
Cathy Dinnean & Ann Brillhart at the U S Open
BLBC members Ann Brillhart, Cathy Dinnean, and Bob Schwartz were among the prize winners at the 2014 U.S. Open held at various greens in Southern California. Ann and Cathy were part of the fours team (Ginger Harris (PALBC, skip), Mary Scott (SJLBC, vice skip). Cathy Dinnean (BLBC, Second) and Ann Brillhart (BLBC, Lead)) that won the second flight in the women’s fours, and Bob partnered Larry Collaco (Sunnyvale LBC) to the runner-up position in the fourth flight of the men’s pairs. Congratulations to Ann, Cathy, and Bob!

Special Events, Tournaments

That elusive Meat Axe – gone again!

Well, it was deja vous all over again after Palo Alto came to town to defend the Meat Axe. Both teams fielded four teams (with only minimal use of dual members) for the competition. After tasty snacks and a few howdy-dos, it was game on as tournament director Howard Mackey gave us our marching orders. The green was running fast but did present a few challenges to all present.

Ready to Bowl!
Ready to Bowl!
After the morning session, it was a dead heat – two games won by each club. So, after lunch, we were back at it. Palo Alto seemed unwilling to let go of the trophy and the going got rough. In the end, even though there was an attempted comeback or two, Palo Alto prevailed by winning 3 of the afternoon games.

A special thanks to Cathy Dinnean, Ann Brillhart, Susan Jamart, and Jim Corr for all the behind the scenes work it takes to put on an event like this one.

And finally, Erwin Vista deserves special mention. Not long ago, he was a novice. His performance this weekend and last as a skip was outstanding. Congratulations, Erwin, it was a pleasure to see how fine-tuned your shots have become.

So, as you can see in the picture above, Palo Alto’s VP John Lee was please to take possession of the trophy for another year and President Phil Grattan did his best to look gracious as he shows off the “We Lost” trophy.

John Yee takes possession of the Meat Axe from Phil Grattan, BLBC Pres.
John Yee takes possession of the Meat Axe from Phil Grattan, BLBC Pres.

Club Members, Special Events, Tournaments

Bay Bridge Challenge

Sunday, August 30 saw the second staging of the Bay Bridge Challenge, a tournament inaugurated in 2013 to pit BLBC’s bowlers against their San Francisco counterparts. The format was five 14-end triples matches in both the morning and the afternoon. Unfortunately, the story is short: the West Bay overcame the East Bay with relative ease, winning by a score of 8-2 and thus retaining the trophy they initially captured a year ago. But, as always, it was a pleasure to bowl with our friends in what used to be called the Paris of the West, and in fog-less conditions no less. And, special thanks to our hosts for the treats they provided after the event. There’s always next year…