It was a cold and stormy morning, but the bowling went on as planned last Saturday. With five teams, we planned four 8-end games with each team receiving one bye during the day. The winning team – Nikki Schrager, Gary Knox, and Jason Chien – didn’t have to play the final game because it wasn’t possible for them to lose. Therefore, the last game was cancelled and we all went inside to warm up.

What if you threw a party and then someone with a birthday showed up? Well, it happened last Saturday. Erwin Vista (Mr. Vista to his friends and students) was celebrating his birthday and invited a bunch of his friends. We had coaches, put every single set of loaner bowls into use, enjoyed the fresh, homemade cookies provided by Gary Knox and just plain had an enjoyable day. We even managed to squeeze in a triples game that came down to the last end to decide the winner.

One guest enjoys curling on the ice in Oakland…check out our “curling without the ice” video elsewhere on this site.

Forty-two bowlers from around the bay area converged on the Berkeley green on Saturday, April 9, for the annual Berkeley Jamboree. This event, organized and hosted by Howard and Barbara Mackey is an early-season tradition in the PIMD. The format is simple – yet complicated. Each bowler bowls three games with randomly drawn teammates. Using a time-tested formula, the tournament director tallies points for the day. Fifteen of the 42 bowlers received cash prizes.

This year, Lennon Hamilton (BLBC) was bowling lead and accumulated the most points. Ellie Lewis of the San Francisco LBC was also bowling lead and came in second. Lennon and Ellie pose in the winner’s circle in the first photo.

The assembled bowlers are shown in the second photo. Howard Mackey, Tournament Director and master tally keeper is shown at work in the third photo.

The Bay Area Senior Games was held recently with the lawn bowling competition hosted by the Palo Alto LBC. Berkeley’s Jim Corr paired with Nikki Schrager (a dual member of the Berkeley club) and were awarded the bronze medal in pairs. Congratulations!

The weather had the upper hand this year and forced the cancellation of the 2011 opening day event. Over 130 bowlers were signed up from clubs all over the Greater Bay Area. Many of those bowlers will be on hand for the Bay Area Senior Games planned for March 28 at the Palo Alto club. Let the games begin!

Since the February birthday event was so successful, we’re going to try it again in March. On Sunday, March 27, we’ll have a hosted lunch followed by a game of bowls. The game will be a “draw game”.

These draw games are tons of fun. Don’t get me wrong, there’s stiff competition, but newcomers are welcome – no, they’re encouraged to come. What better way to improve your game while you’re having fun?

Lunch at noon, bowling after.

(Donations for lunch are encouraged.)

Spring, green grass, good times and a glass of lemonade. BLBC will host another open house on May 7 to introduce lawn bowling to all who are interested. We’ll offer light refreshments and some hands-on instruction. In a few minutes, you’ll be lawn bowling.

CLUB MEMBERS – This is the perfect opportunity to bring those friends of yours who just haven’t made it down to the club to give it a try.

Yours truly would like to take a holiday and let someone else make the commentary about today’s birthday lunch. In this case BLBC’s Cathy Dinnean sent an email to club members that says…

“Here’s one of the photos I took today at our BLBC birthday event with 20 members enjoying lunch. I’m not sure I know all involved, but thanks go to Barbara for the planning, and to Gary and Lennon and Linnea for lovely food. Obviously, it was a good idea to try Sunday afternoon, when employed persons could attend. The lunch was followed by two triples games (12 bowlers) on a fine winter afternoon.”

Yours truly again…it was a fantastic afternoon. I got another “lesson” from Ted Crum as an opponent who teamed up with Phil (our new dual member from Oakland) and Janet (whose grandfather was involved with a bowling club back in England). My team had my pal David Sals as lead with Gary Knox as Vice. What fun!

We’re being a little different for our birthday lunch this month. Instead of the last Friday, we’ve chosen to have the lunch on Sunday, 2/27 at noon. If the weather permits, there will be a draw game following. Come join us.