John McCarron: Rare 900 series reported 5 times

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

JEREMY SONNENFELD has rocked the bowling world. Competing at the Junior Husker bowling tournament at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb., the 20-year-old University of Nebraska student rolled three consecutive 300 games, with his 900 series becoming the first ever sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress (ABC), the bowling ruling body.

Jack Mordini, Group Executive for ABC, announced Tuesday that Sonnenfeld's 900 series was approved. Jeremy will be honored this weekend at the opening of the ABC national tournament in Huntsville, Ala. Using a new blue Pearl Pulse bowling ball, Sonnenfeld rolled his record-breaking series on three different pairs, a difficult task for sure.

Now to take anything from Jeremy's scores, but a huge controversy is looming concerning the 900 series. Yes, Jeremy's will be honored as the first ABC-sanctioned 900 series, but he is not the first to do it.

There have been four other players in the long history of bowling to achieve such a feat, but only one was in a sanctioned league. All were denied by the ABC, which stated lane conditions did not comply to their standards.

Glenn Allison rolled three consecutive 300 games in 1982 in a California league to become the first player under the ABC sanctioning body to achieve that record. Even today, people recognize that as the first 900 series, even though ABC refused the scores, citing illegal lane conditions (too easy).

Here's the inside story on Allison's 900 series: Glenn bowled two shifts that night in the league, rolling a 570 series (190 average) during the first shift. Nothing out of the ordinary. The lanes weren't touched and Glenn proceeded to make history by rolling his 900 series, although the scores never made the record book.

Now 15 years have passed. Bowling balls are better, the oil patterns have become more consistent, which results in easier adjustments. Glenn Allison was using a ball that would be considered inferior by today's standards, with a lane condition the high average players might not score as well on as they do today.

So congratulations to Jeremy and Glenn. Both deserve them.

* TRIVIA TIME: The first year of the PBA tour was 1959. Name the leading money winner and his total winnings for the year.

* BLUE 'EM AWAY: Mark Blue held on to win this week's Gold Coast Shootout 228-223 over Ross Lyons. Lyons needed two strikes in the 10th to claim victory but was thwarted on his second try. Other top places: Nikki Larson, third; Howard Basket, fourth; Edgar Nicolas, fifth; Loni Walton, sixth; and James Nicodemus (who also had high game of 268), seventh. The Gold Coast Shootout is held every Thursday at 11:30 p.m. with a $25 entry fee. Call Jason Gupton at 367-4700 for information.

* HIGH ROLLERS: Bob Purzycki, Union City, N.J.; defeated Chris James, Springfield, Mass.; 200-193 to take home the winners share ($100,000) at the Super Bowl High Roller held at the Showboat. James won $50,000. Kansas native Jeff Jensen took third $25,000 while Michigan's Troy Green garnered fourth ($12,500). Larry Hoffman of Phoenix took home first place ($30,000) in the 40-over division.

* NO GUTTER SNIPES: Tammi Snipes overtook veteran Mahoney's bowling manager Donna Zbierski to become the first Mahoney's Bowling Center Match Play champion, winning 214-205. Snipes got by the hot hand of Paul Salas, who was the tournament leader with a fine 676 series. It took a low score of 560 (three games with handicap) to make the match play finals. Zbierski got by a tough Gene Baker 215-180 to vie for the championship. The next Mahoney's Match Play tournament is Saturday at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $25, with a new Danger Zone ball to be raffled to a lucky entrant. For information or reservations call Trish Marshall at 657-2750.

* TNT BLASTS OFF: The Travel and Tournament Club (TNT), a youth bowling organization sanctioned by YABA for the purpose of raising scholarship funds, had a tournament in Pahrump last weekend with these results: Handicap division (149 avg.-below) Troy Tillett ($100), Tabitha Edwards ($50), Nicole Policano ($30). Scratch B (150-169): Allen Race ($110), Ryan Williams ($50). Scratch A (170-above) Jim Pratt ($75), Crystal McNutt ($35). The next TNT event is March 15 at Santa Fe Bowling Center. Call Kathy Schupp (646-7221) for details.

* TRIVIA ANSWER: Dick Weber, $7,672

Scores

SHOWBOAT: Kelly Annese, 279; Loretta Smock, 234, 616; Kathy Noonan, 236, 606; Denise Barclay, 226, 612; Eileen Moore, 247, 628; Herald Fisher 279; Charles Marlatt, 262; (116 over avg.); Chris Smith 264 (124 over avg.); Jason McKernan 257 (105 over avg.);, Lee Sutan 278 (100 over avg.). GOLD COAST: Terry Mun, 299. SAM'S TOWN: Shawn Smith, 300, 785; Bob Barnowski 300; Damon Atkin 300; Paul Zubernick 300. NAHONEY'S: Bonney Cooper 226; Donna Zbierski, 234, 613; Trish Marshall, 233; Burton Wright 524, 633.