Columnist John McCarron: Enright’s 269 good enough for Showboat Marathon Title

John McCarron

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 9:34 a.m.

JOHN McCARRON is a former pro bowler, international coach and amember of the Massachusetts Bowling Hall of Fame. He can be reached via the internet at J300SUN@aol.com or by fax at 254-7330.

PAUL ENRIGHT'S 269 high game propelled him to the top of the Showboat Marathon ladder last Friday evening. Enright, one of the elite pro shop operators at the Showboat, averaged over 227 to take home the title against a high roller field from around the country and earn more than $500. Tom Brown, 1749, 246 took second place for a $350 payday.

Other top places: Chris Sand 1685, $250; Mike Neumann 1657, $200; Jay Nakaya (The Orleans Pro Shop) 1653, $150; Pete Thomas 1649, $130; Greg Laughman 1642, $100; Rohn Morton, 1634, $90; Joe Ciccone 1622, $80; Jeff Haygood, 1602, $70; Kurt Pilon 1572, $70; Jason Lower, 1571, $60.

For Showboat Marathon information call 385-9150.

Trivia time

Name two players who have picked up the almost impossible 7-10 split on national television.

Nick on time

Local Junior Nick Sanders won his first Tournament and Travel Club (TNT) title at Sam's Town. The second-seeded Sanders, 15, defeated both opponents in the stepladder finals by striking out in the tenth frame. Sanders' victory over Dema Coleman and Ryan Williams gained him $60 toward a scholarship fund. Sanders is a member of the Chaparral High School bowling team.

There for the Toki

Bojay Toki won his second 1998 Gold Coast Shoot-Out and earned $137 with a 238 -189 victory over Jeff Zawisla ($85). Rick Wiseman ($55) and Jason Robinson ($40) also cashed. Toki took high game of the tournament with fine 278.

The Gold Coast Shoot-Out is held every Thursday evening at 11:30. Entry fee is $25. Call tournament director Jason Gupton or general manager Bob Prevost at 367-4700 for details.

Coach's corner

I want to talk about ball type and arsenal for the serious league player who occasionally competes in local tournaments.

To be competitive on today's lane conditions, you should have four balls. One should feature very aggressive reactive resin, such as a 3D Offset Violet Hammer, a Speed Zone or a Werewolf. You might even choose to have two of these balls, with one finely sanded and the other shined.

Your next choice should be an aggressive shell, such as a Boss, Thunder Road or AMForce3. The third option is a medium hooking ball, such as a AmForce2, XTC, BlueThunder or Blue 3D Offset Hammer. The last choice would be a spare ball; most plastic balls or a hard urethane fit this option.

Ball drilling becomes a very important part of the package. Having a professional ball driller that can fine tune both your game to fit the ball and fine tune the ball is more than a choice -- it's a must. In today's high-tech world you have the opportunity to add many pins to your average with the right drilling and equipment. And don't forget hiring a professional eye to enhance your game never hurts.

Coming up

The Showboat is holding the High Roller event with $100,000 going to the winner. Call 385-9150 for times.

Trivia answer

Mark Roth and John Mazza