Former Junior Team USA member rolls 300 game at 2016 USBC Open

By Matt Cannizzaro and Christian Seaborn
USBC Communications

RENO, Nev. -
Daniel Vick of Pittsford, New York, became the third bowler, and first in the team event, to roll a perfect game at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Bowling with his team The Vick-tamizers of Lititz, Pennsylvania, the 29-year-old left-hander came alive in his third game Friday at the National Bowling Stadium, effortlessly knocking down one strike after another.

Vick rolled games of 179 and 188 before stringing 12 consecutive strikes for a 667 series, while helping his team to a 3,061 total. On the same squad, BowlingDynamics.com of Phoenix moved into the lead in Regular Team with a 3,300 performance. Who's Eddie Byrd? of Fort Worth, Texas previously held the lead with 3,241.

"I thought the second ball in the 10th was better," Vick said. "The 10th strike is usually the hardest for me, but once I get past that one, it's golden."

Tim Janz of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and Matt Dammann of Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada rolled the other two perfect games at this year's Open Championships, both coming in singles on April 15 and April 30, respectively.

Vick's appearance at this year's Open Championships marks his eighth consecutive year at the tournament, since his debut at the 2009 event in Las Vegas. The best performance of his career also came at the NBS in Reno, a 2,133 all-events performance in 2013 that included 735 in singles, 718 in team and 680 in doubles.

The southpaw's achievements in bowling extend beyond the Open Championships and include an appearance on Junior Team USA in 2006 after a runner-up finish at the 2005 Junior Gold Championships.

He also claimed the men's title at the 2008 Intercollegiate Singles Championships while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology, which earned him a spot in USBC's Clash of Champions.

"I was in my own head and stayed with myself," said Vick, also a two-time Rochester City Tournament winner and a New York State Tournament team champion. "I didn't worry about what anyone else was doing. I just worried about what I was doing."

Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.