Frankie May Jr. reaches 50 years at 2016 USBC Open
April 12, 2016
By Matt Cannizzaro and Jessica Gilgor
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Frankie May Jr. of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, has been a staple at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships since opening his own on-site vendor booth at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City.
But, his legacy on the tournament lanes goes back decades further to the 1961 USBC Open Championships in Detroit, where he made his competitive debut.
The 73-year-old right-hander permanently etched his name into Open Championships history when he marched down Center Aisle at the National Bowling Stadium and became the latest member of the event's 50-Year Club.
"I don't think anybody ever realizes they're going to make 50 years at this particular event," said May, the fifth of 19 bowlers scheduled to reach the milestone in 2016. "And to have this as my 20th anniversary managing and owning the booth, in and of itself, is special. It's unreal."
Although May made his first trip to the Open Championships in 1961, he considers his second tournament - the 1963 event in Buffalo, New York - as his most memorable.
"My wife was concerned about the cost of coming to Nationals and asked me how we were going to pay our taxes that year," said May, who also will be celebrating 50 years of marriage to his wife, Marilyn, this year. "My reply was 'Honey, all I have to do is shoot 1,800, and I get $1,000.' That year, I shot 1,877 and won over $1,000."
It was the first time May would earn prize money in the event, and he was hooked.
From there, his bowling career took off, leading to a second place finish in Classic All-Events at the 1978 event in St. Louis, where he shot 1,934 - only seven pins behind winner Bill Beach of Sharon, Pennsylvania.
The peak of May's career came during the 1993 season as a member of the Professional Bowlers Association's PBA50 Tour, where he was the runner-up at the USBC Senior Masters to Phil Ware, losing the title match by one pin, 238-237.
Seven months later, May won the Don Carter Senior Open.
Even after five decades on the lanes at the Open Championships, the Pennsylvania State Bowling Association Hall of Famer maintains a goal shared among most tournament bowlers.
"My goal, like a lot of bowlers, is to win an eagle," said May, who also has won four PBA regional titles. "I've been lucky enough to come close a few times."
May's success on the lanes has led him to his passion for sharing his knowledge and love of the sport with anyone who visits his booth during their time at the Open Championships.
"The booth part has just been something I love," May said. "I feel my workers and I put our hearts and souls into every bowling ball we drill, and the bowlers have no idea how many times we're praying as hard as they are every time we watch them throw the ball."
May, who had both knees replaced in January, now is looking forward to the next milestones he has his sights on - reaching 60-years of participation, maintaining his 199 tournament average and becoming a member of the 100,000-Pinfall Club.
In his 50th tournament appearance, May rolled sets of 593 in team, 564 in doubles and 544 in singles for a 1,701 all-events total. He has knocked down 89,501 pins for a tournament average of 198.89.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Frankie May Jr. of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, has been a staple at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships since opening his own on-site vendor booth at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City.
But, his legacy on the tournament lanes goes back decades further to the 1961 USBC Open Championships in Detroit, where he made his competitive debut.
The 73-year-old right-hander permanently etched his name into Open Championships history when he marched down Center Aisle at the National Bowling Stadium and became the latest member of the event's 50-Year Club.
"I don't think anybody ever realizes they're going to make 50 years at this particular event," said May, the fifth of 19 bowlers scheduled to reach the milestone in 2016. "And to have this as my 20th anniversary managing and owning the booth, in and of itself, is special. It's unreal."
Although May made his first trip to the Open Championships in 1961, he considers his second tournament - the 1963 event in Buffalo, New York - as his most memorable.
"My wife was concerned about the cost of coming to Nationals and asked me how we were going to pay our taxes that year," said May, who also will be celebrating 50 years of marriage to his wife, Marilyn, this year. "My reply was 'Honey, all I have to do is shoot 1,800, and I get $1,000.' That year, I shot 1,877 and won over $1,000."
It was the first time May would earn prize money in the event, and he was hooked.
From there, his bowling career took off, leading to a second place finish in Classic All-Events at the 1978 event in St. Louis, where he shot 1,934 - only seven pins behind winner Bill Beach of Sharon, Pennsylvania.
The peak of May's career came during the 1993 season as a member of the Professional Bowlers Association's PBA50 Tour, where he was the runner-up at the USBC Senior Masters to Phil Ware, losing the title match by one pin, 238-237.
Seven months later, May won the Don Carter Senior Open.
Even after five decades on the lanes at the Open Championships, the Pennsylvania State Bowling Association Hall of Famer maintains a goal shared among most tournament bowlers.
"My goal, like a lot of bowlers, is to win an eagle," said May, who also has won four PBA regional titles. "I've been lucky enough to come close a few times."
May's success on the lanes has led him to his passion for sharing his knowledge and love of the sport with anyone who visits his booth during their time at the Open Championships.
"The booth part has just been something I love," May said. "I feel my workers and I put our hearts and souls into every bowling ball we drill, and the bowlers have no idea how many times we're praying as hard as they are every time we watch them throw the ball."
May, who had both knees replaced in January, now is looking forward to the next milestones he has his sights on - reaching 60-years of participation, maintaining his 199 tournament average and becoming a member of the 100,000-Pinfall Club.
In his 50th tournament appearance, May rolled sets of 593 in team, 564 in doubles and 544 in singles for a 1,701 all-events total. He has knocked down 89,501 pins for a tournament average of 198.89.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.