Illinois bowler rolls 900 series
March 26, 2010
Andrew Mank of Belleville, Ill. has joined an elite club becoming the 15th bowler in history to roll a United States Bowling Congress-approved 900 series.
“In the ninth frame of the third game I rang a 10 pin,” Mank said. “Then a messenger came and took it out. Thank God.”
Mank, 22 rolled 36 consecutive strikes March 18 in the Thursday Men’s Handicap League at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. Everyone in the bowling center gathered behind lanes one and two to watch his final frames.
“The whole place went wild like a Cardinals baseball game,” Bel-Air Bowl staff member Paulette McCullough said. “We were all so happy for him.”
Mank, who started bowling at age 3, had several certified 300 games and 800 series to his credit heading into this season. Mank aspires to bowl professionally some day and said he is thrilled his league voted to be a USBC certified league allowing the accomplishment to go in the record books.
“I am glad it was certified,” Mank said. “If it wasn’t, who knows if it could ever happen for me again.”
The first USBC approved 900 occured Feb. 2, 1997 when Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled three consecutive perfect games in Lincoln, Neb. There has never been a 900 on Sport Bowling lane conditions. Mank said he will be looking for a PBA Experience USBC Sport league this summer in the hopes of being the first.
“I love challenges,” Mank said.
USBC Approved 900 Series
Jeremy Sonnenfeld, Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 2, 1997
Tony Roventini, Milwaukee, Nov. 9, 1998
Vince Wood, Moreno Valley, Calif., Sept. 29, 1999
Robby Portalatin, Jackson, Mich., Dec. 28, 2000
James Hylton, Salem, Ore., May 2, 2001
Jeff Campbell II, New Castle, Pa., June 12, 2004
Darin Pomije, New Prague, Minn., Dec. 9, 2004
Robert Mushtare, Fort Drum, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2005 and Feb. 19, 2006
Lonnie Billiter Jr., Fairfield, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2006
Mark Wukoman, Greenfield, Wis., April 22, 2006
P.J. Giesfeldt, Milwaukee, Dec. 23, 2007
Rich Jerome Jr., Baltimore, Dec. 22, 2008
Chris Aker, Winnemucca, Nev., Oct. 30, 2009
Andrew Teall, Medford, N.J., Nov. 2, 2009
Andrew Mank, Belleville, Ill. March 18, 2010
“In the ninth frame of the third game I rang a 10 pin,” Mank said. “Then a messenger came and took it out. Thank God.”
Mank, 22 rolled 36 consecutive strikes March 18 in the Thursday Men’s Handicap League at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. Everyone in the bowling center gathered behind lanes one and two to watch his final frames.
“The whole place went wild like a Cardinals baseball game,” Bel-Air Bowl staff member Paulette McCullough said. “We were all so happy for him.”
Mank, who started bowling at age 3, had several certified 300 games and 800 series to his credit heading into this season. Mank aspires to bowl professionally some day and said he is thrilled his league voted to be a USBC certified league allowing the accomplishment to go in the record books.
“I am glad it was certified,” Mank said. “If it wasn’t, who knows if it could ever happen for me again.”
The first USBC approved 900 occured Feb. 2, 1997 when Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled three consecutive perfect games in Lincoln, Neb. There has never been a 900 on Sport Bowling lane conditions. Mank said he will be looking for a PBA Experience USBC Sport league this summer in the hopes of being the first.
“I love challenges,” Mank said.
USBC Approved 900 Series
Jeremy Sonnenfeld, Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 2, 1997
Tony Roventini, Milwaukee, Nov. 9, 1998
Vince Wood, Moreno Valley, Calif., Sept. 29, 1999
Robby Portalatin, Jackson, Mich., Dec. 28, 2000
James Hylton, Salem, Ore., May 2, 2001
Jeff Campbell II, New Castle, Pa., June 12, 2004
Darin Pomije, New Prague, Minn., Dec. 9, 2004
Robert Mushtare, Fort Drum, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2005 and Feb. 19, 2006
Lonnie Billiter Jr., Fairfield, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2006
Mark Wukoman, Greenfield, Wis., April 22, 2006
P.J. Giesfeldt, Milwaukee, Dec. 23, 2007
Rich Jerome Jr., Baltimore, Dec. 22, 2008
Chris Aker, Winnemucca, Nev., Oct. 30, 2009
Andrew Teall, Medford, N.J., Nov. 2, 2009
Andrew Mank, Belleville, Ill. March 18, 2010