Indiana bowler reaches 50 years at USBC Open Championships
April 23, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Don Mitchell of Indianapolis became the 125th bowler to reach 50 years of participation at the USBC Open Championships on Thursday night.
The 78-year-old right-hander made his first Open Championships appearance at the 1950 event in Columbus, Ohio, and made his milestone march down Center Aisle in front of his family, friends and fellow bowlers at the National Bowling Stadium.
"It was an extremely big deal," said Mitchell, who rolled his career-high series of 704 at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City. "It was very elaborate. The ceremony was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It was really amazing to be the 125th bowler to reach 50 years."
For Mitchell's big night, his daughter, Donna Leimgruber, and her husband, Charles, made the 450-mile drive from Las Vegas to be a part of the festivities, which included an escorted march, a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement. Mitchell was the third of eight bowlers who will join the elite club during the 2010 event.
"Bowling has been his life," Leimgruber said. "This was a great accomplishment for him because he really wanted to reach 50 years. He has been in pretty bad health as of late, and we weren't sure if he was going to be able to make it to the tournament. It was really special for him and special for me to see it as well. It seems as if he has reached the top."
Mitchell has missed a few tournaments over the years for various reasons, but he has a great appreciation for the Open Championships. Even though his health only allowed him to complete a few frames Thursday, nothing could've kept him from this year's event.
"I love the tournaments," Mitchell said. "I have fun every year, and I just love coming. I have had some pretty good scores before as well. It was just nice to see the ceremony tonight. Everything was wonderful."
Since he was young, Mitchell has been around the sport of bowling. He lived next door to a bowling center growing up and had the opportunity to learn about the game while he worked as a pin boy. He always would ask his father for a quarter to bowl two practice games when time allowed.
Mitchell later spent time as a bowling proprietor. He owned Woodland Bowl, Western Bowl, Southern Bowl and Expo Bowl, also known as Royal Pin Leisure Centers in Indianapolis. He was a very dedicated proprietor, sometimes working 24 hours a day and seven days a week during the early days of the business. He retired from his position in 1998 after 38 years of hard work.
"I loved working at the centers," said Mitchell, who bowled his career-high all-events total of 1,830 at the 1962 event in Des Moines, Iowa. "I have been very lucky because I got to do the one thing in my life that I loved the most, which was running a bowling center. I felt like a sports icon because I was paid to do what I loved. I loved my customers, my employees and especially the game of bowling. It has been very good to me."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
The 78-year-old right-hander made his first Open Championships appearance at the 1950 event in Columbus, Ohio, and made his milestone march down Center Aisle in front of his family, friends and fellow bowlers at the National Bowling Stadium.
"It was an extremely big deal," said Mitchell, who rolled his career-high series of 704 at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City. "It was very elaborate. The ceremony was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It was really amazing to be the 125th bowler to reach 50 years."
For Mitchell's big night, his daughter, Donna Leimgruber, and her husband, Charles, made the 450-mile drive from Las Vegas to be a part of the festivities, which included an escorted march, a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement. Mitchell was the third of eight bowlers who will join the elite club during the 2010 event.
"Bowling has been his life," Leimgruber said. "This was a great accomplishment for him because he really wanted to reach 50 years. He has been in pretty bad health as of late, and we weren't sure if he was going to be able to make it to the tournament. It was really special for him and special for me to see it as well. It seems as if he has reached the top."
Mitchell has missed a few tournaments over the years for various reasons, but he has a great appreciation for the Open Championships. Even though his health only allowed him to complete a few frames Thursday, nothing could've kept him from this year's event.
"I love the tournaments," Mitchell said. "I have fun every year, and I just love coming. I have had some pretty good scores before as well. It was just nice to see the ceremony tonight. Everything was wonderful."
Since he was young, Mitchell has been around the sport of bowling. He lived next door to a bowling center growing up and had the opportunity to learn about the game while he worked as a pin boy. He always would ask his father for a quarter to bowl two practice games when time allowed.
Mitchell later spent time as a bowling proprietor. He owned Woodland Bowl, Western Bowl, Southern Bowl and Expo Bowl, also known as Royal Pin Leisure Centers in Indianapolis. He was a very dedicated proprietor, sometimes working 24 hours a day and seven days a week during the early days of the business. He retired from his position in 1998 after 38 years of hard work.
"I loved working at the centers," said Mitchell, who bowled his career-high all-events total of 1,830 at the 1962 event in Des Moines, Iowa. "I have been very lucky because I got to do the one thing in my life that I loved the most, which was running a bowling center. I felt like a sports icon because I was paid to do what I loved. I loved my customers, my employees and especially the game of bowling. It has been very good to me."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.