Michigan team turns in stunning performance at 2018 USBC Open Championships
May 01, 2018
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Team captain Steve Austin of Sparta, Michigan, visibly was choked up after helping his team to the top of the leaderboard Tuesday at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The rush of emotion wasn't necessarily because of their place in the standings, but because he was able to share the moment with his family. Their team - AJ's Boys & Grandkids - includes Austin's brother, son and nephew, as well as the patriarch of the group, 75-year-old Jerry Austin.
The team cruised under the radar at the Oncenter Convention Center with opening games of 861 and 877 but piled on the strikes in the finale for a stunning 997 finish and 2,735 total to take the lead in the Standard Division. Mel's Diner of Calmar, Iowa, previously held the lead with 2,720.
Joey Austin, Steve Austin's nephew, filled his 10th frame to cap the effort, and he paced the team with a 622 series. Steve Austin added a 562 set and was followed by his son, Derek Austin (560), father, Jerry (518), and brother Todd (473).
It was Jerry, a 48-time USBC Open Championships participant, who made the tournament an annual tradition, and Steve is proud to pass on the passion to the next generation of Austins.
"My dad is the one who got me going to these, and, as a kid, I used to come watch him bowl," Steve Austin said. "It has always been a dream to be on the leaderboard, especially since we've been coming for a lot of years. To get there was really nice. But, like I said, I'm a little disappointed that we left so many pins out there. I'm sure every team can say that one way or another, but least we got to the number, and we have somewhat of a chance."
The formation of AJ's Boys & Grandkids seemed like an obvious plan, but it took a suggestion from another member of the 20-bowler group.
Steve Austin usually bowls with the team they crossed with Tuesday in Syracuse, but shuffling things for the year paid off in success and sentimentality.
"One of the guys asked why we weren't bowling with five Austins, since we all were going to be here," Steve Austin said. "I've always bowled with the team we crossed with, and it was hard to move on for this year, but you really never know how many opportunities like this you'll get. I'd bowl with my family over anything, anytime, anywhere."
Jerry Austin made his Open Championships debut at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin, and is looking forward to joining the 50-Year Club during the 2020 tournament in Reno, Nevada.
That same year, Steve Austin will reach his own milestone, 25 consecutive years on the championship lanes. His career began at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City.
Todd Austin now has logged eight tournament appearances, Joey Austin has competed four times and Derek Austin is celebrating his rookie campaign in 2018.
Even if they don't end up with the Standard Team title this year, Steve Austin is proud of how his family fought until the end of Tuesday's team event and got every pin they could. That persistence is something Jerry Austin has instilled in them.
"My brother struggled today, and I know he was a little bummed, but he threw a nice four-bagger together the last game, while I threw four strikes of my own," Steve Austin said. "Joey had some strikes going, too, but we never really knew we were close because the scoring system is a little hard to follow. I saw after my son finished his frame that if Joey just showed up the 10th frame, I knew we'd be there. We didn't get as much as we could have, but we made it, and that's a good feeling. We're all pretty excited."
Jerry Austin also was able to put the experience into perspective.
"This is just great, and I'm very proud," he said. "I love bowling and being able to bowl all over the United States, and it's something I was excited to share with my sons and their sons."
A few lanes away from AJ's Boys & Grandkids on Tuesday, Averill Recreation 2, also from Sparta, moved into third place in Classified Team with a 2,315 total.
Todd Averill led the way with a 573 series and was followed by Noel Averill (501), Kelli Lane (438), Roger Munn (436) and Byron Bloom (367). Anuenue of Levittown, Pennsylvania, leads Classified Team this year with 2,329.
Standard Team at the Open Championships includes five-players teams with combined entering averages of 901-1,045. Teams in the Classified Division have combined entering averages of 900 and below.
The 2018 tournament got underway March 24 and will run daily until July 8.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
The rush of emotion wasn't necessarily because of their place in the standings, but because he was able to share the moment with his family. Their team - AJ's Boys & Grandkids - includes Austin's brother, son and nephew, as well as the patriarch of the group, 75-year-old Jerry Austin.
The team cruised under the radar at the Oncenter Convention Center with opening games of 861 and 877 but piled on the strikes in the finale for a stunning 997 finish and 2,735 total to take the lead in the Standard Division. Mel's Diner of Calmar, Iowa, previously held the lead with 2,720.
Joey Austin, Steve Austin's nephew, filled his 10th frame to cap the effort, and he paced the team with a 622 series. Steve Austin added a 562 set and was followed by his son, Derek Austin (560), father, Jerry (518), and brother Todd (473).
It was Jerry, a 48-time USBC Open Championships participant, who made the tournament an annual tradition, and Steve is proud to pass on the passion to the next generation of Austins.
"My dad is the one who got me going to these, and, as a kid, I used to come watch him bowl," Steve Austin said. "It has always been a dream to be on the leaderboard, especially since we've been coming for a lot of years. To get there was really nice. But, like I said, I'm a little disappointed that we left so many pins out there. I'm sure every team can say that one way or another, but least we got to the number, and we have somewhat of a chance."
The formation of AJ's Boys & Grandkids seemed like an obvious plan, but it took a suggestion from another member of the 20-bowler group.
Steve Austin usually bowls with the team they crossed with Tuesday in Syracuse, but shuffling things for the year paid off in success and sentimentality.
"One of the guys asked why we weren't bowling with five Austins, since we all were going to be here," Steve Austin said. "I've always bowled with the team we crossed with, and it was hard to move on for this year, but you really never know how many opportunities like this you'll get. I'd bowl with my family over anything, anytime, anywhere."
Jerry Austin made his Open Championships debut at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin, and is looking forward to joining the 50-Year Club during the 2020 tournament in Reno, Nevada.
That same year, Steve Austin will reach his own milestone, 25 consecutive years on the championship lanes. His career began at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City.
Todd Austin now has logged eight tournament appearances, Joey Austin has competed four times and Derek Austin is celebrating his rookie campaign in 2018.
Even if they don't end up with the Standard Team title this year, Steve Austin is proud of how his family fought until the end of Tuesday's team event and got every pin they could. That persistence is something Jerry Austin has instilled in them.
"My brother struggled today, and I know he was a little bummed, but he threw a nice four-bagger together the last game, while I threw four strikes of my own," Steve Austin said. "Joey had some strikes going, too, but we never really knew we were close because the scoring system is a little hard to follow. I saw after my son finished his frame that if Joey just showed up the 10th frame, I knew we'd be there. We didn't get as much as we could have, but we made it, and that's a good feeling. We're all pretty excited."
Jerry Austin also was able to put the experience into perspective.
"This is just great, and I'm very proud," he said. "I love bowling and being able to bowl all over the United States, and it's something I was excited to share with my sons and their sons."
A few lanes away from AJ's Boys & Grandkids on Tuesday, Averill Recreation 2, also from Sparta, moved into third place in Classified Team with a 2,315 total.
Todd Averill led the way with a 573 series and was followed by Noel Averill (501), Kelli Lane (438), Roger Munn (436) and Byron Bloom (367). Anuenue of Levittown, Pennsylvania, leads Classified Team this year with 2,329.
Standard Team at the Open Championships includes five-players teams with combined entering averages of 901-1,045. Teams in the Classified Division have combined entering averages of 900 and below.
The 2018 tournament got underway March 24 and will run daily until July 8.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.