On the Lanes with John Gaines
April 18, 2013
In the coming months, we'll talk with some of the best-known bowlers at the USBC Open Championships and get their thoughts on their time at the tournament and what it takes to succeed on the championship lanes.
This week, we heard from three-time Open Championships titlist John Gaines, who recently helped Lodge Lanes Too of Orlando, Fla., into the Regular Team lead at the 2013 event with a 3,538 total, the highest team score in 110 years of Open Championships competition. They broke the 20-year-old record of 3,537 bowled by Bruegger's Bagels of Albany, N.Y., at the 1993 tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
Former Team USA member Vernon Peterson led the way for Lodge Lanes Too with a 772 series. He was followed by John Janawicz (752), Gaines (681), 1987 Team All-Events champion Mitch Jabczenski (669) and Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist Scott Newell (664).
Gaines is a USBC Silver coach with nearly three decades of pro shop experience. His three titles at the Open Championships include Regular Singles in 1998 (814) and Team All-Events in 1997 and 1998.
The 46-year-old right-hander is the 1997 USBC Team USA Trials champion and the 1998 BWAA Amateur Bowler of the Year. He also owns three Professional Bowlers Association regional titles. Since 2002, he has been employed as a district sales manager for Ebonite International.
Gaines answers 12 questions about bowling and the USBC Open Championships
HOMETOWN: Orlando, Fla.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: This is my 25th.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 3
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: Anything from Hopkinsville, Ky.
ONE all-time favorite host city: Huntsville - 1997
TWO best Open Championships memories: 1, winning Team All-Events back-to-back years (1997 and 98'); 2, breaking the 20-year-old team record by one pin (3,538) in 2013
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1, team communication; 2, executing a game plan; 3, bowling with friends, not just great bowlers
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: I have two. 1, Baton Rouge (2005) - After shooting 732 in team event, I started doubles with 137 and 163 and finished with 235, followed by 706 in singles. That year, 2,131 won all-events. What could have been??? 2, We almost had a three-peat in Team All Events. We lost by one pin in Syracuse in 1999.
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Joe Norris, Don Carter, Bill Lillard Sr., Nelson Burton Jr. and Bob Goike
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Two Hammer Low Flares, Hammer Arson, two Columbia 300 Vows and an Ebonite Maxim
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Orlando!
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Black Angle, Black Hammer, Blue Hammer, Ebonite Turbo X, Storm Black Thunder, Ebonite V2, Ebonite Gamebreaker, Hammer Arson
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Not currently eligible, but great friends - Chris Barnes and Tommy Jones. Eligible - Bob Goike, John Janawicz, Vernon Peterson, Mitch Jabczenski, Dave Husted, Mark Baker, Kendra Gaines
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Kendra Gaines :)
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: Same as the last one.
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: In USBC Hall of Fame and helping the new wave of "kids" who want to make a career of this great sport.
This week, we heard from three-time Open Championships titlist John Gaines, who recently helped Lodge Lanes Too of Orlando, Fla., into the Regular Team lead at the 2013 event with a 3,538 total, the highest team score in 110 years of Open Championships competition. They broke the 20-year-old record of 3,537 bowled by Bruegger's Bagels of Albany, N.Y., at the 1993 tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
Former Team USA member Vernon Peterson led the way for Lodge Lanes Too with a 772 series. He was followed by John Janawicz (752), Gaines (681), 1987 Team All-Events champion Mitch Jabczenski (669) and Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist Scott Newell (664).Gaines is a USBC Silver coach with nearly three decades of pro shop experience. His three titles at the Open Championships include Regular Singles in 1998 (814) and Team All-Events in 1997 and 1998.
The 46-year-old right-hander is the 1997 USBC Team USA Trials champion and the 1998 BWAA Amateur Bowler of the Year. He also owns three Professional Bowlers Association regional titles. Since 2002, he has been employed as a district sales manager for Ebonite International.
Gaines answers 12 questions about bowling and the USBC Open Championships
HOMETOWN: Orlando, Fla.OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: This is my 25th.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: 3
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15
FAVORITE BRAND OF BOWLING BALLS: Anything from Hopkinsville, Ky.
ONE all-time favorite host city: Huntsville - 1997
TWO best Open Championships memories: 1, winning Team All-Events back-to-back years (1997 and 98'); 2, breaking the 20-year-old team record by one pin (3,538) in 2013
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1, team communication; 2, executing a game plan; 3, bowling with friends, not just great bowlers
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: I have two. 1, Baton Rouge (2005) - After shooting 732 in team event, I started doubles with 137 and 163 and finished with 235, followed by 706 in singles. That year, 2,131 won all-events. What could have been??? 2, We almost had a three-peat in Team All Events. We lost by one pin in Syracuse in 1999.
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Joe Norris, Don Carter, Bill Lillard Sr., Nelson Burton Jr. and Bob Goike
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Two Hammer Low Flares, Hammer Arson, two Columbia 300 Vows and an Ebonite Maxim
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Orlando!
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Black Angle, Black Hammer, Blue Hammer, Ebonite Turbo X, Storm Black Thunder, Ebonite V2, Ebonite Gamebreaker, Hammer Arson
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Not currently eligible, but great friends - Chris Barnes and Tommy Jones. Eligible - Bob Goike, John Janawicz, Vernon Peterson, Mitch Jabczenski, Dave Husted, Mark Baker, Kendra Gaines
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Kendra Gaines :)
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: Same as the last one.
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: In USBC Hall of Fame and helping the new wave of "kids" who want to make a career of this great sport.