Oregon bowler sets pace in Standard All-Events at 2023 Open Championships
March 06, 2023
RENO, Nev. – Anytime you participate in a tournament, you want to perform to the best of your abilities. When you perform your best in front of family and friends, it makes it much more special.
Rick Stone of Clackamas, Oregon, was able to put together the best performance of his 20-year career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships this weekend with his father and brother watching along at the National Bowling Stadium, leaving the lanes as the leader in Standard All-Events with 1,802.
The 55-year-old right-hander kicked off his appearance Saturday with a 704 series in the team event to help Silver Bullets Too of Beavercreek, Oregon, to the top of the leaderboard in the Standard Division with a 2,853 total.
His strong start on the opening squad of the 2023 USBC Open Championships helped him feel loose and relaxed going into doubles and singles Sunday. He added 572 in singles and 526 in doubles to eclipse the 1,800 mark for the first time.
Stone credited a stop at the Kingpin Club on the first floor of the NBS and taking part in a team practice session in helping him find the right look. The team practice sessions are available to teams for one hour and feature the same oil pattern used in team competition at the Open Championships.
“Shooting 704 is just an amazing accomplishment, and I have to attribute taking advantage of the team practice down in the Kingpin Club before we bowled Saturday night,” Stone said. “I knew I was capable of bowling this well, but being able to do it at the national event is just incredible.”
He also credited his performance to getting a couple lessons from a coach at home prior to his trip to Reno, and he hopes the continued effort on his game will push his goals higher each year at the Open Championships.
“I have been working a lot with a coach back home, and it has paid dividends in my game,” said Stone, who previously had set his top all-events score at the 2000 event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with 1,789.
Stone’s brother and father were visiting from St. Louis, and their trek to Reno worked out as well as they could have hoped.
“This is the first time my dad and brother have been able to come and watch me bowl at nationals,” Stone said. “For me to put together my best series at this event is amazing.”
Stone’s father, Rocky, was excited to watch him bowl throughout the weekend, and he stated they were going to celebrate the moment the right way.
“We’re going to Ruth’s Chris over at the Silver Legacy to celebrate Rick’s bowling,” Rocky said.
With the 2023 event just in its second of 143 consecutive days, Stone will have a long wait to see if he set the bar or put together an Eagle-winning performance out of the gates.
Like many others before him that have left the tournament with the lead, though, Stone will be watching the leaderboards on BOWL.com each day.
“I would be very pleasantly surprised if this series holds the lead,” Stone said. “If by chance 1,802 does hold up and I win an Eagle, it would be an achievement beyond my wildest dreams.”
The Standard Division features bowlers with entering averages between 156-175.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The tournament’s official opening ceremony will take place Saturday, March 11 as more than 9,700 five-player teams make their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Rick Stone of Clackamas, Oregon, was able to put together the best performance of his 20-year career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships this weekend with his father and brother watching along at the National Bowling Stadium, leaving the lanes as the leader in Standard All-Events with 1,802.
The 55-year-old right-hander kicked off his appearance Saturday with a 704 series in the team event to help Silver Bullets Too of Beavercreek, Oregon, to the top of the leaderboard in the Standard Division with a 2,853 total.
His strong start on the opening squad of the 2023 USBC Open Championships helped him feel loose and relaxed going into doubles and singles Sunday. He added 572 in singles and 526 in doubles to eclipse the 1,800 mark for the first time.
Stone credited a stop at the Kingpin Club on the first floor of the NBS and taking part in a team practice session in helping him find the right look. The team practice sessions are available to teams for one hour and feature the same oil pattern used in team competition at the Open Championships.
“Shooting 704 is just an amazing accomplishment, and I have to attribute taking advantage of the team practice down in the Kingpin Club before we bowled Saturday night,” Stone said. “I knew I was capable of bowling this well, but being able to do it at the national event is just incredible.”
He also credited his performance to getting a couple lessons from a coach at home prior to his trip to Reno, and he hopes the continued effort on his game will push his goals higher each year at the Open Championships.
“I have been working a lot with a coach back home, and it has paid dividends in my game,” said Stone, who previously had set his top all-events score at the 2000 event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with 1,789.
Stone’s brother and father were visiting from St. Louis, and their trek to Reno worked out as well as they could have hoped.
“This is the first time my dad and brother have been able to come and watch me bowl at nationals,” Stone said. “For me to put together my best series at this event is amazing.”
Stone’s father, Rocky, was excited to watch him bowl throughout the weekend, and he stated they were going to celebrate the moment the right way.
“We’re going to Ruth’s Chris over at the Silver Legacy to celebrate Rick’s bowling,” Rocky said.
With the 2023 event just in its second of 143 consecutive days, Stone will have a long wait to see if he set the bar or put together an Eagle-winning performance out of the gates.
Like many others before him that have left the tournament with the lead, though, Stone will be watching the leaderboards on BOWL.com each day.
“I would be very pleasantly surprised if this series holds the lead,” Stone said. “If by chance 1,802 does hold up and I win an Eagle, it would be an achievement beyond my wildest dreams.”
The Standard Division features bowlers with entering averages between 156-175.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The tournament’s official opening ceremony will take place Saturday, March 11 as more than 9,700 five-player teams make their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.