Past champion has memorable return to OC
May 29, 2013
By Jessica Gilgor
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Daniel Pero of Tacoma, Wash., has battled a number of physical ailments in recent years that have kept him from the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and he managed to fight through exhaustion Wednesday as he capped off a memorable return to the championship lanes.
The 54-year-old right-hander shot 658 in doubles, 585 in singles and 564 in team for a 1,807 all-events total and cruised into the Classified All-Events lead at the National Bowling Stadium. LeRoy Krein of Mandan, N.D., previously held the lead with 1,762.
"I was shocked," said Pero, who won the Classified All-Events title in 2000. "I didn't think I made it. My second game of singles is when I quit thinking about it. I physically hit a wall and got exhausted."
Exhaustion isn't the only adversity Pero has battled through. After his 2007 USBC Open Championships appearance, he found himself bowling through knee and ankle pain and actually thought his bowling career might be over.
His pain became so severe that he ended up having arthroscopic surgery on both knees, one in July 2012 and the other a month later.
"I had my knees operated on, both of them, and got my pain to a tolerable level," said Pero, whose return to the tournament lanes this week marked his 15th Open Championships appearance. "I had torn meniscus repairs and patella shavings. I read that the surgery for reflex mount, which I had, is not very successful, so I'm just ecstatic."
Pero wasn't thinking about bowling in this year's Open Championships until he was asked by a friend.
"They asked me if I wanted to bowl down here, and I thought I could," Pero said. "I just needed to get an average and see what I could do in league."
His determination carried him through 54 games of league at Pacific Lanes in Tacoma, and he decided he was ready to return to the tournament for the first time since 2007.
A few key equipment choices helped Pero conquer the 39-foot Sport Bowling-certified lane condition being used for doubles and singles, which is different than the 41-foot pattern being used for team competition. It is the first time in history there are two patterns at the Open Championships.
"We only had four people on our pair, and we had to move too soon," Pero said. "I thought it would hold up better. I went to my polished ball too early. I waited a couple frames thinking it was me, but I eventually went back to the dull ball."
Classified doubles, singles and all-events were added to the Open Championships landscape in 1999, and Pero shot 1,911 on the way to the all-events crown in 2000. It is the third-highest total in 15 years of Classified competition.
To be eligible for the Classified Division, individuals must have an average of 180 or less. Classified Doubles includes bowlers with combined averages of 360 or less, while Classified teams have combined averages of 900 or below.
Presenting sponsors for the 2013 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Daniel Pero of Tacoma, Wash., has battled a number of physical ailments in recent years that have kept him from the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and he managed to fight through exhaustion Wednesday as he capped off a memorable return to the championship lanes.The 54-year-old right-hander shot 658 in doubles, 585 in singles and 564 in team for a 1,807 all-events total and cruised into the Classified All-Events lead at the National Bowling Stadium. LeRoy Krein of Mandan, N.D., previously held the lead with 1,762.
"I was shocked," said Pero, who won the Classified All-Events title in 2000. "I didn't think I made it. My second game of singles is when I quit thinking about it. I physically hit a wall and got exhausted."
Exhaustion isn't the only adversity Pero has battled through. After his 2007 USBC Open Championships appearance, he found himself bowling through knee and ankle pain and actually thought his bowling career might be over.
His pain became so severe that he ended up having arthroscopic surgery on both knees, one in July 2012 and the other a month later.
"I had my knees operated on, both of them, and got my pain to a tolerable level," said Pero, whose return to the tournament lanes this week marked his 15th Open Championships appearance. "I had torn meniscus repairs and patella shavings. I read that the surgery for reflex mount, which I had, is not very successful, so I'm just ecstatic."
Pero wasn't thinking about bowling in this year's Open Championships until he was asked by a friend.
"They asked me if I wanted to bowl down here, and I thought I could," Pero said. "I just needed to get an average and see what I could do in league."
His determination carried him through 54 games of league at Pacific Lanes in Tacoma, and he decided he was ready to return to the tournament for the first time since 2007.
A few key equipment choices helped Pero conquer the 39-foot Sport Bowling-certified lane condition being used for doubles and singles, which is different than the 41-foot pattern being used for team competition. It is the first time in history there are two patterns at the Open Championships.
"We only had four people on our pair, and we had to move too soon," Pero said. "I thought it would hold up better. I went to my polished ball too early. I waited a couple frames thinking it was me, but I eventually went back to the dull ball."
Classified doubles, singles and all-events were added to the Open Championships landscape in 1999, and Pero shot 1,911 on the way to the all-events crown in 2000. It is the third-highest total in 15 years of Classified competition.
To be eligible for the Classified Division, individuals must have an average of 180 or less. Classified Doubles includes bowlers with combined averages of 360 or less, while Classified teams have combined averages of 900 or below.
Presenting sponsors for the 2013 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.