Tennessee bowler 200th to reach 50 years at USBC Open
May 18, 2016
By Matt Cannizzaro and Jessica Gilgor
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Jim Rollins of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, has spent the better part of 30 years serving the bowling community in his home state both as an association manager and officer.
On Tuesday, all eyes at the National Bowling Stadium were on him as he made his 50th consecutive march down Center Aisle at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The 82-year-old right-hander, who became the 200th member of the event's 50-Year Club, was presented a chevron, plaque and special lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
"It's a great feeling," said Rollins, who is the 14th of 19 bowlers scheduled to reach 50 years of participation during the 2016 USBC Open Championships. "You have to be very lucky to be able to get to 50."
Rollins made his Open Championships debut at the 1967 event in Miami but counts the 1970 event in Knoxville as the most memorable, since it was held in his home state of Tennessee for the first time.
"Bowling in my home state was wonderful," said Rollins, a 1994 inductee into the Tennessee State USBC Hall of Fame. "It was a lot of fun to bowl so close to home. They sang "Tennessee Waltz," and I thought it was great."
After those first trips to the Open Championships, Rollins found himself becoming increasingly more active in the bowling community, serving as an association manager in the Nashville Bowling Association for more than 30 years and as the Tennessee State Bowling Association secretary for 20 years. He credits those he met along the way for his return to the tournament each year.
"We have a number of people who have been bowling in the tournament for years, and we enjoy getting out and bowling with them," Rollins said. "I appreciate everything they have done and everything USBC has done for me."
Rollins was also able to share the moment at the NBS with his son, Mitch, who served as his escort for his celebratory march down Center Aisle.
"It was an honor to have my son walk with me down Center Aisle," said Rollins, who bowls regularly at Strike & Spare Family Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. "It was something I wanted very much to happen."
And the grandeur of the milestone was not lost on his son, who made his seventh Open Championships appearance.
"This was really cool and an experience I'll never forget," Mitch Rollins said.
Rollins only competed in the team event this year at the NBS and added 242 pins to his career pinfall total. In 50 tournament appearances, he has knocked down 68,083 pins.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Jim Rollins of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, has spent the better part of 30 years serving the bowling community in his home state both as an association manager and officer.
On Tuesday, all eyes at the National Bowling Stadium were on him as he made his 50th consecutive march down Center Aisle at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The 82-year-old right-hander, who became the 200th member of the event's 50-Year Club, was presented a chevron, plaque and special lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
"It's a great feeling," said Rollins, who is the 14th of 19 bowlers scheduled to reach 50 years of participation during the 2016 USBC Open Championships. "You have to be very lucky to be able to get to 50."
Rollins made his Open Championships debut at the 1967 event in Miami but counts the 1970 event in Knoxville as the most memorable, since it was held in his home state of Tennessee for the first time.
"Bowling in my home state was wonderful," said Rollins, a 1994 inductee into the Tennessee State USBC Hall of Fame. "It was a lot of fun to bowl so close to home. They sang "Tennessee Waltz," and I thought it was great."
After those first trips to the Open Championships, Rollins found himself becoming increasingly more active in the bowling community, serving as an association manager in the Nashville Bowling Association for more than 30 years and as the Tennessee State Bowling Association secretary for 20 years. He credits those he met along the way for his return to the tournament each year.
"We have a number of people who have been bowling in the tournament for years, and we enjoy getting out and bowling with them," Rollins said. "I appreciate everything they have done and everything USBC has done for me."
Rollins was also able to share the moment at the NBS with his son, Mitch, who served as his escort for his celebratory march down Center Aisle.
"It was an honor to have my son walk with me down Center Aisle," said Rollins, who bowls regularly at Strike & Spare Family Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. "It was something I wanted very much to happen."
And the grandeur of the milestone was not lost on his son, who made his seventh Open Championships appearance.
"This was really cool and an experience I'll never forget," Mitch Rollins said.
Rollins only competed in the team event this year at the NBS and added 242 pins to his career pinfall total. In 50 tournament appearances, he has knocked down 68,083 pins.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.