Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Paragould man bowls 300 game
 |
| Paragould resident Jim Huffman recently bowled his first 300 game during league action at the Paragould Bowling Center. Huffman says he’s been bowling since he was 5 years old. Mike McKinney/Daily Press |
By MIKE McKINNEY
sports@paragoulddailypress.com
They say the odds of bowling a 300 game are 11,500 to 1. Those odds are even greater than the chances of a golfer making a hole-in-one.
Jim Huffman recently beat the odds as he nailed 12 consecutive strikes and recorded a perfect game during league play at the Paragould Bowling Center, his first in 32 years of bowling.
Huffman’s 300 game came on April 29 when he was bowling with his LA Darling Specialty Metals teammates in the Tuesday Night Industrial league. Huffman said it was like any other night at the bowling center until he knocked down his 10th strike in a row. His game then started to draw some attention from fellow bowlers and onlookers.
“After I threw my 10th strike I heard someone say, ‘whoever supposed to throw next to him needs to get up and throw the ball,’ and I look over and no one’s over there and that’s when it started making me jumpy. Up until that point it had been just another game,” Huffman said
Huffman said his 11th ball didn’t feel right when it left his hand but it was good enough to strike down all 10 pins.
“The 11th one, I actually thought I’d missed it,” he recalled. “And I just dropped my head. Ten in a row and I’ve messed up. But they all went down. I just got lucky. I pulled it but it never went into the left-hand pocket.”
He said also pulled his 12th and final one slightly but got a clean strike and a 300 game. “I was shocked. When I threw my last ball I just threw my arms up,” he said.
After completing the perfect game, the first person to congratulate Huffman was fellow league bowler Mike Golden.
“It didn’t hit me until I turned around and Mike Golden – he had just bowled a 299 a few weeks back – came across the lane at me and it kind of sunk in,” Huffman said.
Huffman’s previous league-best game was a 286. He credited his first sanctioned league 300 game simply to years of bowling and luck.
“I pulled both of them but I was lucky I got them to carry,” he said of his 11th and 12th throws. “I’ve never seen a 300 game that didn’t have some luck. Never.”
Huffman began bowling when he was 5 years old. Both of his parents were avid bowlers. Huffman started league bowling when he was 17 and now bowls in three different leagues 36 weeks out of the year.
“My mom just quit (bowling) a couple of years ago due to her health and my dad bowled right up until he died,” Huffman said. “That’s the only thing I regret — that he wasn’t here to see me bowl my 300.”
Both Huffman and his wife Julia are members of the Paragould Bowling Association board, and they have served as league officers. The Huffmans’ family tradition has extended to their children as all three – Myranda (18), Cory (14) and Michael (13) — are avid bowlers as well.
“They’re going to be going to the state tournament in just a few weeks,” Jim said of his children.
Last week, Huffman wrapped up league play. So, for now, he has a few months to enjoy his 300 game until league bowling begins again. Asked what his goal would be when next season rolls around, Huffman didn’t hesitate.
“Hopefully another (perfect game),” he said, smiling. “I just hope I don’t have to wait another 32 years for the next one.”
Jim Huffman recently beat the odds as he nailed 12 consecutive strikes and recorded a perfect game during league play at the Paragould Bowling Center, his first in 32 years of bowling.
Huffman’s 300 game came on April 29 when he was bowling with his LA Darling Specialty Metals teammates in the Tuesday Night Industrial league. Huffman said it was like any other night at the bowling center until he knocked down his 10th strike in a row. His game then started to draw some attention from fellow bowlers and onlookers.
“After I threw my 10th strike I heard someone say, ‘whoever supposed to throw next to him needs to get up and throw the ball,’ and I look over and no one’s over there and that’s when it started making me jumpy. Up until that point it had been just another game,” Huffman said
Huffman said his 11th ball didn’t feel right when it left his hand but it was good enough to strike down all 10 pins.
“The 11th one, I actually thought I’d missed it,” he recalled. “And I just dropped my head. Ten in a row and I’ve messed up. But they all went down. I just got lucky. I pulled it but it never went into the left-hand pocket.”
ADVERTISEMENT |
After completing the perfect game, the first person to congratulate Huffman was fellow league bowler Mike Golden.
“It didn’t hit me until I turned around and Mike Golden – he had just bowled a 299 a few weeks back – came across the lane at me and it kind of sunk in,” Huffman said.
Huffman’s previous league-best game was a 286. He credited his first sanctioned league 300 game simply to years of bowling and luck.
“I pulled both of them but I was lucky I got them to carry,” he said of his 11th and 12th throws. “I’ve never seen a 300 game that didn’t have some luck. Never.”
Huffman began bowling when he was 5 years old. Both of his parents were avid bowlers. Huffman started league bowling when he was 17 and now bowls in three different leagues 36 weeks out of the year.
“My mom just quit (bowling) a couple of years ago due to her health and my dad bowled right up until he died,” Huffman said. “That’s the only thing I regret — that he wasn’t here to see me bowl my 300.”
Both Huffman and his wife Julia are members of the Paragould Bowling Association board, and they have served as league officers. The Huffmans’ family tradition has extended to their children as all three – Myranda (18), Cory (14) and Michael (13) — are avid bowlers as well.
“They’re going to be going to the state tournament in just a few weeks,” Jim said of his children.
Last week, Huffman wrapped up league play. So, for now, he has a few months to enjoy his 300 game until league bowling begins again. Asked what his goal would be when next season rolls around, Huffman didn’t hesitate.
“Hopefully another (perfect game),” he said, smiling. “I just hope I don’t have to wait another 32 years for the next one.”
 |
||
| Hounds reach state semifinals |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of paragoulddailypress.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
Please note: We provide our story commenting feature in order to solicit feedback, debate and discussion on topics of local interest. Please keep in mind that civility is a necessary component of productive conversation. All blatantly inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate comments (i.e. vulgarity, marketing, etc.) are subject to rejection and/or removal. Comments will appear if and when they are approved. Thanks for reading, and thanks for participating.
fpolk wrote on May 12, 2008 1:13 PM: