Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 - (Page 32)

DENNY'STOUR BY GEORGE WOOTEN BY J.R. SCHMIDT THE SECRET IS OUT: SCROGGINS IS A-OK THE 2005 MASTERS CHAMPION FINISHED THE 2006-07 SEASON WITH A VERY SORE ANKLE. NOW, HE'S IN THE THICK OF THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR RACE. SO WHAT GIVES? COMING INTO THE 2007-08 SEASON, SOUTHthat quickly.” paw Mike Scroggins didn’t have particularly Scroggins kept Williams in the match with an lofty aspirations, except to keep the exemption open in the 7th frame, but struck in the 8th and he'd earned at the 2005 USBC Masters. 9th and marked in the 10th frame to lock up the He accomplished that goal with a win at the win. The 214-191 decision netted Scroggins Dick Weber Open. Just four weeks later, Player $25,000, which pushed him over the $1 million of the Year thoughts suddenly became legitimark in career earnings. mate after he won again, this time in the Pepsi So what was behind Scroggins’ low expectaChampionship in Elkhorn, Neb. tions at the start of the season? A Scroggins, who was the No. 1 left ankle injury that he suffered seed going into the stepladder at the Denny’s World Championﬁnals, watched as Billy Oatman, ship near the end of the 2006-07 Pete Weber and Rhino Page fell campaign. by the wayside. At that point, the “I hurt it in Grand Rapids, but I only player left between him and don’t remember doing anything his ﬁfth PBA title was all-time tito it,” said Scroggins. “As much tles king Walter Ray Williams Jr. as it hurt, I barely got through the Scroggins had experience [following week's] Tournament bowling Williams for a title. In of Champions.” fact, he beat Walter Ray to win After consulting with his docthe 2004 Baby Ruth Classic, so tor, Scroggins found out he'd dehe knew what needed to be done veloped a bad case of tendonitis against the Tour’s top-ranked in the ankle area. player. “At the end of last season, I “You'd better strike a lot,” was told that I would eventually Scroggins said with a chuckle. need ligament reconstruction “You know he’s never going to surgery,” he said. “I was told that miss the pocket, and his lowest recovery would require taking count will be nine.” off a minimum of eight months. The one thing that Scroggins Scroggins decided against hav- The doctor recommended that I didn’t expect was a single-pin ing ankle surgery, then went out take the year off.” whiff by Williams — a missed and won two Denny's Tour titles. Instead of taking an injury de10-pin in the 1st frame, an occurferment, Scroggins decided to rence more rare than steak tartare. bowl with an ankle brace recommended by the In what was a back-and-forth match, Wildoctor, and it has made all the difference. “I did liams left three 10-pins, two 7-pins and a stone have concerns about how it would hold up,” 8-pin to keep Scroggins in the match. Scrogadmitted Scroggins. “But with two wins and no gins battled the lane conditions on the left side pain in my ankle, I couldn’t be happier.” by playing two different lines with two different So why did it take so long for us to hear about bowling balls. his ankle injury? Scroggins said it was to keep his competitive edge. “You don’t want your “There was at least 10 boards’ difference opponent to know about your weakness,” he between the two lanes,” he said. “Luckily, said. “Anything that could give your opponent the tournament leader gets more than four an edge, you want to keep to yourself. But now shots on the pair before the match. If I would that I have two wins this year, I guess I can let have had just four balls, I don’t think I'd have the secret out.” won. I wouldn’t have noticed [the difference] PBA LLC / INNS THERECAP PBA PEPSI CHAMPIONSHIP February 13-17, 2008 Thunder-Alley, Elkhorn, Neb. 1. Mike Scroggins, $25,000; 2. Walter Ray Williams Jr., $13,100; 3. Rhino Page, $6,500; 4. Pete Weber, $5,600; 5. Billy Oatman, $5,000. ESPN Stepladder Finals: Weber def. Oatman, 211-203; Page def. Weber, 236-231; Williams def. Page, 236-224; Scroggins def. Williams, 214-191. 32-Game Totals (Including 30 Bonus Pins for Each Match Won): 1. Scroggins, 13-5, 8011; 2. Williams, 8-10, 7944; 3. Page, 12-6, 7871; 4. Weber, 11-6-1, 7867; 5. Oatman, 144, 7765; 6. Eugene McCune, 12-6, 7735, $4,000; 7. Chris Barnes, 10-8, 7727, $3,700; 8. Michael Machuga, 8-10, 7703, $3,500; 9. Michael Fagan, 9-9, 7608, $3,200; 10. Brian Himmler, 11-6-1, 7596, $3,100; 11. Bill O’Neill, 7-11, 7549, $2,900; 12. Mitch Beasley, 11-7, 7539, $2,700; 13. Troy Wollenbecker, 10-8, 7446, $2,650; 14. Joe Ciccone, 7-11, 7445, $2,600; 15. Steve Jaros, 9-9, 7392, $2,550; 16. Chris Warren, 7-11, 7363, $2,405. (Note: Robert Smith withdrew during game 4 of match play, and Chris Warren took his place; Smith received $2,375.) 23-Game Totals (Including 30 Bonus Pins for Each Match Won): 17. Chris Warren, 4-5, 5441; 18. Danny Wiseman, 6-3, 5429, $2,240; 19. Norm Duke, 2-7, 5415, $2,230; 20. Mike DeVaney, 4-5, 5394, $2,220; 21. Mika Koivuniemi, 3-6, 5390, $2,210; 22. Ronnie Russell, 5-4, 5386, $2,200; 23. Brad Angelo, 5-4, 5381, $2,290; 24. Dino Castillo, 5-4, 5331, $2,180; 25. Jason Wojnar, 3-6, 5318, $2,370; 26. Liz Johnson, 4-5, 5311, $2,160; 27. Todd Book, 3-6, 5240, $2,210; 28. Ryan Shafer, 3-6, 5236, $2,140; 29. Mike Mineman, 18, 5202, $2,130; 30. Steve Harman, 2-7, 5145, $2,120; 31. Sean Rash, 36, 5123, $2,210; 32. Ken Simard, 2-7, 5005, $2,100. Lane Pattern: Scorpion. 23-Game Cut Score (16th Place, Includes Bonus Pins): 5444. 14-Game Cut Score (32nd Place): 3160. Leading Qualifier: Walter Ray Williams Jr., 3533. Advanced from Tour Qualifying Round: Rick Miller (amateur), Tom Daugherty, Tyler Jensen, Edward VanDaniker Jr., Micah Gibbons, Liz Johnson, Walter Schaub II, Steve Rogers, Rhino Page, P.J. Haggerty and Robert Flunder IV. BALL CHECK SCROGGINS: Roto Grip Cell (2). WILLIAMS: MoRich Nsane LeVrg. PAGE: Ebonite Angular One and Storm Shift. WEBER: Storm Agent and Gravity Shift. OATMAN: Hammer Vibe and Black Widow Pearl. 32 bowlers journal international APRIL 2008

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Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 Contents Leading Off Letters Bowlitically Incorrect Calendar Par Bowling The Coach Frame of Mind Inside Line The Truth Be Bowled Tournaments Pro Bowling PBA Bayer Classic PBA Pepsi Championship PBA Don Johnson Classic Regional Roundup Cover Story Up Close Senior Tour The USBC Move USBC Convention Pattern Play Anniversary Flashback Time Capsule Media Beat No Holes Barred Shop Talk Spotlight Marketplace Hall Marks Profit Prophet Advertisers' Index Classified Advertising Intelligencer Business Calendar Business People Strikes Me

Bowlers Journal International - April 2008

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