Golden Ladies prove their bowling lives start at 50 and last a lifetime By Dick Evans

Stephen Ambrose, a fantastic history writer, made famous E Company with his "Band of Brothers" book that followed the exploits of the 101st Airborne from Normany to Hitler's Eagle Nest.

Jeanette Robinson, a super bowling promoter, is making famous a "band of sisters" who bowl in the Storm National Golden Ladies Classic each year.

The bowling warriors started out at the old Showboat Lanes and have moved over to The Orleans Hotel/Casino Bowling Center.

I have to say that this is the most fun tournament I cover because they know how to bowl, they know how to endure injuries and they know how to bond into a "band of sisters."

The 20th renewal of the National Golden Ladies Classic drew a record 80 entries, five more than the previous high.

Mike Kaufman, director of bowling operations for the Coast Casinos chain, took note of that achievement.

"In these difficult economic times, most annual tournaments have seen a small decline in entries, but the Golden Ladies went up, which speaks wonders for Jeanette Robinson's influence on the lady bowlers."

Jeanette and super husband Dick, who does everything from picking up score sheets to filling water jugs to helping run a cocktail party, had arranged four scraps books that featured everything from final results for 19 years to score sheets to pictures to newspaper stories.

Since the entries fees are returned 100 percent to the bowlers, it is a labor of love and respect for them both.

They keep the bowlers active and happy with second-chance tournaments, super senior tournaments and even mystery doubles payoff where you don't know your partner until the 15-game qualifying round is over.

In the championship game of the featured Golden Ladies Classic, it came down to two USBC Hall of Fame members -- Dana Miller Mackie and Virginia Norton, who before turning 50 ran this tournament for a few years.

Dana, who skipped her first three shots at this tournament in order to coach her high school bowlers back in Ala, New Mexico, and Norton exchanged strikes in the first three frames.

But a 10-pin ended Norton's string in the fourth frame while Mackie continued to strike until leaving a 10-pin in the ninth frame.

"She bowled great, I wish she had rolled a 300, it would have been a nice way to end a great tournament," Norton said after losing by a 266-194 score.

Mackie, who like Norton had her father behind her for 34 games, was elated with her victory in her first appearance in the tournament.

"It was run first class and it had a first-class field," said Mackie, who changed balls in the seventh frame.

In earlier matches during the stepladder finals, Paula Vidad edged Robin Romeo, 234-227; Norton defeated Vidad, 221-204, and Norton slipped past hard charging Carole Jones, 249-245.

In a secret draw before the 15-game qualifying round started, Norton and Jones were paired and were easy winners in the mystery doubles side event.

Perhaps the happiest champion of the tournament was Dee Price, a three-time Golden Ladies Classic champion and one of the few bowlers who has competed in all 20 events.

Price was a 50-year-old youthful bowler when she entered her first Golden Ladies Classic at the old Showboat and was about a month shy of her 70th birthday when she competed March 8-10 at The Orleans.

"This title (Super Seniors) means more than my other three Senior titles because I will turn 70 April 15 and I thought I might be too old to win another title," Price said proudly.

She had reason to be proud after finishing the 27-game, three-day marathon with games of 220-190 and 225 to win by an 83-pin margin over runnerup Andi Whitlock.

Nanci Johnson, who had bowled on the pro tour for four years but was making her first appearance in the Golden Ladies Classic, bowled liked a seasoned veteran and won the Second-Chance Tournament.

It is interesting to note that a member of the USBC Board of Directors, Marci Williams, finished second in the second-chance event by improving dramatically with each squad each day. Williams rallied to finish second with a 270-plus final game. She broke her right bowling wrist in a water skiing accident last summer and bowled her best the third day.

She may have had the most pressure on her since most of the bowlers knew she was on the USBC Board of Directors and many were curious about recent board decision and a Texas writer cornered her for an hour.

Most of the women in the tournament were dealing with pain in fingers, hands, arms elbows, backs to legs.

A hall of Fame bowler told me her legs hit a wall with three games to go and she limped through the final games.

They traded braces, muscle relaxing rubs, pills and somehow 79 of them endured.

They ate together, they shared rooms, shared memories, shared stories about winning and losing on the slot machines or blackjack tables in the casino.

A few found more payoffs on the casino floor than the bowling lanes.

They banded together because they love bowling, admire each other and they have become "A band of bowling sisters." who are willing to go to war for each other.

Don't take my word for it.

Here is a quote I got from a frequent participant about what the Golden Ladies Classic means to her.

"There were so many things that I noticed (or was reminded of) at the Golden Ladies this year.

"There's no doubt that every gal goes there with the intention of winning something -- whether it be the senior division or the super senior division. I don't think you pay a $150 entry fee if you're not competitive and want to win.

"But, it's such a great tournament because of the atmosphere. The gals are happy for the ones who bowl well and make the cut.

"When we all first get there, we seek out each other to say hello and hope that everyone has had a good 365 days since we last saw each other.

"The tournament is well run and it's fun to see the gals at the blackjack tables. I like to play blackjack but very seldom sit at a table where there are not other bowlers sitting.

"The tournament is fun and well run but it's much more about the comradery of the whole experience for me."

They truly are bowling's "band of sisters" and in case you are interested most will be back at their bowling battle stations at The Orleans 3/7/11.

Sounds like lucky date.

 

Email address: Evans121@aol.com