Ohio bowler shoots 300, helps team into top 10 at Open Championships

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - With his mentor and coach sidelined with a knee injury, Michael King of Garfield Heights, Ohio, did enough striking for both of them at the USBC Open Championships on Tuesday night.



After starting his team event with two open frames, King struck 27 times on the way to games of 217, 238 and 300 for a 755 series at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The 29-year-old right-hander's perfect game was the 28th of this year's Open Championships and helped Play 2 Win of Lakewood, Ohio, into eighth place in Regular Team with a 3,254 total. Team Tilt of Lawrence, Kan., leads with 3,374.

"I had some jitters heading into the 10th frame because this is such a big stage and everyone else seemed to stop bowling," said King, whose coach Tony Brooks rolled a 300 when the tournament made its first trip to Albuquerque in 2000. "To shoot 300 here is a big accomplishment. I really couldn't have done this without my team, though, so for us to end up in the top 10 makes it even better. That's what you want when you come here."

The 2008 events marks King's second trip to the Open Championships, and his success on the tournament lanes started with a 2,031 all-events total in his debut last year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.

While he bowled as a substitute last year, King felt right at home with his regular teammates this year. And although he considers himself the comedian of the team, King was all business on the way to his 300, but turned to his teammates to keep him relaxed.

"This year, I just wanted to keep the ball in play and hope the pins fell," King said. "Michael Clark loosened me up and joked with me during the 10th frame, and that really helped. We just come out here to have a good time. Tonight, we were having fun from the get go, so everything else is just a bonus."

Clark added 653 for Play 2 Win on Tuesday and was joined by Bernard Warren (660), William Meyer Jr. (634) and Chris Freeman (552).

By Matt Cannizzaro and David Bibeau
USBC Communications