Kegler's Christmas wish? A better back
By Tim Gallaghertgallagher@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Dale Davis, 79, of Alta, Iowa, made history at Century Lanes last May by rolling the first 300 game there. What's more? Davis is legally blind. He's now waiting for his back to heal before resuming the 2008-09 season. (Photo courtesy of Dolores Cullen/The Storm Lake Times)
ALTA, Iowa -- Dale Davis is like the little girl in the famous song who wants her two front teeth for Christmas.
"All I want is a better back," said Davis, 79.
OK, so he's not exactly like the little girl in "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." (That is the title of that song, by the way.) You get the idea.
Looking back on 2008, Dale Davis is one story I'll remember. He shot his way into the national spotlight May 4 when he rolled a 300 game at Century Lanes in this Buena Vista county town. It was the first perfect game in the 24-year history of Clem Ledoux's bowling house.
Significant. More so when you consider Davis' bad back doesn't limit him as much as his eyes in this sport. Davis is legally blind. The man who suffers from macular degeneration completely lost the vision in his left eye 12 years ago. He still has limited peripheral vision in his right eye.
Officials with the Blind Bowlers Association reported Davis' feat was only the fourth perfect game shot by a legally blind bowler in 60 years.
It was a magical way to end Davis' third season back at Century Lanes. The 300 game took place in the last game of the last night of league bowling. Davis had resumed his bowling career in 2004 at the urging of his sister, Thelma Sherwood, who bowls in a league here.
"I didn't know if I could bowl," said Davis. "How many blind bowlers do you know?"
But Davis tried and was hooked again. He averaged 180 last season. He'd peer down at the arrows on the floor to line up his shot. He'd release and listen for the crack of the pins. He wouldn't take a seat until his teammates told him to.
They told him to sit 11 times that night in May as the slender righty nicknamed "The Hammer" ticked off 11 straight strikes.
The place erupted when his final ball slid "Brooklyn-style" to the left of the head pin, but still carried enough for a strike. And a 300. Though he doesn't drink, Davis bought a round for everyone.
"I never got real excited about it," said Davis, who shot a 299 years ago.
He got pretty excited about his sport AFTER the season concluded. He spent time this fall preparing for the 2008-09 campaign.
"Dale didn't think he was in good enough shape for the season, so he started lifting weights," Ledoux told me.
"I started by lifting 85 pounds straight off the floor and I must have been standing crooked or something," said Davis. "I pulled a muscle and never got over it. My doctor told me I should have started by lifting five pounds."
He tried to throw some balls through the pain in late August, but couldn't achieve results he wanted. So, Davis put himself on the injured list six weeks ago. He's sitting until January, while Ledoux welcomes more bowlers to his expanded business in downtown Alta.
"We added four lanes to the north," he said. "We've now got eight synthetic lanes for bowling."
The keglers must like it. Storm Laker Jamie Butler rolled a Century Lanes record 812 series several weeks ago. On Dec. 10, Steve Hamer of Alta shot a 300. He's the first southpaw to roll a perfect game at Century Lanes.
"I hope that when my back gets better, I can bowl the second half of the season," Davis said.
That's all he wants for Christmas.
"All I want is a better back," said Davis, 79.
OK, so he's not exactly like the little girl in "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." (That is the title of that song, by the way.) You get the idea.
Looking back on 2008, Dale Davis is one story I'll remember. He shot his way into the national spotlight May 4 when he rolled a 300 game at Century Lanes in this Buena Vista county town. It was the first perfect game in the 24-year history of Clem Ledoux's bowling house.
Significant. More so when you consider Davis' bad back doesn't limit him as much as his eyes in this sport. Davis is legally blind. The man who suffers from macular degeneration completely lost the vision in his left eye 12 years ago. He still has limited peripheral vision in his right eye.
Officials with the Blind Bowlers Association reported Davis' feat was only the fourth perfect game shot by a legally blind bowler in 60 years.
It was a magical way to end Davis' third season back at Century Lanes. The 300 game took place in the last game of the last night of league bowling. Davis had resumed his bowling career in 2004 at the urging of his sister, Thelma Sherwood, who bowls in a league here.
"I didn't know if I could bowl," said Davis. "How many blind bowlers do you know?"
But Davis tried and was hooked again. He averaged 180 last season. He'd peer down at the arrows on the floor to line up his shot. He'd release and listen for the crack of the pins. He wouldn't take a seat until his teammates told him to.
They told him to sit 11 times that night in May as the slender righty nicknamed "The Hammer" ticked off 11 straight strikes.
The place erupted when his final ball slid "Brooklyn-style" to the left of the head pin, but still carried enough for a strike. And a 300. Though he doesn't drink, Davis bought a round for everyone.
"I never got real excited about it," said Davis, who shot a 299 years ago.
He got pretty excited about his sport AFTER the season concluded. He spent time this fall preparing for the 2008-09 campaign.
"Dale didn't think he was in good enough shape for the season, so he started lifting weights," Ledoux told me.
"I started by lifting 85 pounds straight off the floor and I must have been standing crooked or something," said Davis. "I pulled a muscle and never got over it. My doctor told me I should have started by lifting five pounds."
He tried to throw some balls through the pain in late August, but couldn't achieve results he wanted. So, Davis put himself on the injured list six weeks ago. He's sitting until January, while Ledoux welcomes more bowlers to his expanded business in downtown Alta.
"We added four lanes to the north," he said. "We've now got eight synthetic lanes for bowling."
The keglers must like it. Storm Laker Jamie Butler rolled a Century Lanes record 812 series several weeks ago. On Dec. 10, Steve Hamer of Alta shot a 300. He's the first southpaw to roll a perfect game at Century Lanes.
"I hope that when my back gets better, I can bowl the second half of the season," Davis said.
That's all he wants for Christmas.
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