(Please see video at the end of the story of both bowlers.)
By Lisa Carolin
Thursday, Sept. 25, was a perfect night for two bowlers at Chelsea Lanes. Dave Gardner and Kevin Fletcher both rolled 300 games.
“It was pretty exciting,” said Ed Greenleaf, owner of Chelsea Lanes. “Kevin and Dave are both great bowlers, and everybody stopped bowling to watch.”
Gardner and Fletcher bowl on the same team on Monday nights, and they were aware of each other’s perfect games albeit on different teams on Sept. 25. Fletcher scored 300 in his second game that night and Gardner did it in his third game.
“As the strikes string along, so does the anxiety,” said Gardner, who describes himself as an easy going person. “After I had the first eight or nine strikes, then I thought about a perfect game. I just kept executing and repeating what was already working.”
Gardner, who is 50, attributes his bowling prowess to his dad, Ronald Gardner, who was a professional bowler.
“He had a tremendous influence on my life including my bowling,” said Dave Gardner. “I lost my dad in 2012 and that added fuel to my bowling passion.”
Gardner, who lives in Chelsea, has now bowled five perfect games, three at Chelsea Lanes.
For Fletcher, who is 28, and also lives in Chelsea, this was perfect game number eleven.
“It’s nerve racking to throw a 300 to say the least because you’re going for perfection and it’s hard to do,” said Fletcher.
He says that it takes practice and that he’s constantly tweaking his game.
“You have to keep positive as this game is so mental that you miss by 1/4 inch and can make or break a game, especially when you’re going for a 300,” said Fletcher.
He says that he didn’t do anything special to prepare to bowl on the 25th. He just practiced and chose which bowling ball would work best.
“Bowling 300 is easier now than it used to be,” said Gardner. “Bowling balls are much better today. They grip the lane better. There’s more carry of the pins on imperfect hits.”
Both men credit Greenleaf with their bowling success.
“I have to thank Eddie cause if it wasn’t for him, my game wouldn’t be where it is today,” said Fletcher.
The admiration is mutual, and it doesn’t hurt that Greenleaf himself bowled a 299 on Sept. 22.
“Any time you can provide an exciting atmosphere like those two perfect games by Dave and Kevin, it’s good for business,” added Greenleaf.
