Pictured Above Are Left To Right: Judy Gurney, Mary Douthat, Cindy Coor, and Karla Gibbons.
A Forgotten Bowling Ball, Helps Judy Gurney, Bowl Her 14th Perfect Game At Valley Of The Sun Event.
It Is Her Second 300 Game At Mesa East. Her First One Was Rolled There In 2014.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg- Managing Editor-thetenpinexpress,com Director Mesa Metro Association.
Mesa - - - You know as bowlers, its very interesting at times when the game of bowling will reward us for our efforts. And, reward us when we least expect it.
Just ask Judy Gurney about this, the next time you see her at a tournament.
For whatever reason a long time ago. She took a bowling ball out of her bag that just wasn't performing anymore the way she wanted it to, and placed it in a closet for safe keeping. That was, until the 'Valley of the Sun' tournament returned for its 21st event on October 22-23 at Mesa East Bowl in Mesa.
And, for whatever reason, something told her to take this ball out of the closet and use it in a tournament setting again. She is glad she listen to the little voice that told her to do this. That's because during the second game of the doubles event on Saturday, she rolled a perfect game on lanes 21 and 22 and posted a 724 series in the doubles event. Together with her doubles partner, Cindy Coor, the duo posted a team score of 1,456.
"The 300 game on Saturday, was a huge accomplishment for me. I am still relatively new to Arizona, having retired here from Omaha, Nebraska in 2012. I just thought the Storm IQ was the best ball for the lane condition and ball reaction I was looking for," she said, of her most recent perfect game, her 14th. "Will I use it more often now? Well, there are always new bowling balls coming out that you want to try, but it will be close by. This is the second one I rolled at Mesa East, and the first one came in 2014 in the 9 to 5ers league on Thursday night. I still get very nervous every time I have a chance to bowl one."
She is also a member of the Ball Busters women's league on Monday Night at Mesa East. The other two members of the foursome that bowled with her and Cindy on Saturday afternoon were Mary Douthat, and Karla Gibbons. Cindy, Karla, and Mary are members of the league as well. It started its second year at the 32 lane center in September.
"I felt I needed to do this at some point for them," she said, of her above support group and fellow league bowlers. "Having them here and bowling the perfect game in front of them, will always be a very special moment for me."
Prior to moving to the 'Valley of the Sun' in 2012, Judy had worked for Dex Yellow Pages in Omaha. She worked in the graphics department and was an IT specialist for the Century Link Phone Directory. She retired from the company in 2008.
She was an accomplished bowler in Iowa and Nebraska, having rolled 12 perfect games before relocating to the Valley. She rolled her first perfect game at West Lanes in Omaha in the 80s. Once an alternate for Team USA, she was also elected to the Iowa and Omaha Women's Bowling Associations HOF for bowling ability. And, what is even more impressive about the above honors, is that she didn't start to take up the game of bowling until her 20s.
"I really didn't know anyone who bowled, and I was busy playing: softball, basketball, and some golf," said the right-hander. "I was approached by someone to bowl in a mixed league, and thought why not. And, that's all it took. I became very focused and before I knew it, I was bowling three times a week. That's when I also started bowling in tournaments and national events."
Its also hard to believe that someone who also has two 800 series to her credit, also had a hard time joining a league once she got here.
"Oh yeah!. I could not get into a league when I first got here. I went to a number of houses to inquirer about one, but nobody needed a bowler," she remembers. "I was working part-time at the Market Place on Baseline when Rose Peterson (a director with the AZ State USBC) walked into the store and was wearing a bowling jacket.
"I told her of the problem I was having finding a league to join. Rose told me she would take care of this for me, and that is how I was introduced to Cindy," she added. "Then one Thursday evening, I was getting ready to walk out of Mesa East. The 9 to 5ers league secretary came up to me and said he needed a couple of bowlers to fill a team. He told me he would get the last member for the team, if I would bowl in the league. And, that's how I got to Mesa East."
Since she has been bowling in leagues in the East Valley, she has posted book averages of 215 in 2015-16, 211 in 2014-15, and 210 in 2013-14.
"Let's just say I have been bowling a long time now in leagues, and as far as a 200 average. I don't exactly know how many years I have been fortunate to maintain that average in leagues, but I have done it for a lot of years," she said, of posting a 200 book average at the end of the year. "It's not easy to maintain a 200 average, especially when you are bowling in several different centers throughout the year. I am now only bowling two nights at Mesa East. So, it's a little easier as you pretty much know what the lane conditions will be."
The ball that she used to bowl her second perfect game at Mesa East, was drilled by Jerry Bernardo. He owned the pro shop at the bowling center before Virtue Bowling Supply took it over.
"I opened the doubles event with a 234. I felt really comfortable out there after the first game. The corner pins were just not carrying, and that's when I switched to the IQ," she said, of the ball switch. "Once I switched to the IQ, I began executing my shots really well, and everything began to fall together. I rolled my first 300 at Mesa East on lanes 5 and 6. I played the same line (around the seventh and eighth board) on Saturday, and did not notice much of a difference between my first and second 300 here."
Since living in Arizona, she has won one senior doubles event with Ella Mercer in 2014. She has also won one National Doubles title and that came in Reno, Nv., in 2000. She has also previously won a 'Golden Ladies' event in Las Vegas, the first year she bowled in it after turning 50 years-old. She also just recently became a grandmother after her son Jason and his wife Samantha, gave birth to a baby girl on September 1. Her granddaughters name is Aurelia.
Judy's perfect game on Saturday, was one of two that were rolled that day. Norman Trzaskowski of Phoenix, rolled the second one on lanes 15 and 16.
Phoenix And Mesa Bowling News
October 28, 2016