Kadry on Bowling: Custer breaks Modesto USBC record with 899 series

An 899!

Rich Custer rolled 35 strikes in 36 shots to shatter the Modesto USBC Association three-game series record with an 899 on games of 299-300-300. Rolling in the Friday Masters league at Yosemite Lanes. Custer started his first game with 11 strikes and then left a blower 10-pin for a 299. The crowd thought it should have carried.

The next 24 frames Custer stepped up to the approach, he struck 24 more times to post his two perfect 300 games.

“It was one of those nights where everything felt right,” Custer said. “... You don’t think about setting a record after one game of 299, let alone looking toward an 899 set, for that matter. But after getting the 300 the second game, I knew I had a chance. I just focused one shot at a time, and I was fortunate enough to throw quality strikes under that kind of pressure.

“It was a night I’ll never forget – one pin from perfection.”

Custer used a Hammer Black Widow Limited ball for his record-breaking set. He’s no stranger to high scoring. Custer was averaging 244 before this series and holds the association’s high average record with a 245. His highest previous set was an 859. ...

This is the weekend for the inaugural Central Valley Senior Bowling Club tournament. It’s set for Saturday at McHenry Bowl at 1 p.m. The new club was started to provide local competitive bowling for men age 55 and older and women 50 and older. The club is already 80-plus strong and accepting new members every day. Tournament registration starts at noon Saturday but you can pre-register anytime. Forms are available at the local bowling centers. Tournament entry fee is $40, and joining the club is an extra $20. The next tournament is set for March 19 at Yosemite Lanes. Future tournaments are scheduled monthly in Tracy, Brentwood, Manteca, Stockton and at Black Oak Lanes in Tuolumne. For information, call Dave Brown at 209-549-2510 or Rick Lazaro at 209-531-8919 or email Vickie Briscoe at vickiebriscoe52@gmail.com. ...

Bowlers to Veterans Link league qualifying rounds are continuing at both bowling centers throughout the week. Bowlers donate $1 at the start of league play and use their scores to qualify for a spot to represent Modesto in the state finals at Keystone Lanes in Norwalk on May 14-15. The tournament has five divisions for men and six for women, all based on averages. ...

Beth Sims teamed with Carol Prater and Lydia Sparks to win the Yosemite Ladies Luncheon No-Tap with a 2,160 score. Sims was the high scorer overall with her 703 set. Kathy Ereso, Michelle Layton and Debra Taliaferro took second, posting a 2,135 total. In third at 2,119 was the team of Jackie Wilson, Bethany Jameson and Jodie Heaton. ...

Yvonne Mello and Gary Pattee teamed up to win the Sweetheart Doubles at McHenry, tallying a 1,645 no-tap score. Laverne Howe and Claude Ham finished second with a 1,639 set. Janice Guenther and Earl Purcell came in third with their 1,629. Purcell and Gene Stamps each registered a no-tap 300 game. ...

The Kegler Trio Tournament rolls Thursday at McHenry at 9:30 a.m. Teams can be any combination of men and women. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. ...

The Yosemite 50 & Older No-tap Tournament competes Friday at 1 p.m. ...

The Modesto USBC will hold its monthly clinic Sunday at Yosemite at 10:30 a.m. The fee is $5 per person and includes bowling and instruction.

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Kadry on Bowling: Custer breaks Modesto USBC record with 899 series."