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Number of sanctioned 300 games and For the first time in more than two decades, bowlers rolled fewer 300 games and 800 series' in regular leagues and tournaments than the previous season, according to United States Bowling Congress high score recognition numbers released for the 2006-07 season. USBC members earned 51,557 perfect game awards in regular league and tournament play and 60 in Sport Bowling competition for the period from August 1, 2006 through July 31, 2007. During the same period, there were 16,635 approved regular and eight Sport 800 series’. Those compare to 56,212 approved 300 games and 17,612 approved 800s in regular leagues and tournaments and thirty-three 300s and two 800s in Sport Bowling in the previous season. Not since the 1985-86 season had the number of 300s and 800s dropped. "While we have changed or added specifications on core differential, lane surface Sward Hardness and pin coating materials, I believe some of the drop off of honor scores is directly related to the increase in sport bowling members," said USBC Technical Director Neil Stremmel. "High end bowlers capable of bowling honor scores bowled fewer games on house conditions and more games on sport conditions. They have dropped out of regular leagues all together or went from two house conditions to one house and one sport. Just one league change could equate to 96 fewer games or chances at an honor score per bowler." The differences between regular and Sport Bowling 300 games can best be measured in the number of honor scores per game. There was one regular 300 for every 5,059 games in 2006-07. In Sport Bowling, there was one 300 bowled for every 46,535 games. In all, USBC issued 130,537 regular high score recognition honors. Those included 21,416 for 299 games, 8,053 for 298 games and 32,876 for 11 strikes in a row. This was the last season 299s and 298s will considered separate honor scores as in 2006-07, they move within the 11-strikes-in-a-row category. There were a total of 124 honor scores rolled during Sport Bowling competition. These included twenty 299 games, three 298 games and thirty-three games with 11 strikes in a row. The most awards for special achievement came in the 200-game category with 254,646. Next was 75-pins-over-average game with 234,369. Some of the special achievement awards recorded in regular leagues and tournaments were as follows: Triplicates - 10,600 For year-by-year comparisons of high score and special achievement awards, please visit the Pressroom section of bowl.com. © Spares & Strikes 10/17/07 |