IT WAS ONE small gutter ball for a bowler, one giant statement for bowling. ‘It” was
Steve Caparelli rolling 11 consecutive strikes to open a league game, then deliberately
taking the 12th shot in protest of a sport that, to him, has become little more than”
Great WALLS of China.”
Bowling as a Substitute in the Traveling Classic Bowling Association league at Annap-
olis (MD.) Bowled on March 30, Caparelli settled in and ran off the front 11. But,
acting on a vow he’d made more than five years ago, the left-hander picked up a
teammate’s ball, calmly walked to the foul line, and pushed the ball into the channel
at the arrows____using his right hand. His team, “Shady Grove,” lost the game by
five pins, and members were livid. “The guys wouldn’t talk to me,” he said. “They
wouldn’t sit next to me. “He added that several guys accused him of costing them
the match.
“I felt really bad about losing the game,” he conceded, but,”I couldn’t care less about
the 300. They’re not worth anything anymore.”
The Baltimore bowler had been waiting years for a chance to, if not burn his USBC card
in protest, at least burn the last shot of a perfecto. In 2006-2007, more than 50,000
perfect games were given the USBC seal of approval. “This is the worst I’ve seen
it at my (home center), “he groused. “It’s no fun anymore.”