The Madras Pioneer

Back-to-back 300s

Local bowler rolls perfect game twice in a row

Photo By Joe McHaney

Ryan Waddell of Madras bowls during Tuesday night league at Madras Bowl. Waddell rolled back-to-back perfect 300 games Sept. 16.

Joe McHaney

September 29, 2009

Aside from being closed after business hours, Madras Bowl has never been as quiet as it was Sept. 16 moments before Ryan Waddell pulled off the unthinkable.

Waddell, of Madras, awed those in attendance during Tuesday Night Twister League when he bowled back-to-back perfect 300 games. Those at Madras Bowl erupted when Waddell slammed home his 24th consecutive strike.

"The alley was dead silent and I was shaking like a leaf," Waddell said. "After I hit that final 300, the place went crazy and I'm surprised the building is still here."

To roll a 300 in bowling is extremely rare, and for Waddell, it was the first time he scored a 300 in a sanctioned event, let alone back-to-back.

"Not even close," Waddell said when asked if he has ever done it before. "I don't know what got into me. I was just feeling good."

In order to pull off a perfect game, a bowler must roll 12 consecutive strikes. Waddell converted 24 consecutive strikes, which is unthinkable for most amateur bowlers.

"It is very rare to see a 300 bowled around here," said Christie Young - owner of Madras Bowl. "You never see 300 back-to-back."

After Waddell rolled the first 300, it was a relief and when he rolled strike after strike in the second game, he began to wonder what was going on with his game.

"The first one was kind of like a relief to finally bowl a sanctioned 300," Waddell said. "When I got to the seventh frame of the second game, I thought it was ridiculous."

Waddell has rolled a 300 before in practice rounds, but never in a sanctioned event.

"This was by far the most exciting thing that I've ever accomplished in bowling," Waddell said. "I think it's a combination of good shots and just pure luck."

What makes Waddell's feat even more spectacular is what happened on the first of his three-game set when he rolled a 155 for a scratch series of 755.

When Waddell's ball returned to him during his first game, he noticed several scratches on his ball.

"They tore the lane apart and found a tape measure in the ball return that was left by someone fixing the lane," Waddell said. "Fortunately, the scratches were right under where my hand goes and not where the ball rolls."

Riding the emotional high from his feat, Waddell almost pulled off another 300 in league the following night. After he rolled a 215 in his first game, Waddell left one pin standing with his final ball for a 299 and finished with a 780 series.

"I bowled this summer and put more effort into my bowling lately," said Waddell, whose highest scratch series is 827. "I've been bowling since I was 4 years old and lately I've just been sticking with what's been working."

In bowling, a 300 is very tough, but an 800 series is considered a tougher accomplishment.

"A 300 is great, but an 800 is some really good bowling," said Waddell, 29, and works for the irrigation district.

With consecutive 300 games and his 155 opening game, Waddell was very close to achieving an 800 score, but considering what happened, Waddell was not upset.

"You never know what's going to happen when you start bowling," Waddell said. "I'm not disappointed with my final score, I mean, back-to-back 300s is special."

Waddell said he received plenty of high fives, hugs and congratulations of late.

"People that don't even know me have come up and congratulated me," Waddell said. "It's been pretty cool."