Franklin Regional bowler rolls 879 series in junior league
Like he does every week, Alex Smith made the trip to Nesbit’s Lanes in Plum Saturday morning to bowl in a junior league.
Up to that point, it was a normal morning, he said, but the night before, Smith’s grandfather had a message for him.
“He said he couldn’t wait to see me bowl a 300 game,” said Smith, a junior at Franklin Regional.
In his first game Saturday, Smith delivered, throwing his first career 300.
The very next game, Smith threw his second.
He then began the third game by throwing seven consecutive strikes, putting him five away from a perfect 900 series. If it wasn’t for leaving the 10 pin standing on his first throw of the eighth frame, he might have gotten there. He converted the spare and finished off the game with four more strikes to give him a 279 game and a stunning 879 series.
Smith, a normal 16-yearold, had just accomplished an abnormal feat, one that has been achieved by only a handful of youth bowlers ever in the United States.
According to official records from the United States Bowling Congress, Smith’s 879 was one of the highest all-time by a youth bowler (those who have not reached their 20th birthday by Aug. 1). One bowler had thrown a 900 twice, another 889, and one other 888. Only five others had ever tossed an 879. Smith set a Western Pennsylvania youth record and a house record at Nesbit’s Lanes.
Smith’s performance has had the local bowling community buzzing.
“Alex Smith … Holy crap. He just bowled one of the greatest series’ we’ve ever seen around here,” said Shawn Pilyih, a youth coach at Nesbit’s Lanes.
“We are floored. We cannot believe that happened,” said Gwen Richards, Smith’s high school coach.
“Absolutely insane,” said Smith’s father, Ben. “My phone hasn’t stopped all day. Lots of people that he’s close with have been calling and texting. It’s a testament to him and the number of people who care about him and support him.”
The remarkable accomplishment capped an unforgettable week for Alex Smith, who three days earlier led Franklin Regional to its second consecutive WPIBL team title. The Panthers defeated North Allegheny, 2-0, in the championship, both victories coming by a single pin. His strike and spare in the final frame of the second game sealed the win.
Smith will be among the favorites in Wednesday’s WPIBL individual championships. He carries a 200 average in the WPIBL, 213 in the Saturday morning league, and 217 in the Greater Pittsburgh Youth Travel League.
Smith’s previous high in a single game was 290. So after nine strikes in his first game Saturday, nervousness began to overtake his body.
“Going into the 10th frame, I was so nervous and I was shaking,” he said. “Even after that game, I was still shaking.”
One 300 in the bag, it was on to game two.
“The second 300 didn’t bother me because I had just gotten through the first one,” he said.
But in the third game, Smith’s nerves began to race once again. He fought through it, though, and it wasn’t until the eighth frame and after 31 strikes in a row before his pursuit of 900 ended.
“I threw a good ball,” he said. “I thought it was a strike, but I left the 10 pin.”
Smith had lots of family there to witness his feat. That included his mother and father, brother, grandfather and cousin. The family didn’t do anything special that day to celebrate Smith’s performance. That’s because they had to go home and get ready to host Smith’s brother’s 13th birthday party.
Ben Smith is a lifelong bowler who has thrown two 300 games himself. He tossed his first when he was 40 years old.
Father said of son: “He topped everything in one day.”