A SPECTACULAR record setting day at our 19th Annual
Veteran's Day Special Tournament. In 2024's record smashing year, we paid out $561,697.00 which seemed like an unreachable goal this year... never underestimate the Tour's potential! With FIVE Tourneys still to go, we flew right past the record, currently we're at an impressive $575,881.00 paid-out and still counting. We had a great numbers of Veterans to thank & recognize for their service. But... we also had Veteran (old) Tour Members who must have misunderstood which Veterans we were recognizing. All year long, we've had a year dominated by newer Tour Members, including NINETEEN 1st-Time Champions. I guess our Veteran Bowlers thought it was their day,
when THREE of our Top 5 Career earners (#1, #2 & #5), 'Bullied' their way to THREE of our Top 5 spots Saturday (1st, 2nd & 5th). The Record size Veteran's High Game Pot, funded by our many local sponsors (above), generated some sweet paydays for the Top 5 scores (pics left), with Isaac Joseph (313) taking Top Honors & $845.00 by ONE pin over Chuck DeForest (312) in 2nd worth $720.00, followed by Eric Stevens $575.00, Brian Selck $430.00 and a tie for 5th with Susan Jimerson & Calvin Jones $145.00 each. The NAVY took Top Service Honors this year with
THREE Winners in the Vet's Pot.GIVEAWAY WINNERS
Also climbing to within less than $300.00 of its record size, the 9-Tap Jackpot grew to $12,400.00 for next week. Huyen Thai had ONE-BALL for $750.00 after getting 7 of the Front-8 Taps and a crack at the Middle-7, when real strikes derailed his attempt. That left Marshall Carter to take home $375.00 for his Front-5 Taps.
Huyen's Double Near Miss
Our Champion is James Black, earning his 8th Tour Title, while boosting his #5
All-Time Tour Earnings to $63,962.00. James was one of the 3 'Bullies', all with at least 15 years on the Tour. He beat-up on the competition with his mean 847 series, that out distanced his closest competitor by 22 pins. This was James first Title since Winning at Angel of the Winds in 2022. Of course he wore his Dexter 9's, while using a 'Pearl Black' urethane drilled by Derek at the Bowlero-Lynnwood Pro Shop. James has worked at Seattle's VA Hospital for 20 years and dedicated the Win to his late Father who was also a Vet. Monday is James 44th Birthday, so the $2,442.00 he earned should make for a great present to himself. He wanted to thank his friend Samson along with lane mates Bobby & Zach McKenzie for their support.
The second of the 3 'Bullies' is the Tour's #1 All-Time Earner, Samson Ibale. Samson was an original Tour Member in 2002, evidenced by his owning Member #11. His 2nd Place finish paid a hefty $1,097.00, pushing his Career Prize Money to an amazing $123,492.00.
In 3rd Place & 4th Place, Tiger Chang & Andy Darr both represented the Tour's younger generation. Tiger had his best finish and biggest check, in his 2+ years with the Tour, worth a nice $568.00. Similarly, Andy had his best Finish in his nearly two years. With just 2-pins keeping him from getting a piece of the Progressive Pot, leaving him with a still sweet $300.00 check.
Our #3 'Bully' (old Tour Veterans) finished in 5th Place. He is the #2 All-Time Earner Earl Kleist, who also started back in 2002. Earl is also retired Army Special Forces who has done very well in the Vet's Pot over the years.
We thank all the Service Men & Women and everyone that supported them this weekend!!
