Perfection found at Oak Bowl

Perfection takes patience, and in Blaine Haigh’s case it took 48 years.

The 70-year-old bowler rolled the first perfect game of his bowling career Feb. 4 at Oak Bowl, during league play.

His “Fearsome Foursome” teammates, guys Haigh knows as Ned, Al and Wayne, joined the rest of the packed house to watch as Haigh got set for his final frame, his perfect game on the line.

“Pressure? You’d better believe it,” Haigh said, describing the scene. “They all stopped to watch. The pressure was really on -- but I’ve been on cloud nine ever since.”

His ball, a brown-speckled Columbia 300, neatly scattered the 10 pins and Haigh joined the exclusive club of people who have bowled a perfect game in league play.

“The ball came into the pocket and all the pins intertwined and went down,” he said. “My knees were knocking and everybody yelled and screamed.”

For his effort, Haigh was presented a copy of the scorecard which he plans to have framed, and he will receive a diamond ring from the American Bowling Congress.

Good bowling is no fluke for Haigh, who sports a 193 average. It’s just that he never before has put together all the elements of a perfect 300 game. “Everything just clicked,” said the retired Coupeville resident who spent his career with Motorola in Phoenix. His prior high was 289 but there wasn’t much pressure in that game as he left the first frame open.

Now that he’s retired, Haigh can bowl every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That should increase his chances of rolling another perfect game in less than 48 years.

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