Bowler shatters Lucky Strike record
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RONAN — Lucky Strike Lanes in Ronan is no stranger to exciting sports news as of late.
On Dec. 21, brothers Josh and Jake Starkel bowled a perfect game on the same night. One week later, Jake did it again.
And less than a month after the Starkel brothers made history, Julian Dullinger set a new three-game series record during Lucky Strike Lanes’ Sunday Night Mixed League play. Dullinger bowled a 279, 300 and 268 for an 847 total, breaking the previous record set by Tim Jennison more than five years ago.
“It was awesome,” Dullinger said. “Amazing, to be honest with you. I haven’t thrown a ball that well in a while.”
Of the 36 frames Dullinger bowled during the 847 series, 32 frames were strikes — about 47 pins above his average gameplay.
“Everything was going my way,” he said.
The perfect game was Dullinger’s second in as many weeks, his ninth at Lucky Strikes Lanes and his 24th overall. This marks his sixth 800-plus game series.
After bowling a 300-game or 800-game series, bowlers’ scores are checked by the United States Bowling Congress, and bowlers are awarded one ring per perfect game or 800 game per year. Understandably, Dullinger has a good number of rings but said winning rings is not why he strives for perfection.
“I have quite a few (rings),” Dullinger said. “I usually give them away to relatives and friends, and I gave one away last year to my bowling teammates.”
Dullinger’s jewelry collection is no accident. The facilities manager at Westside Lanes in Missoula, Dullinger has worked and bowled at the alley for more than 15 years.
“Practice, practice, practice. That’s all I do. I bowl four nights a week and usually practice on the weekend and Monday night,” Dullinger said.
Lucky Strike owner Tim Corbett said Dullinger was solid all night long, throwing nine strikes in the first game and 12 in the second, making the two-game series score 579.
“I think he rattled off six in a row in the third game,” Corbett said. “When he came back and threw another strike after that, we started thinking he’d break the record.”
Even so, Corbett said the night was bittersweet as the previous record was held by Tim Jennison, Corbett’s nephew. Jennison and Dullinger graduated from high school in the same class and Corbett coached them both in junior league. They remain friends to this day.
“(Dullinger) was close all night long, and everybody needs a little luck along the way, but he didn’t use that much luck,” Corbett said, laughing. “Again, to have somebody come in and shoot an 847 — I’m surprised, but I’m not surprised. A guy has to be so good for so long to throw that many good shots, and there’s no room for error.”
Dullinger said an 800 series is more prestigious than a perfect game because, “Almost anybody can bowl a 300, but to have three games and shoot an 800 is pretty cool. I guess that feeling of perfection (is why I love bowling) — knowing that 12 strikes in a row or three solid games can get an 800 series.”
“Will (the record) be broken again?” Corbett said. “I’m not going to tell you ‘no.’”
