News & Press
Devoted Dexter Wearer Bowls 900!
March 9, 2006
Who says nobody's perfect?
Whoever it was never met Lonnie Billiter, because the 24-year old bowling lane mechanic from Colerain Township, Ohio took that old adage and threw it out the window, stringing together not one, not two, but three consecutive perfect games en route to rolling a 900 for only the eighth time in the history of sanctioned bowling events.
You read correctly — Billiter bowled a 900. Hard to imagine, but it's true.
Prior to his achievement, Billiter had actually thrown 14 perfect games, so he wasn't exactly treading unfamiliar territory after the first ten frames. He'd even bowled an 800 series a few times before. But he'd never bowled consecutive 300-games, so halfway through the second round, he knew he was looking at outdoing his prior best.
He couldn't have imagined, though, what was to come next. Who could or would have?
After completing a second perfect game, Billiter readied for a third one. If he wasn't already in a zone by the point, he admits that by the sixth frame of the third game he wasn't seeing or hearing anything around him — only the pins.
To say he was locked and loaded might be an understatement, because, with a burgeoning crowd gathering around, sensing history in the making, Billiter, oblivious to all but the mechanics of his movements and the pins looking larger than life at the other end of the lane, proceeded to knock ‘em down one after another to achieve a feat as difficult, if not as improbable, as any in any sport. It boggles the mind to try to qualify such a rare achievement. It takes the perfect blend of concentration, skill and a dab of luck for such an event to happen.
And, of course, the right shoes! Right, Lonnnie?
Billiter laughed good-naturedly at this assertion, but he did avow to being a devoted Dexter wearer. Since he first put on a pair more than seven years ago, he's worn nothing since.
So, could it be the shoes?
"Sure, they played a part," Billiter said, noting the control over the slide he gets with his trusty SST5s. As one who doesn't like a long slide, Billiter appreciates the way the interchangeable heel and sole slides helps him control his approach to accommodate his style of play and variable lane conditions. Obviously, he hit on the — no pun intended — perfect combination that night.
The combination of skills and shoes notwithstanding, and despite averaging 220-230 while playing in four bowling leagues a week, nothing prepared one to expect this. Can anyone, for that matter, ever expect such perfection? To call it “perfection,” in fact, seems an understatement.
900. Three consecutive perfect games.
Think about it.
Let it sink in.
It's so mind-boggling that even Billiter was at a loss to explain the magic he harnessed that night. When he was done shaking and the dust settled around his awesome achievement, he found some words, but he was still shrouded in disbelief. Basically, he said, he just took it one throw at a time and let the pins fall where they would. Easy enough.
But what do you get for bowling a 900? Besides 900 requests for interviews from the national media and 9 million pats on the back and 9 billion looks of disbelief, you get a new pair of your favorite bowling shoes! In recognition of his achievement, Dexter sent Billiter a new pair of his dependable SST5s. He could have received any pair of shoes from their line, but he chose to stick with the SST5s. If it ain't broke, right?
It's so mind-boggling that even Billiter was at a loss to explain the magic he harnessed that night. When he was done shaking and the dust settled around his awesome achievement, he found some words, but he was still shrouded in disbelief. Basically, he said, he just took it one throw at a time and let the pins fall where they would. Easy enough.
But what do you get for bowling a 900? Besides 900 requests for interviews from the national media and 9 million pats on the back and 9 billion looks of disbelief, you get a new pair of your favorite bowling shoes! In recognition of his achievement, Dexter sent Billiter a new pair of his dependable SST5s. He could have received any pair of shoes from their line, but he chose to stick with the SST5s. If it ain't broke, right?
Well, one thing that can't be broken is the achievement Billiter set — you can't get any better than perfection. All you can do is to try to match it. And the secret to doing that is to not try to do it in the first place. As Billiter said, he became aware of the potential, but didn't shoot for it. He just tried to stay in the zone and maintain his consistency.
Whatever you say, Lonnie. If only it was always that simple.
