Pennsylvania bowler celebrates two milestones at 2018 USBC Open Championships
June 25, 2018
By Matt Cannizzaro and Fran Piraino
USBC Communications
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships has been filled with memorable performances and special milestones, and Joseph Pursel Jr. of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, was fortunate enough to experience both Sunday at the Oncenter Convention Center.
Hopefully, the 82-year-old right-hander brought an extra suitcase or helpful teammates to Syracuse with him to help carry home the awards he received to commemorate his entrance into two of bowling's most elite clubs - the 60-Year Club and 100,000-Pin Club - at the USBC Open Championships.
Pursel, known to his family and friends as Eddie, started his day on the biggest stage in bowling with an escorted march to the lanes in front of his family, friends and fellow competitors, and he was presented with a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip for becoming the 24th bowler in history to compete in the tournament 60 times.
Then, two games into his milestone appearance, Pursel again had the spotlight to himself as he added his name to the short list of bowlers who have toppled 100,000 pins at the Open Championships. He entered the 2018 event needing just 294 pins to reach the plateau, and he got there Sunday with a ringing 10 pin to start the final frame of his second game.
He finished the special day with games of 129, 179 and 129 for a 437 series.
"This is the culmination of my career," said Pursel, who immediately was presented with the crystal bowling pin, given to each member of the 100,000-Pin Club. "I was kind of anxious and kind of nervous. This was the first time I had my wife, two sons, granddaughter and daughter-in-law all here. That means a lot."
Pursel is the 22nd bowler in history, and second this year, to eclipse the 100,000-pin mark. USBC Hall of Famer Gordy Baer of Tinley Park, Illinois, added his name to the list in April.
Pursel also is the second bowler in 2018 to make his 60th march to the lanes. Donald Granberry Jr. of St. Louis achieved the feat earlier this month, while Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida, is scheduled to join the club Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The participation record of 71 years on the championship lanes is shared by USBC Hall of Famers Bill Doehrman and Joe Norris, along with Sylvester Thiel, while USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard Sr. tops the all-time pinfall list with 124,087.
Joseph Pursel Jr. made his Open Championships debut at the 1959 event in St. Louis and has not missed a tournament since. Some of his career highlights include three top-10 finishes and a 184 average for six decades.
His legacy at the Open Championships is one he shares with his father and son - Joseph Pursel Sr. and Brian Pursel - who competed in the event 55 and 27 times, respectively.
The eldest Pursel's final tournament appearance came at the 2008 edition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as his son celebrated his 50th year of participation.
They are one of three father-son duos in the 50-Year club, joining Frank "Chick" Carr (62) and Thomas Carr (57) and Earl Ebers Jr. (58) and Earl Ebers Sr. (50).
Brian Pursel last competed in 2012.
It was the opportunity to compete as a family that helped keep the journey going, and his time on the championship lanes happens to coincide with how long he and his wife, Ritanne, have been married. This year also marks 60 years of marriage.
Of all the milestones in 2018, six decades of love and family is the most significant, and ranking the on-lane accomplishments also was easy for Pursel.
"I think the 100,000 pins is the accomplishment I'm most appreciative of because there aren't too many people who have achieved that," Pursel said. "First, I'm thankful for my health. Not everyone is healthy enough to make 60 consecutive appearances. You have to live long enough and bowl long enough to get the pins."
Pursel added sets of 448 in doubles and 409 in singles Monday for a 1,294 all-events total. He'll leave the 2018 tournament with a career pinfall of 101,000.
Bowling always has been a big part of Pursel's life.
He and his father operated PMP Lanes in Hellertown, and the younger Pursel Jr. also wrote a local bowling column for many years, highlighting the accomplishments of bowlers for Allentown newspapers.
"Bowling is something you can do at any age," said Pursel, who is focused on becoming the father and son with the most combined years at the Open Championships. "I was brought up in the bowling industry. My father and I had a small bowling establishment. I spent a lot of my years in different aspects, between coaching junior bowling and writing for some newspapers. It's a huge part of me and my life, and I'm not done yet."
During the team event Sunday, Pursel's granddaughter, Cori, who had escorted him to the lanes hours earlier, presented him with a custom T-shirt in honor of his milestone, while Pursel's other son, Craig, wore a vintage blue bowling shirt that had belonged to Pursel Sr. It was a way for him to be present at the Oncenter Convention Center, too.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships has been filled with memorable performances and special milestones, and Joseph Pursel Jr. of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, was fortunate enough to experience both Sunday at the Oncenter Convention Center.
Hopefully, the 82-year-old right-hander brought an extra suitcase or helpful teammates to Syracuse with him to help carry home the awards he received to commemorate his entrance into two of bowling's most elite clubs - the 60-Year Club and 100,000-Pin Club - at the USBC Open Championships.
Pursel, known to his family and friends as Eddie, started his day on the biggest stage in bowling with an escorted march to the lanes in front of his family, friends and fellow competitors, and he was presented with a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip for becoming the 24th bowler in history to compete in the tournament 60 times.
Then, two games into his milestone appearance, Pursel again had the spotlight to himself as he added his name to the short list of bowlers who have toppled 100,000 pins at the Open Championships. He entered the 2018 event needing just 294 pins to reach the plateau, and he got there Sunday with a ringing 10 pin to start the final frame of his second game.
He finished the special day with games of 129, 179 and 129 for a 437 series.
"This is the culmination of my career," said Pursel, who immediately was presented with the crystal bowling pin, given to each member of the 100,000-Pin Club. "I was kind of anxious and kind of nervous. This was the first time I had my wife, two sons, granddaughter and daughter-in-law all here. That means a lot."
Pursel is the 22nd bowler in history, and second this year, to eclipse the 100,000-pin mark. USBC Hall of Famer Gordy Baer of Tinley Park, Illinois, added his name to the list in April.
Pursel also is the second bowler in 2018 to make his 60th march to the lanes. Donald Granberry Jr. of St. Louis achieved the feat earlier this month, while Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida, is scheduled to join the club Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The participation record of 71 years on the championship lanes is shared by USBC Hall of Famers Bill Doehrman and Joe Norris, along with Sylvester Thiel, while USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard Sr. tops the all-time pinfall list with 124,087.
Joseph Pursel Jr. made his Open Championships debut at the 1959 event in St. Louis and has not missed a tournament since. Some of his career highlights include three top-10 finishes and a 184 average for six decades.
His legacy at the Open Championships is one he shares with his father and son - Joseph Pursel Sr. and Brian Pursel - who competed in the event 55 and 27 times, respectively.
The eldest Pursel's final tournament appearance came at the 2008 edition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as his son celebrated his 50th year of participation.
They are one of three father-son duos in the 50-Year club, joining Frank "Chick" Carr (62) and Thomas Carr (57) and Earl Ebers Jr. (58) and Earl Ebers Sr. (50).
Brian Pursel last competed in 2012.
It was the opportunity to compete as a family that helped keep the journey going, and his time on the championship lanes happens to coincide with how long he and his wife, Ritanne, have been married. This year also marks 60 years of marriage.
Of all the milestones in 2018, six decades of love and family is the most significant, and ranking the on-lane accomplishments also was easy for Pursel.
"I think the 100,000 pins is the accomplishment I'm most appreciative of because there aren't too many people who have achieved that," Pursel said. "First, I'm thankful for my health. Not everyone is healthy enough to make 60 consecutive appearances. You have to live long enough and bowl long enough to get the pins."
Pursel added sets of 448 in doubles and 409 in singles Monday for a 1,294 all-events total. He'll leave the 2018 tournament with a career pinfall of 101,000.
Bowling always has been a big part of Pursel's life.
He and his father operated PMP Lanes in Hellertown, and the younger Pursel Jr. also wrote a local bowling column for many years, highlighting the accomplishments of bowlers for Allentown newspapers.
"Bowling is something you can do at any age," said Pursel, who is focused on becoming the father and son with the most combined years at the Open Championships. "I was brought up in the bowling industry. My father and I had a small bowling establishment. I spent a lot of my years in different aspects, between coaching junior bowling and writing for some newspapers. It's a huge part of me and my life, and I'm not done yet."
During the team event Sunday, Pursel's granddaughter, Cori, who had escorted him to the lanes hours earlier, presented him with a custom T-shirt in honor of his milestone, while Pursel's other son, Craig, wore a vintage blue bowling shirt that had belonged to Pursel Sr. It was a way for him to be present at the Oncenter Convention Center, too.Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.