Perfect Game As Easy As Abcc

A third Spokane bowler found perfection in the American Bowling Congress Championships in Reno, Nev., last weekend.

Alex Lee registered the 26th 300 of the 92nd annual event that winds up this weekend, joining fellow Spokanites Matt Surina and Terry Heffernan in the “club.” With a week to go, Surina retained the men’s singles lead with an 826 series.

Lee, 20, a restaurant worker who is the youngest perfectionist at the ABC, had little indication of what was to come in his singles series.

“I had a lot to overcome after that first game of 179,” he said. “On the second, I tried to stay calm and take deep breaths.”

It worked. He followed the 12 strikes with six in his third game and finished with a 244 for a 720 series.

There was more heavy scoring and a lead change in the next-to-last weekend of the fifth annual Lilac Gala Festival at Lilac Lanes.

Lance Tipton of Spokane had a 770 scratch series with a high game of 290 to take the men’s singles lead with an 872 handicap series.

Bob Hanson of Spokane rolled a 300 game, Keree Jens had a 298 and Don Smith of St. Maries a 290. Jens has membership in the women’s and men’s national sanctioning bodies and will be rewarded by both.

Swimming

Pullman marathon swimmer Jay Benner finished second in the 25-kilometer national championships last weekend in Lake Lanier, Ga., to qualify for the Pan-Pacific Games at the same site in August.

“I feel good. That was a good race for me,” reported Benner, who covered the distance in 5 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds in the first step toward achieving his dream of swimming in the 1996 Olympics.

Benner, who was 90 seconds behind the winner and 9 minutes ahead of the third-place finisher, said, “I led it from 10K to 20K, then the winner, who was the defending champion, caught me and pulled away a little.”

Bicycling

Team Spare Parts was missing one of its parts for last weekend’s 200-mile Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. John Madison of Spokane didn’t make it.

“I manage a Denny’s Restaurant and had a couple of employees quit, so I wound up having to work,” said Madison, a kidney recipient, who was to be among seven transplant athletes riding on the team. “I was highly disappointed.”

He’ll focus his preparation on the Transplant Games in August 1996 in Salt Lake City. And, he said, “there’ll be another (Seattle-Portland ride) next year and I’ll be there.”

In-line hockey

There’s still time to sign up for the second session of Bladin’ Inc.’s roller hockey season at Eagles Ice-A-Rena.

There are 13 teams participating in five divisions in the first session that winds up this week. The second session will run July 10 through late August.

Info: Kerry Blair, 325-3885; Travis Knoles, 484-3141.

Tennis

Organizers of the Kootenai County Championships in Coeur d’Alene are holding a contest to find the design that will emblazon T-shirts for the 26th annual event Aug. 18-20.

Winning design will earn the creator a $75 gift certificate. Info: David Dickinson, tournament director, (208) 667-8912.

Replay

Jeff Castleberry joined his father, Vic Castleberry, and niece, Mary Signor, in a threegeneration family entry that was the only relay team in the Spokane River Canoe Classic. Jeff was misidentified on last Friday’s Recreation page.