Everything Candlepin

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I would have to say Big 20 in Maine.  The approaches are nice and smooth on all the lanes and the pins have some give and take so its not deflating like some houses where you get no breaks at all.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I would say the singles format is my favorite because I know what to expect for myself and there’s no variables I can’t put into play and there’s no added pressure of letting somebody else down like in a doubles tournament.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
So far my most memorable Pro Series memory is placing second in the doubles tournament.  Unfortunately [it] is my only place in the Pro Series so far but I would definitely say that’s my most memorable as of right now.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
My best match isn’t really a match in a league or tournament – it was my single matches when I first started bowling on the Sunday night league.  After the league I would pull money matches against a Barber and he actually taught me a lot in those matches – how to hit shots and actually make things happen with the pins I didn’t know could happen; where today I can do that now.  It really is what made me into the bowler I am today.  I didn’t win some money from them but you know it taught me how to win those match types of matches.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
Pilgrim. Why? Because I bowl really good there, ha-ha! I also won the playoffs the two times they were there then they foolishly moved it to Lanes and Games and I lost.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
The regular mens doubles. They are a lot of fun. I bowl [Bobby] Whitcomb in one and Mark Gregory in the other.  They are great teammates.  What ended up happening is Whit had to work one of the doubles events and I teamed up with Mark. Now, I don’t have a choice any more – I’m very loyal.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Making a single in very last box of the playoffs against Chris Boisvert. I picked up the 7 pin to win by a single pin [in 2010-2011].

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
Outside the Pro Series?  It would have to be 2002 Worlds in Bangor.   We lost the [final] match.  The match was crazy close.   Really intense.   It came down to the last ball and we lost unfortunately.

Also, winning in 1998 with all my friends at the Worlds.  People gave me crap about bowling with my friends instead of bowling with legends. We won the whole thing!  Ha-ha, I say!

Lastly, I’d like to add that in the last six years I’ve either finished first or second overall in the Pro Series (bowler of the year or playoffs) and WCBC.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I like Big 20 because I won the ten stringer there.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I think I like the ultimate ladder the best. It’s much different than all the others tournament.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
I’m going to make it about me.  Winning the 10 stringer [in 2010-2011].

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
At the 2000 worlds [I was] bowling for lucky 7.  We made it to the finals that year and it was my rookie season.  Chip was on a spare in the tenth frame and he needed three to win and he punched the 1-5 and we lost the title.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I’ll say lucky strike in Lynn. I just like the house and have always bowled well there.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I like the random draw doubles. It gives guys a chance to bowl with anyone. I’d put the teams a close second.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Winning the doubles event with Craig Holbrook in Portsmouth [in 2011-2012].

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
At the World’s in 2008 in Bangor.  There was a semifinal against McLaughlin Truck and Trailer.  It was so close the match went back and forth and they were the pinnacle at the time. To be facing them in the semifinals was awesome.

I have another one for you since this is a close second.  [My] first year in the worlds.  It was 1994.   Our team made it to the semifinals. We didn’t have shirts.  We didn’t have a name. We came out of nowhere.  We faced a team loaded with hall of famers including [Gary] Carrington, Jack Ray, Joe Ashline, Tommy Olzsta and Jeff Atkins.  It came down to the final boxes and we threw close to a 2000 – we were a team of nobodies and lost to hall of famers.  It was amazing!

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
That’s a tough question because I grew up at Park Place but I really love this place, Lakeside because I felt really comfortable.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
The random draw doubles are always fun.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
When I qualified for the singles event at Boutwell’s in Concord my first year [2010-2011].

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
Last years’ [2011-2012] Friday night playoffs against Academy I at Academy. I opened with a 164 and we had the lead. It was a tight match that came down to the wire.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I have a hard time not saying Viking. It was an honest house you got what you got and that’s it.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
The straight up doubles tournaments.  You know what you’re getting.  It’s you it’s your partner and they are the largest draw so it’s the most competition.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
It was the shot of my life. I picked up the 7-10 split when I needed it against Shawn Morrison.  Against a bowler that caliber, on that stage, in Concord was awesome.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
Seeing Charlie Jutras throw a 196.  It was just an honest to god 196.  He totally deserved it and it was awesome to see.  I will never forget that game.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
[I like the] Woburn [Bowladrome].   I like the action there.   There’s a lot of good action.   [I also really liked] our first event this year at Viking.  I liked that place too – tough no one stole anything there.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
Random draw doubles and definitely the teams event.  I like how they do the draft every year [for the teams event].

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Making the final eight of the single eliminations at pilgrim lanes last year – that was a pretty good moment for me.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
Best match [that I’ve had] was a three string total for bragging rights. [The match was] Joe Stella add I against Dave [Mallahan] Hodge and Mark Ricci at Central Park Lanes [in East Boston].

I finally got the “interview”  I figured it was time.  As far as I am concerned Jeff is THE voice of the candlepin bowling world so I am going to make fun of him now.  It’s my site, and I can do that!

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
My favorite place is Leda Lanes.  I just think it is a wonderful place.  The pin action is perfect in my opinion. [Don’t they host the Easter Classic at Leda?]

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I like them all so it is hard to pick.  I guess I would have to say the doubles event are my favorite.  Those events are always the biggest.  Just overall a very fun tournament. [I actually think this a great answer since it’s the first person to mention the doubles event]

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Most memorable would have to be the 1st event we ever held at Cape Ann in Gloucester.  No particular reason, just the fact I will always remember the very first one. [Yet another good answer.  He’s not just a decent bowler with great looks, wait, strike that, a great bowler with decent looks, he’s got a brain too!]

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I would have to say the best match is the same one Sam Dagostino mentioned.  Find Sammy’s interview to see what I am talking about :-).  That was absolutely something that you don’t forget.  Hope that does the trick for you.  LOL!  [Sammy’s response below.  Seem to remember Sammy single-handedly helping you win the random draw doubles in Maine two years ago – AND he’s providing material for you. You should put him on your personal payroll!]

I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of quite a few good matches but my favorite match is probably a Friday Night Pro League playoff match.  It was my first year with Candlewood (Chris Boisvert, myself, Steve Plante, Eric Pelletier, and Jeff Surette).  We finished 4th in the regular season and had to bowl the league champions in the 1st round at Metro which was St. Joseph’s ([Shawn] Baker, [Cookie] Richards, [Bill] Treeful, [Gary] Carrington, and Sarge).  We were down about 150 pins around the middle of the 2nd string of a 3-string match.  Chris Boisvert ignites us with a triple strike and we slowly chip away the rest of the match until we pull close to even with 2 boxes for everyone to go.  We go back and forth the last 2 boxes and Jeff marks out his last 2 boxes to give us the victory.

Fresh off his 210 game, Nick took some time to answer some questions via text for Everything Candlepin.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
Beverly bowl-o-mat.  I feel very comfortable there and there’s good pin action.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
Skins.  Love bowling for money box for box.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Watching Jay Covitz throw a 5 bagger for a 197 [at the Random Draw Doubles in Beverly] and Brian Crowell making the 5-6-7-10 with no wood in the singles [elimination at Pilgrim Lanes].

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I bowling up in Canada in the worlds on Mike Poulin’s team.  We beat one of the best teams in Canada for 6 points right outta the gate. Can’t remember the teams name.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I mean, Metro is always there because it’s my home away from home and where I basically grew up, but if I had to say another, I really like Lucky [Strike] also.  I’ve gotten used to those lanes because I bowl for them, and also because I like the old feeling to it.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I do like the random draw doubles because it is the most appealing to me, but you can also get paired up with some big name bowlers and just have a ton of fun.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Oh boy. I think the first doubles [knockout] last year had a great final match between [Peter] Flynn/Cookie [Richards] and [Bobby] Whitcomb/ [Craig] Holbrook. I thought it was a great back and forth match and it came down to the last box. When Peter almost had that double to take the event, that was such a crazy moment because that would have been such an epic moment/win.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I have a couple favorite moments.  My first one is when I was bowling the Thursday night mixed league with Ryan Lehr, Geoff Dunn, Steve Lach, and Mike Kane. Now, the league is a handicapped league, and we didn’t have much because our averages were fairly high. For scratch one night, we hit a 1914 for a triple, but for one string we hit a 686. The amazing thing about that was we were missing Steve and took his 118 average for three games. I did nothing that game, but Geoff, Mike and Ryan hit like a 460 total for them.  Doing something like that was pretty awesome, that was the highest team string I’ve ever been a part of.

My second favorite is actually something that I didn’t do. When I threw my 192 string against Metro [I] back in February [2012], I was bowling against Mark Gregory. Now, you would think that throwing that string would be my favorite, but it isn’t. The thing that I really love about that was watching Mark come back and beat me total. He beat me 444 to 440, and it was a pretty gross 444 because he had two 140’s and a 150. That’s some insane consistency right there. If that isn’t awesome enough to watch, it was even more awesome because he beat a guy that dropped a 192 on him.  Something like that is inspiration to a young bowler like me. If that doesn’t say “no matter what, never give up”, then I really don’t know what does because that was something else to watch.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
My favorite Pro Series alley would have to be Pilgrim Lanes.  Best alleys anywhere to host and watch a tournament.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
My favorite Pro Series tournament is a little tougher.  The biggest reason why the Pro Series have put a revitalization into tournament bowling is the variety of events.  The most fun to watch though is probably the Random Draw doubles.  That tournament gives you an opportunity to pair up with someone you would normally not have a chance to.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
My most memorable Pro Series moment would have to be watching Scott Lapierre’s 207 in the championship match against Shawn McKinley in the Ultimate Ladder at New Palace Lanes last year.  It’s hard enough to bowl a 200 and hard to win a tournament but when you put the 2 together it’s just unbelievable.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of quite a few good matches but my favorite match is probably a Friday Night Pro League playoff match.  It was my first year with Candlewood (Chris Boisvert, myself, Steve Plante, Eric Pelletier, and Jeff Surette).  We finished 4th in the regular season and had to bowl the league champions in the 1st round at Metro which was St. Joseph’s ([Shawn] Baker, [Cookie] Richards, [Bill] Treeful, [Gary] Carrington, and Sarge).  We were down about 150 pins around the middle of the 2nd string of a 3-string match.  Chris Boisvert ignites us with a triple strike and we slowly chip away the rest of the match until we pull close to even with 2 boxes for everyone to go.  We go back and forth the last 2 boxes and Jeff marks out his last 2 boxes to give us the victory.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
Pilgrim Lanes in Haverhill. I always seem to bowl well there, and the Singles Elimination of August 2011 is the closest I’ve come to qualifying. I missed the cut by four pins with a 615. Also, I like that both the approaches and the lanes are still traditional rock maple. Also, I liked bowling with the stadium seating behind us. With the crowd that was there, it felt as “pro” as you could get (minus cameras). The proprietors seem to be very much involved with the kids programs as well, which is a solid investment in the future of our sport.

If you were to ask my overall favorite house – that would be Malden Sq. Bowladrome, it’s like home to me.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I’ll answer this from two different perspectives.

As a competitor, I’d say that my favorite tournament format is the singles elimination or singles knockout. I like the idea of having to qualify on your own two feet – by yourself. It also is the closest reminder for me of the Channel 5 show, an old Saturday morning mainstay.

As a spectator, my favorite format to watch is the skins tournament. I think it’s a great way to make the match interesting and also has box-by-box payouts to reward bowlers for specific strikes or spares thrown. You could win a match but still theoretically end up winning less money than the losing opponent. It holds the spectators attention.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
I’d have to say that one of my most memorable pro series moments was witnessing Jay Covitz throw a five-bagger during the Random Draw Doubles tournament at the Beverly Bowl-o-Mat in April 2012. That’s just not something you see very often. The whole place was going crazy for him.

The runner up moment was when Mark Ricci’s son Domenic (who was only 2 years old at the time, already bowling one-handed) was bowling between qualifying strings and threw a strike….he went on to fill it with a spare!! Like father, like son!

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I’d have to say that recently, the best match I’ve been part of was at the Woburn Bowladrome Thursday night summer speed league on May 31, 2012. My teammate Steve Gangi and I threw a 319 scratch total. I threw a 171 string and he had a 148. It happened on lanes 21-22. Everything seemed to be mixing perfectly for us. We beat our opponents in that string by 115 pins. That high single held up until the VERY last night of bowling on August 23 when Nick Norcross threw a triple strike for a 174!

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
Other than my home of Metro, I’d have to say Lucky Strike in Lynn.  I have always loved bowling there.  I like the old school feeling of the place.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
I’d say the random draw [doubles], because you have a chance to get paired up with a friend, or someone you don’t know, one of the game’s best, or a walk-in. It really makes things interesting because you have a huge chance of bowling with someone you’ve never bowled with or may not even know, as opposed to bowling with some you gel with easily.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
The entire Ultimate Ladder tournament in Fitchburg. When Sammy [Dagostino] threw that 495, [Shawn] Baker hitting 505 for his first three ladder games, and [Scott] Lapierre hitting a 207 to win the tourney…  It was insane watching the bombs guys were throwing that day!

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
The Tuesday night house league I bowl with Chris Powers.  We had this match last season where we were down by 60 going into the last two frames – he and I bowl third and fourth [on our four man team]. I was sitting on a strike, and Chris as well.  I hit a double, then a triple with a 9 fill and a spare, then Chris hits a double, 9, spare, strike. And we ended up winning the game by single digits. The looks on the faces of the people we bowled that night were priceless!

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I really liked Vacationland in Maine.  I felt really comfortable there.  The pin action was good.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
The Random Draw Doubles without a doubt.  The randomness of getting someone you may have never bowled with before and now, “hey we’re a team, let’s go!”

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Winning the Pro Series teams tournament in 2011-2012 at Ficcio’s Bowladrome.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I was part of the mixed teams double elimination tournament at Fun Time Lanes in Holyoke with Mike MacIntosh, Brian Dykes, Mark Ricci, and Richie Myrick.  Myrick picked up a spare in the tenth frame with an eight fill to create a tie and force a two box roll-off.  We had already lost one string, but managed to win the roll-off and stayed alive.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I like them all.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
Skins.  It’s all about the money buddy.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Winning the Bob Caliri’s doubles tournament with Mark Ricci as a precursor to the actual Pro Series.  We were able to battle through some great bowlers including Mark Strangio, Mark Smith, Dave Godwin, Chris Sargent, Shawn Baker, and Mike Morgan.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I don’t have a specific match, but it would be any of the matches I’ve been involved in at the worlds in either Canada or in Maine.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I’ve always been a fan of Pilgrim lanes.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
My favorite is the 10-stringer.  No cut, just total.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
My most memorable moment was watching Mike MacIntosh defeat Dave Godwin 172-163 in the singles knockout at Park Place in 2010-2011.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
I have not been in any great matches outside the Pro Series – yet.  However in 2011, I watched Nate LeBlanc defeat Matt Cormier in the finals of the Worlds singles knockout in Halifax by a score of 156 to 148.  Nate needed a double to win, and he promptly threw a double strike with a nine drop.

What’s your favorite Pro Series alley that you have bowled at and why?
I like them all.

What’s your favorite Pro Series format and why?
Skins.  I love that format.  It’s awesome, and it is really cool.  I love the idea of bowling box per box.

Most memorable Pro Series moment?
Winning the Bob Caliri’s doubles tournament with Dave Mallahan as a precursor to the actual Pro Series.  We were able to battle through some great bowlers including Mark Strangio, Mark Smith, Dave Godwin, Chris Sargent, Shawn Baker, and Mike Morgan.  It was a great day, and I wasn’t quite sure I was going to make it since I was at work.

Best match you’ve been involved in outside the Pro Series?
In 2007 I made the finals of the World’s singles knockout. It was intense and it was on the biggest stage.