BATON ROUGE - In the summer, things are a little quieter, but Monday nights at All Star Lanes in Baton Rouge are always funs thanks to the annual Sacks of Cash Tournaments that have fun formats for local bowlers and certainly any bowlers coming to town in the next month for the USBC Open are certainly welcome to participate as well.

Here’s the schedule and the formats –

Tonight (June 23) – 6 or 8 p.m. – No Tap Singles -- 4 games -- Handicap 80 percent of 210.

June 30 – Baker Doubles – 6 or 8 p.m. – 1st bowler rolls 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th frame, 2nd bowler takes care of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th frames. Handicap is 100 percent of 220)

July 7 – 6 or 8 p.m. – Firecracker Special – 4 games – Each different format. Handicap 90 percent 220.

July 14 – 6 or 8 p.m. – Scotch Doubles – 6 games -- Alternate each shot. Handicap 100 percent 220.

July 21 – 6 or 8 p.m. – No-Tap Singles – 4 games – Handicap 80 percent of 210.

July 28 – 6 or 8 p.m. – No-Tap Doubles – 3 games – Handicap 80 percent of 210.

Aug. 4 – 6 p.m. – No-Tap Eliminator – 3 games – Top 16 bowlers advance to an eliminator format to continue bowling. The field is cut in half with each game. Handicap 80 percent of 210.

Here’s the side note on this tournament, those that enter 5-of-the-7 events are eligible for possible bonus payoffs of $500, $300 and $150. Those who bowl four times can earn a possible extra $300 or $150, while those bowling three events can earn a possible extra $150.

Entries are always good for these events and if nothing else (and maybe I’m telling myself this) it would be good practice for the fall season, which will be here before we know it. Entries can be made on tournament Monday nights.

Pro Shop Ownership At All Star Officially Transferred

Had the chance to visit with Kathy Cross, the wife of the late Steve Cross, the longtime manager/owner of The Pro Shop at All Star Lanes here in town and now the future of the shop is apparently decided.

I first heard from a reliable bowling source regarding this on Thursday night and had a brief message exchange from a member of the purchasing organization and confirmed most everything on Saturday with Kathy, who was helping handle things at the shop with a lot of people coming in for supplies and adjustments before their Bowlers Journal or BTM squad.

The Bowlers Mart, which was established in 2004 and which has a very extensive equipment web site, is expected to take over the operation of the center within the next month.  Bowlers Mart has pro shop operations at lanes in nine states outside Louisiana, highlighted by 21 sites in Florida, nine in Illinois and five in Michigan.

The site states: “Expert advice, premium equipment, and professional service at 45+ locations nationwide. Each store is managed by an accomplished bowler dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.”

We’ll learn more about the operation and more about the person in charge of the shop in the days and weeks ahead and will update as necessary.

From my discussions, Kathy is very satisfied with the resolution of this and she feels that her late husband would be very satisfied with how this all came out as well. I think for those of us who knew both of them, that’s a very important thing. All Star has to also be happy to have what appears to be a top operation moving in and bowlers probably should be as well.

Notes From Around The USBC Championships

Had the chance to visit with Rick Ramsey, who is running the BTM event at All Star, which as I like to call it is the little tournament that has forged its own identity and reputation without a lot of help. Rick, who runs the event with his wife Gayle, has battled a serious cancer diagnosis that caused the 2024 event at Las Vegas to be canceled. Even with trips to Mary Bird Perkins and to Dallas for checkups and scans this year, he appears to have for now beaten the disease and more good news, entries are up this year from the last full event in Reno.

Local sponsors appear to be happy and that’s good too and good for them for getting involved in that event.

Standings are available at thebtmtournament.com.

The Bowlers Journal event is at All Star as well and scores have been outstanding with those updated weekly at Bowl.com. The 279 triplicate of 837 by Mitch Hupe’ continues to have the best score in the singles competition.

By the way, this is bowled on the doubles and singles pattern and as of last week, a total of 18 perfect 300 games are on the list of games tied for the high game jackpot. There are other 300 games in the BJ by bowlers that didn’t enter the high game jackpot.

There have been 13 300 games rolled in the Championships to date at the Raising Canes River Center and all have been on the doubles and singles pattern. There have been three 298 games that are the best on the difficult team pattern.

We’ll update some more numbers and state tournament results from Shreveport when we join you next Monday.

Until then, good luck and good bowling,

                 Kent Lowe