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Sunday, March 03, 2002

Mark Mare still walks with a slight limp and he can tell by the ache in his knee that it's going to rain.

But you won't hear any complaints.

"After the accident I didn't know if I was going to keep the leg or lose it. The leg was completely black and looked like it was gone," he said. "I spent eight weeks in the hospital, then I did rehab therapy for two years.

"The doctors told me if I used it, I wouldn't lose it."

Mare, 41, tried to bowl with a brace on his right leg that had been crushed between an 18-ton paver and a 10-ton roller while on a job for Penn Dot in 1991. His scores fell after the accident because he couldn't bend and push off his leg.

"Now I can crank it like I used to. I throw a big bender," said Mare, who pitched his first 300 recently in the first game of a career-high 737 series in the Eagle North League at Fun Fest Entertainment Center in Harmarville.

"I started thinking about the 300 after the ninth frame. Nobody talked to me. There was dead silence in the place. It's something I'll never forget."

But he can't even remember making the final toss.

"I couldn't even hold the ball," he said with a laugh. "My knees weren't shaking. My fingers were."

The ball buried into the pocket for another perfect 10. He'll receive a '300' ring from ABC and Fun Fest gave him a pin out of the rack that he plans to varnish and display on the mantle in his home in Shaler.

"I live to bowl," said Mare, whose average has jumped to 195 with stellar performances the past couple of weeks. "When I finish bowling in the league Thursday, I'm already looking forward to the next Thursday."

Scholastic stars

Hempfield doubled its fun at the recent Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League team championships.

The Hempfield boys won the title at Perry Park Lanes and Chartiers Valley was the runner-up. The Hempfield girls finished in first place at Corpen Lanes and Baldwin was the runner-up.

The WPIBL tournament will be Monday through Friday, with the team event at Brannan's Bowl in McKees Rocks and the singles competition at Playmor Bowl in West Mifflin.

The tournament trail

Chad Williams of Weirton, W.Va., captured Week 22 of the Head-to-Head tournament at All American Lanes in Steubenville, Ohio, with a 232-216 victory against Jim Petzel of Pittsburgh in the final. Williams averaged 214 for the event.

The weekly Head-to-Head tournament at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes will continue at 8:15 p.m. today. The Strike Jackpot is $1,395. Entry fee is $21. For more information call Shawn Endler, 412-590-8232.

On a roll

Mike Ulam was in the zone with games of 279, 268 and 245 for a career-high series of 792 in the South hills Church League at Princess Lanes in Whitehall.

Sam Thomas tossed a 279/752 in the Etna Tuesday Night Men's League at Sharpsburg Lanes.

The pins were falling at New Great Valley Lanes in North Versailles. Paul Balta put together games of 278, 245 and 244 for a 767 to take honors in the St. Peter & Paul League and George Harbadin's 266/770 and Walt Hajduk's 256/757 were highlights in the Men's Masters League.

Scores were soaring in the Coors Light Players League at AMF Noble Manor Lanes in Crafton. Damon Deorio's 289/795 was the headliner, followed by Frank Dodds' 298/786 and Allan Watson's (289/764).

League leaders

Dave Keefe leads the Bud Lite $12,000 Classic League at South Hills Bowl with a 215.99 average, followed by John Fichter's 215.16 and Shawn Pilyih's 210.61.

What's happening

The Pittsburgh Bowlers Tour is sponsoring a Scratch 40 and Over tournament today at Coral Lanes, with $1,000 for first place. Entry fee is $39. There will be a scratch doubles event next Sunday at Freeway Lanes, with $2,000 for first place. Entry fee is $98.

For more information on the Pittsburgh Bowlers Tour, check the Web site, http://www.bowlthis.com/.

The bowling column will appear every Sunday from September through April. The Post-Gazette will try to publish scores every Tuesday -225 individual and 625 for men and 200 and 600 for juniors and women. We're always looking for good stories, unique happenings and the people behind the scores. If you have an anecdote or an intriguing tidbit, either call Phil Axelrod at 412-253-1103, fax to 412-263-1926 or e-mail to paxelrod@post-gazette.com. Individual scores of 225 and series of 625 for men and 200 and 600 for women will be published every Tuesday.