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Silver Strike Hotbed

Silver Strike Hotbed

Beech Grove is Back and Better Than Ever Thanks to One of SSB's Finest

Ron Hammersley showing off his 300's at Beech Grove Bowl

Almost a year ago to the day, the talk of the Silver Strike world were Beech Grove, Indiana's Ron Hammersley and Ken Carroll - two virtual bowlers qualifying for the '08 Silver Strike National Championship, playing on an ancient SSB cabinet at Beech Grove Bowl.

A year later, not a lot has changed in Beech Grove, except the Silver Strike following has expanded and the bowling has gotten a whole lot better.

It starts of course at the top with May Opener champion Ron Hammersley, an SSB veteran in every sense of the word. The 67-year-old's twelve 300-games were far and away the highest amount throughout the month of May and his 295 average was best by nearly nine pins. Not bad for a guy that took four months off leading up to the event.

"I spend the winter months down in Florida, and there really aren't any SSB games in my area," Ron said. "I came back about two weeks before the May Opener started and had to get my timing back. Since then, I've gotten hotter than I ever have."

He's not the only one. Ron's friend Ken Carroll is rolling once again after his nice run leading up to the nationals last year. Ken has improved his technique and finished 7th in the May Opener with a 276 average. In doing so he has quietly established himself as one of the premier players in the country.

Scott Seach (left), Pat Baker (center), and Isiah Withem (right)

Beech Grove's success no longer ends with Ken Carroll, however.

Including these two sharpshooters, a total of four virtual bowling regulars finished top fifty during the May Opener, the others being Isiah Withem (32nd) and Scott Seach (48th). Pat Baker, Beech Grove's premier female player, just missed the top 200 and finished with a respectable 231 average.

Beech Grove Bowl manager Scott Seach, who just missed qualifying for last year's Silver Strike National Championship, pinpointed Beech Grove's SSB success on one very simple factor.

"Without a question, it's Ron. His love and dedication for the game have made it fun for all of us. He's competitive, but even if he wasn't playing well, he'd gladly roll a game with us, or anyone for that matter. He gives tips, pointers, kudos, friendly advice, and I know that I play this game in large part of him."

And now the Beech Grove legacy has started to spread. So much so that a man drove four and a half hours from Ohio just to play a little Silver Strike with Ron "Hammerin" Hammersley in his home alley.

"I couldn't believe he made the trip," Ron said. "I was actually getting ready to leave for the day when I was approached and he told me where he was from. There was no way I could leave after someone drove that far to play some SSB, so we played for a few hours and had a ton of fun. It was very flattering to say the least."

With three months of Bowlapalooza still yet to be decided, you can bet that Beech Grove will have a significant impact on the leaderboard when the summer bowl-a-thon has come to a close. While Ron will go for a repeat performance of the May Opener, it's his passion and love for the game that will continue to impact where it matters most – Beech Grove Bowl.

Stay tuned to Silverstrikebowling.com for more Bowlapalooza updates, and be sure to visit the official Bowlapalooza website for contest information and leaderboard updates!