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Vincent Collura Jr. an excellent bowler

Ed Townsend - Columnist
Posted 11/12/20

There is no way one can easily identify and describe the proficient style that has made Vincent (we all call him Vinnie) Collura the excellent bowler he becomes after he straps on his bowling shoes.

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Vincent Collura Jr. an excellent bowler

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There is no way one can easily identify and describe the proficient style that has made Vincent (we all call him Vinnie) Collura the excellent bowler he becomes after he straps on his bowling shoes.

A pure gentleman both on the bowling alley or at the golf course, Vinnie has perfected a classic, steady and professional style that is fun and exciting to watch.

The 52-year-old Monticello bowler is married to Carena Richardson Collura for 28 years and Carena is also an excellent bowler in the Tuesday Mixed Firefighter league at Kiamesha Lanes.

Vinnie is a graduate of Monticello Central School and bowled in the Saturday morning Kiamesha Lanes Youth league before joining his first men's league -- the Monday Men's league at Kiamesha Lanes -- right after high school.

The first men's league bowlers he bowled with included Matt Foreman, Billy Schubert and Larry Rubin.

He continues to bowl in the Monday Night Men's league on the Rock Hill Liquor team with members Bobby Patel, Charlie Tuttle and Pedro Agapito III. Vinnie subs in the Tuesday Mixed Firefighter league.

Career high scoring games include nine 300 games and four 800-plus series.

His present league averages are 217 in the Monday league and 218 in the Tuesday league.

During his bowling career he has held league offices such as President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.

He also was one of Kiamesha Lanes representatives elected with the creation of the Tri-County Bowling Association.

Bowling under today's COVID-19 era Vinnie noted “this has been an interesting year bowling in this strange world,” and “we do wear masks at all times, and we reduce our social interactions during the night which changes our relations with our fellow bowlers.”

“During the organizational meetings we needed to think in terms of if the bowling alley shuts down what will happen....how is this possible?” Vinnie added.

Collura said, “I do enjoy watching professional bowling and like watching some of the classic bowlers such as Walter Ray Williams, Chris Barnes and Norm Duke."

He is also an excellent golfer in the Sullivan County Thursday Night Travel League.

Vinnie is employed at The Center for Discovery as an Assistive Technician.

Ed's Outlook

Bill O'Neill Wins

WWE Championship

Bill O'Neill claimed the final title of the 2020 PBA Tour season by defeating Anthony Simonsen in two straight games to win the 2020 PBA Playoffs. O'Neill's 13th career PBA Tour title and second of the season earned him a $100,000 first-prize check and an official WWE championship title. O'Neill, who finished second in last year's PBA Playoffs, was especially gratified to earn the title this season.

“A lot of redemption,” said O'Neill, the overall number two seed. “I didn't want to come in second again in this event. I was confident in my ball reaction and I knew if I made good shots, I was going to come away with the win.”

The championship match featured a race-to-two-points format in which one point was awarded to the winner of each game. If tied after two games, the players would go to a ninth-and-10th-frame roll-off, but O'Neill didn't let that happen. He secured a 235-203 win in game one, then claimed the championship with a 249-195 triumph in game two.

“The back half of game two was some of the best bowling I've done in a long time,” said O'Neill, who rolled eight consecutive strikes to finish the second and decisive game.

O'Neill made an adjustment during his quarterfinals match that helped him feel comfortable throughout the rest of the event.

“It's been unbelievable the last couple years,” he said. “I certainly didn't expect to have the success I've had. I knew I was going to get back into the winner's circle, but I didn't expect all this. I owe so much of it to my dad who put in so much work with me and really knows my game in and out. He's the one who got me ready for this event.”

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

Bowling has reached a real fork in the road. Never has the gap between league bowler and the elite professional bowler been larger.

Some league bowlers routinely average 230-plus on lane conditions that are engineered by bowling centers to allow recreational bowlers to get maximum pleasure from their league experience by carrying inflated averages that mean absolutely nothing in the real bowling world.

The USBC does absolutely nothing to preserve the integrity of the game.....they only minimally regulate bowling balls and allow bowling centers to put out conditions that are so forgiving that honor scores are really a thing of the past as they are so common today for league bowlers.

When these same league bowlers go to the USBC Nationals each year, they are routinely deflated when they have to bowl on a lane condition that requires accuracy and repeat ability to yield high scores.

On the other hand, you have the PBA. Each year the Professional Bowlers Association comes up with new and more difficult oil patterns to challenge the game's elite players.

The newest patterns, introduced a couple of years ago, challenge the players to unheard of degrees. From the 32 feet Wolf pattern that reduce the greatest players in the world to using non-aggressive urethane equipment, to the 54 feet Badger pattern that leaves only eight feet of friction past the pattern for the ball to react.

The new patterns have put elite bowlers in the unenviable position of looking like rank amateurs on televised matches that are routinely viewed by league bowlers who have no understanding of the impact of oil patterns on bowling performance.

Something needs to happen at this critical fork in the road for bowling. Either the USBC needs to start regulating oil patterns at the league level, or the PBA needs to start putting out variations of house shots and let the best bowlers in the world carry 260 averages.

As putting out tougher house shots would undoubtedly result in the loss of a large percentage of house bowlers.....the PBA softening up the pro patterns is really the only viable alternative.

Mike Luongo is a certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mikel@stormbowling.com

LOCAL SCORES

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Michael Caiazzo 224, 633, Rich Bradford 226, 258, 647, Gene Smith 224, Kevin Stackhouse 233, 228, 642, Jason Jones Sr. 229, Kyle Matthews 245, 624, Paul Minton 225, 228, 669, Robert Feeney Jr. 229, 618, Rich Feeney 247, Bob Feeney Sr. 223, 222, 628, Bobby Sze 259, 606, William Schubert 237, 236, 691, Richard Bivins 229, Russell Bivins 234, 605, Bobby Patel 237, 646, Charlie Tuttle 227, 624, Vinny Collura 226, 254, 693, Pedro Colllura III a 233, 278, 255, 766, Jim VanAken 234, 234, 683, Jonathan Wilhelm 238, 608, Jaryl Scott 226, 244, 665, Jon Wilhelm 221.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Pedro Agaito III a 247, 228, 252, 727, Vinnie Collura 233, 233, 662, Tom Belgiovene 237, 621, Kyle Giodano 233, 232, 681, Jon Wilhelm 222, 267, 693, Carena Collura 190, 173, 512, Jack Rustic 225, James VanAken 224, Dave Graham 279, 662, Loretta VanAken 184, 171, 523, Bobby Patel 248, 628, Jacklyn Kimmes 172, Kevin Stackhouse 229, 623, Keith Smith 219, 633, Tammy Bennett 187, 509, Karen Martin 200, 174, 519.

Fri. Night Mixed

Pedro Agapito III a 259, 247, 286, 792, Dave Graham 222, Greg Kuchar 230, Jason RH Rogers 212, 628, David Sewall 226, Bill Schubert 223, Charlie Tuttle 256, 237, 668, Keith Smith 237, 613, Esther Barber 181, Lauren Blume 183, Lisa Cartwright 182, 508, Mikayla De Graw 190, Michele Macedonio 203, 172, 505.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Independent

Doc Bolduc 222, 248, 674, Andrew Bullis 259, 643, Shane Dirig 213, 600, Craig Gehrig 242, 232, 690, Bill Gleim 226, 244, 235, 705, Ben Green 279, 675, Pete Green 209, 216, 634, Rob Johnson 212, 619, Dan Keesler 222, 224, 225, 671, Wayne McClenon 230, 636, Mitch Persbacker 246, 612, Aaron Phillips 227, 613, Doug Philips 212, 233, 632, Roger Widmann 216, Zuke Wormuth 218, 214, 625.

Thursday Night 3

Dale Conklin 236, Shane Dirig 236, 629, Bill Gleim 245, 226, 667, Gino Jones 210, 604, Dan Keesler 227, 238, 666, Rick Mills 237, Dick Price 254, 643, Natasha Tuttle 226, 608, Dan Wormuth 260, 665.

Friday Couples

Andy Bullis 257, 559, Dale Conklin 269, 657, Shane Dirig 210, 606, Mike Dufton 255, 617, Missy Dunlap 190, 521, Janet Ellis 186, Scott Ellis 247, 245, 226, 718, Linda Farris 236, 582, Lisa Koch 182, Mindy McElroy 196, Rick Mills 238, 629, Tia Robinson 185, 183, 506, Dan Wormuth 234, 210, 216, 660 660, Jay Wormuth 216, 206, 213, 635, Jeremy Wormuth 244, 215, 657.

Sat.Youth League

Carter Wormuth 122, 100, 115, Landon Fuller 119, Landyn Robinson 100, Ashbee Gately 92.

Sunday Fun

Fred Shakelton 204, Gabe Rynearson 224, 203, 243, 670, Rick Mills 223, 236.

PORT JERVIS LANES

Thursday Ladies

Erin McDonagh 148, 203, 237, 588, Carol Flynn 193, 175, 179, 557, Kim DeGarmo 169, 175, 201, 545, Carmela Montaperto 183, 168, 123, 474, Charlene VanHorn 192, 129, 134, 455.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of bowling and brings over 60 years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to bght75@gmail.com, or fax to 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.

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