It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Well, five pins to be exact.
With a full house watching him throw his final ball Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Lanes, needing a strike for a perfect game, Wayne Schultz delivered.
The 450 was the first-ever in the 67-year history of the B.C. Interior Fivepin Bowling Championships.
“I didn’t notice it was quiet,” said Schultz, a 40-year-old construction worker. “I knew that there were people about eight lanes over, but other than that, I didn’t really pay attention.”
Schultz began bowling in YBC leagues in Armstrong. He has “about 13 or 14” 400 singles and last rolled a perfect game in December, 2001, on the same four-five lanes.
“It kind of just happened,” said Schultz. “I had a 350 earlier in the day on the same lanes and it just felt good. I got up there and my spot looked like a basketball instead of a board.”
Krista Koenig, Matt Eisenhauer, Jesse Buchanan and Tyce Koenig were on the same lanes with Schultz as Vernon won the men’s, mixed and aggregate portions, while placing second in ladies.
Rod Koenig, Trevor Rachwalski, Lyle Rachwalski, Yvonne Walker, Irene Walker, Calyn Buresh and Erin Buchanan rounded out the Vernon entry.
Schultz, who carries a 254 average, didn’t surprise everybody with his scorching 12-strike masterpiece.
“For the most part I throw a speed ball. My friend Dave Wendel, he bowled for Cranbrook. He came over to a few people I know and said, after five frames, that I was going to do it. He could tell.”
Teammates took video of Schultz’s final two strikes. It can be viewed on the Lincoln Lanes’ Facebook page.
“A lot of people were buying drinks but I wasn’t drinking because I was driving home,” laughed Schultz.
His son, Trevor, 21 months, was a good-luck charm Saturday.
“He came in when I was bowling bad. I wasn’t bowling very good in the morning and he got me off what I was thinking about and then I bowled the 350.”
Schultz is supposed to receive a houseboat vacation, a watch and golf shirt from the Bowling Proprietors of B.C., a sports bag from Image Group and a plaque from Landmark Recognition. He also goes to the Club 400 tournament at the coast next fall.
Tyce Koenig won the Rookie Men’s High Block at 1,180 at the Interiors, while Yvonne Walker took the Ladies High Block with an 1,107.
The Vernon mixed team racked up the high single, 1,537, 13 short of the tournament record set in 1989 by Kelowna. The Vernon men had the high single of 1,425.
