That grind paid off for the 65-year-old Enon bowler as he reached that milestone at the Springfield Clark County United States Bowling Congress Senior Open at Victory Lanes. Dendler rolled a 298-259-257 – 814 on Sunday.
“And it was my first time out with that ball, fresh out of the box,” Dendler said.
While Dendler went into Game 3 with confidence and a solid 557, the seventh frame hit him hard as he left a 10-pin – the first open frame of the game.
“It definitely took the wind out of my sails,” he said.
Dendler, however, was able to shake it off and close out the game with a spare and four strikes for 257.
The Enon bowler did more than post a long-awaited honor score, he won his division – for bowlers 65 to 69 years-old – with a six-game handicap score of 1,524. It marked Dendler’s third win at the Springfield event as he previously earned championship titles in the 55-59 (2018) and 60-64 (2022) age divisions.
While Dendler has eight career 300 games to date, he had been stuck on 794 for a few years. And there had been a bit of a learning curve in recent years as he transitioned from a 15 to 14-pound ball after having a heart attack in 2023.
This season has been solid with a 300, 296 and 289 all since November 1, but the 800 series still came as a surprise.
“The first couple of days it was kind of surreal,” he said.
His advice to other bowlers still holding out hope for an honor score is simple.
“Just keep going,” he said. “And ask for help, there are a lot of great bowlers in the area who can help you if you just ask.”
Just perfect: Gilbert Hellmann, of Fairborn, also reached a milestone during the Springfield seniors’ tournament, shooting his first 300 game at the age of 76. Hellman went on the win the Super Senior Plus division, for bowlers 75 and older, with a handicap score of 1,527 for six games.
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