“We put Sinclair bowling on the map,” Roe said.
Roe, at the time, was contemplating a return to the Air Force while Kelly had just been laid off by GM. Papp, likewise, had lost his job at a local foundry. Only Ruby was a Sinclair student when the others returned to the classroom. But all four were all-in at the very mention of joining the Sinclair team and it wasn’t long before they — and teammates Dave Reagan and Mickey Robbins — were national champions.
That season, the Tartans competed regularly against teams from two- and four-year schools in tournaments across the country, frequently on their own dime.
“We rented a mobile home to go to a tournament in Las Vegas,” Ruby said. “That was an adventure.”
Winning the NJCAA national championship was only one aspect of the team’s standout season. Kelly and Roe also won the national doubles title and Roe and Papp were named All-Americans. The Tartans were also invited to compete in the national championship for four-year universities and finished fourth.
“It seems like just yesterday,” Papp, 60, said, smiling. “It’s hard to believe it’s been that many years.”
The memory is fresh, but time has added to the meaningfulness of the accomplishment.
“Having had time to reflect on what we did, I’m not sure we totally appreciated it at the time,” Ruby, 63, said. “I think we just took it all in stride.”
But standing mid-court just prior to tip-off last week put it all in perspective.
“When you look back, it’s really pretty neat what we did,” Papp said. “And it meant a lot to us that they recognized us the way they did.”
“I learned so much about the physical and mental game of bowling back then,” Roe, 62, said. “Many of those things I still use today.”
And while more than three decades have passed, the collegiate teammates are still on the lanes.
“When you look back at it, it was quite an accomplishment,” Kelly, 63, said. “But it’s also really neat that we still bowl together.”
And they are more than teammates.
“Bowling on that team,” Roe said, “created lasting memories and lasting friendships.”
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