Story and photo by R.J. Oriez

GUIDON staff

Fort Leonard Wood’s new intramural bowling league, which started play, Feb. 25, is scratch play – no handicaps.

In spite of that, the Marine Corps Detachment showed up with a major one — they were short a player. The Marines had three bowlers going up against Medical Activity’s four. Since a team’s score is the night’s pin total of all its bowlers, the Marines had to roll that much better.

They did.

They rolled for a combined 1,590 pins, 249 more than their MEDDAC opponents.

Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation has brought back intramural bowling after a four-year hiatus, according to Danny Howell,  FMWR sports specialist.

“The last four years, we’ve only had the Commander’s Cup tournament,” Howell said. “Prior to that, we had an intramural league.”

“We reinstated the league to help regenerate interest in bowling,” Howell said. “Also to give those who can’t shoot a basket or throw a football an opportunity to come, participate and help their units with the Commander’s Cup series.”

Points for the Command’s Cup will be earned through a two-day tournament at the end of the league. However, a unit’s price of admission to the tournament is taking part in the league.

“Just like our other team sports, you must participate in the league to be eligible for the Commander’s Cup tournament,” Howell said. Howell went on to say there are plans for another sport to start league play as well.

“We’ll do the same for golf, starting in May,” Howell said.

The bowling league is divided into two conferences of seven teams each. The teams will play a round robin with the other teams in their conference during the six-week league.

Howell explained that the four-person teams will bowl a three-game series against their opponents. The team with the most pins for the night earns a notch in the “win” column.

While the bowling league is like other team sports with winners, losers and conference standings, the atmosphere at a match is different. It seems a lot friendlier. After rolling a strike, a bowler gets high-fives from all around, including from the other team.

“It’s a common rivalry, but everybody’s here for a good time, and everybody a good shot,” said Tim Diamond, Marine team member.

Teams are divided into two conferences, which played

The Marines-vs.-MEDDAC game was the first in Conference A. In other Conference A games:

-- Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation defeated 701st Military Police Batalion, 1,767-1,497;

-- 92nd Military Police Battalion defeated 84th Chemical Battalion, 1,881-1,754.

In Conference B games, also played on Feb. 25:

-- Staff Judge Advocate defeated the 31st Engineer Battalion, 2,070-1,840;

-- The 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment defeated the 2nd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, 1,692-1,587.

--  The Navy Detachment defeated 787th Military Police Battalion, 2,051-1,419;

-- 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment scored 1,987 points, but earned a forfeit victory over 795th Military Police Battalion, which was a no-show.