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Grown Ups At Play Bowling

By Tommy Dahlk, The Hutchinson News, Kan. on

Published in Senior Living Features

Whenever Leroy Wheatley ran into the school superintendent of his youth as an adult, he said the man would always ask him what his trick was to look so young. He wondered how Wheatley never seemed to age.

Every Thursday from 10 a.m. until the early afternoon at The Alley, people still sing that same song to Wheatley.

Wheatley is 98 years old. But he doesn't like being labeled as a 98-year-old. Rather, he proudly states that he's actually aged 98 and a half.

But it's nearly impossible to guess that age when Wheatley throws a ball down the lane.

On Thursday, he nearly bowled his age during the final game of the seniors league at the recently opened Hutchinson facilities.

After a four-year hiatus of not getting a chance to bowl frequently because his city was without an alley, Wheatley currently hits the lanes twice a week.

"It gives you something to look forward to," Wheatley said. "I just think about the next time I can come out here and hoping I can do better."

During the past four years, Wheatley said he made a few trips down to Wichita to get his fix. But there was a weekly, regular void and Wheatley stressed how great it is for the community to have bowling alley leagues to link people together again.

Wheatley, as did bowlers of various ages, kind of lost touch with one another the past couple of years. Now, with leagues in town started back up, it's been like a constant reunion.

"It's always good to see all these guys I haven't seen," Wheatley said. "This league there is probably 20 of them that I know and I'm getting to know the others. I try to have fun regardless of how I bowl."

For Wheatley and other senior citizen bowlers, it was a shame there wasn't an alley in Hutchinson during this four-year stretch. Wheatley said it costed many some chances to get a few more cherished memories playing the sport they loved.

"But there's a lot of people I bowled with who are gone," Wheatley said in a somber tone.

Wheatley uses a walker, but not when he bowls. He said after a four-year period of rarely bowling, his skills are a little rusty and he is in the process of dusting the cobwebs off. Plus, he jokes that his age really isn't helping his cause.

"I hobble up there, don't get up there very fast anymore because my foot just won't move good," Wheatley said laughing.

His average has dipped from around 175 a decade ago to 75 now. But just last Monday night, he rolled a 121 in his last game of the evening.

"I must have figured something out, but every day is different," Wheatley said laughing...I'm 98 and a half, so I'm still trying."

As Wheatley goes to get his things from his locker and puts on a World War II veteran hat after his matches ended on Thursday, he is giddy that The Alley has given people of all ages a place to play.

"It helps a lot to be out here socializing with them," Wheatley said. "And Monday nights, I bowl with my daughter."

Strickland and McCoy, a packaged bowling deal

Competing in the league on Thursday afternoons in the senior women's division are Marie Strickland and Joyce McCoy. They are aged 90 and have a birthday just a week apart.

 

One would never guess that age at all.

During their match, Strickland hit a strike and gave her teammates emphatic and enthusiastic high fives in the manner a high school volleyball player does after a kill. McCoy, who also still golfs twice a week, was routinely getting strikes and spares as well.

Like everyone else, they are quite excited a bowling alley is back in town.

"I think it's very important," McCoy said. "I think they need this for the older people to have some action. It keeps them young."

McCoy and Strickland bowled together frequently since 2000 until the town's old alley closed up shop. McCoy, who referred to herself as the real McCoy, said bowling and her friendship with Strickland helped her out immensely after her husband passed away in 2000.

When Kay Hildebrand, The Alley's league director, called McCoy up months ago and asked if she could pencil McCoy down for a spot in the league, McCoy said she could, but insisted that it wouldn't be the same unless she was on a squad with Strickland. If McCoy was going to start bowling again, she demanded Strickland come too.

It took a heartbeat for Strickland, who said she hadn't bowled the last four years, to say yes. At first, Strickland wondered if she could properly perform with the layoff. Yet it didn't take her too long for her to get back into the groove.

"It wasn't too hard I guess," Strickland said.

McCoy still has the same bowling shoes she bought in 1967. They're the same, now they just have new insoles. She claims it is a hassle to find proper footwear for her narrow feet.

Throughout the matches, Hildebrand watches and smiles. Using a walker because of a knee injury, she is constantly hustling all around to help change scores after equipment malfunctions. Hildebrand claims that most know how to fix it. The bowlers know Hildebrand is happy to lend a hand. She laughs that she's created a monster and is spoiling this senior league and many others way too much.

Hildebrand, who still bowls in various national tournaments, is ecstatic that a bowling venue is in Hutchinson again and is excited about the 51 youth bowlers participating in leagues.

"It's very important," Hildebrand said. "Those four years we didn't have a bowling alley, we either went to McPherson, Wichita, or Newton. It's very important for the youth. It's getting those kids started for the future."

Bowlers of all ages are enjoying bowling once again in Hutchinson. As for Strickland and McCoy, they plan on taking advantage of the impressive new facility for years.

"I hope we can keep it up, we enjoy it," McCoy said.

"As long as we can do it," Strickland added. "We're going to make it to 100, OK."

(c)2015 The Hutchinson News (Hutchinson, Kan.)

Visit The Hutchinson News (Hutchinson, Kan.) at www.hutchnews.com

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(c) The Hutchinson News, Kan.

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