North American Bowling News


Unearthing Pyles

Duckpin Hall of Famer, Jeff Pyles

In the sport of Duckpin Bowling, the name "Jeff Pyles" is synonymous with record-setting performances and astonishing numbers. Aside from his many feats, which include winning the first pro tour that he ever participated in, (at age 17), and leading all duckpin professionals, past or present, with 18 tour wins, Jeff has racked up a number of records, both world and local. For duckpin aficionados, below are several line scores that I happened to come across during some personal research.

The World Record 3-Game 655 Set (Glenmont Lanes) -- from 1978
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
X X X X / / / X X /
30 60 89 109 128 147 167 196 216 235
X X / / X / X X
19 28 48 66 76 96 116 136 165 185
X X X X X X / X /
30 60 90 120 148 167 177 197 217 235

The Washington-Metro area 5-game City record (Glenmont Lanes) -- around 1996
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
/ X X / / X /
10 18 38 67 87 105 125 143 151 170
X X X / X / / X X
30 58 77 87 107 127 146 166 194 213
/ / / / / X / X
10 29 48 67 76 89 109 129 149 168
X X X / / / /
30 58 78 97 106 125 142 161 171 181
/ / X X X / / /
19 39 58 68 78 106 126 145 164 183

The Duckpin Pro Tour Single Game record (Long Meadow Bowl) -- from 1996
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
X / X X X X X X X X/
20 40 70 100 130 160 190 220 249 269

Here's an impressive and extremely rare opening to a series (22 consecutive marks)
(at AMF College Park on 3/22/98)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
X / / / X / / / / /
20 39 58 78 98 117 136 154 173 192
/ X / / X / X X / /
20 40 57 77 97 117 145 165 183 197
/ / X X /
19 36 46 55 73 82 92 102 122 140

Unfortunately, I couldn't locate the line score for the Pyles 7-game record of 1329, set at Greenway East Lanes in Baltimore, but the series did include an unprecedented 3-game stretch of 681--234, 189, & 258. In spite of the above numbers, probably Jeff's most amazing accomplishment is that he holds the world record for high league average for a single season--a tremendous 164 average for 99 games in 1984 at Wheaton Triangle Lanes. Astonishingly, a few years prior, Jeff also averaged 160 for a league at Fair Lanes Capital Plaza.

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