The risk to become better is why you compete! But risks can be rewards because once you do something, no matter how tough it may have been, it's obviously easier to do it the second time around!
Photo on right was taken in Sept. 2003 for American Bowler magazine. Article wasn't published because of the ABC and WIBC merge to USBC and was discontinuing American Bowler magazine.
Best league Article sent to American Bowler magazine.
Left to right, Alan Brizee, Glenn Branco, Dwight Burns and Ken "Mr. 900" Hosp.
Ken Hosp is now "Mr. 900" (Photo above taken during Traveling Masters league)
By Alan Brizee (C)Apr. 2014, rev. 2020. Author of The Path to Excellence and
From Excellence to Success
Printed in Desert Bowler Newspaper, 2014
"With all the accomplishments that Ken Hosp has done in his bowling career, he now can add throwing 36 strikes in the same session. On Saturday, March 19th, 2014 at Cactus Bowl during Color Pins in the dark (moonlight bowling), Hosp after shooting his first 300 wanted to do a rare feat, shoot back-to-backs. It was the 3rd frame of the final game that Hosp went after an ultimate goal of three 300's on the same night. He is in both Tucson and Arizona state Hall of Fames. He has started the Traveling Masters with 18 strikes after finishing a week with 18 strikes three seasons before. He finally put both ends together to become the first to shoot an unsanctioned 900 in competition. He received $25 for each 300 and needless to say, won Money Madness for $94. Hosp's goal is still to win the Traveling Masters league where he holds too many records to be listed here. Super bowling Kenny." -Published in Desert Bowler Newspaper
This is the paragraph that appeared, with a correction when it was printed in Arizona’s bowling newspaper with thanks to Herb, the editor of the Desert Bowler. I have a correction since I looked over the newsletters for the nine seasons of the Traveling Masters I was secretary. He actually had the last 18 first in week 8, Oct. 23, 2000. His first 18 was three and a half years later, in week 26 on Feb. 16, 2004. Making this correction showed me how time flies by when you get older. It sure seemed like back to back seasons. The Desert Bowler started out as bowling news for Arizona and recently started covering Las Vegas. Vegas has its own paper until about 2010. Now I’ll give you the story that set up what happened before that magical night of March 19th.
I was showing up most every week for Saturday’s color pins at the original Cactus Bowl in Tucson, AZ. They turn out the normal white lights in the entire center leaving a few on to get strike pot tickets and to use the rest rooms. They have disco mirrored balls and have turn on some black lights above the lanes to see the arrows. The concourse has just enough light to see where you’re going. The whole center is fairly dark as it is cyber bowling, for those that weren’t bowling color pins. For the longest time, Money Madness was growing slowly until it was over $1000. The reason was, that color pins had its own separate money madness pot and grew at about $20 to $30 a week. After the pot was over $1000, it was growing $30 to $40 a week.
Showing up to bowl color pins is a great way to practice and win some decent money that evening. There are several $5 optional side bets, $1 a game poker hands, the $50 strike pot that happens each game, money awarded from the center and the Money Madness jackpot that grows every week. The center pays for four baggers, 225 games, colored head pin strikes and picking up splits. It also had a $50 shot for a strike each week and had a drawing for a free entry. Just the money you could win from the center, if you averaged 210, was worth showing up. The main reason I showed up was because of the strike pots each game and a shot of winning $50 for the night. I was also splitting some pots with others as they bought tickets and they put my name on them. Color pins helped supplement my income around two out of every four weeks. It was fun bowling with friends and winning cash. When you can win more than what you spend half the time, it made for an enjoyable evening and the reason to show up almost every week. The center had a rule where you could only bowl twice each game for the strike pots. This kept some bowlers who were getting drawn twice, from winning all the money for a game, limiting bowlers to winning $100 for the game. But it was because of Money Madness that several showed up for and I of course, am included in that group. You needed just 10 strikes. The 3, 5, 9 in the first game, 1, 3, 7 for the second game and 2, 4, 7 and 8 to finish out, and claim the pot. What made it harder was moonlight bowling. Once the pot is $400, why would any 210 average bowler not show up unless they’re working that night? In the $5 brackets, you’d almost be bowling against Ken as he got in every bracket. At least if you bowled him in the finals, you were guaranteed to cash :).
So now on March 12, the pot was almost $1500. I was on lanes 31 & 32 with the usual characters hoping to make a few extra dollars tonight. Ken of course was there and so was Tony. Tony was averaging in the 180’s back then, and has had some high 600 sets. Tony tries to have fun when bowling, but usually gets frustrated after his third tap for the night. I really don’t notice the scores as much when bowling color pins, like I would if bowling in one of my leagues. But I do remember Tony shooting just over 225 in the first game, to win $2 from the center. It’s a score he doesn’t shoot every week and he was willing to kind of brag about winning the money. In the second game, Tony wasn’t even shooting 200 because of missing a 7 pin. He carried a strike in the 7th frame and told me he just won $10, as Money Madness pays $10 getting those six strikes. Tony was the first in several months to even get to the third game, since it grew to over $500. To make a short story even shorter, Tony threw those four strikes needed to inherit the pot. He paid everyone on the pair $100 after he cashed the check the following week. Tony never needed money because of owning a business and helped bowlers in many ways. That was the way Tony was. He is now in North Carolina and enjoys his retirement.
Since Tony destroyed Money madness and it was going to be at $50, I decided to play Texas hold-em at the casino instead. I played for two hours to win $30. So I had fun not bowling, but it was the next day that I found out from Tony. He said, “I got the check and that Ken shot 900 with his backup”. I missed it. I was able to see his name on the high scores board for the center behind the front desk. Now for those who want to know how he did it, for Ken, it was just another week. Ken is in the Tucson and AZ state Hall of fames, so he’s a great bowler. He’s won several Tucson Masters titles and city titles. He is very tough to beat as a right hander and sometimes even tougher to beat when he backs the ball up on the left side. He’s shot several 300’s with his back-up in scratch tournaments and because of the nice shot, threw his back-up for the perfect 900 set. The reason he’s able to achieve most of his accomplishments are due to his mental game. Ken’s philosophy on bowling is that the mental game bowling is 95%. Ken has done several things that most bowlers only dream about. Ken did make a change in his game with a slight pause and achieved many great things after the change.
Ken’s highlights in the Traveling Masters league is pretty long. He won three straight bowler of the year awards from 2000 to 2002. But it was the greatest season of any Tucson bowler in history, which helped make Ken possibly Tucson’s G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time). The season was 2000-2001. Ken booked the highest all time average in the Tucson Bowling Association’s history with 235.86. The previous records for high average was 230 and 231, three and two seasons prior. The record by four pins per game only missing one week due to bowling ABC nationals, but almost unbelievable when you consider Ken accomplished his great season in a traveling league. And the magnitude of his successful season was done in five different centers.
He averaged 253 for the seven weeks at Lucky Strike with all games above 200. His lowest center average at the other four centers was 225. Don’t let the 225 fool you. The second best for that center was 220. He had the highest average at each of the five centers by at least four pins. And he did have his off games, ten were below 200, to give him 90% at shooting 200’s for the season. Other averages were 0.55 opens per game and 7.6 strikes per game. About one open every other game. He had 61 clean games to nobody’s surprise. The eleven of weeks of divisional action, the last weeks of the season, he averaged 242 and the final four weeks was 245. Ken rolled eleven sets above 700 and recorded two 800’s. He was the first in the Traveling Masters to throw two 800’s during the regular season, and of course he would do it in the same season and both at his 253 average center, Lucky Strike. In match play, his winning percentage was a good 77%. Also at Lucky Strike, Ken had a 300 in the final game, finishing the evening with the last 18 strikes. It was a down week because he shot 770. Two rotations later, Ken shot his 2nd 300 in the league and wasn’t quite done. In another two rotations, I hope you’re noticing every two times at Lucky, he carried 32 of 35 and didn’t shoot a 300. His low game for that night was a super 279. He had the first 9 for 279, shot 280 and then finished with another nine bagger for a 279 and a series of 838. They didn’t name if Lucky Strike for nothing. WOW!! And if you really think that was a fulfilling season, you’re wrong. His team missed the Roll-Offs by just 2 points. What that meant was, he didn’t get any practice games before Tucson’s best sweeper. Before the league bowled, Roll-Offs and sweeper centers are drawn. Would you believe the sweeper was at Lucky Strike? Ken missed his 253 average with “only” a 754 series on sweeper night. And this is bowling across six lanes. You already know why I’m bringing this up. He won the four game Tournament of Champions worth $100 and Andy Clark’s Pro Shop bracket for $125 with a 248 game. He won singles worth $150 and ‘pick your partner’ doubles worth $100. That’s $475 so far. Include brackets and additional doubles cashing, for another record, the most cash won in the sweeper with $1337.50. Now that’s what I call making a statement to end the season!!! It was his season. Accuracy, speed, adjustments, able to play both sides of the lane when needed and one thing that I never mentioned before, luck. What? Luck played a part of his great season. It was definitely more good luck. Some of you know that certain pairs score better than others, break down differently. How the bowlers play the lanes and how many bowl from both sides? Not all pocket shots will carry all ten pins. I believe one center oiled the heads for us. The league had two position rounds and who he matched up against could have made a difference. Ken was zoned in this season, his second in the Traveling Masters, like no other bowler has seen. He didn’t make just one moment count, every moment counted was used to the maximum. But what did bowlers expect from this Hall of Fame member, after a “practice season” J? His super season was also bowled at 9 P.M., the second shift where some centers put down more oil because we were bowling. All this came after being Bowler of the season the previous season. He also won the TBA Masters title to cement his historic season. Bowling well for one season is one thing. He averaged 223.7, 0.7 opens per game and carried 6.9 strikes per game in the league. But to back that season up with a super splendid sensational season, that was almost supernatural, was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before. I ended up 6th high for average in the league, and at least I was around to watch some of the greatest bowling by any bowler in any one season.
What’s next you ask? The following season wasn’t as explosive. Only one 300 and no 800s. He did win Bowling for Bucks worth $975. In February 2002, he and Tony Viecelli gave notice that bowlers from Tucson, Arizona knew a few things about bowling. They led the ABC doubles for several weeks shooting 1418. Ken shot 2017 in All-events and was sitting in fourth place. To end the season on another high note, he won the third straight Bowler of the season in the Traveling Masters. He missed shooting 700 at each center. In Tucson’s best sweeper, Ken won $1024. Can you say WOW!!! Back to back seasons winning over $1000 in the sweeper. If Ken could make this money this kind of money every month, he wouldn’t have to work J. The next season, 2002-2003, he had a 700 at each center and was second high in average with a 2261 to John Cook’s 227.5. He just missed being Bowler of the season in the league for four straight. But you know the old saying, good things come to those that wait. In the 2003-2004 season, he did shoot 700 at each center. Ken was always ready to post great scores and the 26th week of the season, he shot 771. It wasn’t what he shot this week, it was the way he shot it. He opened the night with his 4thTraveling Masters 300 and he didn’t stop there. He carried the next six strikes for an 18 bagger. He owns the bookends record. 18 in a row to start after tonight, and three and a half years ago, finished with 18 in a row. Ken has shot the “Hosp 900” J. I don’t even think Ken knew an actual 900 was going to happen about ten years later. Fast forward one year and Ken was bowling nationals and helped his team shoot 3014 and sitting in 3rd place.
So as you just read, Ken Hosp is the ultimate competitor and maybe the GOAT for Tucson. If Dewey Yoho or Bob Majeske were alive, they might disagree. Bowling has gone through many changes, and to compare different eras, just makes it a topic of discussion. But there has been nobody who has come close to take away Ken’s machine like magnetic magnificence, his magical masterful methods to his madness, the many miraculous record breaking moments because of his majestic mental game, and going through a metamorphosis, making this season a monument for others in the future. Say that fast three times in a row and that sum up Ken’s greatest season of the many he performed.
Since I retired and wrote A Path to Excellence, 31 Days to the Zone, I wanted to update some articles I wrote and this is one of them. I bowled with Ken one season in the Traveling Masters and even though we missed the Roll-Offs, I was honored to be his teammate. This was a period of time that made bowling unforgettable. I can say I experienced it. Hope you enjoyed reading it.
The following is in the Who’s Who of the Traveling Masters: (July 25, 2014):
Hosp, Ken 17, 11-838, AZ State Hall of Fame ’95 and TBA Hall of Fame ’94. TBA All-events champ in 3 different decades, ’77, ’89, and ’97. AZ State Masters champ and Shot 813 in AZ State Masters. ACBA champ 9 times and Bowler of the year twice. 1st 300 in AZ State tournament. Perfect 900 on 31 & 32 at old Cactus Bowl in moonlight bowling color pins ’14. Bowled Masters league 10 seasons. Highest Masters league average is 235 for ’00-‘01 season.
See you in the ZONE!
So many great things happened to bowlers that traveled around Tucson including Hosp's 900.
Have fun
By Alan Brizee © 2014, rev. 2024 Author of The Path to Excellence and
From Excellence to Success
When you wake up in the morning and
are getting dressed, put on your shirt,
You’re going bowling today to beat up
the other team to make them hurt,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ get out of the house to have some fun!
No matter what the score is or who’s ahead
in the match, give it your all when you’re out there,
Whether it’s your weekly league, tournaments
or even nationals, it’s definitely not about where,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ it’s when are you going to start to have fun?
In close matches and to help motivate and
inspire your team, don’t forget to clap,
Pulling together in the same direction is
one key to winning, so wear the same cap,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and bond to have fun.
Just remember that during competition
at any time or any place, you NEVER give up,
If you’re feeling just a little tired from
lack of sleep, then put some coffee in your cup,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and show them how to have fun.
Remember that every week, trying to make
the league Roll-Offs will be like a roll of the dice,
Just because you were lucky to win once,
means you still put in the work so it can happen twice,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ so that it will definitely be fun.
You must be willing to give it 100% to help
your team win is really all you can do, right?
Your team MUST remain positive no matter
what situation you face, all through the night,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ helps your team have fun.
Teams that set goals by writing them down
and obtain them every season get psyched,
Encouraging each other even after losing
a game or if slightly behind is what I liked,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ so you can continue to have fun.
Watching good teams that are successful
will give you the reason to go out there and win,
They’re willing to help each other shoot
some great scores, so when it’s over, they can grin,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because they’re having fun.
Whatever happened in the past can’t be
changed, as today is a new day for your aim,
It should be about your attitude, always
positive enjoying the competition, for your daily claim,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because competing is fun.
How else did all those great bowlers with
all their tournament titles get in the Hall of Fame?
Some were on great teams and willing to
step up levels, bragging about all the titles they won,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because winning is fun.
It’s never about what somebody said or
what one person did, as long as they got the job done,
It’s that they worked each and every day,
week after week, month after month, competing as one,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AND THAT THEY DID IT, WHILE HAVING FUN!
If you haven’t noticed, the individuals and teams that seem to be having the most fun, are the ones who are winning and make the playoffs. It's not rocket science, but having fun isn't always about results. It can be about simply competing and getting away from some of your life's problems.
Why are they winning?
1. Having fun actually reduces self-induced pressure.
2. When you’re winning and have come back to win some games, almost every game
is within reach of winning. Everyone gets excited when they pull victory from a
possible defeat.
3. The motivation and inspiration to every team member will get even the lowest
averages lined in to shoot some great scores.
4. Because of winning on a more consistent basis, they’re more relaxed and able to
repeat great shots.
5. Their goal of making the Roll-Offs are just a few wins away and maybe one team
stands in their way. They made the Roll-Offs before so they’re just duplicating what
they know is possible.
6. They act like a team as they know it’s the whole team that either wins or loses.
Someone usually steps up when needed for the win.
7. They talk to each other on what the lanes are doing and how much they’re breaking
down so everyone is ready what adjustments may be needed and when.
8. They enjoy the competition so much that actual focus better when the game is close.
9. Teams that don’t feel the pressure as much are more relaxed and a more relaxed
shot usually creates better pin action and the so-called good break.
And my final answer is,
10. They are having so much fun that they worry less about scores and just let it
happen, one shot at a time. This is what several call reality. But this reality leads to
being successful. You’re not stressing out about having to win. You’re out there just
trying to help and motivate your team to victory because one person can’t do it all.
One setback is a teammate getting frustrated for leaving a 10 pin. Now they miss the spare and the bowling gods are against them. Now not only are they not having fun, but they also stop encouraging the rest of his team and the momentum shifts to the other team. Mistakes will happen. Learn from all mistakes, so they won’t be repeated. If you’re not trying to solve the problem, then it’s you who is the problem. That’s what fun is about. Helping out the team to achieve its goals. Making a bold move to help your team win is fun. Grinding it out in a close match to pull it out is fun. Enjoying the competition is supposed to be fun. LIVE FOR THE MOMENT, focus on just what can be controlled, your next shot and above all, have fun.
I said it once and have repeated it a hundred times, if you’re not having fun, it may be time to quit.
See you in the ZONE!
Having fun may get you other honors you may have thought wasn't possible!
The risk to become better is why you compete!
Since the author is unknown, I decided to add the following obsevation to my HUGE HOW TO website. This is more about life, but can be used to compete in sports. There are risks we take almost everyday. Today as you leave your house, you're taking a risk if you drive too fast. An acident may keep you from competing. Just be careful!
What are the Risks?
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they can't learn, feel, change, grow, love & live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
-Author unknown.
After reading this, should we think about taking a risk? This shows that every day, we’re taking risks. All your decisions therefore put you or others at risk. But most decisions are based on facts and normally in the best interest of those involved, which can be effected by the decision. Today, you risk your life just walking on the sidewalk. Do you even think about any risks when you wake up or leave the house? There are probably double the risks today than even 20 years ago. Today, the coronavirus has closed bowling centers and we stay home hoping we don’t get it from that quick trip to the market, just to get food. How many more new risks will we see in the future? You actually risking your life by getting up in the morning. But, if you stay in bed, you risk your health by not doing some exercise. So when you get up, it’s about accepting certain risks.
Even reading, actually comes with risk. It depends on the where, who and why. Where you read it can determine how truthful and factual the story is. Much of what is on the internet is personal opinion and is meant to invoke your thoughts to what they’re writing about. Very little truth and facts. Some stories can actual cause panic for the reader. It’s the same as when the paper first went to press, don’t believe everything you read. You’re even at risk reading this. It can be mind altering or what some would say, brain washing. Yes, sports is a sort of brain washing activity. If you’re not mentally prepared for competition, how can you expect to see consistent positive results? Motivation and inspiration is a form of brain washing. It gets you thinking, what if? It is the what if, that can put you at risk. Trying to do something that no one has done before you, could put your career, because of injury or even your life, at stake. Is it then, still worth the risk? Who wrote it and what they wrote about, can actually change people’s life. Some people are info crazy and will read almost everything on subjects that they’re interested in. But also beware of where the info came from. Even some emails can’t be taken too seriously. With the scams that happen daily, you must remain on the side of caution for whatever you read. Just because an author’s name is attached, doesn’t mean they actually wrote it. Why they wrote it can be the question of the year. Sometimes it’s to change your way of thinking or to get you on their side of the fence. And if you read anything that I wrote, it is to change your thinking and hopefully prepare you for bigger and better experiences. But I don’t expect everyone to believe that what I have wrote, will help them. I also don’t expect everyone to apply everything I wrote about to their game. Everyone is different. Skill levels, experiences, weekly routines, practice sessions, coaches and goals. What I have wrote about, should help most athletes learn at least something that should help their game. I have tried to include actually experiences, so athletes can more insight as to why it helped my game, and why it just might help their game as well. With everything I have wrote, I feel even pros could learn at least one or two things to incorporate into their game.
Sports is all about risks and showing others you have the ability to compete. Competition and even during practice, athletes risk injuries and even their life. If you enjoy the completion, you’ll won’t think about the risks. But whatever the risk, you should live life like there are no risks. Worrying about any risk, isn’t going to make you a better athlete. It can cloud your judgement and keep you from success. You need to focus on doing the best you can and not on what may happen. This article is to wake you up a little and expose the dark side of sports in a different way. Sports are great when everything is moving forward, and you and your team is winning. But the wheels, unfortunately can fall off tonight. It happens all the time in sports. I put that saying on the league’s website for a reason. You’ll never even know, if the season won’t be cancelled because of health concerns, for everyone on the planet. All I’m saying is, go out there and have fun doing the best you can. That’s all I can ask from my teammates. As far as the risks in my sports, I truly enjoy the competition and I’m willing to take the risk.
See you in the ZONE!
Without risks, I couldn't have won the many awards for my achievements.
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