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Kids, pro bowlers share limelight Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Medford bowling legend Marshall Holman signs the shirt of Sam Kuhlwein, 10, while Charlie Hicks, 9, waits his turn in line at Lava Lanes Monday. About 20 players in the Professional Bowlers Association's Medford Open bowled with youngsters in the Pro-Am games Monday. Competition begins Thursday. A live ESPN telecast is scheduled from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday. By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune The first night of the inaugural Professional Bowlers Association's Medford Open at Lava Lanes was not so much for the pro bowlers who came from all over the country, but for the little people. Little people who sat starry-eyed as their heroes rolled strike after strike after strike. Twenty pro bowlers showed up at Monday night's Pro-Am games to kick off the week by bowling with young amateurs ranging in age from bumper-bowlers to those in their late teens. The Medford Open continues through the week, with professional competition beginning Thursday and a live ESPN telecast scheduled from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday. Between strikes Monday, the big guys took time out to joke with the kids, sign autographs and tell stories. Some youngsters traveled from as far as Northern California or several hours north of Medford just for the chance to bowl three games with the pros. "They got out of school for the day so we could drive down here for this. They're really excited," said Molly Gasner, a Roseburg mother of 12- and 8-year-old girls who got to bowl with Bryon Smith, a Roseburg native. "He comes to Roseburg all the time to bowl with the kids. And they know Chris Barnes, too." Floridian Chuck Gardner said interacting with the younger athletes was "one of the best parts of the game." He said he could remember meeting Hall-of-Famers Dick Weber, Nelson Burton Jr. and Earl Anthony when he was young. "Interacting with the pros is really important. It really gets 'em going. I always think back to when I was a kid and remember thinking, 'oh man, what a big deal.' It was everything." Gardner sat out of the game Monday because of an earlier injury but attended so he could meet the kids and sign autographs - which he and the other pro bowlers did in numbers larger than many of their highest scores. "These (the Pro-Am games) are kind of a tradition. I do these whenever I can," said Gardner. Fifteen-year-old Tyler Culvertson and his 10-year-old sister Emily, both of Medford, couldn't wait to get started. "It's real exciting," said Tyler. "I'm hopin' to meet Parker Bohn. We'll get to bowl with three different pros." Emily just giggled. "It's really cool." Tate Stevens, 11, of Central Point, had his hopes set on meeting Patrick Healey Jr., but he was just as eager to meet any of the 20 others. "I just think it's cool to get to bowl with a real pro bowler," he said, pointing out several autographs in his PBA tour yearbook. "I get to bowl with (Eugene) McCune first. I think he's gonna give us some good tips on our game." While many of the youngsters said they felt lucky to bowl with their heroes Monday, Chris Barnes, of Dallas, Texas, said the pros were the ones being treated. "It's so much fun. We love bowling with the kids wherever we go, and the Medford Pro-Am was the biggest all year." Barnes said the excitement from the kids gave the pros a sort of rush. "We're no different than anybody else, and when everyone around you is excited just because you're there, then you tend to get a little excited, too. "Besides, it's kind of neat to get to meet the people who are going to replace us one day." For more information on the Medford Open, call Lava Lanes at 245-2755. Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.