My Nickel’s Worth by Randy Ooney
Calling all ROGs
Lily Liver! Lily Liver! This was a childish acclimation of chickendom issued in my youth against those who were afraid to explore the forest by the Red Owl dump, look for discarded pop bottles in the long grass where garter snakes lived, or jump your bicycle off the Evel Knievel makeshift ramp built with the disassembled bleachers at the baseball field in the fall.
Lily Liver should not be confused with our current Lily Leaver, Rog. I wasn’t there, but it’s hard to imagine someone who generates about 85 revs can leave that nasty sour apple, but I can say that now I’ve heard of everything, until next month when something more bizarre will inevitably take place.
By the same token, Rog, a shortened form of Roger, should not be confused with ROG - a new designation classification in the Midwest Senior Classic Tour, initiated by our fearless leader Don Theis. The acronym stands for “Real Old Guys or Gals” as the case may be. I think you have to be somewhere in the septuagenarian vintage to be classified as an ROG. I’m not there yet, nor is Rog, but there are days when we may feel like it.
But on the subject of ROGs, I wanted to mention the 28th Annual Minnesota State Senior Bowling Championship Tournament to be held this year at West Side Lanes in West St. Paul. This well established tournament is for any bowler who has reached the age of 55 at the time of bowling. There are divisions for men and women, as well as five age classes, (55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 plus.) There are two events, 3 game singles where the age classes prevail, and 3 game doubles where you may bowl with any other senior participant, men’s, women’s, or mixed. Winners in each singles age class receive a paid entry to the National Finals. Of course it is a USBC handicap event, (90% of 210) and brackets are available in each event, with proceeds going to youth bowling in Minnesota. Entry fee is only $20.00 per event. I look forward to this tournament each year because it’s a chance to get together with a good friend who grew up three houses away from me in Hopkins. We played ball together, caddied together, played golf together, did some underage drinking together, and now we get to be ROGs, bowling together.
You can find more information by going to the State Association link on the mnbowling home page. The tournament runs from October 24 - November 15. Reservations close October 19, after that it’s first come, first serve. You may call Tom Groh - 651-765-0011, weekdays from noon to 6:00 PM. When I talked with Tom recently, he told me Matt Lang is doing well in his battle with cancer. I’m sure you join me in wishing all the best for these great people who have done so much to advance the bowling experience in Minnesota.
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