It started later and ended earlier than in the past.
But the Suncoast Association's annual league officers meeting in Tarpon Springs packed a large agenda in between.
Charlie Mario was the lone inductee into the association's Hall of Fame for meritorious service.
"It's always been fun to belong to the association and contribute in some small measure," Mario said.
"I think it's a great bunch of guys who have volunteered to help in many ways, and I'll continue to contribute," he said.
Mario has been with the association 24 years and owns three 300 games.
Charles Smith received the Presidential Award for meritorious service.
"Hard to remember when I joined the association; I think back in the 1980s," Smith said. "And I've been on the board of directors for some time now."
Youth awards for season-high averages went to Anndrea Traci (219) and Chris Gunter (209) of the Suncoast Young American Bowling Alliance and Kelly Fecke (199) and Terrance Reeves (221) of the Upper Pinellas Junior Association.
With the new WinLabs7 computer on line this season, communications are more efficient between league offices and officers.
The Bowlers to Veterans Link, a program started in 1942 to aid veterans, contributed more than $3,000 from the Suncoast associations. Florida ranks third nationally in BVL contributions.
Suncoast executive director Jack Cuthbert outlined the few rules changes for the upcoming season and helped the league officers through the proper paperwork procedures.
"There's always someone out there who doesn't get the message, and we have to clean up the mess," Cuthbert said.
The most immediate rules changes included adding league vice-presidents to those who can't be an immediate family member of the league treasurer or secretary treasurer. There also will be an option to draw another team's scores to fill out an uneven number of squads in a league.
Sanction fees remain the same as last season but with the possibility of increases next year at the annual conventions.
BAGINSKI AGAIN: Holiday's Darin Baginski stopped Seminole's Brian Halstrom 775-725 at Sunshine Bowl to win his second title in three years in the Florida Men's All-Star Match-Play Championships. Brian Korcak finished third. Steve Kenyon took fourth, and 1994 winner Bill Hicks was fifth.
YOUTH NEWS: New Port Richey's Shawn Ryan won the upper division of the Florida Youth Scratch Bowlers Tour at Pasco's Lane-Glo Bowl. He rolled two 300 games during match-play and averaged 237. Ashly Galante topped the lower division with a 295 highlight game. ... Fecke and Reeves tied with 57-13 marks in the Countryside Lanes summer league Junior Gold finals.
AROUND THE LANES: High scorer - Greg Sexton, 300 game at Liberty Lanes. ... Entries for the return of the ABCb.line World Team Challenge at Seminole Lanes may be made through the ABC's Tom Boedecker, (414) 423-3415. The fee for the Sept.20-21 event is $600 per team. ... Openings remain in the Countryside Lanes Junior Gold League, which starts play Wednesday at 7 p.m. ... Registration for the AMF Clearwater Lanes YABA leagues is scheduled for Saturday. Linda and Mike Pavlak's Junior Gold Sport League at the center opens today.
