Friday, September 1, 2023

300!

 300's are rare in bowling and rarer still when shot by someone who has been bowling for less than a year.  Jacob Colella managed to do it at Fanin Lanes Monday night at the ripe old age of 19. 

 


Jacob is the scion of the Jacobs family, the same Jacobs family known for Greenbrook Flowers. His first love was the diamond as he pitched for the Northwest Rankin High School Cougars.  He threw in the mid-80's but love to baffle batters with his knucklecurve.  However, fate intervened as it often does two years ago.

Jacob developed Alport Syndrome when he was only five years old.  The inherited disease ravages the kidneys, often resulting in their failure.  Such indeed happened to Jacob but his father donated a kidney in September 2021.  Unfortunately, his kidney problems meant he could no longer play baseball.  Young Colella explained if he got hit in the kidney, he could lose it.  Insurance companies (and probably his mother) are leery of such risks.  However, Jacob Colella is no couch potato so he went from throwing strikes on the mound to throwing strikes in the lane when he was 18.

A NWRHS email asked students to join the bowling team when Jacob was a freshman.  The lad tried out for the bowling team but did not make the cut.  He tried out again after leaving baseball and this time made the team.   The kid was a natural as he placed sixth in the state even though he had been bowling for only four months.  

Jacob soon took to life at the lanes.  "I started working here (Fanin Lanes).  It became my family, my home away from home.  He works at Mac Haik as a porter for his day job.  Ever the competitor, Jacob said "I like beating everybody and showing young people can bowl."  He has competed in only two tournaments as he prefers to participate in league and travel league bowling.

 

It is Metro Bowling on Lynch Street in Jackson that draws his love when he is not bowling at the Rez.  Jacob said "the lanes are really good even though they are old.  Here (Fanin) we have newer wood but its synthetic and uses different oil machines than they use at Metro where the lanes are half-wood/half-synthetic.  Metro uses a different oil machine.  Such details are important as it is the last few feet of the lane where "you get movement, the oil helps hold the trajectory."  Oil makes "a lot of difference." 

The night of August 28, 2022 is one he will never forget as he shot a perfect 300.  "It was crazy. I didn't think I would ever hit it any time soon. You get halfway through, you think I can shoot this.  What messes you up is mental.  More people started watching after I got midway through.  Everyone was quiet and respectful," said Jacob. It was probably only a matter of time before Jacob scored 300 as his next two best games are 287 and 277.  


 Unfortunately, Jacob shot 300 after league play that night so it was not "official."  

There are few bowlers of Jacob's age.  He said "bowling lost it's mojo a few years ago but is making a comeback.  The new two-handed style is making a change in bowling.  

It would be nice to go pro but Jacob said doing so will take a great deal of work. "What we bowl here is nothing like the pros.  They have to average 230 and consistently hit the mid-200's.  Even to qualify for their tournaments, you have to shoot really well," he said.  His average is 219.  

 


 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for him. Stay strong kid, you'll do fine if you have the heart which it sounds as you do.

Anonymous said...

Great story. Gifted athletes with the right attitude will always find a way. Godspeed, Jacob.

Anonymous said...

Bowling is a lot like skeet and trap shooting, lots of mental concentration.

Anonymous said...

Nice!

Anonymous said...

Good job, kiddo. Nice to read about something other than pickleball.

Anonymous said...

Good for him, a fine achievement.
But keep in mind that reactive balls have made bowling scores cheap. In the 1970s, the Pro Bowlers Tour required a 200 average to apply. No one in Mississippi had one. A local guy named Tony Engles was at 198. The Nationwide average score for an experienced bowler was 153 per The Sporting News.
Now every league has a truck load of 200 averages.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the game. I'm not real good at it but I enjoy it with friends. Congratulations kid.

Anonymous said...

He can star in The Big Lebowski Part 2

Anonymous said...

Great story

B said...

Refreshing, and admirable on Jacob's part. And on his father's. Another nice ingredient in the jambalaya.

Anonymous said...

This is awesome. Way to go Jacob!


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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