Don Massey Don Massey, a 30-year veteran bowler in St. Ignace, has been close to rolling a perfect game during the last three years after recording 297, 298, and 299 games, and he reached the perfect score at Gateway Lanes Thursday, September 4.

"All 12 strikes were in the pocket," said Mr. Massey. "Last year, when I rolled the 299, the 12th ball was in the pocket, but the eight pin stood. That was going through my mind before throwing the last ball."

The entire league stopped play and watched while he threw his final ball. Mr. Massey rolled 16 straight strikes, including four in the final frames of his first game and 12 in the second game.

Five other local bowlers have rolled 300 games, including Jim Kramer Sr., Barry Pierson, Darrin Meyer, Ralph Colegrove, and Chris Barker.

Massey, a member of the St. Ignace Bowling Association Hall of Fame, bowls for Timmy Lee's Pub, which won the National League championship, and he was the top bowler with a 208 average last year.

Mr. Massey became the first bowler to reach the 300 plateau with the alley's new owners, the Fred Paquin and Rich Cullen families.