MBA High Individual Average
2016 MBA Hall of Fame inductee Rick Thomas booked the highest average of all MBA Bowlers with 66 or more games in a single league. Thomas, who holds the MBA record of 252.35 in the 2011-12 season, averaged 240.61 in the Lions league at Middleton Sport Bowl this season. Oddly, Thomas recorded no honor scores in the league though he did have nine 270’s, a 289, a 299, and three series counts over 790.
MBA High Composite Average
MBA Hall of Famer Jim Fosdick earned the high composite average this season, averaging 233.80 over 709 league games. Fosdick knocked down 165,764 pins between leagues (with 66 or more games) at Dream Lanes and Village Lanes. He posted two averages of 237 at Dream Lanes, one in the Tuesday All Star Classic League and the other in the Dream Lanes Major League. He also averaged 235 in the MARBA, 234 in the Industrial Nite league, and 227 in the Wednesday Night Classic league. At Village, he averaged 224 in the Monona 3-Man Golfers league. Over the season, Fosdick had seven perfect games and five 800 series with a high of 836.
MBA High Series
Brian Hoffman rolled the MBA’s highest series for 2015-16 with a 867 in the Dream Lanes Major League on November 18. His series garnered two local association awards, one Challenge Coin award for the 800 and another for the 289 triplicate. Hoffman had a perfect game in a MAST tournament at Viking Lanes in February. He was also on the second place scratch team in the city tournament.
MBA Most Improved Bowler
The MBA’s newest recognition award is for the bowler who most improved their average over the previous season. The recognition requires a bowler to participate in the same league, on the same conditions, for two years with a minimum of 48 games in each season. Jeremy Noegel improved his average 29 pins in the Sauk Prairie Sportsman league. Noegel started bowling in the 2014-15 season and had a 112 average early on, ending the season at 150. This year he reached 179 and a personal best game of 256. He credits coaching tips, developing a structured routine, and plenty of practice. Noegel also notes that he is having a lot of fun tweaking and improving his game and a lot of his average improvement comes from picking up more spares.