The intramural base bowling league has tentatively attracted seven teams, and Tinker Bowling Center General Manager Brett Moler hopes for more by the time the season starts next week.
Four-person teams will play a two-game series each week for 12 weeks, starting Jan. 22 and ending April 9. The eight officers and enlisted men who held an organizational meeting Monday decided that league games will be held on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. at the Tinker Bowling Center.
Teams can be comprised of all men, all women, or a mixture of both. “We need to get everybody involved that we can,” said Staff Sgt. Dominic Salierno, of the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group.
The lone stipulation is that only active-duty military personnel, Reservists and Guardsmen may participate. Civilians and retirees will be excluded from the league.
Team members will represent their squadrons. However, if a unit doesn’t field a team, a bowler may join a team that’s not comprised of his or her squadron members.
The “linage” fee for bowling each week at the center will be $5 per player; however, single Airmen will be exempt. The Air Force has allocated several thousand dollars to the bowling center to pay the linage fees for single Airmen, Moler said. “The intent is to get them out and about, involved in activities and associating with their fellow Airmen,” he explained.
Every bowler in the intramural league will contribute $2 each week toward a prize fund. The number and size of prizes will be determined after the league membership has been established. Anyone who bowls a perfect “300” game will receive a special jacket from the bowling center, Moler said.
Each bowler’s handicap will be calculated after the first two league games.