Perfect game is dream come true

Not many can say they’ve bowled a perfect game. In fact only four have been recorded in CNMI bowling history.

One of the four highlights was witnessed just this past Friday after veteran lefty Danny Robles scored a 300 during the Philippine Bowling Association Friday Night League at the Capitol Bowling Center.

“All the pressure was gone and it just disappeared once I did it,” Robles said during an interview yesterday. “That was one of my dreams and I was able to accomplish it, so next, I’m going to try and do it again. Bowling is about trying and trying until you succeed.”

Robles, whose previous best was five consecutive strikes, was on a roll in the first four frames, recording strikes along with teammate and veteran Simon Manacop.

Manacop was not able to continue the streak, missing the 10th pin in the fifth frame. Fortunately for Robles, his streak continued as he unleashed another perfect roll for strike No. 5.

The 13-year veteran bowled three more strikes before he began to feel the pressure of possibly going for perfection.

“It wasn’t until the ninth frame that I started to feel nervous,’ he said. “That’s when people started to come around and watch me and that made me more nervous. From the ninth to the 12th frame, I was so nervous that my knees were shaking.”

Despite the butterflies in his stomach, the project engineer for Universal Enterprise set the stage as he nailed three more strikes, leaving only the 12th frame in the way of his run for his dream.

“I just tried my best to concentrate,” he said. “I took a couple of deep breaths…inhale and exhale just to relax.”

With all eyes on him, the Pepsi King of the Lanes for March did not disappoint as he released his final roll of the game, knocking down all the pins standing in his way.

“When I released the ball, everyone started to shout. I was just hoping that I would get one more, and when it was a strike, I just thought, ‘Thank you Lord,’” he said.

Throughout the game—his first of the evening—Robles said all he tried to do was focus on throwing on his mark and be consistent with his swing and the rotation of the ball.

“I wasn’t thinking about 300 and I just tried to follow through and concentrate,” he said. “Then, after I did it, I just couldn’t believe that I got a perfect game. My knees didn’t go back to normal until the end of the second game because I still couldn’t believe I did it.”

“It’s so hard to explain. No word can explain how it feels to do it. That’s one of the happiest moments of my life,” he added.

Before rolling the 300 with his 16-lb. three-week old Columbia 300 Panic ball, Robles’ previous personal best were 288 and 279.

The Gualo Rai resident arrived on Saipan in 1986 and began taking part in the sport in 1992 under the guidance of mentor Dong Eparwa, who currently serves as the head mechanic for the Saipan Bowling Center.

“I am proud that I was able to accomplish it and I would like to thank all the PBA and Saipan Bowling Association players, board of directors and officers, my teammate in Cooking Gas, and my wife Theresa for the support they’ve given me, but most especially to the Lord, who guided me that night.”

The 48-year-old Robles is first to accomplish the feat at the Capitol Bowling Center in Garapan. The other three perfect games were bowled at the Saipan Bowling Center in San Jose.

The first to do so was Benny Pangelinan on March 10, 1982, and just nine days later, the performance was duplicated by Jaime Sasamoto.

CNMI had to wait more than 20 years before the feat was accomplished again as then 18-year-old Jonathan Hensley rolled to perfection on Feb. 10 last year.

For the accomplishment, Robles will receive $300 each from the PBA and SBA.

Aside from the King of the Lanes and the perfect game, another highlight of Robles’ career includes earning the PBA Classified Class A title.