PERFECT TWICE: CRAFT FIRST LOCAL TO BOWL CONSECUTIVE 300 GAMES

Eddie Craft's first game bowling at Jackson Lanes last Monday night certainly gave no indication of just how special the evening would turn out to be for him.

Competing for the Johannes Auto Sales team in the Monday Night Men's League, Craft rolled a 200 to get his series going.

"I wasn't too fired up then," recalled Craft with a laugh.

But he became extremely fired up in a hurry. Craft proceeded to close out his series with consecutive 300 games, becoming the first bowler in the history of the Cape Girardeau District Association to roll back-to-back perfect games.

"It was something," said Craft on Sunday as he replayed the evening in his mind while preparing to bowl in a tournament at West Park Lanes in Cape Girardeau. "Everybody was pretty much done bowling when I was shooting the last few balls of the second 300. Nobody left. It got quiet like it always does (when somebody has a 300 going)."

Craft, a 26-year-old resident of Jackson, said his only previous 300 game took place last year. Although he has been bowling for only about "six or eight years," he is fairly accomplished, carrying a 212 average while competing in leagues three nights per week.

"I played basketball and football in high school (at Jackson), but I just took up bowling as kind of a weekend thing," he said. "To take up the empty space in the winter. I really enjoy it."

After rolling his first 300 game last Monday, Craft said, "In the second game, I knew I was hitting good. I was just waiting to see if it would come to an end. I was waiting to see if it would stop, but it never did."

No question, said Craft -- this is certainly the highlight of his still-young bowling career, although he hopes there are many more.

"I want to improve on it now, maybe some day make a career of it," said Craft, who works as manager for Fisher Auto Parts in Sikeston.

As for that euphoric feeling he had last Monday, well, it's still with him.

"I'm not down yet," he said, chuckling. "I don't know how long it'll take."