Shelby Bowler Makes Her 50-Year Mark in National Competition in Reno

Dorothy Thompson hit gold in the Silver State this weekend, by celebrating her 50^th year of participation Sunday in the United States Bowling Congress’ Women’s Championships in Reno, Nev.

Thompson, 89, is part of an elite group of lady bowlers being so honored this year in a field of more than 31,000 participants of the annual largest women's sports event in the world.

About eight bowlers with 50-plus years are participating in the national tournament for 2012, which includes competitors from all 50 states and about seven foreign countries. The women compete in three divisions, and bowl with handicaps as well as scratch scores to share a prize fund of more than $2 million. Due to the large number of enrollees, the contest takes four months to complete – this year’s began April 14 and ends July 7 – and encompasses one team event per participant as well as scores rolled in doubles and singles categories.

Thompson began with the Nationals in Detroit in 1953, and returned for the consecutive years from 1966 through 2012. Her expertise places her in the second of three divisions, the Ruby Division, where she carries a 156 average. Thompson’s team, the Michigan Myths, appeared with her for Sunday’s team
events, during which she bowled 173, 145 and 138 scratch scores.

"My doctor tells me to keep bowling,” she said. “I have had some osteoarthritis in my left hip, but he encourages me to keep active to work that out. It has really helped, too, because not only can I bowl again without issue, but I also golf.”

Although she admits to being a better bowler than golfer, her beginning was a most humble effort, she says.

“My first ball went in the gutter,” Thompson said, with a laugh.

She nevertheless has been an enthusiastic bowler for more than 65 years, also holding a succession of offices and positions connected with the sport. She retired in 2010 after serving for 23 years as director of the Michigan State USBC Women’s Bowling Association, is a Hall-of-Famer for both the state and metro-Detroit areas, was president of the Detroit Women’s Bowling Association for nine years, and is a Metro-Detroit Life Member.

Thompson met her husband, Arthur, in a bowling center 73 years ago, and this fall, they will celebrate their 70^th wedding anniversary. She was joined on the Reno lanes by her two daughters who are also from Michigan, Sharon Schildroth and Connie Fordyce, who each received commemorative emblems for 38 years and 33 years, respectively. Both daughters continue their mother’s legacy of good health through moderate sports activities as well as work in bowling organizations, including Schildroth’s efforts at a state level, as a Hall-of-Famer, and with youth bowling.

“We are a bowling family,” Thompson shared in a short speech following a walk down the National Bowling Stadium’s center aisle to applause from her peers. “My most memorable tournaments were when my daughters were old enough to join our team and bowl with me at Nationals.”

Thompson received an engraved 50-year plaque, gold medallion necklace and bouquet of flower-shaped fruit, with the 50-year mark carved in pineapple.

Today, she is secretary for two local weekly leagues and president of a third, including a mixed league at Troy Lanes, ladies league at Sunnybrook Lanes in Sterling Heights and ladies singles at Continental Lanes in Roseville.

She still drives and enjoys knitting, in addition to tending to the family pets, a Beagle named Truppence and a Russian Blue cat, Lucky. The family is rounded out by three granddaughters and two great-granddaughters as well as five great-grandsons.

Thompson has been a resident of Shelby Township for 47 years, when she and her husband moved from Detroit.