Bowling: Buenaventura

By Karl Corser

Locker Room Correspondent

A STAR IS BORN

About five years ago a young man walked into Larry Craig’s Pro Shop in Ocean Lanes and asked: "I want to be one of the better bowlers in this bowling center. Can you help me?"

The young man was Jake Buenaventura. Today Jake is one of the premier bowlers on the Central Coast and one of the highest average bowlers at Ocean Lanes.

He and Larry worked for several months developing Jake’s skills, drilling bowling balls to fit his hand and his style of delivery, and learning how to "read" lanes, that is, ball reaction when rolled over different spots on the lanes. Jake also read books written by professional bowling instructors, talked with many of the better bowlers in the area, and had his bowling delivery video taped by one of the best instructors on the Central Coast, Tom Shepard of ZoDo’s, Bowling and Beyond in Goleta (CA). Jake took all of this information onto the practice lanes and spent hours and hours developing his style, learning how to pick up spares, and putting into use all that he had learned during the preceding months and hundreds of hours of practice.

Jake averaged a very respectable 179 for his first year of competitive league and tournament bowling. He thought his average should be higher but he quickly realized that knocking down pins was not as easy as it looked and as he thought it would be. Jake pressed on.

Year two was more hard work, hours of practice, and developing a positive mental attitude for as he quickly found out, there would be many of "those" days when the pins wouldn’t fall regardless of what he did. He raised his average to 199 in year two, just on the edge of his ultimate goal, a deuce average. Why a deuce? It was considered to be an achievement of greatness, similar to a 300 average for a baseball player or a par 72 by a golfer. And lets be honest, carrying a deuce singled him out to be one of the best of the best amongst his peers. All athletes want this acknowledgement.

Year three was Jake’s year. He rolled in six leagues and averaged a deuce in all six with a high of 214. He bowled in many local, state, and national tournaments and although he didn’t win any team or individual titles, he established his credentials as being "the new super star from Lompoc."

Yes, Jake had arrived. But Jake did not limit his energy to just self, he extended his expertise to his wife, Lerma, who is one of the better women bowlers in the Valley, and his two sons, Jeremy and Justin, both up and coming stars in the junior bowling program. He also became a coach for the junior bowling program and a major supporter of youth bowling for Santa Barbara County.

The sport of bowling has many stars, international, national, and local. Within the local community, one of the most famous stars is Jake Buenaventura. Put a bowling ball in his hand and he is a force to be reckoned with. Put him amongst a group of junior bowlers and he is a leader, a teacher, an inspiration and role model for the stars of tomorrow.

Sports Poet Dave Ochs

Death and Baseball

Tonight

I watched the Yankees

until the seventh inning.

They were winning

one to nothing

when I left

and by now

the game

is over

and in the event

they lost

and I found out

I’d be sad.

So maybe it’s better

not to know

which makes me wonder

what if death

was kept a secret.

Wouldn’t

life be much happier

if we didn’t know

of the inevitable end

of our existence;

our ceasing to be?

But what if

the Yankees won?

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And in the Gulf Coast League CHRIS WHITE burst out of a 1-for-16 slump Friday to bang a triple and single for three RBI. His average is now .222.

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Wiener to Wakefield... and Duffy

Sometimes startling changes are necessary. These two happy men are father and son, father and son with the same surname.

The man on the right is onetime Lompoc High basketball and baseball standout Mike Wiener. Or he was.... He changed his name to MIKE WAKEFIELD a few years ago. He's now a teacher in Texas. The happy father is Locker Room Correspondent (and longtime Lompoc sports columnist) Texas BOB WAKEFIELD. Here's Texas Bob's e-mail--

"Hi, Folks,
"There’s no easy way to say this, but here goes: Bob Wiener is no more. That’s right; he has changed his name to Bob Wakefield, the same last name that son Michael has had since he was a junior in college.

"That fact alone is a good reason for the change --- to have father and son with the same last name.

"Earlier today, I legally became Robert Michael Wakefield. There is a heap of work ahead to get all my records, subscriptions, etc. changed, so I’ll deeply appreciate your holding back any questions you might have. Give me a month, at least, to notify the commercial elements of my life.

"By the way, there is one other, small change for those of you who have me in some address book. My ZIP Code has been changed from 78628 to 78633. That’s already in effect.

"Also, you may get this message more than once --- if you’re on more than one list that I maintain (e.g., best friends, sexiest, richest, etc.). ’Hope you’ll forgive."
Bob W

We forgive, Bob. We remember the service you gave this community.

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And in Arizona Thursday night DANNY DUFFY posted one of his most spectacular performances to date. He pitched six sparkling innings against the Arizona Rookie Brewers giving up but three hits. He struck out nine, walked none, but plunked one. His ERA over 22 innings is now down to 0.40. His strikeouts total 39, his walks 11.l. Think the Royals are starting to get excited?

The Joy of Victory

Lompoc Locker Room.com does not have to be limited to blah-blah-blah from writers. It can also portray in pictures the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. In this case it's STEVIE PICO of the Lompoc Grange Sprouts as he accepted the Lompoc Little League championship trophy a couple months ago. Look at the smile on Pico's mug. The photo was taken by the alert camera of SUSAN PICO. Thanks to Sprout manager BEN GONZALES for sending this one in.

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And other stuff-- Veteran bowling writer KARL CORSER says he took his first look at Lompoc Locker Rooom.com and immediately placed it on his favorites list... Correspondent JIM WHITE writes, "According to ISAAC SIMMONS mom, BENNY ORNELAS will go to Lewis & Clark. According to Mrs. Simmons, Isaac and Benny will room together."

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Piemme, Schmidt Set Five More Records

FRANK PIEMME and JURGEN SCHMIDT, Lompoc's distinguished masters swim duo, combined for five national records in relay events over the weekend at the Southern Pacific Region Long Course Masters Swim meet in Mission Viejo.

In addition Piemme, 82, won seven individual events, all he entered in his 80-4 age group, and Schmidt, 84, won three, in the same age category.

The relay records came in the 80+ age group in the 200 freestyle for men, 400 free for men and the 400 mixed medley, all of which involved both Piemme and Schmidt paired with two other swimmers. In the medley Piemme swam the butterfly, Schmidt the backstroke. The two Lompocans split up by age group for the 800 freestyle mixed event to team with other partners and set two more records. They came in the 70+ age group for Piemme and the 80+ for Schmidt with both Lompocans swimming the backstroke leg.

In individual events Piemme won the 50, 100 and 200 free, the 200 IM, 100 breast, 50 butterfly and 50 backstroke. Schmidt took the 400, 800 and 1500 free and placed second only to Piemme in the 100 and 200 free, and the 200 IM, all in the 80-4 age group.

“As we get older in our age groups our expectations of individual accomplishments diminish,” Piemme said. “But we can still combine to do big things in relays.”

The next big event for Lompoc’s Masters Maestros will be the Huntsman Senior Games in St. George, Utah, October 10-12.

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In golf Locker Room Correspondent GARY PRUCHA reports RICK CHAVEZ, LHS 1996, tied for first place with Bobby Barajas, Santa Maria teenager, in La Purisima Golf Course's 1st Annual Impossible Open. Both scored 78. Barajas won the event with a birdie on the first playoff hole. The golf course for the IO was set up to mimic the Augusta Masters conditions: Played at over 7000 yards with the rough, especially around the greens, allowed to grow to 6 inches or more, and lightning fast greens, the Open tested both the golfer's skill and patience. One hundred forty golfers tested the conditions. PERRY HALLMEYER, LP's Head Professional {competing but not eligible for prizes}, carded a 75 for the best score of the day.

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And more stuff---Monday night in San Francisco while all eyes were on Barry Bonds RYAN CHURCH boomed his first triple of the season. Saturday DANNY DUFFY suffered what by his standards was a rough outing. In 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Arizona Rookie League Royals he gave up four hits and three bases on balls, though he struck out five of the AZL Padres. His miniscule earned run average shurnk even lower to 0.55. In 16 innings he has now fanned 30… Also Saturday CHRIS WHITE went 4-for-7 in a doubleheader for the Gulf Coast Rookie League Tigers. He rapped a hit in three trips in the first game, then three hits in four at-bats in the nightcap against the GCL Phillies. He also totalled three stolen bases... the Sporting News’ College Football Preview predicts that A. J. Wallace could challenge LYDELL SARGEANT for his starting slot at cornerback at Penn State.

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Lingle to Thompson, Lingle to Luken

Pictured in the photo on the right is VIC THOMPSON (81) the U.S. Air Force Academy's leading receiver last season. Below is Vic (right) with B.J. LINGLE at last May's commissioning ceremony. Both are Cabrillo grads.

Thompson, a wide receiver for Patt Foster at CHS, was among the prize recruits of the late RANDY LINGLEof Lompoc. You may remember Lingle. He used to run B.J.'s Yogurt next to Albertsons. Actually his wife PAT LINGLE ran it. Randy talked sports with the customers.

In his spare time Lingle recruited, connived, counselled and cajoled a series of Lompoc kids into the academy, his son B.J. among them. (Lingle also deserves credit for planting the seed for this website but that's another very long story) Last October Randy passed away after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease. The weekend after he passed, Vic Thompson dedicated his game to Lingle's memory. It turned out to be Thompson's biggest collegiate game. The Falcons nipped Colorado State 24-21 with Thompson pulling in five receptions including the winning touchdown.

Last May when he graduated and was commissioned, Thompson had not forgotten Lingle. To take Randy's place Vic invited B.J., now an English teacher at USAFA, to join him.

Then today this message came from B.J. at the academy:
"JMac -- We just got our class rosters today and guess what... it looks like DERRICK LUKEN will be in one of my freshman comp classes. Classes don't start until Thursday and things can still change, but how cool is that? RL must be at work!"

Ornelas Pursued by Blue-Chippers

BEN ORNELAS, the slugging centerfielder for state community college runnerup Cypress College, has attracted the interest of two blue-chip 4-year schools. North Carolina, an NCAA finalist, and Lewis-Clark State, the NAIA champion, have emerged from a larger group, all seeking the switch-hitter's services.

His parents VEDA and ERIC ORNELAS said today that Ben will make a decision any day between the two.

"He hasn't seen the campus in North Carolina," said Veda Ornelas. "He gets a trip back to see it and that's what they're working out now. Both schools have accepted him." Ben is not playing this summer while he sorts out his decision.

Ben batted .318 as a sophomore for Cypress and caught fire in the championship series going 6-for-16 (.375) with four doubles and three RBI in four games. In his freshman year Ornelas batted .360.

He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the late rounds a year ago but chose not to sign. He was not drafted this year, at least partially at his own request, his parents said. "He told them he wouldn't sign. He'd be returning to school."

If Ornelas chooses Lewis-Clark State he will join Lompocan ISAAC SIMMONS who batted .367 for the Warriors in spot duty last season.

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Elsewhere in baseball Locker Room Washington Correspondent BARRY MARKS quoted RYAN CHURCH Sunday morning on his 33 doubles this season. Church wants to reach 50. "That's my goal - 10 a month. I want seven more this month and 10 in September," Church said. No sooner had Marks sent his post than Church banged #34 off Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals. Church's total ranks fourth in the National League. Church's base hit in two at-bats Sunday lifted his batting average to .262. He will appear in California over the next four days as the Nats play in San Francisco Monday through Thursday. The first three games are night games (7:15 p.m.), while Thursday is a 12:30 p.m. start. Next weekend they play in Arizona. They appear at Dodger Stadium August 27-29.

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Two More College Gridders

The number of Lompocans playing four-year college football this fall has risen to ten.

Tackles RUBEN GARCIA and ARYN GARCIA of Lompoc High have agreed to attend NCAA Div. III Iowa Wesleyan in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Ruben Garcia announced today.

“I’m leaving Wednesday,” he said from his job as a checker at Vons. “We’d been talking to them for a while, but it just came through. All I have to pay for is my airplane ticket.”

The Garcia’s are not related but played in the same line for the Braves last season. Aryn Garcia is a bit heavier at 235 while Ruben goes 225. Both stand about six feet.

“It’s Division III so technically its all financial aid,” said 17-year LHS coach ROBIN LUKEN. “But it doesn’t matter what you call it. They’re both gettting their education paid for.

“Ruben has played football in Lompoc since he was eight years old and he’s improved tremendously. He was respected enough by his peers to be voted captain. When you’re a captain you’re in the elite group. He was a great competitor and a great kid.” Garcia was a participant in the recent County All Star Game.

Aryn Garcia arrived from Clovis West for his senior year at LHS. He is a nephew of Brave trainer TOM BLANCO. “I only had him for one year,” said Luken. “But he became the strongest guy on our team. He’s a real coachable kid and I like coachable kids.”

Iowa Wesleyan, an NAIA school, had only four Californians on its spring football roster but plenty of athletes from outside Iowa. Fifty-three of 61 on the spring roster were from out-of-state including several from New York, Florida and Hawaii. The Tigers had a rough year in 2006, going 1-9. They were 0-8 in the Midwest League which includes such schools as St. Ambrose, Trinity International, William Penn, Quincy, St. Francis, St. Xavier, Olivet Nazarene and McKendree. The Tigers won only their opener, 10-3, over Waldorf.

The other eight four-year school gridders from Lompoc are cornerback LYDELL SARGEANT at Penn State, tight end MATT SIMS at Utah, running back VAI TAUA at Nevada, tackles JUSTICE CLEGG and MICHAEL SLAUGHTER at Upper Iowa, defensive back DONALD WHITE at Ouachita Baptist, linebacker RICK AGUILAR at Southwest Missouri, and lineman DERRICK LUKEN at the US Air Force Academy.

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The rough patch in the AA Texas League continues for ANDY SHIPMAN. Friday night the righthander gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings at Corpus Christi. Over his last 10 outings for Midland The Ship is 0-5 with an ERA of 7.83. For the season he is 4-7 with his ERA at 5.42. During April and May he worked from the bullpen where he posted a 2-0 record and a sparkling 1.17 ERA. When he was promoted to a starting role his first few starts were promising. Then dark clouds descended.

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Centerfielder CHRIS WHITE of the Gulf Coast League Tigers boomed the first home run of his professional career Friday with a two-run shot against the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. It was a two-run shot in the fifth inning. White is now batting .258 for the Tigers’ rookie club.

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Duffy's Pitch Count Limits Innings

If you’re wondering why DANNY DUFFY has accumulated only 13 innings during all of July for the Kansas City Royals Rookie League team in Arizona you’re not alone. The young lefthander reported late in June but after Monday’s outing he had pitched just 13 2/3 innings. His performance was brilliant— only one earned run for an ERA of 0.66, 25 strikeouts [two per inning and three times his eight bases on balls], and only seven hits against him—so why not more innings? He threw 58 in two months at Cabrillo this spring.

His dad, DAN DUFFY, clarified the issue today. “He’s a hard-throwing strikeout pitcher,” the elder Duffy pointed out. “He uses more pitches than some others.” And the Royals are not tabulating innings. They count pitches. Duffy added that there was a two week stretch when Danny was shut down after overall body soreness which came as a result of a swim workout. Duffy hastened to add it was not in any way an arm problem but the Royals wanted to be cautious. “Everything is good,” Duffy said. His son has even been selected to participate in the Royals’ fall instructional league, a strong indication the club continues to think highly of him.

AL HUNT, writing today in the Santa Barbara News-Press, pointed out that Duffy’s four inning performance Monday was his longest of the season. The inquisitive Hunt even got Duffy’s manager, Lloyd Simmons, to comment: “He’s a good prospect,” Hunt reported Simmons saying. “He’s been sharp here.” Simmons told Hunt that Duffy would throw 60 pitches every fourth game all month.

Duffy is expected back in Lompoc for two weeks in September before reporting to the fall instructional league.

Miscellaneous—RYAN CHURCH went 2-for-5 tonight against the Cincinnati Reds and boomed his 33rd double. He banged two hits last night and two on Tuesday for a 6-for-13 (.461) series against the Reds whom the Nationals swept. Church’s 33 doubles rank fourth in the National League. His batting average is now .261… SHELDON CANLEY on Bill Walsh: “Remember, he was a San Jose State Spartan”… former Lompoc High, Hancock, Upper Iowa, and Bologna Italy quarterback ANDREW JONES will be a guest on the next Lompoc Locker Room TV show set to air Aug. 13. He will join Cal miler MICHAEL COE on the show… B.J. LINGLE seems to like the web site: “was just checking out the site, and it is awesome. I have a new place to surf to now. I'll do my best to keep you posted about the Falcon football Lompoc connection”… Lingle will be keeping his eye on DERRICK LUKEN as he debuts with the U.S. Air Force Academy JV team….

PS—If anybody knows how the LGSA girls U-16 all-star team is doing in Salem, Oregon, let us know. Same for the LGSA U-10 girls in Las Cruces, New Mexico….

Whoops

Like Bill Buckner's ground ball or Chris Webber calling a timeout he did not have, the Grand Opening of Lompoc Locker Room.com contained a ... well, an error. Actually a couple of them. Great start, eh?

First that comment about DANNY DUFFY finishing July in the Arizona Rookie League without giving up an earned run. It was true on Sunday night when I checked, but it was not true by the end of the month. Duffy gave up his first earned run Monday. He worked four innings and gave up just two hits. He struck out four and walked two but he gave up an earned run and took his first loss. He is now 1-1 with an ERA of 0.66. First rate work, but not quite what we wrote here.

And about DUANE SOLOMON being the best of the Americans in the 800 at the Pan Am games. Technically that was correct but it was sort of misleading. He was the best American partially because he was THE ONLY American. Both Khadevis Robinson and Nick Symmonds passed up the Pan Ams to concentrate on the Worlds later this month in Osaka, Japan.

Duane said today that he was not happy with his fourth place, and non-qualifying, finish in the semifinals. "Everything went pretty bad," he said. "I kind of got boxed in and my spikes broke."

Getting boxed in was a problem for Duane in the NCAA finals as well. The solution he said is to run more on the outside and in the front. "I think I could have run harder," he admitted.

Duane will be working out this week and next at Cabrillo's track, then head back to USC where he'll train before leaving for Japan. Our interview with Duane is still showing on Channel 25. Check the times on the left of your screen.

LLR-TV's next interviewee will be Berkeley miler MICHAEL COE. That interview should air Aug. 13.