It's no secret that Parker Bohn III is bowling in this year's Holiday Doubles at Red Bird Lanes.  What's interesting is how it all came about.  The following is a story I posted on Parker's website (you can see it here), talking about a well-known fan from the east side who will be Parker's partner next Saturday morning:

CAHOKIA, IL (December 8, 2011)--For years, when December rolled around, Kathy McGarry would playfully jab at the management of Cahokia Illinois’ Red Bird Lanes.

You see, the Christmas season has long been the timeframe for the Holiday Doubles, a very prestigious tournament with over a 30-year history of showcasing some of the best bowlers in the metro St. Louis area.  Formerly Knittig’s Bowl, Red Bird Lanes is known in recent years as the home of PBA and USBC Hall of Famer Pete Weber.  The tournament has a history of attracting national PBA Champions:  Steve Wunderlich, Rowdy Morrow, Ron Williams, Leroy Bornhop, and Randy Lightfoot from years past, and recent champions Mike Mineman and Jeff Carter.

Kathy McGarry has bowled leagues at Red Bird for decades, and every year when tournament time came around, she’d start on her familiar mantra:  “Sign me up with Parker, we’re bowling this year.”

Although she’s never met him personally, Parker Bohn III is and has been Kathy’s bowling idol for nearly his whole career.  “He’s my idol, my hero, and the King,” posted Kathy on one of her numerous Facebook statuses today.

Jerry Anderson, Red Bird manager and tournament official, explained it further:  “We’d put up a poster behind the counter every year, and sign the teams up for the squads so everyone could see who was bowling.  Kathy would sneak behind the counter, and add hers and Parker’s names to the list.”  And then they’d have to erase them—and so the game went, year after year.  “You have Parker and me signed up?” she’d ask.  “Don’t shut us out…”

This year was no different.  The back and forth banter took place.  However, where the tournament might not have filled to its 72-team maximum in recent years, Jerry had decided to tackle this year’s event and make it what it once was.  He partnered with Mike Flanagan at InsideBowling.com, an upstart bowling promotions venture with just a year under its belt, and arranged for live streaming over the web during every squad of the tournament.  Flanagan’s technology-based spider web of influence has grown in the short time, and they’re reaching more bowlers because of it.  As a result, this year’s tournament will undoubtedly fill.

Always the helper and coordinator, Jerry had asked Kathy to come to the lanes early this week to help with logistics.  Where would the InsideBowling.com booth and cameras be stationed?  Where would brackets be managed and results posted?  So, while she was running around Red Bird Lanes making plans on Monday evening, her cell phone rang with an unknown number in the 732 area code.

“Hello, is this Kathy?” said the voice on the phone.  “This is Parker Bohn.”   Kathy described the beginning of the conversation, replying to whoever it was that the joke is funny and all, but this is her idol, and she hoped they were having a good time.  “But then, as I listened to the voice, I recognized that it was really him,” she told me.  “Imagine my shock when he asked me to bowl in the tournament with him!”

Kathy’s husband John teamed with Jerry to arrange this surprise.  They emailed and called Parker, made the arrangements, and set it up for him to call.  Kathy’s birthday is December 19, and with gifts for Christmas and whatever other occasions due soon after, she’s now the recipient of what many bowling fans across the country could only dream about.  She’ll be bowling in a nine-game doubles event with her “hero, her idol, the King,” Parker Bohn III.

Parker is making the trip to St. Louis by plane on Friday, December 16^th.  They’ll be bowling on A Squad, one of 24 teams, and their ultimate goal is to be one of the top 16 teams when the three squads on Saturday, December 17 are over.  Those 16 teams will bowl a traditional round-robin match play schedule on Sunday, with bonus pins awarded for each match win.

This year’s field will also boast big name entries:  Pete Weber will be bowling again, teamed up with Eddie Byrd from the St. Louis area; Jeff Carter, Mike Wolfe, and current USBC Masters Champion Tom Hess will also be shoeing it up for at least one squad of competition on that day.

As stated before, live streaming of all the squads and the finals will be hosted at InsideBowling.com, and results will be updated as the day progresses.  Undoubtedly, Parker and Kathy will find their way into the booth for an interview after they bowl on Saturday, so tune in and see the results.

as one of the past owners of RedBird Lanes I will say the story is true..... I will also say what a great group of guys that put this all together for a Great person...Kathy... you deserve it for all the help and support you and your family had been through all the years, Thank You.. 

I also will try to stop over in the morning to cheer you on... you go girl... and to Parker,  Thank You always a professional with a heart, best kind of person to be.

What a great gesture by a great guy, Parker has always done a lot of great things for people in his career and this just adds to the list. I always loved bowling the fall/winter events at red bird and what made them great was the support that local bowlers who called red bird home gave these tournaments whether it was lending a hand bowling or just coming out to watch and support the events. This is much deserved and I hope they bowl well in the tournament. I always loved bowling the Turkey bowl, team event, doubles and other tournaments at Cahokia so many people from the area participated no matter what the level of competition was and they came out just to watch bowling. This is a great story.