AI-XX: Day Two

March 25, 2016 will be known henceforth as "The Day of Gordon." Children will ask their parents if they were there that day or if they knew someone who was there.  The Empire State Building will be lit in shades of pale gray to memorialize the day.

 The day dawned with a new hope, as it always does at The AI.  Sixty + year old men, clad in AIwear of various vintages readied themselves for the day's activities:  Four  Six-Ball action; fried chicken; Bowling For Sotweeds; the first video of the weekend: "Reef's Riffs on AI-XIX;" and a sixty-year old woman competed as well.  The quality of golf was unusually competent which made it difficult to acquire the usual amount of video.   Gordon, AI Four Ball nonpareil, was paired with Paze, while Heimsch joined with Burke and The Reef teamed up again with Kathi.  The AI also welcomed Tom  & Christina Korpolinski as the first markers in AI history.  Their participation will be commemorated with a moment of silence at future AI's.          

 The action was fierce and then we teed off.   Gordon and Paze had a superb front nine, posting 25 points, highlighted by Gordon's birdie on #6 and Paze's no stress 40.  The other two teams had 22 points each.  On the back, the team of Kathi & Reef caught fire, with Reef carding 6 pars en route to a 41 in his annual outing, while Kathi supplied solid play.  Gordon and Paze cooled off just a bit and then in a driving rain storm, Gordon drained a 10' birdie putt as thunder thundered (?) in the background and lightning ironically struck and killed a lightning bug.  Heimsch'e 2nd birdie of the day, this one on the par 3 16th, where his tee shot bounded onto the green and then careened into the flag stick before settling down about 4' from the pin.  But it would not be enough, as Gordon & Paze secured the title with 47 points, with Heimsch & Burke 2 pack and Reef & Kathi 1 more back at 44.  Tom & Christina did not turn in an official scorecard and were therefore disqualified.  For Gordon, it's his 13th win in Friday 4/6-ball competition, a record that shall never be eclipsed.

Then it was on to the ever intriguing Bowling For Sotweeds.  The lanes at the Sky Bowl (why sky bowl?  it's a one-story building) were packed on this Good Friday, as Jesus wanted it to be on this holy day.  Would we even get the chance to play?  Unfortunately, we would.  Game 1 had the usual suspects in the lead, Jim up by 3 over Heimsch and Edie up by 7 over Kathi.  Then came Gordon.  5 strikes in 6 frames and the second highest game in AI history at 184 led him to a runaway first ever BFS victory by 57 pins over Tony & Rich who tied for 2nd.  Edie struggled mightily in Game 2 but managed, as she always does, to hold on for her 12th victory, this time by 12 over Kathi.  Kate G made her debut performance and showed dramatic improvement in game two by doubling her first game score.  Kate, fell in love with the bowling milieu and the wardrobe and now plans to devote her life to the game.

Day 3 looms.