Hi all
Attached are the final results for season 34 of the Vili's Super League - again with a payout in excess of $ 26,000
It's been another great season with 24 of Adelaide's best shooting a league average over 202 for 2304 games
In fact 589 games were over 220 which is just over 25%
The season included 6 - 300 games from; Greg Keep, Dion Alexander, Conor Quail, Zac Krebbekx, and 2 from Keryn Delany
There were 11 series over 1,000 from Dekland Modra, Phil Drummond, Chris Cummins, and 2 each from Tony Stoppel, Dion Alexander, Tony Long, and Zac Krebbekx. Zac also bowled the highest at 1079. Each of these earned $500 bonus from Vili's which added $5,500 to the prize fund.
The top prize was fought out between for most of the second half of the season between Zac Krebbekx, Dion Alexander and Tony Stoppel.
Zac had the led taken off him by Dion who led for the last 6 weeks going into the positional round against Tony, with Zac now siting in a unmoveable 3rd place. His third place was the only spot in the whole league that was safe in the positional round in which Tony Stoppel take care of Dion and take the top spot for another season with a 229.2 average.
Many other positions swapped on the last night also with more than 10 people moving up and down. Biggest mover was Tony Long with his 1003 series not only getting him the $500 bonus but also lifting him 3 positions into 12 place and a extra $100 in prize money. Phil Drummond picked up $200 extra by going past Jason Turai and the injured Greg Keep who's new partner Chris Cummins got hit by Damian Teague and a 864 series. Long time campaigner Frosty Gorostiaga also found himself pushed out of the top half and $100 worse off in lucky 13th spot.
NEXT SEASON - Season 35 of the Vili's Super League
I can confirm that next season which commences on the 21st March at Cross Road will have the same prize money as currently on offer.
However there will be changes in line up with 5 people coming out of the league for various reasons including this seasons winner in Tony Stoppel who wants a rest, Ashley Warren who is hitting the golf tour ? and on the serious injury list is Ross Elliott & David Moate, plus Greg Keep is calling it a day after bowling almost non stop for 34 years with a worn out shoulder and elbow.
These positions are being filled by Shirley Vreugdenburg, Cheryl Thompson, Jason Strawbridge, Geoff Barry, and Scott Myles.
However there is now room for 2 more players as Cross Road is staying at 26 lanes and not going down to the expected 24 which was on the original plan, so if anyone wishes to join please call Greg Keep quickly on 0407 900 522.
The members have voted me in run the league for my final 35th season which I thank them for. It's been great since taking over the collapsed peterson singles in 1989 when I moved to Adelaide and found 8 people interested in keeping the league going. Over the next few weeks we got 28 players and our first sponsorship from Esso Petroleum and we paid out $7,506 with Eric Miles taking 1st place of $1,000 with a 207 average. (Tony Stoppel was in 6th with a 196 ave)
That year also saw Esso being purchased by Mobil Oil who were undecided about continuing the sponsorship.
There has been huge changes in bowling since then in the scores, politics etc etc and we have ignored these by securing our sponsors since season one we have grown the leagues reputation across Australia for highest payout and most sponsored league for many years.
Season 2 saw AVCO Finance come in as sponsor and the league had the max 32 players, and Damien Norman take 1st prize of $1500 with a 212 average beating Tony Stoppel. AVCO continued to sponsor the super league for 3 seasons with the stand out baseball style shirts we designed for them.
Season 5 in 1992/93 the league was sponsored by Ascot Transport and saw Brenton Davy with a 212 ave beat Sam Parrella and even the president managed to finish 4th with a 203.
Season 6 in 1993 saw the arrival of Vili's as the sponsor. Vili himself had been bowling in the league since 1991 when he finished 11th with a 185 average. He saw we gave our sponsors good value so he opened up his cheque book and helped us out. It must have had some effect as we saw our first 300 bowled and it wasn't a Brenton Davy, Gary Jeffery, Sam Parrella, Tony Stoppel, or Rob Chinner but Bob Stewart took out the $ 50 prize plus I think he received $2,000 from AMF for the great feat and got a write up in the Adelaide Advertiser sports section. The leagues payout for 30 players 26 men and 4 ladies) was $10,750. Brenton Davy took 1st place again with 209 average again beating Sam Parrella on 206.
During the next 29 seasons the prize money has risen to the more than $ 26,000 with first place a guaranteed $4,000, and even last place normally collects around $200+.
We have now seen other winners of league such Sam Parrella (finally), Bruno Maglieri, Colin Hunt, Paul Dollman, Marg Dollman (yes Paul's Mum), Brenton Manning, Jason Strawbridge, Tony Stoppel. Many of these guys and lady have now won or been placed multiple times and collected many thousands of dollars for their efforts. We have seen Brenton Manning retire with injury and come back years later and win, Tony Stoppel similar and will he now be a second comeback in 2012 along with Brenton Manning who is also back on the side lines.
We also made it onto the television with our specially formatted end of season shoot out only to have this shot in the head by narrow minded politics by the then owners of AMF and the independents - so the losers there were themselves and the viewers who missed out. We also had our bad moments for in 1991 our numbers dropped to only 16 players due to what some people described as dangerous lane conditions but the tough guys stayed in the league and that season saw Paul Dollman win again with a luckless Sam Parrella less than 50 pins behind and Bruno Maglieri in 3rd.
During that period in 2000 we lost a great competitor in a guy by the name of Bruce Wallis. Bruce was a nurse at Flinders who turned up every week for 11 seasons and tried his hardest to improve himself against the best. He was always on time and had a great attitude. We knew something was wrong when we wasn't there but his life was cut short due to a tragic car accident on the way back from Melbourne
I'd like to thank a couple of people very quickly who either helped the league or just great contestants in the sport........
The guy at Esso who gave me the $1,000 to get us up and running
Some of the players in particular who stood behind the league for many years and I could easily name 30 people but Sam Parrella won the league many times but also ran second so many times I lost count. I only just outlasted Sam who went into retirement in 2009 but he bowled in the league for 31 seasons and I never saw him "go off" was always a gentleman and a terrific competitor and a stayer. Bruno Maglieri who is now somewhere in Darwin bowled in the league while he lived in SA and again a straight guy with great attitude. Mr Tony Long who is another old fella but great competitor and courteous with his duties in the fire department "T" always tells people what's going on and worked his way around the shifts and has been a member of the league since season 5 so T you need to go 4 more seasons to be it's longest player but I'm sure you will.
To the newer members of the league who I think will leave their mark on people and the sport - Zac Krebbekx, Louise Ingoe and Conor Quail..... guys you have a lot to offer, don't change your attitude to life and make the most of it.
Finally our current sponsor Vili Milisits, who is a strong competitor in business and sport. Vili only withdrew from competing in the league during last year with a pretty painful injury and his contribution to the sport and league will only ever be known to him and I plus the taxman but I can assure you many people in bowling and the other sports and charities your company supports over the years are very grateful such wonderful guy put his hand up to migrate to Australia around 50 years ago from Hungry which was being torn apart in revolt. Plus we would eat your custard berlina's any day as they are best made and best taste in the business.
Regards
Greg
