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Sometimes you just have to cover your ears and stop listening to the buzz.
For example, the word on the street was that Maine Heat couldn’t win a candlepin world team championship with three members old enough to join the AARP.
Charlie Milan III had heard that. In fact, he’d heard every sixty-something joke there was.
“I heard they couldn’t win it with the old guys but they would in the future when they got some young guys,” Milan said.
But after 17 tries, including 10 with Maine Heat, the “old man” finally got his world team championship on Nov. 17.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” said Shawn Morrison, who at 20 is Maine Heat’s youngest team member.
Milan, at 65, is the eldest of Maine Heat’s senior citizen brigade. Brewer’s Jerry Scott is 57 and Russ Nealey of Otis is 59.
James Milan is Charlie’s son and Maine Heat team captain. What amazes him is that his team won the title with only six team members, including three members of the over-the-hill gang. It turned out they were the top-of-the-hill gang.
“In the final match I said, ‘let’s see how bad [Charlie Milan] really wants to win this,’ and he bowled a 412,” James Milan said.
Maine Heat’s win was a true team effort. It started with Morrison of Bangor, who saved the tournament’s highest three strings for the first round of the playoffs against Lucky 7 of Brockton, Mass. Bowling with Lucky 7 was former Maine Heat team member Chip Carson of Bangor.
“[Lucky 7] waited until we had made up our lineup before making their’s,” James Milan said. “They put Chip up against Shawn. They thought it would psyche Shawn out.”
It had the opposite effect. Morrison cranked out a 469 series.
“I don’t understand why they did that,” Morrison said. “I had already beaten him in the knockout earlier in the tournament. It actually was an energy boost. I wanted to bowl against him.”
James Milan stepped up in the quarterfinals with a 180 in the first string against the New Hampshire All-Stars that gave Maine Heat a big lead they would hold.
But they ran into trouble in the semifinals against the Travel Anywhere team of Franklin, Mass.
“Jeez, the first string they put up a 538 and we were almost 100 pins behind. But James had a triple strike in the second string that stopped them cold. And of course, Shawn was bowling those 450s. He was bowling out of his mind,” Charlie Milan said.
In the finals, Maine Heat fell behind and trailed McLaughlin Trucking of Halifax, Nova Scotia, by 28 pins going into the last string and the Canadians added to their lead.
“With four boxes apiece left, we were down 48 pins. Plus they were two marks ahead,” Charlie Milan said.
Again Morrison, who averaged 144 for the four playoff matches, sparked the team, throwing a double strike. His teammates followed with marks and led by 20 pins going into the final two boxes when Tim Matero of Biddeford made it stick with a strike that ended any thoughts of a comeback by the Canadians.
“We only went up there with six guys and to do that schedule with six guys is a tough test. I didn’t think my dad was ever going to win it. I’m more happy for him than anything. It’s fantastic,” James Milan said.
No sooner did the tournament end than talk of next year’s championship began. James Milan said that team member Russ Nealey told him he might retire. The shuffling will begin. Rumors will fly as to which players will change teams. It is candlepin bowling’s version of NASCAR’s “silly season.”
But there will be one constant for the Maine Heat team. Charlie Milan says he’s not going anywhere.
“I’m just starting, pal. I’ll never retire. I’m just starting. I do this to stay young,” Charlie Milan said.
Don Perryman’s Local Spotlight column is published every Wednesday. He can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net
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