There are some extremely rare feats in the world of sports. A perfect game in baseball, a hole in one in golf, a 70-point game in basketball, and so on and so forth, but one that is far more rare than any of those is a bowler picking up a 7-10 split. The dreaded leave of professional and amateur bowlers alike, it is the least converted spare chance of any by far and, while you likely aren’t dialed into bowling every week, it’s something that no pro has converted in 30 years during a televised event.
That is until Sunday, when Anthony Neuer stepped up at the U.S. Open staring down a 7-10 split in the 7th frame, trailing by a bunch in his match, and delivered something arguably more memorable than if he’d won the match, as he picked it up by sending the 10 pin flying across the lane to take out the 7 and etch his place in bowling history.
An 18-year-old professonal bowler converted a 7-10 split on TV today for the first time in 30 years. pic.twitter.com/4Qfhy546fr
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) April 11, 2021
As for how rare that is, as mentioned on the broadcast prior, it’s only been picked up three times in a televised event and never since 1991, which is a wild stat.
Mark Roth-Jan. 5, 1980-ARC Alameda Open(ABC)
John Mazza-Feb. 16, 1991-Bud Light Classic(ABC)
Jess Stayrook-July 13, 1991-Tucson Open(ESPN)
Anthony Neuer-April 11, 2021-U.S. Open(FS1)That's all who've converted the 7-10 split on a live TV broadcast. =)
— Ronald Mears (@RaginRonic) April 11, 2021
That means this is truly one of the rarest feats in professional sports that we all got to witness and kudos to the young Anthony Neuer for delivering a perfect ball and getting a little luck (the 10 pin kicks off the side wall, off his ball as it’s in the back of the lane, and gets back to the 7 pin to take it out).
