By Lynn Arditi
Published June 23, 2013

WAKEFIELD — New England bowling history was seemingly inches from his grasp when Jimmy Williams’ buddies at The Old Mountain Lanes crowded around, cell-phone cameras raised, as he reached for another ball.

For two complete games –– 24 consecutive shots –– he had bowled strikes. Now, “The Machine,” as his teammates called him, was closing in on a third perfect game, the Holy Grail of bowling: The perfect 900.

With a few more throws, the shy, 47-year-old account manager for Coca-Cola had a chance to WAKEFIELD — New England bowling history was seemingly inches from his grasp when Jimmy Williams’ buddies at The Old Mountain Lanes crowded around, cell-phone cameras raised, as he reached for another ball.

For two complete games –– 24 consecutive shots –– he had bowled strikes. Now, “The Machine,” as his teammates called him, was closing in on a third perfect game, the Holy Grail of bowling: The perfect 900.

With a few more throws, the shy, 47-year-old account manager for Coca-Cola had a chance to wipe way a season of disappointment for his teammates, some of whom had taken to banging their heads on their lockers or throwing their bowling shoes in disgust.

Until that night in April, Williams would say later, “We were just kind of waiting to get the season over with.”

The Old Mountain Lanes is the sort of place that pops up in newspaper obituaries. “He was an avid NY Yankees Fan,” reads one from The Providence Journal in 2011, “and enjoyed bowling at Old Mountain Lanes in Wakefield.”

Built in 1960 on a swath of farmland, the 10-pin bowling hall had 24 lanes and stayed open around the clock, like the local textile mills.

But times changed. A shopping mall opened up the road. The owners added a full-service restaurant to keep customers coming. Fish ’n’ chips on Mondays. Chicken Pot Pie on Tuesdays …

More recently, they’d added video games and “cosmic bowling” for the college crowd. But the place still had the old sound of rumble-rumble-rumble … smash!

On the last night of the season, about 60 members of the South County Class League had all eyes on Jimmy Williams. A few lanes down, a family with young children was making a racket, the kids dropping their balls with a thump!

But Williams didn’t seem to notice. He fixed his gaze on the white dots seven feet from the foul line and aimed for the “pocket” between the 1 and 3 pins.

If I hit the pocket, he told himself, I’ll be happy …

Bowling three perfect games — a 900 series — means throwing 36 consecutive strikes.

The odds that any of the more than 2 million league members will bowl a perfect 900 series are about 44 million to 1, says Mike Breen, of the American Mathematical Society, in Providence.

As of that day, only 22 league bowlers in America had achieved a perfect 900 series in 16 years, according to the U.S. Bowling Congress.

The closest Williams ever got was about 10 years ago, when he bowled an 859 series.

Williams wasn’t thinking about the odds, though.

Take your time, he told himself. Give it your best shot.

And he did.

Strike!

Cheers and high-fives.

Later, two men from the U.S. Bowling Congress showed up at The Old Mountain Lanes like crime-scene detectives — inspecting, weighing and measuring.

Robert Toth, owner of The Old Mountain Lanes, raised a 25-foot banner: “Congratulations Jimmy Williams First Perfect Series in New England 300 – 300 – 300 = 900.”

Williams says he doesn’t know if he’ll throw another 900 series. But he has this: a grainy cell-phone-recorded video on YouTube of his final three perfect throws at The Old Mountain Lanes. He has replayed it again, and again, and again.wipe way a season of disappointment for his teammates, some of whom had taken to banging their heads on their lockers or throwing their bowling shoes in disgust.

Until that night in April, Williams would say later, “We were just kind of waiting to get the season over with.”

The Old Mountain Lanes is the sort of place that pops up in newspaper obituaries. “He was an avid NY Yankees Fan,” reads one from The Providence Journal in 2011, “and enjoyed bowling at Old Mountain Lanes in Wakefield.”

Built in 1960 on a swath of farmland, the 10-pin bowling hall had 24 lanes and stayed open around the clock, like the local textile mills.

But times changed. A shopping mall opened up the road. The owners added a full-service restaurant to keep customers coming. Fish ’n’ chips on Mondays. Chicken Pot Pie on Tuesdays …

More recently, they’d added video games and “cosmic bowling” for the college crowd. But the place still had the old sound of rumble-rumble-rumble … smash!

On the last night of the season, about 60 members of the South County Class League had all eyes on Jimmy Williams. A few lanes down, a family with young children was making a racket, the kids dropping their balls with a thump!

But Williams didn’t seem to notice. He fixed his gaze on the white dots seven feet from the foul line and aimed for the “pocket” between the 1 and 3 pins.

If I hit the pocket, he told himself, I’ll be happy …

Bowling three perfect games — a 900 series — means throwing 36 consecutive strikes.

The odds that any of the more than 2 million league members will bowl a perfect 900 series are about 44 million to 1, says Mike Breen, of the American Mathematical Society, in Providence.

As of that day, only 22 league bowlers in America had achieved a perfect 900 series in 16 years, according to the U.S. Bowling Congress.

The closest Williams ever got was about 10 years ago, when he bowled an 859 series.

Williams wasn’t thinking about the odds, though.

Take your time, he told himself. Give it your best shot.

And he did.

Strike!

Cheers and high-fives.

Later, two men from the U.S. Bowling Congress showed up at The Old Mountain Lanes like crime-scene detectives — inspecting, weighing and measuring.

Robert Toth, owner of The Old Mountain Lanes, raised a 25-foot banner: “Congratulations Jimmy Williams First Perfect Series in New England 300 – 300 – 300 = 900.”

Williams says he doesn’t know if he’ll throw another 900 series. But he has this: a grainy cell-phone-recorded video on YouTube of his final three perfect throws at The Old Mountain Lanes. He has replayed it again, and again, and again.