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Ralston Lived His Life To The Fullest

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By BOB AUSTIN Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

When former Florida Lanes manager Bill Ralston, who died May 6, was told by doctors last September the cancer that had invaded his lungs was terminal, he faced the inevitable with the same grace and style he displayed throughout his 53 years.

He continued operating his cleaning business, running a Ronald McDonald house and assisting senior bowlers during their tournaments.

It was the only way Ralston knew how to continue to live, although he knew that life had less than a year remaining.

"He had bronchitis for years," said Ralston's mother, Eleanore Ralston. "He was treated for a number of years for bronchitis, but it never went away. He started smoking at age 17 and attempted to quit several times. Last September, doctors found a lump on the left side of one of his lungs, then discovered another lump on the other lung."

Ralston was born March 4, 1955, at Fort Rucker, Ala. After graduating from Milford High School in Milford, Conn., he became one of the youngest bowling managers in Tampa when he took over the reins of Florida Lanes in 1978 at age 23.

After leaving the bowling business in the early 1990s, he formed B&B Enterprises, a company that cleaned bars and new homes.

Ralston is survived by his loving parents, William and Eleanore Ralston and sisters Betty Lowery and Vivien Folsom.

A memorial service will be Saturday at the Oak Grove Church of God at 11 a.m.

BAILEY ROLLS 300: Mark Bailey, in the Pin Chasers Veterans Keglers Mens League, was perfect in the second game of a 723 series. He began with 249, threw 12 straight strikes, then ended with 174.

FLORIDA LANES: Greg Salmon accomplished his first 300 last week in the Ball and Chain League. His 687 series also led the men's scoring.

Other scores for the men were Xavier Chisholm 674, Chris Amato 257-673 and Scott Stanton 249. Jo Jenkins' 201 and Janice Harmon's 543 led the women.

PIN CHASERS MIDTOWN: The team of Robbie Martin, Bobby Atha, Jason Abraham and Cavin Wills won the year-end rolloff in the Pepsi League, defeating Anthony Pullara, Gabe Dalton, Buddy Bunford and Dale Kolesar, 448-432.

In the Sardegna's Pro Shop Industrial League, the Five of A Kind team, with Dennis Arnold, Ron Baker, Paul Fritz, Eric Dixon and twins Steve and Ryan Mekdeci, captured the league rolloff with a seven-pin victory over the Patriot Insurance team, composed of Nick Krovich Jr., Steve Linville, Chuck Scheer, Mark Whitehead and John DeMott.

AMF UNIVERSITY LANES: Eric Rothman's 288-707 was the pacesetter for the men last week.

Following Rothman were Brian O'Donnell 236-643, Chuck Duncan 226-643, Basil Orr 257-642, Chris Hickman 234-612 and Milt Karceski 245-605. Kristina Duncan's 209 and Cindy Clark's 517 led the women scorers. Jean Frye rolled 514.

PIN POINTS: Last week in Canton, Mich., Mini Tvaska, 90, of St. Petersburg participated in her 62nd United States Bowling Congress Women's Championship, breaking the record of 61 appearances set in 1992 by Mary Covell of Chicago.

Send local bowling news to bobaustin@verizon.net.

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