Morris County Sheriff's Office Detective Sergeant Craig Brooks bowls perfect, 300-score game
Published on February 20, 2019
There's proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Morris County Sheriff's Office Detective Sgt. Craig Brooks, who is in charge of the office's evidence section, bowled a perfect 300 score game at Boonton Lanes.
I was pretty amazed. I've been in the high 200's before but I didn't think I'd get a 300. I was surprised, said Sgt. Brooks.
My congratulations on Craig's accomplishment, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said. Although it's not surprising to me that Sergeant Brooks is so talented at what he does in his leisure time as he certainly is an expert in his work duties.
The achievement happened Feb. 16 while Brooks, a sheriff's officer for 14 years, was bowling his second game of the night with the Utopian League at Boonton Lanes. He scored a respectable 203 in his first game and suspected he might pull off a 300 score in his second game when the strikes in the 10-frame game started adding up.
At first it was a typical night but then I started to realize I was getting a lot of strikes. By the eighth, ninth and tenth frames I thought I could go all the way, he said.
He said spectators and other bowlers grew quiet so he could focus on the last frames but broke out in cheers and applause when he rolled his last ball.
I was so nervous, Brooks said.
Brooks, who bowls with his own 17-pound ball and wears a wrist guard to keep the joint straight, bowled 12 strikes in a row. The game was 10 frames but bowlers who roll a strike in the last frame get two more shots at strikes.
Twelve strikes in a row is not easy. It's a nice achievement, said Boonton Lanes Manager Craig Born.
Brooks' achievement will be forwarded by the league to the United States Bowling Congress, which awards perfect bowlers with a ring bearing the number 300. Brooks' name also will be added to an honor wall at Boonton Lanes that displays the names of other top bowlers, Born said.
Brooks, a member of the Morris County Sheriff's Office Honor Guard also is being trained as a ballistics expert to serve the office.