VIDEO: 13-year-old bowler scores $6,800 – and a perfect game! – in ‘Pins for the Pantry’ food-bank fundraiser (updated)

10:08 AM: That’s 13-year-old Nathan Tavel, warming up moments ago for his hour-long bowl-a-thon at West Seattle Bowl. He’s the only bowler here before the official opening time, raising money for local food banks. So far pledges are covering $2.09 per pin, $68 per “turkey” (three or more consecutive strikes). We’re here to watch and to update. Nathan’s bowling on lanes 23 and 24; he bowls 216 in his youth league and has been doing bowling fundraisers for more than four years.

10:15 AM: $500 raised for the food banks so far. Pledges were accepted up till Nathan started bowling; this is also being streamed on social media, with Nathan’s dad, community advocate Phil Tavel, narrating.

10:20 AM: First “turkey” (three strikes in a row), raising $68 more. … Moments later, another one. … and that string ran to 11 in a row by our count.

10:29 AM: Almost midway through, Nathan threw his first perfect game – 300. He’s picking up steam as this rolls on. “Nathan’s crushing it,” his dad declared. Nathan himself is a young man of few words, so far.

10:43 AM: “Holding up well,” the bowler allowed. So far he’s knocked down 1313 pins, with 41 strikes and 6 turkeys, raising just over $3,000.

10:52 AM: Another turkey. Nathan will be bowling until about 11:05 since this started just after the top of the hour.

11:00 AM: Just a few minutes to go. Nathan’s remained calm and steady throughout this – and his dad informs us he’s now up to 2123 pins, 60 strikes, and nine turkeys – that’s almost $5,000 for the food banks.

11:16 AM: Final total, just past $6,200, to be split between West Seattle and White Center Food Banks – 2,577 pins, 73 strikes, 12 turkeys. If you pledged, watch for your PayPal invoice; prize winners will be notified too. (And now the bowling alley’s open for regular bowling for the day.)

ADDED SATURDAY: Update from the Tavel family:

Our final numbers based on a few last minute pledges that came in:

We had 41 pledges.
For a total of $2.27 per pin and $80 per Turkey.

That’s a total raised of $6,809

In the end, Nathan threw the following 12 complete games in one hour:
166
187
300 – The first perfect game Nathan has ever thrown!
225
202
243
228
193
189
192
192
213
plus 57 more pins in the last incomplete game.
Nathan averages 214.5 for the day. He threw 1 frame every 28.5 seconds for 1 full hour.

Nathan threw 71 strikes and made 12 Turkeys (3 strikes in a row).

16 Replies to "VIDEO: 13-year-old bowler scores $6,800 - and a perfect game! - in 'Pins for the Pantry' food-bank fundraiser (updated)"

  • K November 29, 2024 (10:36 am)

    Way to go, Nathan!

  • Rooster November 29, 2024 (11:18 am)

    This is so great! Way to go Nathan T. 

  • CB November 29, 2024 (11:35 am)

    Amazing, Nathan! Way to go!

  • Scrappy November 29, 2024 (11:51 am)

    INCREDIBLE! You are one fine bowler and human being! I hope your arm is not to sore… Keep up the good work! 😄

  • JJ November 29, 2024 (2:32 pm)

    AMAZING! Nice job, Nathan!

  • TDKYoga November 29, 2024 (2:42 pm)

    This is amazing!!!!  Great job, Nathan!  WOW! :)

  • WSSpartan November 29, 2024 (2:47 pm)

    That is some awesome bowling kid. Kudos for raising that kind of money.

  • momos mom November 29, 2024 (4:17 pm)

    Good cause, good bowling and what a great young man!!!

  • Heather Miller November 29, 2024 (4:25 pm)

    Wow! Way to be go, Nathan! Really proud of your effort and community spirit. 😊

  • Kt November 29, 2024 (5:24 pm)

    A perfect score is such a rare and amazing thing!  Congrats on that and the funds raised today!

    • Michael November 29, 2024 (5:45 pm)

      Especially for someone so young.  Be very proud young man.

  • Mrs.F November 29, 2024 (6:23 pm)

    Way to go Nathan! 

  • Bbron November 29, 2024 (6:24 pm)

    cool 😎

  • Workdowntown November 29, 2024 (8:47 pm)

    Best story I’ve read in a long time. Thank you Nathan!!

  • Canton November 30, 2024 (8:35 am)

    Very impressive young man! You turned the bowling pins into rolling pins and amassed lots of dough for a great cause.

  • 2 Much Whine December 2, 2024 (7:49 am)

    Is Nathan entitled to a perfect score ring even though this is not league play?  Seems like there should be a way to make that happen.

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