In 1981 a relative introduced Billie Camp to bowling in the Tuesday Claude Daniels League at Fourth Street Bowl.
Thirty-one years later, Camp is still going strong.
“I just like the exercise and being around other people, and I like to throw the ball,” said Camp, who turned 95 on Jan. 5. “Sometimes it goes in the gutter but I still like to throw it. It’s fun to be around other people, and we get a lot of laughs.
“I look forward to it every week. It’s just fun, not only to bowl but to be out with the rest of the people.”
Camp actually bowls in two leagues per week. She carries a 130 average in the Tuesday Daniels League with a high game of 174 and high series of 432 this season. In the Friday Seniors League at Fourth Street, she averages 123 with a high line of 159 and high series of 430.
Avis Stiles is one of Camp’s teammates on the Alley Cats team in the Friday league.
“She’s a lot of fun,” Stiles said. “I’ve known her for years, bowled with her for years. We just have a good time. I’m only three years behind her. I’ll be 92 next month (on Feb. 21).
“We just enjoy being together. Whether we win or lose, we just have a good time being together. And that’s what you need. It gets you out of the house. If you’re staying in the house all the time, it’s not good for you.”
Camp, who was born in Joplin, started bowling when she was about 27 years old.
“My husband (Benson Camp) wanted to bowl,” Billie said. “He bowled one night, I stayed home and kept the kids. I bowled the next night and he stayed home and kept the kids. I bowled in a league for about 6-8 years, and then we started moving around (because of her husband’s job), and we quit. I didn’t bowl for a good many years.”
The Camps lived in Washington, Oregon, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi before Benson Camp retired.
“When he retired in 1979, we moved back here,” Billie said. “My husband died in 1981, and I started bowling in this league.
“My cousin (Clester Kunce) told me I couldn’t sit around and look at four walls, that I had to get up and do something. He knew I had bowled before, and he was in this league that had just started. He said come and bowl on my team, so I did.
“I had to get out and do something, and I’m glad I did. You stay at home too long, you get bored. I don’t get bored. I don’t have time to get bored. I bowl and go to the grocery store and doctor and dentist.”
Camp believes the highest game she ever bowled was 233.
“I have about seven trophies at home,” she said. “Two of them are ŒI tried’ trophies. I have a couple of trophies for high line, a couple for high series. I haven’t had a 200 line for a long time. (Last Tuesday) I bowled real good the first line, had a 151. Then the last game I couldn’t hit anything. That’s the way it goes.”
Camp plans to continue bowling as long as she can.
“I’ll bowl as long as anybody will let me on their team,” she said with a laugh.
Sports
Related Photos
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Globe/T. Rob Brown Billie Camp, 95, of Joplin, size up her throw Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 17, 2012, at Fourth Street Bowl in Joplin.
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Globe/T. Rob Brown Billie Camp, 95, of Joplin, bowls Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 17, 2012, at Fourth Street Bowl in Joplin.
Discussion
January 22, 2012
95-year-old Camp still patrolling Joplin's lanes
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
- Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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