Patrick Michel, a freshman at the University of Akron, couldn’t wait to send a text to his big brother, Zachary, a student trustee, boasting about his victory, along with a selfie with his opponent.
The Canton teen beat University of Akron President Matthew Wilson by nine pins while bowling four frames. The business major was the first to challenge the president Friday afternoon at a bowling alley on campus and the first to beat him (57-48), earning a $5 Starbucks gift card for the win.
“I was just warming up,” Wilson said. “I had to give up four Starbucks cards before I warmed up.”
The president said the event was just another fun way to engage with the students and get to know them. Last semester, he played basketball with students, one-on-one.
This time, he competed one-on-one in the game room of the Student Union against several students, seven at a time, as they lined the lanes beside him. At times, he even upped the span of competition.
“Want to go for five frames?” asked the president to the next round of students.
“I almost had him,” said Jake Fields, 18, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Sheffield Lake. “But by the fifth frame he ended up beating me 83-82.”
The five frames helped John Michaels, 18, a freshman from Springfield Township. The mapping and survey major beat the president 45-43. “He kind of had me worried when he bowled a strike in the first frame.”
As time went on, Wilson did get better, questioning some of the better bowlers on campus.
“What’s the matter?” he leaned over and asked Bralin Johnson, after seeing him throw a gutter ball and couple of splits to his three spares and a strike
Johnson, 18, of Warren, Jonathon Nash, 18, and Amari Ngunjiri, 20, both of Cleveland, said they have played him prior to Friday’s event.
“‘We’re the top three bowlers on UA’s bowling team’’ said Ngunjiri, a biomedical engineering student. “We were recruited, but we weren’t good enough today.”
The biggest challenge came from nursing student Eddy McCain, 19, and business major Andrew Kessler, 20, both freshmen from East Canton.
“You’re inspiring me,” said the president as he watched Kessler get a strike, spare and another strike and McCain, two spares and a strike. “You’re showing me how it’s done.”
They decided to go five frames, then six. The president had a score of 134 by the sixth frame.
“This is the best I’ve ever bowled,” Wilson told them.
Lindsey Cook, 20, of Green and Katie Bowman, 19, of Pittsburgh also challenged Wilson. Bowman, a media studies major, said it was worth a try.
“My stepdad has a lot of bowling trophies,” said Cook, who wants to be a speech pathologist. “I’m not living up to his expectations.”
Gene Wheat, 19, of Columbus went four frames with the president, but lost 74-44.
“I should have won. I bowl once a week, but he’s too good,” the sports management major said.
As a consolation prize, Wheat received the president’s business card.
“I am glad you are here,” he told Wheat. “You can text me, email me or call me and if you see the light on in my office you can just stop by. I have a 74-inch TV screen in my office, if you just want to chill.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com or Follow her on Twitter@MarilynMillerBJ.