In 30 years of competing in the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Jackie Strange says he’s had “some good, some bad” performances.

It’s not hard to figure out which category this year falls into.

The 70-year-old Vicksburg resident is currently ranked in the top 100 out of more than 13,000 bowlers in the nationwide tournament’s All Events Classified division.

The Open Championships run from late February through July 28 in Las Vegas. Strange headed to the desert to roll his games in late May.

“For an old fat guy I don’t do too bad,” Strange said with a laugh.

The All Events competition has bowlers roll nine games — a three-game series in team, doubles and singles tournaments — to compile a total score. Strange’s total of 1,567 pins placed him in the top 50 when he rolled, and he has since dropped into a tie for 83rd.

The Classified division is for bowlers with a verified average score of 155 and below. Strange’s best game came in singles, when he rolled a 191 on difficult lane conditions at South Point Casino in Las Vegas.

Strange competed in the team tournament with fellow Vicksburg residents Jeff Pickell, Alder Ahlvin, Daniel Leavell and John Nassour.

“I didn’t throw as many strikes as I would’ve liked, but I made a lot of spares,” he said. “1,567 doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you adjust for the sport conditions it looks a lot better. When you’re in the top 100 out of 13,174 that’s pretty good.”

Finishing in the top 100 of the USBC Open Championships would be just the latest in a long, long list of career accomplishments for Strange.

He is a member of the Southern Bowling Congress and Mississippi bowling halls of fame who has won 15 Mississippi state championships and one national championship. Last December he won the 70-74-year-olds’ age division title at the Mississippi State Open Bowling Senior Championship Tournament, which qualified him for the USBC Senior Open Championships scheduled for July 30th through Aug. 2 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In Las Vegas, Strange was honored by the USBC — the sport’s national governing body — for competing in 30 consecutive Open Championships. He received a trophy for the feat.

“It just means you’ve been around a long time. I was proud of this one, though,” he said. “It’s been fun. I’ve met a lot of people through the years from around the country that I wouldn’t have met other than through bowling.”