Sun City hosts lawn bowls championships

The U.S. Lawn Bowling Championships will be played Oct. 26 through Oct. 30 in Sun City.

The event will feature 48 nationally ranked lawn bowlers, including six from the Sun Cities.

Len Hitchcock, Frank Souza, Myra Wood, Lorraine Hitchcock, Reggie Banares and Rich Enockson will represent the U.S. Lawn Bowls Association's South Central District, which encompasses the Sun Cities.

Competition among eight teams will follow a round-robin format in four categories - men's and women's pairs as well as men's and women's singles.

Opening ceremonies are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 26 at Lakeview Recreation Center, 10626 W. Thunderbird Blvd.

The U.S. championships are played each year in a different region. Six regions send a team of singles and pairs players while the Southwest District sends two teams. All entrants must be U.S. citizens.

Banares will compete in women's singles while Wood and Lorraine Hitchcock will participate in women's doubles. Enockson will compete in men's singles while Souza and Len Hitchcock will participate in men's doubles.

The U.S. Lawn Bowling Championships began in 1957 and are the most prestigious games we have in the country, said John Stewart, a Sun City resident and one of 21 lawn bowlers who have been inducted into the United States Lawn Bowls Association Hall of Fame

Four other Sun City lawn bowlers are in the USLBA Hall of Fame - Jack Behling, Frank Souza, Ken Degenhardt and R. Gillie Stephan Jr.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: U.S. Lawn Bowling Championships

WHEN: Oct. 26 through

Oct. 30

WHERE: Lawn greens at Bell and Lakeview recreation centers

NOTABLE: Six area lawn bowlers will represent the South Central District, which includes the Sun Cities. The local contingent will be made up of Len Hitchcock, Frank Souza, Rich Enockson, Myra Wood, Lorraine Hitchcock and Reggie Banares.