Cardinal Points

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Sports

Imagine you are 13 years old. You just finished eating breakfast with a bunch of professional bowlers.

Now it's your chance to go bowl a few games with up-and-coming star Doug Kent as he practices for the next tournament.

Not only does Matt Kelley not have to imagine this situation, he beat Kent two games to one. Kent was named the Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year last year.

Kelley, a junior pitcher/infielder for the Plattsburgh State baseball team, continued to bowl throughout high school, competing on the school team, a Saturday morning team and in a Sunday travel league. During the winter Kelley would bowl six to seven days each week, four to five of those days were dedicated to the school team. He would led his team to a league title.

Kelley has brought his bowling skills with him to college.

"It was pretty funny seeing Kelley walk up with his own ball, bag, shoes, rosin bag, towel and spare ball for the first time," senior teammate Chris Van Houten said.

It wasn't so funny when Kelley ripped off eight straight strikes to start.

"We've come to find out Kelley is the 'Professional Gentleman of Leisure Sports,'" senior teammate Zack Welch said.

The nickname stems from his freshman year of college at Hartwick University. It refers to Kelley's skills in games like wiffle-ball, horseshoes, pool, bowling, ping-pong, golf and darts.

Throughout his bowling career, Kelley has rolled six 300-games, his first coming when he was 13. Three of the six were sanctioned, meaning they were done during leagues. For the first one he received a ring and a watch for the second.

"Bowling was big for me in high school," he said.

But bowling could never compete with his true passion - baseball.

Because his recreation leagues were during the winter they would often overlap with baseball. He didn't miss baseball practice.

"I would just stop going to the rec leagues in the spring," he said. "I like baseball more. "(Baseball) has been my life-my whole life."

His mother, Beatrice Kelley, recalls him often asking her to play catch or pitch him a few in their big yard in Mechanicville, N.Y. As he grew older she started using a couch cushion for protection, just in case.

Baseball is still a huge portion of his life.

"I don't really get away from it," Matt said.

Even after being at the field for seven hours last Sunday for a doubleheader against Brockport, Matt was still all about baseball. After he was back at home, he turned on the Phillies/Mets game for a few hours.

Continued...

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