Jeannette woman, 90, still bowling after all these years

Mel Harkrider was where she can be found every Tuesday morning — at the Bowl-A-Rena in Jeannette with 32 fellow bowlers in the Early Bird league.

Harkrider, who turned 90 on Sunday, was shocked Tuesday when league members, all her junior, threw her a surprise birthday party. The event was celebrated with cake, pizza and salad to fit the normal 10 a.m. Tuesday league schedule.

“I am so excited … I couldn’t believe they did this. I also can’t believe I’m this old either,” Harkrider quipped.

Harkrider has been a member of the league as long as it has existed for “at least 20 years,” said league Treasurer Bobbie Brocious, 81, of Jeannette.

“I was worried she was going to fall right off her chair when we surprised her. Mel’s just so nice. I’m glad we were able to keep it a secret and surprise her,” league President Robin Gerkin said.

In addition to Harkrider, Gerkin said, there are about 10 bowlers in their 80s and 10 in their 70s — including Gerkin, who is 74. The youngest member is 47. And, Gerkin said, new members no matter how old are welcome.

Harkrider, who carries an average of over 100, is serious about her bowling. She still gets angry and scowls at a missed spare or a barely missed strike.

“Mel is just a hoot and feisty about her bowling, too. She’s just amazing,” said Anita Fennell of Jeannette, the youngest member of the year-round league.

Fennell works the midnight shift at Excela Health Westmoreland hospital in Greensburg but makes a point to get to the Early Bird league to bowl with longtime friends and competitors.

“If all of these ladies at this age can get up to bowl at this time, I figure I better be able to, too,” she said.

Harkrider, a former Jeannette Glass Co. employee, said she began bowling when she was 17.

And those who question Harkrider’s passion should talk to her daughter, Mary Jo Bearley, who drives her mother to the bowling league each Tuesday.

Bearley said her mother got a “specially drilled” ball about 15 years ago so she can get a “better” grip on it.

“Mom still gets fired up when she makes a strike or difficult spare,” Bearley said.

Bearley moved her mother from Jeannette into her Penn Township home recently and came across a discovery.

“She had kept many of her paper scorecards from when she was in the Jeannette Glass Co. league. Some of them were from 1947,” Bearley said.

Harkrider said she will bowl as long as she can and, by the number of spares she was picking up during her first game Tuesday — she had already surpassed her 100 average by the seventh frame — that will be a while.

“I love the people here and I like socializing. And I love to bowl, too,” she said.

Anyone who is interested in joining the league can call the Bowl-A-Rena at 724-527-1111 or Gerkin at 412-373-1366.