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Bowling to make the best of everything

Tom Dantoni, 71, retired from his job to bowl, and he goes six days a week to Manatee Lanes to continuing doing what he enjoys the most.

By BRIAN SUMERS
Published July 25, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - A permanent grin seems etched on Tom Dantoni's face, at least when he's rolling a bowling ball, which is what he does every day, save for Sunday.

"The seventh day," he said, "is a day of rest."

And so six days each week he slides on his size nine bowling shoes and drags four 14-pound bowling balls to Manatee Lanes.

At 71, and with an artificial hip slowing him only slightly, Dantoni lives for bowling.

Practices, leagues - anything.

For Dantoni, this bowling alley provides the perfect second retirement.

His first arrived between 1990 and 2004, when he left his job as a New York City police detective to bowl in regional senior professional tournaments.

Dantoni never won an event, but he made plenty of friends and finished in the top 25 a few times. And he didn't need the money because of his solid police department pension.

Things have slowed for him since, but bowling still dominates his life.

On tour, 16-game days were typical. Now, he can bowl no more than four at a time without getting winded. And he only averages about 190 a game, so he's not as sharp as he once was.

But he is still a fixture at Manatee Lanes, always donning a wide smile, Nike socks hiked up to his calves and his trademark oversized glasses.

Everybody seems to know him.

"He's always helpful and positive," said Linda Sojka, the general manager of Manatee Lanes. "He's good with all ages."

Dantoni no longer takes a multi-step approach - he merely takes one step and drops the ball on the lane. But it works, and he has fun.

He promises he will not give up bowling even if he's faced with more health problems. He joked he will have his ashes scattered on a bowling alley when he dies.

"You know what?" he said, explaining his bowling philosophy. "You're dead a long time, but you only live a short time, so make the best of it."

For him, making the best of it means rolling a bowling ball. Dantoni knows no other way.

He was born into a bowling family because his father, Sam, worked at an alley.

And Dantoni met his wife, Elise, when his father asked him to drive her home one night from the alley.

Dantoni said he couldn't because he was sick, but he later called to apologize. He told Elise he would take her bowling, and their foray to the lanes turned into their first date.

Married for almost 50 years , the couple recently took their two children and three grandchildren on a cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate.

Son Tom Jr. is a left-handed bowler with a 217 average. Daughter Susan is a gynecologist in New York.

When they were children, Dantoni rarely bowled because he wanted to spend time with his family.

And even now, no matter how much he bowls, he refuses to take the game too seriously.

Dantoni knows nerve-wracking situations, and they don't have anything to do with bowling.

He remembers approaching an armed perpetrator in a dark New York City alley. He also recalls the time some angry folks threw bricks at him from atop a building.

Since patrolling south Manhattan, not much has fazed him.

Especially not a 7-10 split, even one in the 10th frame.

Brian Sumers can be reached at 352 564-3628 or bsumers@sptimes.com.

[Last modified July 24, 2006, 20:30:31]