She loves to be behind the ball

By CAROLYN HOPKINS

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 24, 2001

HOLIDAY -- Mary Jane Ruggiero, who will be 92 on Monday, says she gets a kick out of people who are surprised that she still bowls at her age.

"I love being my age," she said. "Phil and I keep active; I think that is what keeps us young."

Her league, the Tahitian Seniors, is planning a birthday celebration in her honor.

She said she began bowling in 1965 in Paterson, N.J. She met Phil Ruggiero at a bowling alley in Paterson in 1966, and they began dating. Mary had been widowed twice, the last time 12 years before they met. They were married Feb. 8, 1969. At that time, she said, she had to "sweat" to average 130 a game, and Phil was a better bowler. Twice during that time she hit a score of more than 200.

Now she averages about 110. In her earlier days, she bowled with a 12- or 10-pound ball, but now uses an 8-pound house ball. "The ball I use now is bright pink," she said.

Phil is younger, at 86. "I have been beating him bowling since he had a stroke," she said, but he is recovering well now.

Mary Jane has had her share of health problems recently, including a heart attack and an angioplasty followed by a triple bypass three years ago, but she hasn't let them slow her down. She and Phil continue to bowl with the Tahitian Seniors on Mondays at Tarpon Lanes in Tarpon Springs. The league's season ended in March, but the group will bowl during the summer for fun.

Mary Jane says she always has been active. She started her first job at age 14 at Dairy Maid Ice Cream Co. and stayed with the company for 27 years; later she was employed for seven years by the Manhattan Shirt Company in Paterson. She retired after 15 years with Thermo-Electric Company in Saddlebrook, N.J., where she was a quality-control inspector.

She and Phil moved to Holiday 23 years ago. They are members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in New Port Richey. They are active members of the Tahitian-Aloha-Tiki Civic Association and attend socials at the clubhouse in Holiday. Phil was chairman of the Something for People In Need Drive for many years.

Mary Jane, a native of Scotland, is a member of the Daughters of Scotia. She said she still has her driver's license but doesn't drive now because Phil loves to do the driving. He also does the grocery shopping and likes to make spaghetti.

She said they are looking into assisted living but hate to give up their home. "We are just looking into it," she emphasized.

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