'He'll forever be recognized': Edmonton man strikes rare perfect bowling game with Special Olympics

A rare feat in five-pin bowling was celebrated at a bowling alley in Sherwood Park during a Special Olympics League event.

Travis Paterson, a 33-year-old bowler with autism, bowled a perfect five-pin game at Sherwood Bowling on Oct. 9 during the Sunshine Bowlers event, a weekly disabilities bowling night Travis regularly attends.

For context, it takes 12 consecutive strikes to bowl a perfect 450-point game.

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Tim Wiseman, the manager at Sherwood Bowl, told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday how rare the achievement is in the bowling community, even for Travis who's been bowling for nearly 22 years.

"To put it in perspective … in a good season in five-pin bowling across Canada, you might only get 10 perfect games," Wiseman said. "I think we looked back about 65 years (that) we've been around, we probably (have) only had 13."

"Honestly, he'll be forever recognized as probably the only Special Olympian or Sunshine Bowler to ever throw a perfect game in Canada," Wiseman said.

Travis' coach Alex Weatherby, who was there to witness his perfect game, isn't surprised by the bowler's accolades or his appreciation of others in the sport.

"Travis started bowling right away at one of the top bowlers. He just showed everybody he could do a strike after strike, and he's been doing it ever since," Weatherby said. "He wings that ball down there, sometimes at a tremendous speed, (it's) no wonder he gets so many strikes."

"That was just unbelievable to watch … It was fantastic and everyone in the whole bowling alley was just amazed," he added.

GOING FOR GOLD

Paterson has been bowling for 22 years with the Special Olympics and has 16 trophies to his name.

“My grandfather once told me something, he said you have to stay focused, you have to keep concentrated,” he told CTV News Edmonton.

He also credits a good luck charm necklace, technique and the people in his life that cheer for him. Paterson’s mom Kathy Paterson says she knew this day would come as his closest score was previously 405, but now it’s 450.

“Being autistic, he normally has a very short attention span, but for some reason, he will sit and watch bowling for hours,” Kathy said.

Some genetics could play a part in his success. Kathy was a star bowler back in the 1980s.

“I did a 399 game, I never made a 400. I was trying so hard that night. I just wanted one 400 game in my life but no,” she added.

Travis' accomplishment not only comes with bragging-rights, but also a commemorative perfect game ring and bowling ball, shirts, more bowling balls and cash courtesy of the associations he's involved with.

While riding high on his perfect game, Travis is already aiming to max out his frames with a second perfect game.

With files from CTV Edmonton’s Nahreman Issa and Miriam Valdes-Carletti