By Stowell Watters

Staff Writer

Brooke Anton said she has candlepinbowling in her blood.

“I just lovebowling and a part of that is definitely from my grandfather – he did a lot forthe industry,” Anton said.

Anton recentlycompleted Maine’s Candlepin Open Grand Slam – the first time anyone has done sosince native Mainer and hall of fame bowler Dot Petty did it in 1969. Antonsaid Petty is one of her friends and role models. According to General Managerof the Big 20 Rick Jones, who has followed Anton’s career for the past threeyears, she has been on a “tear” since the beginning of the pro season inOctober. He said her grand slam consists of first place finishes in Maine’sprofessional ladies’ open singles, ladies’ doubles, open mixed doubles and openmixed team competitions.

“I didn’t reallyknow I had done the grand slam until Dot told me about it, then I was reallyexcited  to see how excited shewas,” Anton said. “It is just such an honor to have my name uttered in the samesentence as hers – she is a legend.”

Bowlingprofessionally is a trait that can be traced back to Anton’sgreat-great-grandfather who built the first bowling alley in Saco. Anton’sAlbanian great-grandfather Sofokli, or Mike, built 20^th CenturyLanes in Biddeford in 1939 and the Big 20 Bowling Center (originally called TheState O Maine Bowling Center) in Scarborough in 1950, she said.

“It’s a familytradition I suppose,” the 26-year-old Anton said.

Her grandfatherChristo Anton grew up working at the alley in Scarborough, she said. When hergreat-grandfather decided to retire in 1977, Anton said Christo took over asowner and manager of the Big 20 Bowling Center and from there continued to gainfame as a bowler. Christo was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in1985 and was Maine’s top professional bowler for three years in a row beforethat, she said.

Growing up, Antonsaid Christo taught her how to bowl. As she progressed, Anton said Christowould have people watch her bowl as he was giving them lessons.

“I have good formI guess, that is what he always said. But I was just doing what he told me;bend and reach,” Anton said.

Anton called theBig 20 Bowling Center her “stomping grounds,” and recalled how her grandfatherwould talk about the alley with the utmost reverence. For the past three yearsJones has been the general manager at the Big 20 Bowling Center, and said thealley wouldn’t be what it is today without the Anton name.

“Big 20 has alwaysbeen about the sport of bowling from day one, and the Anton family is a hugepart of that. Now we have Brooke, and she is doing extremely well,” Jones said.

Anton said hermother, Francine Anton, was bowling when she was pregnant with her. Anton alsosaid both of her parents were state champions in the sport.

“We just love tobowl, I don’t know what it is,” Anton said. “But now I am the only one stilldoing it.”

Although Christodied last year, the Big 20 Bowling Center is still owned by the Anton familyand still uses what Anton calls “the old ways.”

“It is old schoolhere, this is my home turf so I like it that way,” she said, referring to theabsence of high tech projectors and lighting fixtures she said are growing morecommon in bowling alleys throughout New England. Anton currently holds theseason high score of 666 points in five strings at the Big 20 Bowling Center.

Before winning thegrand slam, Anton was already a professional candlepinbowler. She said to be classified as such she needed to participate in theWorld Candlepin Bowlers Congress (WCBC) pro tour – which makes six different stopsin New England. Anton said she has gone as far as New Brunswick, Canada, tocompete in bowling tournaments. 

Jones said Antonhas secured the first-place position in the ladies’ open all events finals inBangor later in the spring. Jones said last year Anton was the WCBC ladiesrookie of the year as she bowled her way to her first WCBC victory in November2007 – rolling a 10 string score of 1,238.

“When people seeBrooke coming they say ‘Oh no,’ they know she is a serious competitor,” Jonessaid.

But Anton said shedoesn’t bowl to be a professional – just to have fun.

“I like to comehere in Scarborough and watch my friends bowl. We have a good group,” she said.“I just like being around them and bowling. It is my life.”

A former residentof Biddeford and a Biddeford High School graduate, Anton currently lives inSaco with her cat Riley. She said while she does not “train,” she does bowltwice a week and participates in two different leagues on the weekends. Forevery tournament she bowls in she wears a Big 20 Bowling Center collared shirtand uses special-made blue and black marbled balls with her name etched uponthem.

“Like I said, thisis my home,” Anton said.

She also said thepersonalized bowling balls are important to have because some alleys will“grease the plate” to “increase pin action,” which essentially means somebowling alley owners will put a greasy substance where the pins stand so theyfall down easier – making bowlers think they are better than they actually are.     “If you have your own ball you know when itfeels weird,” she said. “You keep it clean.”

After high schoolAnton took a break from bowling and said she focused on her studies at theUniversity of New Hampshire in Durham. She graduated summa cum laude with amajor in communications and currently works in Westbrook as a senior manageddisability analyst for the company Disability RMS.

As for herprofessional career in bowling, Anton said she has no plans of it making herwealthy – just content.

“I am not in thisfor the money, I just love the sport,” Anton said.