PEORIA, Ill. — An Illinois man recently bowled a perfect game with a ball that he put his father’s ashes in.
John Hinkle Jr. has bowled perfect games in the past, but that game meant a lot to him, because he did it for his father, John Hinkle Sr.
Hinkle Jr. posted a video on Facebook of the emotional moment he earned his latest 300 score with the special ball on April 12. The bowler wrote in the video’s caption that his dad “never had a perfect game until NOW.”
Hinkle Jr., who works as a school counselor in Peoria, told CNN that his emotions were high and he was shaking as he bowled the ball the last few times.
Once he bowled his last strike, the man’s brother can be seen coming over to give him a congratulatory hug. Hinkle Jr. told CNN that he started crying, because they did what they said they’d do.
Hinkle Jr. told ESPN that his dad was cremated when he died in 2016. Afterwards, he wanted to honor him in a way that paid tribute to their bond over bowling.
So, Hinkle Jr. had a childhood friend who recently opened a pro shop seal his father’s ashes in the thumb hole of a ball, CNN reports. Then, he was determined to bowl a 300 game with it.
Hinkle Jr. says he plans on retiring the ball after using it for the upcoming Tournament of Champions, the last event his dad played before his death.
