Eight years ago, Michele Irwin shattered her right kneecap in a car accident.

Irwin, 40, had to put aside her passion for bowling for about 11/2 years.

“I missed it a whole lot, to the point where I couldn’t go in a bowling center,” Irwin said.

When she returned, the Indianapolis resident began practicing more to regain form. That extra practice has Irwin at the top of her game.

In March, Irwin had two 300 games in one week, one in a league at Hindel Lanes and another in a tournament at Jubilee Bowl, which closed in August.

“I guess I was just hot,” Irwin said. “One of my sisters had just moved back from Utah and it was the first time she watched me bowl. She saw that first 300.”

Irwin also rolled a sanctioned 300 in 2008.

Irwin is averaging 221 in her six leagues. She had a 721 series with a 299 at Hindel on Oct. 23.

“I left a four-pin (on the 299). I threw it a little high,” Irwin said. “I thought I might have gotten away with it, but I didn’t.”

Irwin followed that series with a 729 Oct. 26. Both were at Hindel.

She also had a 761 earlier in the month at Hindel.

“Right now, I’m bowling a lot better than last season,” Irwin said.

Confidence in her equipment might be one reason. Irwin won a bowling ball, a Hammer Jigsaw, in a raffle at the Chip Hoosier Memorial Tournament this summer at Woodland Bowl.

“Ever since I got that ball, I’ve been shooting the lights out with it,” Irwin said.

Her nephew Jalen Mosley is red-hot, too. Mosley, who turns 9 this month, rolled his best series, a 588 on Oct. 24 at All Star Bowl. He had games of 142, 203 and 243, said his mother Libby Irwin . The Oaklandon Elementary third-grader followed that with a 549 the next day. He averaged 151 in the Adult/Junior league Sundays at Hindel Lanes and 149 at All Star.

Three to enter Hall of Fame

Three people will be inducted into the Indy United States Bowling Congress Association Hall of Fame on Nov. 14. Odie Bucholz and Gayle Boyles will enter in the superior performance category. Abe Joe King is being honored for meritorious service.

Bucholz has carried a 220-plus average in five bowling houses. He was named to the All-City team seven times and was named the Central Indiana Bowler of the Year in 2001-02. He also has 31 certified 300 games and 11 sanctioned 800 series with a high of 843.

Boyles’ career-high series is 683 and game is 277. She carried a 180 or better average for more than 30 years.

King helped organize the National Bowling Association’s Indy Senate. King was president for several years. King spent many hours working with youth bowlers.