The evolution of The Shark

Mark Halstead was still a little minnow when he came to realize that bowling was the sport for him.

Born on Saipan on March 29, 1965 to Robert Edward and Maria Esteves Halstead, the player local bowlers dub The Shark first picked up a bowling ball when he was only nine years old.

“My dad was in the United States Coast Guard and we were stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. My parents wanted us to join some kind of sport and we—brother, sister and I—chose bowling.”

Halstead was immediately hooked into bowling. He said he was a gifted bowler even as a beginner and didn’t need much encouragement from his parents to hit the lanes and work on his game.

“I just loved the sport from the very beginning and I kind of inspired myself to excel in the game on my own.”

His family eventually moved back to Saipan and Halstead continued his passion for bowling. During his high school years, life was split between Mount Carmel and the local bowling alley.

And despite brief flirtations with billiards and tennis, bowling was still his first love. In fact, he used to swing by Saipan Bowling Center just to get a glimpse of the top bowlers of that time.

He said growing up he used to watch the likes of Joe Guerrero, Rick Sablan, and Benny Pangelinan play and wished that he was as good as they were.

Halstead would soon ascend the upper echelons of the sport on Saipan. The year was 1988. The occasion: the 6th Annual May Masters Tournament.

After topping the preliminary events – bagging the singles, and being part of the doubles and team championships to secure the all events crown—Halstead found himself trailing Rudy Palanganas going to the 16th and final game of the masters event.

Halstead poured his best in the last game and saw his work pay off when his opponent struggled with a split in the Final Frame and he won by only eight pins.

Since that breakout win, Halstead has become a familiar fixture in local bowling tournaments and leagues and has won more than his fair share of awards and accolades.

His most recent triumph was in last Sunday’s 22nd Annual May Masters Tournament where he hoisted his second masters championship trophy after coming from behind to defeat fellow lefty Ronald Epan.

“I’ve won so many tournaments that I cannot remember them all. I also won too many high averages that I also can’t remember. But of all the leagues and tournaments, the things that really standout are the 1988 May Masters and the time when I almost rolled a perfect game.”

Halstead came close to fulfilling every bowler’s dream a reality in 1996 when he entertained a score of 300 until the last frame and wound up with a 299.

“My 299 game is still one that sticks in my mind because my dream is to make a perfect 300 game and I didn’t have the luck that I needed to get it. But I will still strive for it until the day I can’t bowl no more.”

He also holds close to his heart his victory in last February’s Philippine Bowling Association Classified Bowling Tournament. Halstead said it stands as one of his proudest moments because it was the first time he copped a title in the PBA since joining the association in 1993.

Aside from bowling the elusive perfect game, Halstead doesn’t really see himself setting any other goals.

“No goals, just keep trying to win as much tournaments as possible. It was really awesome to see my best friend Jonathan Hensley bowl his perfect game and all I wish is to make the 300 game myself.”

In the upcoming Asian Inter-City Tenpin Bowling Championships in Sha Alam, Malaysia, Halstead doesn’t want to make any predictions despite becoming the first bowler from the Mariana Islands to qualify in the masters event. He did so in last year’s tournament held in Paranaque City, Philippines.

“But if I do qualify for it again, I will try to do my best for the CNMI.”

Outside of the sport, Halstead has followed his dad and is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain. He has been working in the same tourist diving company since 1983.

Halstead spends his spare time with his family and friends. He is set to wed his fiancée Elsie Lynn Manglona Dela Cruz in October this year.

Asked why he’s nicknamed The Shark, Halstead simply remarked, “it rhymes with Mark so it stuck.” And with the way he gobbles up opponents in bowling, he has all the right to name himself any creature of prey.