An American teenage bowler earned the nickname 'The Ginger Assassin' after he converted the rarest shot in the sport

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An American teenage bowler earned the nickname 'The Ginger Assassin' after he converted the rarest shot in the sport
Anthony Neuer, the Ginger Assassin.PBA Bowling / YouTube
  • Bowler Anthony Neuer converted the 4th televised 7-10 split in history at the U.S. Open.
  • Commentator Rob Stone dubbed Neuer "The Ginger Assassin" after his stellar shot.
  • Neuer seems convinced that the new moniker will stick with him.
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While most of the sports world was watching Hideki Matsuyama make history at the Masters, bowler Anthony Neuer made some history of his own.

In a semifinal matchup at the U.S. Open in Reno, Nevada, the 18-year-old bowler converted the 4th televised 7-10 split in the history of his sport. It was the first time the feat had been televised since 1991.

The moment was made all the more glorious thanks to a call from commentator Rob Stone, who put every ounce of energy he had behind the play.

Neuer was trailing his opponent, Jakob Butturff, and needed a big roll after leaving only the split standing. With Stone's encouragement, he got it and wrote his name (and new nickname) into the history books.

"Oh, he did it! He did it!" Stone screamed through the television. "He got the 7-10, Randy! My goodness! The Ginger Assassin just dropped a 7-10! You bet, kid! You bet! Gimme some oxygen and water!"

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Ever the professional, Stone then seamlessly worked in a sponsor. "The spare of the game, brought to you by Guaranteed Rate. If you believe it, you can do it. Guaranteed Rate. Believe. You. Will. I believe The Ginger Assassin can drop the 7-10."

The moment is a masterful marriage of bowling and broadcasting.

The clip quickly made the rounds on social media, thanks to Neuer's incredible shot and Stone's brilliant call.

After the match, Stone said that he was so caught up in the moment and had basically blacked out while making the call.

"I just lost my mind. That's all it is. Plain and simple," Stone told "The Press Box" podcast. "I left that bowling stadium, and I had no idea what I said. Hours later, I had to play it back."

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"The best moments in broadcasting are the ones that are from deep down, from the heart. From the gut. Not rehearsed. Not choreographed. Just this essence that overtakes you and works with the moment in the moment."

According to Stone, calling a converted 7-10 split was an occurrence so rare that he had never even considered putting it on his bucket list. Stone said that he thought the reason the moment caught on to a broader audience that might not usually pay attention to bowling was the joy that sprung out of the call.

"So happy. It was pure, pure joy. I think that's probably what a lot of people have latched on to. This unadulterated happiness. Unbridled joy. Something that wasn't scripted," Stone said. "And I think it resonates more because of everything we've been dealing with in our lives over the last year and change. These pure moments are the ones that seem to resonate."

While the nickname was far from planned, Stone was pretty pleased with the result when he listened back to his call.

"You hear the words 'Ginger Assassin,' and it just puts a smile on your face. It's not threatening at all. It's so stupid and ridiculous, it just makes you happy," Stone said. "A nickname helps sporting. We have nicknames everywhere. Clearly, this kid did not have a nickname. I gave it to him. I hope he's okay with it."

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Neuer doesn't seem phased by his new moniker. In an interview with Slate, Neuer sounded like he was embracing his role as The Ginger Assassin.

"I'm not opposed to it," Neuer said. "It's kind of catchy. I think it's definitely going to stick."

Neuer couldn't complete his comeback against Butturff after his 7-10 conversion, but he still left the U.S. Open with $12,000 in winnings for his 3rd place finish.

More importantly, he left with a highlight-reel replay that will be etched into the history of his sport and a sharp new nickname to go along with it.

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