A.J. Calderon thought he had left his mark in Ventura County bowling history with three consecutive 279 games on a league night last March.

Then came Monday night in the Monday Classic League at Wagon Wheel Bowl.

The 46-year-old foreman of an avocado ranch was one pin away from becoming only the 11th person in the 113-year history of the sanctioned men's bowling to achieve the sport's golden grail — a perfect 900 series.

Bowling on Lanes 11 and 12, Calderon had 35 consecutive strikes before leaving a 10-pin on his third shot in the 10th frame of his last game for an 899 series.

And it wasn't even a state record.

Moreno Valley's Vince Wood had a 900 series on Sept. 29, 1999. It stands as the only sanctioned 900 in California history.

Starting his series out with a perfect game was not that special for Calderon, who had bowled 14 prior to that night. There were handshakes from other league players, then it was down to business for the second game.

With seven strikes to start game No. 2, there was a buzz in the bowling center the Somis resident began to feel.

"I started getting nervous about the eighth frame of the second game," said Calderon. "From there on, I was nervous."

He closed out the game with five in a row for his second straight 300.

"It's not uncommon to see a 300, especially in that league," said night desk manager Robert Brilata. "After two, you began to think: Wow!"

Calderon isolated himself to deflect as much attention away from the crowd that grew each time he stepped up to bowl a frame in the third game.

"I tried to not think about it," said Calderon. "I just went about it one frame at a time."

Throwing a big hook, Calderon missed his mark on the 10th board only a couple of times. Fortunately, the ball held the line into the pocket.

The 899 marked the fifth time that Calderon has bowled an 800 in a amateur career that dates to 1985.

"When I started, I used all borrowed equipment — a ball and shoes," said Calderon.

It didn't take him long to figure out that throwing a sweeping hook was the best path to improving his average. Within four years, Calderon was averaging in the 200s.

Last season, Calderon had one of the county's highest averages, knocking down pins at a rate of 230 per game.

Had fortune gone his way, Calderon could have had a historic night last March. One pin left standing per game left him with three 279s and an 837 series.

"I left two 3 pins and one 9 pin," he remembered. "I kept thinking that one more strike and I would have had three perfect games."