Although it was breathtakingly hot outside, Frances Huber and her bowling buddies were comfortable inside the AMF Towson Lanes on Southwick Drive in Campus Hills, slapping hands, fist-bumping and generally having a pretty good time at their weekly gathering July 22.

After all, Huber was celebrating her 90th birthday with her pals, many of whom have been part of the group for the past three decades or so.

There was a birthday cake and smiles to go around, even though the Towson resident didn't come close to rolling the 208 she posted recently.

In fact, Huber, generally regarded as the top bowler in the group, couldn't quite keep up in that session with Inez Rouch, who had at least four strikes during a reporter's visit and seemed in perfect form.

Rouch, by the way, is three years older than Huber.

The group's elder statesman, Stacy Wiitala, 94, though, might finally be past his prime, considering he totaled 703 for a three-game set five years ago.

The former World War II POW — he was a belly gunner in a B-24 that was shot down over Germany in 1944 — is a tad stooped these days, yet still manages to hit the pocket more times than not with a well-honed release point.

"When I retired (from Bethlehem Steel) I came up here to see what leagues they had," said Wiitala, who said after being 'liberated' by the Russian Army in April of 1945, the POWs were subjected to a forced march across Germany until they were turned over to British troops. He eventually met Allied Commander Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who told the POWS they had to "be patient" until they could return home.

Now, Wiitala is patience personified as he genially converses with his female counterparts in a group that started with 40 people and used to meet twice a week,

It boasts only 10 members now, including Huber, Rouch, Wiitala, Pat Siegel, 83, Millie Shannon, 87, Anna Perry, 80, Emily Lewis, 82, Yolanda Erickson, 86, Dick Cunningham, 79, and Rose Keller, 81.

All reside in the Towson area, except Wiitala, who hails from Overlea.

"Friday night used to be hit-the-bar-and-have-a-drink-night," said Rouch, a native Kansan with a hint of Midwestern twang who moved to Cockeysville with her late husband in the 1970s. "We don't do that anymore. We come here for the exercise and the companionship."

Don't discount the companionship part of the equation.

Huber said that there's no rush to complete the three games.

"When you get all these blabbing women together — and I'm one of them — it can take awhile," she laughed. "We're all really good friends and we really enjoy each other's company."

Huber also said that the group is looking for other like-minded seniors who would like to join in the fun at 1 p.m. every Friday at the AMF Towson Lanes.