Red Sox outfielder Betts knocked down 224 in pro bowling debut

We've heard of baseball players who are near-scratch golfers and many more who dabble on off days, but this is a new one: Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts is a talented bowler and recently accepted the Professional Bowling Tour's invitation to compete in its World Series of Bowling, which began Tuesday.

The 23-year-old outfielder, who posted a solid 6.0 WAR and slashed .291/.341/479 on the diamond in 2015, debuted at the lanes with an impressive 224 game.

The Boston Herald reports that Betts played nine games on Tuesday, posting a low of 140 and a 249 top score with a 196 average. That ranked him 212 out of the 244 bowlers who completed their initial nine games Tuesday.

Only the top 24 will advance to the next round, but Betts has more chances throughout the week to get there and appear on ESPN in his bowling shoes with the finalists.

Betts toes the line again Wednesday.