Bowling and The Super Bowl

Last night (Thursday), Pin Chasers in Tampa was the exceptional host for the 4th ANNUAL NFL SUPER BOWL CELEBRITY BOWLING CLASSIC sponsored by Strike Ten and NFL Charities.

The packed house was attended by more than 40 NFL Greats. Former Super Bowl MVP and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann again acted as spokesperson. More than 40 local and national media outlets covered the festivities benefiting the NFL YET Centers for at-risk youth.

Pepsi Super Bowl Ad

In the first half of the Super Bowl you will see a Pepsi Max ad that will include bowling or a bowling ball - Pepsi and their ad agencies were sworn to secrecy so could not provide details.

Wednesday night will be bowling night in America

The Professional Bowlers Association will be going prime time in a groundbreaking new five-week series to air Wednesday evenings on ESPN beginning April 22, the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour and Strike Ten Entertainment announced today.

The world's best bowlers will face off in the first-ever PBA King of the Hill Powered by AMP Energy® at 9 p.m. ET on April 22, April 29, May 6, May 13 and May 20 on ESPN.

In addition, during this five-week timeframe consumers will be encouraged to visit participating bowling centers to participate in the AMP/Dale Earnhardt Jr. promotion for a chance to win exciting prizes.

"We are thrilled to bring high stakes bowling to a prime time audience," said PBA CEO and Commissioner Fred Schreyer. "Working with ESPN and Strike Ten plus our great sponsor AMP Energy®, we will present bowling to fans like they've never seen it before."

The top 10 players in the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Player of the Year points race at the end of this 50th Anniversary season will qualify for the PBA King of the Hill Powered by AMP Energy® series, plus one wild card entry. The Player of the Year, likely to be decided the last week of the season at the 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open concluding April 5 on ESPN, will be declared the first "King."

Each one-hour King of the Hill show will feature three players. In the first show April 22, the No. 2 finisher in the Player of the Year race will face the No. 3 finisher in a one-game match, with the winner advancing to bowl vs. the King (Player of the Year) in a one-game match. That winner will come back as the King on the following week's show.

The players in the PBA King of the Hill Powered by AMP Energy® will be battling for a purse of $100,000. The event will be contested at the Kegel Training Facility in Lake Wales, Florida.

The second show will feature Player of Year points finisher No. 4 vs. No. 5; The third week finds No. 6 vs. No. 7; No. 8 takes on No. 9 on fourth show; and the last week has No. 10 vs. the wildcard. Each show concludes with the winners of those matches advancing to the King of the Hill match to face the reigning King, with that winner coming back to defend the crown the following week.

The PBA Player of the Year points list can be found on pba.com. Currently, Wes Malott leads the point race, followed by Sunday’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions winner Patrick Allen and PBA World Championship winner Norm Duke.

This week, the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour airs its Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship from Reno, NV on ESPN Sunday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. ET.

SpongeBob & Dora Balls and Bags

SpongeBob & Dora The Explorer Balls and Bags Now available through your favorite pro shops. Find them in weights of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15 pounds.

Previous SpongeBob Square Pants Vis-A-Balls made by Brunswick have been some of our most popular kids starter balls. SpongeBob Square Pants is a popular Nickelodeon Channel cartoon character. While, Dora The Explorer is a popular Nick Jr. character.

Each character has one design featuring some of their favorite buddies. Each ball design also glows in the dark under black lights.

Check out the bags.

Stoughten New USBC Gold Coach

Randy Stoughton acheived Gold, the 32nd coach to earn United States Bowling Congress Gold level certification.

Stoughton, 54, who currently holds a staff position at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla., formerly was a sales manager for Ebonite International, Tour representative for the Professional Bowling Association (PBA) and Professional Woman's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tours, PBA Player Services Director and expert ball driller.

It is estimated that Stoughton has drilled in excess of 100,000 bowling balls, many of them for top-level professional bowlers.

PBA 50th Anniversary Gala

In the words of virtually everyone who was a part of the PBA’s 50th Anniversary Gala in Las Vegas, it was an event they will never forget. Many said the Gala at Red Rock Resort, Casino and Spa on Jan. 25 was the greatest night in the history of the Professional Bowlers Association.

The Charleston Ballroom at Red Rock was a “Who’s Who in Bowling,” packed with superstars past-and-present, industry leaders, long-time PBA support staff members and awe-struck fans of the sport. The crowd witnessed an event-closing parade of 38 of the players named to the list of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players and welcomed three new members of the PBA Hall of Fame.

John Handegard, a one-time plywood mill worker who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, became the first inductee into the PBA Senior Tour Hall of Fame. Handegard, who now lives in retirement in Spring, Texas, emerged from a failed career as a young PBA Tour would-be into the most successful Senior Tour player in history with 14 Senior titles. And to cap that feat, he finally won the PBA Tour title he coveted his entire life at age 57 – the oldest ever PBA Tour winner – in the 1995 Northwest Classic.

“This is really some kind of night,” Handegard beamed.

Del Ballard Jr., who has four major titles among his 12 PBA Tour victories, drew laughter and applause from the gathering when he said, “I want to thank the hall of fame voters for finally getting it right.”

The native Texan related a story about how he developed his unique bowling style. A bowling addict at a young age, he said he broke his right arm at age 13, but his fingers were free enough in his cast that he could “bowl” a golf ball down the hallway at home, trying to hit a hole he had cut into a shoebox.

When he proclaimed to his family that he was ready to take on the world’s best bowlers, “my dad gave me a credit card with a $5,000 balance in 1983, and he told me, ‘When that’s done, you’re done.’ That’s why I never quit.”

“I’ve been part of a lot of bowling history,” Ballard said in concluding his remarks, “but this has to be the No. 1 night of my life.”

The final inductee was Norm Duke, who had seen his record three-consecutive-major titles streak ended three days earlier. He came to the Gala with 31 titles on his resume, including titles in the PBA Triple Crown and Grand Slam events, and he’s still at the peak of his game.

Fellow PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss, Duke’s closest friend for more than 20 years on tour, introduced Duke by saying, “He showed up with a gunslinger attitude, an ‘I can beat anyone’ presence. There are dreamers who can make those things happen, and Norm did.”

Duke first raved about the autograph session earlier in the day when all 38 of the “50 Greatest” lined up on the approach at Red Rock Lanes to sign autographs for fans for two hours.

Then he recalled the reality of his career, of being the youngest player in PBA history to win a title (age 18 in Cleveland in 1983), and the void of failing to win again for the next eight years.

“I really wanted to quit after eight years out here,” he said. “When I met my wife (Karen) in 1990, I had one title. Today I have 31, so to say she wasn’t a big influence in my life…” He left the rest unsaid.

Of his young son Brandon, Duke related a story about packing up to leave to bowl in the Tournament of Champions, and telling his son he’d be gone for a week. “Brandon asked if Pete (Weber) and Walter Ray (Williams Jr.) would be there. I told him they would. Brandon looked at me and said, ‘Dad, you have no chance.’”

For a solid week, the future stars of the PBA mingled with the players and behind-the-scenes workers who built the organization. Chris Peters, Rob Glaser and Mike Slade – the former Microsoft executives who rescued the PBA from certain bankruptcy in 2000 – got a chance to experience what their investment has meant to the sport.

Roto Grip March Entry

Anthony PBA's Number 1 All Time

The late Earl Anthony, who left an indelible legacy on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour as its first career millionaire, was announced as the greatest player in the PBA’s first 50 years Sunday, capping the tour’s weeklong 50th anniversary celebration at Red Rock Resort, Casino and Spa.

Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., the man who finally eclipsed Anthony’s total of 43 career PBA titles, finished second in voting conducted by a national panel of bowling experts.

Earl “would have been thrilled, very honored,” said Susie Anthony, the late Earl Anthony’s wife. “If Earl were here, he would probably say he wasn’t deserving. He wouldn’t turn it down, but he’d be very humble.”

“He would have been humble in public, thrilled in private,” Anthony’s son Mike added.

Finishing second wasn’t much of a disappointment to Williams, who now has 45 PBA titles, more than $4 million in career earnings and is still one of the PBA Tour’s most feared competitors.

“I feel Earl’s record is better than mine because it was more condensed,” Williams said. “Earl bowled 14 years and 400 or so events. I’ve bowled well over 600 by now, maybe 700. Some people will argue Earl’s era was tougher, but others will argue my era was tougher. The reality is, people threw the ball differently in each era. That’s the way the game is played.”

“I’m very pleased to be No. 2,” Williams continued. “If Dick Weber would have had 45 titles at the time Earl was still bowling, he probably would have kept on bowling because he would have wanted someone to chase. As it was, he retired because no one had close to the number of titles he had. He didn’t have anything to shoot for.”

“Some people don’t remember that Earl was Player of the Year in 1983, the year he retired,” said Williams, who is one of the PBA’s best historians. “And he didn’t even bowl a full season that year.”

PROFESSIONAL BOWLERS ASSOCIATION
50 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY

1. Earl Anthony 2. Walter Ray Williams Jr. 3. Dick Weber 4. Pete Weber 5. Mark Roth 6. Mike Aulby 7. Norm Duke 8. Don Johnson 9. Marshall Holman 10. Parker Bohn III 11. Don Carter 12. Billy Hardwick 13. Brian Voss 14. Dick Ritger 15. Nelson Burton Jr. 16. John Petraglia 17. Carmen Salvino 18. Wayne Webb 19. Dave Davis 20. Dave Soutar 21. Amleto Monacelli 22. Mike Durbin 23. Dave Husted 24. Jason Couch 25. Steve Cook 26. Chris Barnes 27. Jim Stefanich 28. Harry Smith 29. Del Ballard Jr. 30. Tommy Jones 31. Wayne Zahn 32. Jim Godman 33. George Pappas 34. David Ozio 35. Randy Pedersen 36. Dave Ferraro 37. Bill Allen 38. Larry Laub 39. Mike McGrath 40. Tom Baker 41. Joe Berardi 42. Danny Wiseman 43. Doug Kent 44. Patrick Allen 45. John Guenther 46. Gary Dickinson 47. Barry Asher 48. Tommy Hudson 49. Mika Koivuniemi 50. Bob Strampe

Allen Wins TOC Sitting On The Bench

Patrick Allen won the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Sunday, in a high scoring nail biter, but he didn’t feel very good about it.

The Wesley Chapel, Fla., left-hander slipped past his fellow southpaw, close friend and Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour roommate Rhino Page of Topeka, Kan., 267-263, to win his second career major championship and his second title in three weeks. It meant a $50,000 payday and a two-year PBA Tour exemption in the crowning event of the PBA’s 50th Anniversary Gala week.

Allen had a hard time shaking off the fact that his buddy basically handed him the glory by making an errant shot on his second shot in the 10th frame. Needing only a nine-count spare after striking on his first shot in the final frame, Page – the PBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year – called for a re-rack to calm himself. Not realizing he had already used the two re-racks he was allowed, he glanced at the 25-second shot clock before re-composing himself.

“Rhino got the ball a little too far left. It came off his hand with nothing on it,” Allen said. “I could see it was a bad shot.”

Page missed the headpin, knocking down four pins and his dream of winning his first major title disappeared.

“I knew the shot was in trouble when it came off my hand,” Page said. “I got distracted with the time clock, but sometimes you have to learn the hard way. I still had a great week. I’ll take second after not making the cut the previous three weeks.”

“He out-bowled me until that shot,” Allen said. “I really feel for him. You don’t win out here if you don’t get some breaks, but that’s not the way you want to win. I got a huge break two weeks ago against Walter Ray Williams Jr., but to be honest, I didn’t feel as bad for Walter Ray. He’s got 45 titles. You have to get breaks to beat him."

Finals Set For H&R Block Tournament of Champions

Patrick Allen and Wes Malott, the two hottest players in pro bowling, will be on stage again Sunday for the finals of the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions, the closing event in the PBA’s 50th Anniversary celebration at Red Rock Lanes.

Reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Rhino Page of Topeka, Kan., and veteran Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, will be the challengers who hope to throw ice water on the torrid tandem.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
H&R BLOCK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Nev.
January 23, 2009

Final Match Play Standings (after 48 games, including match play records and bonus pins)
1, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 16-8, 11,927
2, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 14-8-2, 11,776
3, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 13-11, 11,752
4, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 14-8-2, 11,732
5, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 14-10, 11,710, $5,000
6, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 15-9, 11,638, $4,600
7, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 17-7, 11,623, $4,100
8, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 15-8-1, 11,472, $3,800
9, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 13-10-1, 11,406, $3,600
10, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 11-12-1, 11,354, $3,500
11, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 9-14-1, 11,254, $3,200
12, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 12-11-1, 11,246, $3,100
13, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 13-11, 11,190, $2,800
14, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 9-15, 11,185, $2,700
15, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 12-12, 11,136, $2,600
16, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 14-10, 11,113, $2,500
17, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 10-13-1, 11,101, $2,400
18, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 9-15, 11,082, $2,300
19, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 10-14, 11,078, $2,250
20, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 13-11, 10,968, $2,200
21, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 10-13-1, 10,961, $2,150
22, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 7-16-1, 10,755, $2,100
23, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 5-19, 10,601, $2,050
24, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 6-16-2, 10,569, $2,000

H&R Block Tournament of Champions

Wes Malott, the hottest player in professional bowling, toke the lead into Friday night’s final round of match play in the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes.

Malott, who has won two of the last five Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour events and has advanced to the ESPN television finals in five consecutive singles events, won six of his eight matches Friday afternoon and tied in the other two to finish with a 40-game total of 9,864 pins (238.4 average) and a seven-pin lead over Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas.

“I have a lot of confidence right now and I’m getting some key hits to keep the momentum going,” the five-time PBA Tour titlist said. “When hits don’t go my way, the biggest thing has been to quit whining and do something about it.”

First prize in the tournament is $50,000 plus a two-year Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exemption.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR

H&R BLOCK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Nev.

January 23, 2009

Round 5 (after 40 games, including match play records and bonus pins)
1, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 10-4-2, 9,864
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 10-6, 9,857
3, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 10-6, 9,837, $100
4, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 9-7, 9,744
5, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 9-6-1, 9,729, $100
6, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 10-6, 9,613, $100
7, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 11-5, 9,581, $100
8, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 11-4-1, 9,543
9, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 10-5-1, 9,531
10, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 10-6, 9,503
11, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 7-8-1, 9,470, $100
12, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 9-7, 9,448
13, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 9-7, 9,318
14, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 6-10, 9,309
15, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 4-11-1, 9,272
16, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 9-7, 9,224
17, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 8-8, 9,190
18, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 6-9-1, 9,164
19, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 7-8-1, 9,151
20, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 4-12, 9,132
21, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 5-11, 9,081
22, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 5-10-1, 9,069
23, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 5-11, 8,849
24, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2-12-2, 8,774

Rino Page Leads Qualifying

Could not get myself to use "Rhino charges to the lead" for the headline. But I couldn't just let it dangle there.

After rolling a pair of 289 games earlier in the round, Rhino Page of Topeka, Kan., closed the opening round of match play with a perfect game Thursday night to take the lead in the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes.

Page, bowling in his first Tournament of Champions, finished the fourth round averaging 240.3 for his 32 games taking a 23–pin lead over Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas. Earlier in the day, Page jumped into contention when he started the third round with three consecutive 279 games.

It's great to see Brian Voss, Amleto Monacelli, Danny Wiseman, Rick Lawrence (Last Champion qualifier), Dave D'Entremont and Chris Warren make the top 24.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR

H&R BLOCK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Nev.

January 22, 2009

Round 4 (after 32 games, including match play records and bonus pins)
1, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 6-2, 7,870
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 5-3, 7,847
3, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5-3, 7,799
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5-3, 7,750
5, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 4-4, 7,667
6, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 5-3, 7,631
7, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5-3, 7,613
8, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 6-1-1, 7,586
9, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 4-4, 7,567
10, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 7-1, 7,526
11, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 4-4, 7,440
12, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 4-4, 7,409
13, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 2-6, 7,408
14, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 5-3, 7,400
15, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 5-3, 7,388
16, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5-3, 7,346
17, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 4-4, 7,328
18, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 2-6, 7,316
19, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 2-6, 7,300
20, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3-5, 7,296
21, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 4-4, 7,293
22, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2-6, 7,282
23, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1-7, 7,248
24, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 0-7-1, 7,104

Kegel Named Official Training Center of the PBA

The Kegel Training Center has been named the Official Training Facility of the Professional Bowlers Association.

As part of this relationship, the Kegel Training Center will provide the Computer Aided Tracking System (C.A.T.S.) and support technician for all three remaining PBA major championships including this week's H&R Block Tournament of Champions, the United States Bowling Congress Masters and the 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open plus the upcoming GEICO Plastic Ball Championship and the Go RVing Match Play Championship.

With C.A.T.S., viewers will be given unprecedented access to data including shot-by-shot information on each players' ball speed, launch angle, target accuracy at multiple points on the lane, entry angle and rev rate. C.A.T.S. includes a graphic display of each ball path to illustrate accuracy and lane play for the complete game.

"The C.A.T.S., information will help viewers appreciate how good these players are at throwing a bowling ball," said Kegel Vice President Del Warren.

"The partnership between the PBA and Kegel will be a great treat for the fans," said PBA Vice President and COO Tom Clark. "The C.A.T.S. System will educate the viewer and bring them closer to the action."

As the world leader in bowling education, the Training Center has trained more than 10,000 bowlers from around the world including 50 national teams and more than 500 elite professionals from Asia, Europe and the Americas.

"Educating and coaching the bowler on the differences between the game and the sport of bowling has always been a key area of focus for the Kegel Training Center," Warren added. "Our entire coaching staff is proud to be part of helping the PBA make the sport of bowling better for all."

"I am honored that the PBA has chosen the Kegel Training Center to be the Official Training Center of the PBA," said Kegel President John Davis. "I also appreciate that the PBA recognizes Kegel’s past, present and future contribution to support the true sport of bowling."

"Stikes A Lot" Malott Continues to Roll

Wes Malott continued his torrid streak, charging into the lead in the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Thursday afternoon.

The Pflugerville, Texas, right-hander finished 24 games of qualifying with 5,822 pins for a three-pin lead over the second-hottest player on the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla. Malott is seeking his third title and fifth TV appearance in the past six events. Allen is in the hunt for his fifth consecutive TV final.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR

H&R BLOCK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes – Las Vegas, Nev.

January 22, 2009

Qualifying (after 24 games; top 24 advance to round robin match play)
1, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 5,822
2, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5,819
3, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 5,768
4, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 5,758
4, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5,758
6, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 5,750
7, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5,664
8, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 5,594
9, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 5,588
10, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 5,581
11, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 5,578
12, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 5,536
13, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 5,534
14, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 5,528
15, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 5,515
16, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 5,484
17, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 5,483
18, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 5,455
19, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 5,450
20, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 5,440
20, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 5,440
22, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 5,427
23, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5,424
24, x-Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 5,421
25, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 5,421, $1,700
26, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 5,404, $1,680
27, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 5,401, $1,900
28, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 5,397, $1,740
29, Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 5,388, $1,620
30, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 5,374, $1,600
31, Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 5,367, $1,690
32, Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, Texas, 5,360, $1,580
33, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 5,347, $1,570
34, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 5,326, $1,560
35, David Traber, Hebron, Ill., 5,304, $1,550
36, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 5,296, $1,540
37, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 5,289, $1,530
38, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 5,287, $1,520
39, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 5,267, $1,510
40, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 5,255, $1,500
41, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 5,237, $1,490
42, Larry Laub, Lincoln, Calif., 5,167, $1,480
43, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 5,164, $1,470
44, Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, 5,141, $1,460
45, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 5,124, $1,450
46, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 5,091, $1,440
47, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 5,087, $1,430
48, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 5,073, $1,420
49, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 5,066, $1,410
50, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 5,015, $1,400
51, Mark Roth, Fulton, N.Y., 5,014, $1,390
52, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 4,980, $1,380
53, Steve Cook, Granite Bay, Calif., 4,979, $1,370
54, Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 4,970, $1,360
55, Mike Mineman, Collinsville, Ill., 4,911, $1,350
56, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 4,894, $1,340
57, Nelson Burton Jr., Stuart, Fla., 4,793, $1,330
58, Teata Semiz, North Brunswick, N.J., 4,792, $1,320
59, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 4,593, $1,310
60, Don McCune, Las Vegas, 4,508, $1,300

x-Weber def. Angelo, 229-224, in a one-game roll-off after they tied for the 24th position in qualifying

Second Round at the TOC

Mike DeVaney of San Diego would like to make his second career Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title a big one.

DeVaney, who won his only PBA Tour title six years ago in Tacoma, Wash., finished the second round of qualifying in the Professional Bowlers Association H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Thursday with a 287 game for a 3,909 total and a 29-pin lead over first-round leader Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y.

Holding the 16-game lead wasn’t a big deal for Devaney.

“You can’t pay attention to the scoreboard when you’re bowling these guys,” he said. “I’m confident. I’m very happy to be bowling well, especially after the way I’ve bowled the first part of the season. I’ve been dealing with a couple of physical issues, but I think I have them under control.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR H&R BLOCK TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Nev.

January 21, 2009

Round 2 (after 16 games)
1, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 3,909
2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,880
3, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 3,875
4, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,803
5, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 3,798
6, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,797
7, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 3,778
8, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan, 3,756
9, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 3,749
10, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,733
11, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 3,730
12, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 3,719
13, Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,715
14, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,706
15, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,694
16, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 3,692
17, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 3,688
18, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,686
19, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,679
20, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,678
21, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,661
22, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3,652
23, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3,648
24, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 3,647
24, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 3,647
26, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,645
27, David Traber, Hebron, Ill., 3,632
28, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 3,620
29, Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 3,612
30, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3,606
31, Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, Texas, 3,603
32, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 3,599
33, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,580
34, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,559
35, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 3,549
36, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 3,516
37, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,505
38, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 3,493
39, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,492
40, Larry Laub, Lincoln, Calif., 3,486
41, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3,478
42, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 3,469
43, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3,442
44, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3,438
45, Mark Roth, Fulton, N.Y., 3,426
46, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 3,421
47, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,417
48, Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, 3,403
49, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 3,366
50, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 3,359
51, Nelson Burton Jr., Stuart, Fla., 3,345
52, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3,336
53, Mike Mineman, Collinsville, Ill., 3,334
54, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 3,331
55, Steve Cook, Granite Bay, Calif., 3,283
56, Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 3,277
57, Teata Semiz, North Brunswick, N.J., 3,203
58, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 3,120
59, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 3,061
60, Don McCune, Las Vegas, 3,053

First Round Tournament of Champions

Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y., averaged 255 for eight games to take the first round lead in the Professional Bowlers Association H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Thursday.

Shafer, a four-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour champion, held a 115-pin lead over Dave Husted of Milwaukie, Ore.

Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., who is seeking a fourth consecutive PBA major title, was in 34th place after the opening round with a 1,773 pinfall total. He was 63 pins out of the 24th spot needed to advance to match play.

Mr. Versatility - Wes Malott

Through his outstanding performances in events that showcased the PBA Tour’s six lane conditions, Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, has been crowned Mr. Versatility by winning the first-ever PBA Tour Versatility Swing points competition.

Designed to showcase the most versatile players, the Versatility Swing is based on players’ performances in the six PBA Experience lane condition championships during the 2008-09 series.

Malott won the title by finishing with 117,609 points in the six events, winning two tournaments and making the ESPN-televised finals three other times. His finishes in the six Versatility Swing events were as follows: Pepsi Viper Championship, fourth; Chameleon Championship, third; CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship, first; Cheetah Championship, 12th; Lumber Liquidators Shark Championship, second, and Bayer Earl Anthony Medford Classic, first. The Anthony event used a newly-created Earl Anthony lane conditioning pattern.

As Versatility winner, Malott earns an automatic berth in the 18-player Six Flags Summer Shootout series to air later this year on ESPN. The Summer Shootout also will include the top eight players in points from the “Extreme Swing” and seven other players to be named later.

Each event in the Versatility Swing used a different lane condition and each had the same format: 14 games of qualifying followed by 18 games of round robin match play with the top four advancing to the stepladder finals.

2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Versatility Swing – Points

1, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 117,609

2, Bill O’Neill, Levittown, Pa., 75,744

3, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 70,048

4, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 65,023

5, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 63,632

6, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 60,350

7, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 56,184

8, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 55,162

9, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 54,313

10, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 54,312

Who Is Number 1?

Who is the greatest player in the Professional Bowlers Association’s first 50 years? The answer to that question will finally be revealed during the live ESPN telecast of the H&R Block PBA Tournament of Champions on Sunday.

The last two names on the list of the 50 best PBA players ever, as selected by a national panel of bowling industry experts, are the late Earl Anthony and current star Walter Ray Williams Jr.

Who would you pick?

Anthony, who bowled most of his career out of Tacoma, Wash., was the most dominant left-handed player in PBA history, winning 43 PBA Tour titles – a record that stood for 30 years before Williams broke it in 2007. Among his titles, however, are a PBA-record 10 “majors” including six PBA National Championships. He won that prestigious event three times in a row twice. He also won a pair of United States Bowling Congress Masters titles and two PBA Tournament of Champions crowns, but the U.S. Open eluded him and prevented Anthony from capturing PBA Triple Crown and Grand Slam honors.

Anthony, who ran away from the field to win titles when no other left-hander even made the match play cut, was a six-time PBA Player of the Year, won the George Young High Average award five times and was the first player in PBA history to surpass $1 million in career earnings. In a 2000 poll of industry experts conducted by Bowling Magazine, Anthony was declared “Master of the Millennium,” symbolic of being the best bowler in the more than 100 years of organized bowling in America.

He was 45 when he stunned the bowling world by announcing his retirement from the PBA Tour at the end of 1983 – a season when he won his final PBA National Championship and his sixth Player of the Year title. Anthony returned in 1984 to bowl in – and win - the USBC Masters. He re-surfaced in 1988 to bowl a limited number of PBA Senior Tour events, winning seven times and boosting his PBA career earnings total to $1.4 million before permanently retiring. He still ranks third in career TV appearances (114) and second in most consecutive years with at least one title (15).

Anthony was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1983 and into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1986.

How can you top that? Well, Williams has systematically eclipsed Anthony’s records almost across the board. Williams, who turned 48 in October, has more longevity than Anthony as a touring player and he’s right-handed, so experts have wrestled with those distinctions when weighing their votes.

Beyond those two factors, Williams is still one of the most feared players in the world. He has now won 45 PBA Tour titles, including seven “majors.” The only title he is missing to complete the Triple Crown and Grand Slam is the Tournament of Champions, where he’ll be considered one of the favorites this week.

Among his other astonishing stats: with his win in the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship in November, he broke a tie with Anthony in winning a title for the 16th consecutive year. He has won a PBA-record seven Harry Smith Point Leader titles. He owns the single-season earnings record ($419,700 in 2002-03) and is the first player to exceed $4 million in career earnings.

Williams has made a record 166 TV appearances – 47 more than runner-up Pete Weber. He also has been selected PBA Player of the Year six times, matching Anthony’s total, but he has been selected to U.S. Bowler’s All-America first team 17 times – five more than Anthony.

Maybe the most impressive thing about Williams is that he’s still bowling like a 20-year-old. He’s a long way from calling it a career.

Who’s No. 1? Tune in to the finals of the H&R Block Tournament of Champions on ESPN Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern; 9:30 a.m. Pacific) and you’ll find out.

Macpherson Wins PBA Women's Series Event

In the final PBA Women’s Series event of the 2008-09 season, newly-elected United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, Nev., closed with four strikes in a row and won a 199-184 slugfest when Stefanie Nation of Arlington, Texas, failed to convert the 1-2-4-8 in the 10th frame.

I did the best I could do to get strikes,” Macpherson said. “The last part of the game I closed in on the pocket and gave myself a chance."

Sitting on the bench, however, she knew she needed help to win. Nation’s errant shot in the 10th frame was the break Macpherson needed.

"I had done the math. I knew what was possible,” the 20-time Professional Women’s Bowling Association titlist said. “I have been on both sides of that situation. You never like to win that way, but I left the game feeling I did everything I could to win.

"In the six minutes after I stepped off the lanes I received 34 text messages. My response was, ‘Wow!’"

For Macpherson, who got into the event as an alternate, it was her first USBC-sponsored Women’s Series title. She also earned $10,000 and a spot in the upcoming Women’s Shootout. Nation, who earned $6,000, was seeking her second Women’s Series title. She won her first in the Pepsi Viper Women’s Championship in Omaha, Neb., to start the women’s season.

Malott Defends Bayer Earl Anthony Medford Classic Title

Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, moved into the Lumber Liquidators PBA Player of the Year points lead Sunday when he successfully defended his Bayer Earl Anthony Medford Classic title with a 239-201 victory over top qualifier Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C., at Lava Lanes.

Malott, the No. 4 qualifier, won three straight matches on his way to the $25,000 first prize, his fifth career title and his second title of the 2008-09 season. Two open frames by Jones to start the championship match helped Malott take a 33-pin lead after three frames and five strikes in a row to finish the game clinched the victory.

"It wasn't an easy test to get through those guys on the show today,” Malott said. “I said to myself do what you know how to do and that's what I did.

"Now that I have defended my title here in Medford, I am meeting some goals I set for myself,” Malott said. “I wanted to win two titles in a season and five titles in my career. Now that I have defended, I can set my sights on Player of the Year."

The win gave Malott a 10-point lead over Norm Duke in the Player of the Year points race.

Jones, who made his first TV appearance since winning the Geico Classic in West Babylon, N.Y., last March, made a valiant bid to get back into the match, but he couldn’t put together a sustained string of strikes to cut into Malott’s lead. Jones earned $13,000 as runner-up.

In the opening match of the telecast, Malott threw strikes in six of his first seven frames to end Patrick Allen’s hopes for back-to-back titles, 234-195. Allen, from Wesley Chapel, Fla., earned $5,500 for fourth place.

In the men’s semifinal match, Malott struck on eight of his first nine shots for a 255-246 victory over Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa. O’Neill, who is still vying for his first PBA Tour title, took home $6,500 for third place.

The next stop on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour will be the H&R Block PBA Tournament of Champions which gets underway Wednesday at Red Rock Resort and Lanes in Las Vegas. Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., will head an elite field of 60 PBA champions in his quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive PBA “major” title.

Last PBA Womens Series Event of The Season

In the final Professional Bowling Association (PBA) Women’s Series event of the season, newly-elected United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, Nev., will try for her first Women’s Series title against rising star Stefanie Nation of Arlington, Texas. Macpherson, the all-time earnings leader in women’s professional bowling, led the women’s field with a 23-game total of 4,951 pins, earning the top qualifying position by 15 pins over Nation.

"I'm the alternate in the PBA Women’s Series, so this was only the fourth event I’ve been able to bowl in,” Macpherson said. “I was really excited to advance to match play. I'm speechless right now, tickled pink to make the show. I've done nothing but work on my game, bowling every day since September. I'm really excited."

Brunswick Wild Ride Tour Edition

Brunswick Wild Ride Tour Edition - The Wild Ride TE uses the acclaimed light bulb core initially used in the Teal Rhino Pro®. With its Rough Buff finish, the Wild Ride TE coverstock, is the new “ConneXion Reactive” 2-Color Pearl in Black Onyx / Navy. Core Dynamics @ 16# RG: 2.548, diff: 0.024. Available in early February.

Storm Second Dimension

The Storm 2nd Dimension wraps the “R2X Pearl” cover in Midnight Sky Blue (Dark Navy Blue/Black), Malibu (Teal Green) and Wine (Ruby/Maroon), with Enhanced Traction Mica (E.T.M.) around the “Continuum Core.” The med-high flare ball is finished at 1500 grit then polished. You’ll want Ice Cream with your 2nd Dimension because it smells like Apple Pie. Core numbers: 15# 2.51 .048. Available Feb 12.

Listen to Hank Boomershine talk about the new Second Dimension.

PBA Bayer Earl Anthony Classic

Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla., will try for back-to-back Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowling Association titles Sunday in the ESPN-televised finals of the Bayer Earl Anthony Classic at Lava Lanes, but he’ll have to win three matches to do it.

Allen, fresh off a victory in the National Bowling Stadium Championship in Reno, Nev., qualified fourth for Sunday’s finals behind top qualifier Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C., Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa., and Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas. He’ll have to beat all three, starting with Malott, to claim his 12th career PBA Tour title.

Jones, bidding for his first title in almost a year, posted a 32-game total of 7,624 pins on a demanding new Earl Anthony lane conditioning pattern, taking the top spot by 27 pins over O’Neill, who is seeking his first Lumber Liquidators PBA title. O’Neill and Malott also were finalists a week ago in Reno while Jones, a 10-time PBA Tour winner, will be making his first TV appearance of the 2008-09 season.

“The lanes were really hard tonight,” said Jones, “it reminded me of a U.S. Open pattern. I tried to bowl with 15 pounds (balls) last year and got into some bad habits. Two weeks ago I went back to 16 and worked with Mark Baker, my swing was getting way to steep.”

For the second straight week, Allen is the only left-hander to reach the TV finals, and he did it this time in a tournament dedicated to the most successful left-hander bowler in PBA history.

"I would never compare myself to Earl,” Allen noted, “but he had his weeks when no other lefties were close, so maybe there is a little of Earl in the house this week."

Allen locked up his spot in the finals by starting his final position round match against Malott with seven strikes.

"I bowled a big game when I had to,” he said. “I knew if I could beat Malott, I would be in good shape and fortunately I struck in the ninth frame to seal the deal."