Sunday, May 9, 2010

JOWDY, KRISTOF, GRANGER HONORED FOR COACHING EFFORTS

Long-time Columbia 300 sales rep and renowned bowling coach John Jowdy has been selected as the 2010 inductee into the Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame in recognition of his superior coaching contributions to the sport. Jowdy will be recognized on Monday, June 18, during the International Bowl Expo general session at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Jowdy, who began his coaching career in San Antonio in the 1940s, became an iconic figure at PBA Tour events with his foot-long cigars (which he never smoked). In his nearly 40 years of travels, he has helped hundreds of men and women advance their professional bowling careers. He is credited with the development of Team Columbia, which became the first staff of professionals to represent a ball company and set an example all other ball companies soon
followed.

The author of two instructional books, hundreds of instructional articles and nationally-distributed opinion columns, Jowdy was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988.

The late Joe Kristof of Columbus, Ohio, a PBA charter member who conducted hundreds of clinics as an AMF staff member, and Jeanette Robinson of Las Vegas will also be honored as coaching “Trailblazers.” Kristof also was a pioneer in the bowling pro shop business.

Former PBA Touring Player Purvis Granger also has earned international recognition as winner of the 2010 World Bowling Writers Tom Kouros Outstanding International Coach Award. Granger, 46, has spent the past 14 years coaching in Hong Kong, The Philippines and Hong Kong again.

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