PBA Quick Notes

Ryan Shafer extended his PBA record for most
television appearances in PBA major
championships without a title to 12 in the
Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open. Shafer
finished fourth Sunday at Brunswick Zone-Carolier in
North Brunswick, NJ.

Speaking of Shafer, the 25-year PBA Tour veteran and reigning Steve Nagy 
Sportsmanship Award winner has been one of the most popular news media stories 
of the past two seasons, relaying the story of how he has succeeded as an 
athlete afflicted with Type I diabetes since age 19.

Walter Ray Williams Jr.’s streak of 17 consecutive seasons with at least one 
title is in jeopardy with two tournaments remaining on the 2010-11 schedule. 
Williams’ brilliant career was the subject of a full-length feature story by 
John Branch that appeared in the front page of the New York Times sports section 
on Thursday, Feb. 24. Branch’s feature, along with dozens of other stories 
generated by the Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open, can be found on pba.com by 
clicking on the “In The News” tab.

After winning the Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open, Norm Duke has opted to take a 
week off and is bypassing the Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship. But Wes 
Malott, who declined to bowl in the first two Plastic Ball Championships, is in 
this year’s field. Malott, you may recall, was the topic of a discussion on 
ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” about the “throwback technology” event two 
years ago and wound up bowling a “plastic ball” challenge match against PTI’s 
Michael Wilbon. Wilbon, with a friendly handicap assist, defeated Malott in 
their match. 

DUKE ADDS 304 STRIKES TO “STRIKES FOR SY” TOTAL DURING U.S. OPEN
U.S. Open champion Norm Duke, who has been throwing “Strikes for Sy” since the PBA Tournament of Champions, added 304 strikes to his total during the demanding U.S. Open, bringing his four-event total to 936. Duke is helping raise money for Sy Harger, a four-year-old who lives near Duke’s home in Clermont, FL, who suffers from Eosinophilic Esophagitis, a rare medical condition which prevents him from eating solid foods.

Duke’s “Strikes for Sy” campaign asks people to pledge a specific amount for
each strike Duke rolls for the rest of the season. If you would like to support
of Duke’s effort, visit http://www.strikesforsy.com/. To view a video about the
project, visit nextlevelbowling.com.