PBA AND USBC ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP MOVING PBA LIVESTREAMING TO BOWLTV FOR 2023 SEASON

 DECEMBER 1, 2022 PROFESSIONAL BOWLERS ASSOCIATION

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ARLINGTON, Texas – The Professional Bowlers Association and United States Bowling Congress have agreed on a partnership to offer exclusive livestreaming coverage of the 2023 Guaranteed Rate PBA Tour season on BowlTV.

The agreement will include comprehensive coverage of the PBA National Tour, as well as PBA50, PBA Jr. and PBA Regional Tour events. BowlTV’s season coverage will feature all PBA Tour qualifying rounds and championship rounds for five PBA Classic series tournaments. The coverage also will include the entirety of the Roth/Holman PBA Doubles Championship and all PBA50 Tour events.

This agreement brings the PBA Tour, Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour and USBC short-duration tournaments to the same BowlTV livestreaming platform, providing subscribers unprecedented access to top-level bowling with one subscription.

“We are pleased to have all professional bowling come together under the same platform for 2023,” PBA Tour Commissioner Tom Clark said. “BowlTV’s coverage will be tremendous for bowling fans.”

PBA coverage on BowlTV will include multiple channels at each event, so fans can follow their favorite PBA competitors. The broadcasts also will include professional commentary, interviews and analysis featuring top bowling experts.

“We appreciate the PBA partnering with the USBC to create this incredible content offering for bowling,” USBC President Melissa McDaniel said. “This partnership is a big win for all of bowling, including the fans, athletes and USBC members. USBC is committed to making the BowlTV experience outstanding for its subscribers and the PBA.”

BowlTV offers the ability to purchase event tickets, as well as monthly and annual subscriptions. A full 2023 event schedule and updated pricing will be announced later this month.

Go to BOWL.com/BowlTV to learn more about BowlTV. Visit PBA.com for information on the PBA Tour.

USBC AND STORM PRODUCTS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT OF NATIONAL TOURNAMENT EXCLUSION AND BALL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

 ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress and Storm Products have agreed on a national tournament exclusion rule and ball exchange program for six Storm Products manufactured ball models. The agreement comes after USBC identified the models having a percentage of balls produced below USBC minimum 73D hardness specification.

USBC's investigation showed a percentage of these ball models measured below the USBC-required hardness level of the approval samples submitted by Storm. Storm collaborated with USBC after being notified of this testing.

The affected models include:

• Storm Phaze 4
• Storm Electrify Solid
• Storm Trend 2
• 900 Global Altered Reality
• 900 Global Wolverine
• Roto Grip UFO Alert

Effective March 30, 2022, these balls models are prohibited from use in USBC national tournaments, including, but not limited to, the USBC Masters, U.S. Open, USBC Open Championships, USBC Women's Championships, all PWBA Tour events, USBC Junior Gold and Youth Open Championships, USBC Intercollegiate Championships, USBC Team USA Trials, USBC Senior Masters and USBC Senior Queens.

These ball models remain USBC approved. Each USBC competition, whether tournament or league, has the option to adopt USBC's national tournament rule prohibiting use of these balls or to continue to allow their use.

USBC has shared this national tournament rule with Storm and has Storm's support. Storm will offer owners of the affected balls the option to exchange their balls for a new product. Information about the exchange program will be published later this week on stormbowling.com.

"USBC thanks Storm for the collaboration and for working together on a solution for our members," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "There is no perfect solution to this type of problem, but this agreement strikes a balance in protecting the integrity of USBC national tournaments, while giving members a choice to do what is best for them locally."

As part of the agreement, Storm Products will discontinue sales of the affected balls. USBC has concluded its investigation and will not be taking action on additional balls related to this production issue.

"Storm appreciates USBC working with us on this agreement, so we can put the issue behind us and focus on our customers," Storm Products President Dave Symes said. "Customer satisfaction has always been our top priority, and we will take care of our customers."

This agreement does not change the status of the Storm Spectre. The Spectre remains unapproved and on USBC's non-conforming ball list.

Go to BOWL.com/EquipAndSpecs to learn more about the equipment specifications.

USBC MODIFIES RULES TO HELP ALLOW A RETURN TO COMPETITIVE BOWLING

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors approved waivers and modifications to USBC Playing Rules to allow certified leagues and tournaments more flexibility to return to bowling while adhering to local health guidelines related to COVID-19.  

The modifications allow certified competition to take place on one lane for the entirety of a game. Additionally, bowlers will be allowed to use isopropyl alcohol, more commonly known as rubbing alcohol, to clean their bowling ball during competition. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists isopropyl alcohol as an approved disinfectant for use against COVID-19.

“As bowling centers around the country are reopening, USBC intends to give operators the most flexibility possible to resume bowling within their local guidelines,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. “We have been listening to proprietors and members as they prepare to resume certified play and made these changes based on that input. Our goal is to facilitate bowling again in a way that meets the need locally and USBC is ready to quickly consider and activate additional changes based on feedback from centers and associations.”

The USBC Board has the authority to temporarily amend or suspend league and tournament rules in emergency cases. With the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, USBC reviewed its rules and policies to identify areas of concern relating to player safety and to determine how it could promote efforts while centers adjust operations to meet local guidelines.

Effective immediately, USBC has temporarily waived USBC Playing Rules 106a, 106b, 320a and 320b, which state two lanes must be used for competition and bowlers must alternate lanes – bowling five frames on each lane of the pair. It also waived the requirement that both lanes must be used for a bowler to be eligible for awards and average recognition.

The temporary waiver allows competitions to use one lane for the entirety of a game and allows recognition of scores bowled on a single lane for USBC High Score Awards and for a bowler’s official average.

USBC will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and can rescind the waiver of Rules 106a,106b, 320a and 320b at any time.

USBC also created an exception for Rule 18, which restricts the use of liquid cleaners to clean the outer surface of the bowling ball during USBC certified competition. The exception for Rule 18 applies only to isopropyl alcohol – no other USBC-approved cleaners will be allowed during competition.

The USBC Board, which has the authority over General Playing Rules, was able to make the rules waivers following the adoption of General Playing Rule 14 - Emergency Authorizations. Rule 14 states USBC may authorize temporary modifications to the General Playing Rules, Award, League and Tournament Rules in cases of emergency and that such authorizations will be for a specified period.

Visit BOWL.com/Rules for more information on USBC Rules.

USBC Suspending or Postponing National Events

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is postponing or suspending nationally conducted USBC events until May 1, 2020, due to COVID-19 safety concerns.

This includes the USBC Open Championships, USBC Women’s Championships, USBC Convention, USBC Masters and USBC Senior Queens. USBC made this difficult decision out of concern for the health and safety of our members, their families and local communities.

• The 2020 USBC Open Championships and 2020 USBC Women’s Championships are suspended until May 1, 2020. All teams registered from March 21 through April 30 will have the option to reschedule for new added dates in the summer. USBC customer service will contact team captains directly with more details.
     
• The USBC Masters, USBC Senior Queens and USBC Convention are postponed indefinitely. USBC intends to reschedule these events later in 2020, as public health conditions allow.

USBC will announce any changes to the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour schedule no later than April 2, 2020.

We realize our stakeholders will have many questions related the changes. USBC staff is working on additional communications and guidance for our bowlers and association leaders. We appreciate everyone’s patience as our staff works to provide more information as soon as possible.

FOUR ELECTED TO USBC HALL OF FAME FOR 2020

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame will have at least four new members when the 2020 class is inducted April 29, 2020, in Las Vegas.

The USBC Hall of Fame Committee recently elected Patrick Healey Jr. in the USBC Outstanding Performance men’s category, Bob Learn Jr. in the Veterans category, and Andrew Cain and Jim Zebehazy in the Meritorious Service category.

In addition to the four elected, the USBC Hall of Fame Committee selected eight bowlers – six men and two women – for the Superior Performance ballot that will be distributed to a national panel of USBC Hall of Fame members, USBC Board members and veteran bowling writers.

Selected for the men’s national ballot are Patrick Allen of Garfield, New Jersey; Bryan Goebel of Shawnee, Kansas; Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas; Randy Pedersen of Orlando, Florida; Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, and Mark Williams of Beaumont, Texas.

Named to the women’s national ballot are Marianne DiRupo of Succasunna, New Jersey, and Tammy Turner of West Palm Beach, Florida.

Healey Jr., 51, of Niagara Falls, New York, was a three-time member of Team USA (1991-1992, 1995). In Pan American Games competition, he brought home two gold medals (team, Masters) from the 1991 event in Havana, Cuba, and won three golds (doubles, team, Masters) and a silver (singles) at the 1995 event in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He won gold in doubles and trios at the 1991 World Championships in Singapore, gold in Masters at the 1991 United States Sports Festival, and took the title at the 1995 QubicaAMF World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He also earned six gold medals at the 1995 Tournament of the Americas.

The 1994 U.S. National Amateur champion, Healey Jr. took third at the 1995 Brunswick World Tournament of Champions as an amateur and also is a two-time World Team Challenge champion (1995, 1997). He is a two-time World Amateur Bowler of the Year (1995, 1996) and was named to the Bowlers Journal All-Century Team for the American Zone (1999).

He was selected the United States Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year for Bowling in 1991 and 1995.

Healey Jr. started bowling in international tournaments in 1990 and has earned 24 wins in international competitions. He has a 300 game in nine countries and won titles in 14 countries and on six continents. He was invited to be part of the 1992 Olympic Games American Bowling Congress team to help promote the sport of bowling and the sport’s quest to gain medal status.

He was a member of the Lodge Lanes team that won the Team All-Events title at the 1997 and 1998 USBC Open Championships. He has four additional top-10 finishes at the event.

A regular on the PBA Tour for nearly a decade, Healey Jr. won three titles, including the PBA Tournament of Champions in 2003. He officially retired from competition in 2008.

The 1986 Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow award winner, he attended Wichita State University from 1986-1990 and was a National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) first-team All-America selection in 1988.

Learn Jr., 57, a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, currently serves as the head coach of the men’s and women’s bowling programs at Martin Methodist College in Tennessee.

He joined the PBA Tour in 1981, winning five titles, including the 1999 U.S. Open. In 1996, he rolled a 300 game in the opening match of the PBA Flagship Open televised finals, the 10th perfect game in a televised PBA event, to earn a $100,000 bonus and the nickname Mr. 300. He then posted games of 270, 280 and 279 to win the title and shatter the highest two-game (570), three-game (850), and four-game (1,129) series in PBA television history.

He also owns three PBA50 titles and, in 2017, made the stepladder finals in six of 11 events.

A two-time member of Senior Team USA, he earned a gold medal in team at the 2015 World Bowling Senior Championships in Las Vegas and captured gold in doubles and team at the 2017 event in Unterfohring, Germany.

A USBC Silver coach, Learn Jr. is a former Team USA coach and has conducted bowling clinics throughout the world.

He won the ESPY Award for bowling in 1997, was a Bowlers Journal All-America first-team selection in 1995-1996, and a USBC first-team All-American in 1996 and 1999. He is a member of the Erie Bowling Association and Pennsylvania State Halls of Fame.

Cain, 38, of Phoenix, was a five-time member of Team USA and has bowled on the PBA Tour since 2007, but made his biggest mark in the sport off the lanes.

He joined the USBC Board of Directors in 2007, was named vice president in 2010, and then took the reins as president in 2012. During his three-and-a-half years as USBC president, Cain was instrumental in the creation of International Bowling Campus Youth Development, combining the youth forces of USBC and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) to streamline and improve participation in youth bowling.

Also, during his tenure, the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) was restarted through a joint effort with BPAA, as was the U.S. Open, also with support from BPAA.

Cain served on the BPAA, Strike Ten Entertainment, and The Bowling Foundation boards, and, after completing his term on the USBC Board, he continues to serve bowling at the national level as a member of the USBC Equipment Specifications Committee and on the SMART board.

On the lanes, Cain was a two-time first-team All-American at Arizona State University and was named the 1999 Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow. He won the 2001 U.S. Amateur Championships, is a five-time member of Team USA (2002-2003, 2005, 2016-2017) and was a member of Junior Team USA in 2001.

As a member of K&K Bowling Services 5, Cain captured the Team All-Events title at the 2011 USBC Open Championships.

He joined the PBA Tour in 2007, making the televised finals in his first PBA event (Dick Weber Open), where he finished fourth. He was named the 2007-2008 PBA West Region Player of the Year, as well as 2007-2008 PBA West and Northwest Region Rookie of the Year. In 2017, the left-hander rolled a PBA five-game record of 1,352, including a 300 game, in the PBA Cheetah Championship at the National Bowling Stadium.

Zebehazy, 66, of Leesburg, Florida,  was instrumental in promoting and developing youth bowling and helped lay the groundwork for the Junior Gold Championships.

He started his career in the bowling industry in 1971 as a pinsetter mechanic and pro shop rep at Airport Bowling Center in Buffalo, New York, and later joined the Buffalo Bowling Association board.

In 1983, he became a field representative for the American Bowling Congress (ABC), visiting more than 1,500 associations in the Northeast and teaching Certified Lane Inspection Workshops. He took over as ABC’s Group Executive for Field Service in 1989.

In 1998, he was named Executive Director of the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA), overseeing staff, programs and services, and strategic planning. During his tenure, he implemented David Dahm’s concept of the Junior Gold program, provided the vision for the USBC Youth Open Championships, and initiated the Gift For Life Scholarship program.

He was directly responsible for the creation of the Registered Volunteer Program (RVP), one of the first safety programs put into place in the world of youth sports, and was a key person in improving and advancing the Scholarship Management and Account Reporting for Tenpins (SMART) program.

His role in YABA ended with the merger of the sport’s major organizations to form USBC in 2005. He supported the merger and played an integral role in helping to push the initiative to completion. The YABA board created the Annual Zeb Scholarship in 2005 in recognition of his dedication to the organization.

He joined USBC in 2005 as a field representative, a position he held until his retirement in 2015.

In 2010, Zebehazy received the Kerm Helmer Horizon Award, given to leaders in the youth bowling community who have displayed the courage, determination, and ability to develop far-reaching programs of national scope that provide fun and exciting opportunities.

The 2020 USBC Hall of Fame Class will be inducted April 29, during the USBC Convention at The Orleans Hotel and Casino.

Through 2019, there are 432 members of the USBC Hall of Fame – 223 in Superior Performance, 120 in Meritorious Service, 51 in Veterans, 22 in Pioneer and 16 in Outstanding USBC Performance.

The USBC Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by merging the former American Bowling Congress and Women’s International Bowling Congress Halls of Fame.

Visit BOWL.com/HallofFame for more information on the USBC Hall of Fame.

Hall of Famer Kelly Kulick won the all-events at the 2019 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Women's Championships for her first title at the tournament. 

In the 2019 USBC Women’s Championships at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kansas, all of the leaders heading into the finals days held on to win. 

by Jeff Richgels

Photo by United States Bowling Congress.

USBC ADJUSTS TIMELINE FOR NEW BOWLING BALL SPECIFICATIONS

ARLINGTON, Texas – After reviewing feedback from industry partners, the United States Bowling Congress Equipment and Specifications Committee has revised the implementation dates for the new bowling ball specifications announced earlier this year.

The Equipment and Specifications Committee determined the specification allowing increases in static weights for bowling balls without balance holes will begin this fall to allow for a smoother transition for bowlers.

Starting Aug. 1, 2018, bowling balls weighing more than 10 pounds will be allowed to have up to three ounces of static side, thumb or finger weight and up to three ounces of top or bottom weight, provided the ball does not have a balance hole.

Bowlers still can have a bowling ball with a balance hole until Aug. 1, 2020, but any balls with a balance hole must stay within the current static weight specification of one ounce for finger, thumb or side weight, and three ounces for top or bottom weight.

The specification eliminating the use of balance holes still will go into effect Aug. 1, 2020.

“After hearing from all stakeholders, the committee decided it was the right move to make the static weight specification an option starting this fall,” Andrew Cain, chair of the USBC Equipment and Specifications Committee, said. “Bowlers now have a two-year window to work with their pro shops to ensure their equipment will meet specifications on Aug. 1, 2020.”

With the elimination of balance holes as of Aug. 1, 2020, bowlers may have up to five holes for gripping purposes and all gripping holes must be used on every delivery. A bowler who chooses not to use a thumb hole would need to mark by scribe, engraver or tool their intended center of palm with a plus (+) mark to indicate their grip orientation.

Bowlers who do not use their thumb for delivery and decide to use the higher static weight specification cannot have a thumb hole – it would be classified a balance hole – and immediately will be required to follow the specification requiring them to mark their intended center of palm.

The USBC Equipment and Specifications Committee did decide the gripping rules that become effective Aug. 1, 2020, will have an exception for house balls, for bowlers who use house balls and might not have the strength to use all gripping holes.

House balls are defined as balls supplied by the center where the competition is taking place, have a polyester or basic urethane cover, a differential RG of less than 0.025 inches and the ball is not specifically drilled to fit the bowler.

The dates for implementing the new specification for the oil absorption rate of bowling ball coverstocks do not change. The initial step on the oil absorption specification will begin Aug. 1, 2018, when bowling ball manufacturers are required to submit oil absorption data as part of the USBC bowling ball approval process. The specification requiring a bowling ball’s oil absorption rate to be more than 2 minutes, 15 seconds (2:15) for the ball to be approved will take effect Aug. 1, 2020.

However, because all current bowling balls will be grandfathered in regardless of oil absorption rate, the Equipment Specifications Committee determined the production of balls that do not meet the 2:15 oil absorption time limit must be stopped as of Jan. 31, 2022.

The new bowling ball specifications announced in April were designed to sustain the playing field both currently and in the future.

The Equipment and Specifications Committee has delegated authority from the USBC Board to make changes to equipment specifications.

Visit BOWL.com/EquipAndSpecs for more about the specification changes.

Bowling Memorabilia From USBC Hall Of Famer Roger Dalkin

As many of you know over my lifetime I have been an avid collector of bowling memorabilia, some of which is one of a kind. If you ever visited my office at Bowling Headquarters in Greendale, you saw just a small part of my collection. 

My extensive collection in now in boxes in my daughter’s basement. It is time to let others enjoy these items like I did. As a result I am going to start selling off my entire collection over the coming year. 

This post (Facebook) is to see if there is any interest. 

The collection includes medals from the ABC and WIBC Tournaments back to the early 1900’s, ties, art, autographed bowling pins, one of a kind items, and even the 6’ by 9’ USBC sign that was in front of the building in Greendale. 

If you have interest or know anyone who might be interested send me an email with your name and email address and I will send out emails to all who are interested about how I will proceed selling items in the collection. Email me directly at rkdalkin@wi.rr.com.

If you would like you can repost this on bowling sites.

Thanks

Roger Dalkin
USBC Hall of Fame
Former USBC CEO and 
ABC Executive Director

BOWLING INDUSTRY TAPS LINK STRATEGY GROUP AS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGENCY

ARLINGTON, Texas – Bowling’s major entities – the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE) – have contracted with Link Strategy Group to develop sponsorship partners for the industry.

Combined, the USBC, BPAA and STE provide access to the more than 67 million consumers who bowl each year and more than 5,000 bowling centers across the U.S. Link Strategy Group will serve as the strategic partnership agency to introduce the bowling platform to potential non-endemic corporations interested in access to the sport of bowling.

“After an in-depth search for a partner in this area, the consensus was that Link Strategy Group was a great fit for bowling,” said John Harbuck, President of Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm of the bowling industry. “They immediately grasped the significant power that our organizations collectively offer and have the contacts to get bowling front-and-center with potential sponsors.

“Bowling is the number one participatory sport in the U.S. and, to date, is really untapped when it comes to non-endemic partnerships,” he added.

In addition to providing companies with access to consumers through bowling centers, Link Strategy Group will be able to offer exclusive naming rights for the recently relaunched Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour and tour events. Current PWBA sponsors include Pepsi, Nationwide, Smithfield and Go Bowling.

Link Strategy Group will also be able to provide partners with unparalleled access to the USBC membership, which is larger than the combined memberships of similar organizations in golf and tennis. Opportunities also exist around the USBC’s national events, which draw participation from thousands of bowlers around the country. These include the Open Championships, Women’s Championships, USBC Masters, USBC Queens, U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, Junior Gold Championships, Team USA and others.

“Bowling is the original social network. It’s a game that’s been enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels for literally centuries,” said Jeff Benton, CEO of Link Strategy Group. “We are excited that for the first time a company can own the sport of bowling through the collective assets of the major bowling organizations.  We can deliver this platform, truly unique in the world of sports, to companies who want to reach a very loyal, expansive audience. And, with the PWBA, we have a new platform and women’s sports property that is perfectly suited for companies wanting to connect with the female consumer.”

For more information on how to partner with the bowling industry, contact Stephen Grecsek at sgrescek@linkstrategygroup.com.

USBC Unveils 2017 Open Championship Changes and Enhancements

ARLINGTON, Texas – When the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships heads to Las Vegas in 2017, the storied event will have several enhancements, highlighted by a new divisional structure. 

The new elements for the event come from recommendations of a task force comprised of tournament participants, volunteer leaders and staff. The task force used surveys of bowlers and historical data from the event to make recommendations to the USBC Board, which approved the new components.

The USBC Open Championships also will have adjustments made to policies concerning professional bowlers, scale-room procedures and announcement of lane conditions.

“We are proud of the process that led to creating the future of the USBC Open Championships,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. “Our customers have been asking for improvements to this event, so we assembled a diverse task force with significant bowler input and came together with a clear consensus on how to move forward.”

The 2017 tournament will feature a new division called the Standard Division for bowlers with entering averages of 181-209. The Regular Division now will be for bowlers with averages of 210 and above, while the Classified Division remains for bowlers who have averages of 180 and below.

All three divisions will have team, doubles, singles and optional all-events, with combined entering averages being used for team and doubles placement.

“Research and feedback showed the task force that our largest demographic at the Open Championships wanted a better experience,” Murphy said. “The 190- or 200-average league bowler wants to compete against others of similar skill. The current scoring gap between the top and bottom half of the Regular Division is not an ideal peer-to-peer competition.”

The task force also recommended a series of adjustments to improve the integrity and fairness of the Open Championships. Starting in 2017, USBC will not publish the lane patterns until after the event. USBC also will discontinue providing information about lane-play strategies, including BowlTV live streaming of complete games and fixed live webcams at the event. 

“The task force unanimously agreed that having access to the lane pattern provides an unquestionable advantage to bowlers with access to modern lane machines and centers closely matching the Open Championships lane surface,” Murphy said. “Success in USBC Championships should be based on the skill of the bowler, not whether you live near the right facility or have the resources to build arsenals to match a pattern. This change moves the keys to success back to shot-making and skill, rather than personal resources.” 

Part of the more than 110 years of history and tradition at the Open Championships is a focus on equipment integrity, which includes weighing and checking every bowling ball used on the tournament lanes. In 2017, all equipment will be weighed and checked prior to both team and doubles/singles competition. 

The task force also recommended making the Open Championships an event fully open to professional bowlers. In 2017, all professional bowlers will be able to compete, within parameters, and only in the Regular Division. The parameters include limits on the number of Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) national titleholders who may compete on the same team.

The new rules, policies and procedures do not impact the 2016 tournament at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.

In light of the task force recommendations, USBC will implement some additional policy changes as well. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2016, USBC national headquarters employees and Championships tournament staff no longer will be eligible to receive prize money, bracket winnings or awards from USBC national events due to USBC’s conflict-of-interest policy. 

USBC RAISES BAR FOR COMPETITION INTEGRITY WITH BOWLMOR AMF U.S. OPEN

ARLINGTON, Texas – Bowlmor AMF, the largest operator of bowling centers in the world, in collaboration with the United States Bowling Congress and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, will provide a new level of lane integrity for bowlers at the 2015 Bowlmor AMF U.S. Open.

Bowlmor AMF worked with USBC and Lane Analytics to complete a comprehensive topography evaluation of the lanes at host center AMF Garland Lanes, ahead of the event that will take place Nov. 2-8 in Garland, Texas.

Each board of every lane was inspected and leveled every three feet in 18 locations per lane. As a result, 99 percent of the crowns and depressions plus cross-tilts are within twenty-thousandths of an inch of flat. This dramatically exceeds USBC’s minimum standard of forty-thousandths of an inch using three inspection locations per lane.

“Bowlmor AMF is committed to competitive bowling and playing a leading role in moving the sport forward in a positive way,” Bowlmor AMF Vice President of Leagues Jay Lietman said. “We are proud to create a world-class venue for the U.S. Open and strive to provide an exceptional experience for our league bowlers across the country as well.”

Details of the U.S. Open lane pattern also are designed to achieve a higher level of competition integrity. The lane pattern will not be revealed until immediately before official practice at AMF Garland Lanes. Additionally, there will be no re-oiling of the lanes between squads.

“From an integrity perspective, Bowlmor AMF has provided a venue of the same high quality you find with a custom installation such as the USBC Open Championships,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. “With no information being provided about the pattern in advance of the event and also no re-oiling procedure during the event, we have taken a step further to leveling the playing field. Multiple angles will need to be played throughout the event to be successful. It’s exciting to think about and I’m looking forward to it.”

USBC plans to use the partnership model developed with Bowlmor AMF to improve lane topography for future host centers of championship events. Limiting the release of lane pattern information already is standard practice for the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour, Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships and most recently, the 2016 Junior Gold Championships.

While many equate a golf scorecard to bowling’s pattern information, Murphy explained a golf scorecard doesn’t change, since yardages are always the same, but bowling patterns migrate on top of the lane with every shot so it’s not static and is always evolving.

“The static piece in bowling is topography of the lane,” Murphy said. “In golf, the scorecard or yardage book that a PGA professional receives the morning of competition is the topography while the pattern is the rough, the speed of the green and the wind. In bowling, the lane map is the topography while the pattern is the factor that changes from shot to shot. For the 2015 Bowlmor AMF U.S. Open, we have done the work to ensure the lanes are in championship condition by making sure the lanes are well within specification. We also are delivering a scorecard to competitors. You can see a detailed report on the topography of the lanes at AMF Garland Lanes here.

“It is USBC’s role to create a level playing field where the athlete’s skill determines the outcome as we continue to build a future for the sport. We appreciate having a great partner hosting the U.S. Open to help make it possible.”

For more information on the Bowlmor AMF U.S. Open, visit BOWL.com/USOpen.

Smithfield Foods To Sponsor PWBA Tour Championships

Smithfield Foods will sponsor the final event of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association season, the

PWBA Tour Championship, set to take place in September with the finals on national television.

The Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship promoted by GoBowling.com will bring together the top 16 bowlers from the 2015 PWBA Tour season, including the winner of each tour stop, for the season-ending event starting Sept. 10 in Arlington, Texas. The stepladder finals will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Eastern, with the winner presented with the Smithfield Cup.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to partner with the PWBA during its comeback season,” Bob Weber, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Smithfield Foods, said. “The early tour events have drawn a good deal of interest and the PWBA Tour will be a great avenue for our brands to reach bowling fans.”

Smithfield Foods was founded in Smithfield, Virginia, in 1936 and has become the world’s largest producer of pork products. In addition to its Smithfield flagship brand, other notable brands produced by Smithfield Foods include Eckrich, Farmland, Armour, Cook’s Gwaltney, John Morrell and Nathan’s Famous.

The two-year partnership also makes Smithfield the Official Elite Title sponsor of the PWBA Tour.

The PWBA Tour re-launched earlier this year with a three-year funding commitment from the BPAA and the United States Bowling Congress. The season kicked off with the USBC Queens in May and has seen sold-out fields for its first three standard events.

“It’s always great to see when a company such as Smithfield Foods sees the value of marketing through our sport,” said Kelly Kulick, the spokesperson for the PWBA who could be featured in PWBA-themed ads for Smithfield. “The opportunity for women to compete as professional bowlers on a regular basis is possible because of the PWBA Tour and because of companies like Smithfield.”

The PWBA Tour has two more tour stops this season before the PWBA Tour Championship takes place at the International Training and Research Center.

Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, who won the PWBA Wichita Open for her first career PWBA title, currently leads the points list followed by Diana Zavjalova of Latvia, and Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey.

Visit PWBA.com to learn more about the PWBA, including the season schedule, player information, points list and more.

Parker Bohn III Sets USBC 8-Game Series Record in PBA Northwest Region Win

On his way to winning his 21st PBA Regional title Sunday May 21st in Puyallup, WA, PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, NJ, rolled the highest eight-game series in United States Bowling Congress (USBC) history.

 

Bohn rolled games of 267, 278, 300, 300, 289, 258, 279 and 258 for a 2,229 series in the round-robin match play portion of the PBA Chevrolet Northwest Open at Daffodil Bowl. He averaged 278.62 in breaking the USBC overall record of 2,203 set by women’s hall of famer Tish Johnson in Panorama City, CA, in 1990. Bohn said he had one open frame in the series – an unconverted 7-10 split – and actually lost one of his eight matches.

 

The series is certified by USBC under the PBA’s blanket-certification program, but PBA scoring records involve PBA Tour and PBA50 Tour events only; the PBA doesn’t track records for regional competition. The PBA Tour 8-game record is the oldest scoring record remaining in the PBA record book: a 2,165 bowled by the late Billy Hardwick in the 1968 Japan Cup.

 

Bohn, who was in the area on a business trip, used his stunning series to run away from Blaine Weninger of Happy Valley, OR, by 469 pins for the Puyallup title, finishing with a 16-game total of 4,495 pins, including match play bonus pins.

 

In the companion PBA50 U.S. Foods Northwest Open at Daffodil Bowl, Bob Davidson of Mountlake Terrace, WA, went 4-2 in match play and knocked down 3,601 total pins for 14 games to top Kurt Bogner of Longview, WA, for his first PBA50 Northwest title. Bogner had a 4-2 match play record and 3,427 pins.

US Open Not Cancelled

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) have joined forces to secure the future of one of bowling's most important brands - Bowling's U.S. Open.

In an agreement announced Friday, USBC and BPAA have agreed to a three-year deal that will see USBC operate and conduct the U.S. Open for men and women in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

"USBC as the national governing body for bowling is committed to supporting competitive bowling and the U.S. Open brand plays an important role," USBC President Andrew Cain said. "We are proud to work alongside our partners at BPAA to secure a certain future for the U.S. Open."

As part of the agreement, USBC and BPAA each will contribute at least $100,000 annually toward operating the events; further details will be announced at a later date.

"BPAA and USBC are dedicated to working together to better the sport of bowling and this partnership is just another example of that cooperation," BPAA President Cathy DeSocio said. "BPAA is proud the U.S. Open brand can continue for years to come and that the sport's greatest athletes will have an opportunity to compete for this prestigious title."

The agreement does not include a broadcast television partner for the events. If a sponsor for television is not secured, live streaming coverage of the events will be provided.

"A television package is certainly not out of the question and something we will work to acquire moving forward," Cain said. "We will be re-engaging partners and other sponsors in an effort develop a model that will benefit the entire industry."

Palermaa and Ciminlli Lead the USBC Masters

A pair of Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) young stars tied for the first-round lead 

Tuesday at the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Masters.

Two-hander Osku Palermaa of Finland and left-hander Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, NY, each fired a five-game total of 1,246 (249.5 average) to take the lead after the opening round at Brunswick Zone Carolier.

Palermaa, 29, and Ciminelli, 26, lead a sold-out field of 468 of the best bowlers in the world competing for a piece of the $325,000 prize fund. The finals of the event will be broadcast live on ESPN on Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Fueled by a strong start with games of 278 and 248, Palermaa closed with 227, 267 and 226 to finish at the top of the leader board.

“I made the right moves, I bowled well but I was also pretty lucky,” said Palermaa, a three-time PBA Tour winner.

“With this format, it is good to get ahead early because you don’t have to chase the cut number. From here, it’s just about filling frames.”

Ciminelli surged in the final game, shooting 279 to take a piece of the lead. He started the day with 234, 279, 245 and 209.

“I watched the lefties bowl well on the first squad, so I felt like I had to go out and get a big number,” said Ciminelli, who has one PBA Tour title.

“I made the right ball change at the right time today. Now I have to figure out a way to stay in that five-to-10 board zone.”

Rhino Page of Dade City, Fla., sits in third with 1,244, while Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., got off to a strong start with 1,233 to place fourth. Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., rounds out the top five with 1,218.

All competitors will bowl 15 games of qualifying over three days before the field is cut to the top 63 plus defending champion Mike Fagan of Dallas for the double-elimination match-play bracket starting Friday. The top five players at the conclusion of the bracket competition will compete in the live two-hour championship round on ESPN.

The Masters, which features a first-place prize of $50,000, is a major event on the PBA Tour and is part of the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour for the third consecutive season.

All qualifying and match play rounds of the Masters are being covered live on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s online bowling channel. For subscription information, visit pba.com.

For more information on the Masters, including live scoring, visit BOWL.com/Masters.

United States Bowling Congress (USBC) - The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body for the sport. USBC is a membership organization that provides standardized rules, regulations and benefits to make bowling fair and fun for everyone. The interactive home of USBC is BOWL.com. Go to twitter.com/USBC for the fastest USBC headlines.

2013 USBC MASTERS At Brunswick Zone Carolier, North Brunswick, NJ
Tuesday’s Results QUALIFYING – ROUND 1 (Five games)
1, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Osku Palermaa, Finland, 1,246.
3, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,244.
4, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,233.
5, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 1,218.
6, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,210.
7, Brian LeClair, Albany, NY, Allen Rice II, Salem, AL, Brian Valenta, Lockport, IL, 1,203,
10, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 1,190. Jon VanHees, Charlestown, R.I., 1,190.
12, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 1,185.
13, Mike Moore, Orlando, Fla., 1,184.
14, Timothy Foy Jr., Salisbury, Md., 1,167.
15, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,160, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,160.
17, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,157.
18, Steven Badovinac, Parker, Colo., 1,153.
19, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,151.
20, John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 1,150.
21, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 1,147.
22, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 1,145, Craig LeMond, Jasper, Ind., 1,145.
24, Matt McNiel, Prior Lake, Minn., 1,144.
25, Thomas Coco, Cortland Manor, N.Y., Anthony Pepe, Jackson Heights, N.Y., 1,141.
27, Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 1,136.
28, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 1,131.
29, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,130.
31, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,127.
32, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, Brian Ziesig, Levittown, N.Y., 1,123.
34, D.J. Archer, Friendswood, Texas, 1,123.
36, Michael Markis, Tafton, Pa., 1,122.
37, Tetsuya Kobayashi, Japan, 1,121.
38, Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y., 1,120.
39, Rusty Thomsen, Morgan, N.J., 1,119.
40, Walter McKnight, Brick, N.J., 1,117.
40, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,117.
42, Frankie Calca, Elmont, N.Y., 1,113.
43, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,111.
44, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, Tommy Dakouvanos, Belford, N.J., 1,110.
46, Steve Novak, Bay City, Mich., 1,109.
47, Gerald Marrs, Huntley, Ill., 1,108.
48, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,106.
48, Kevin Kullman, Tinley Park, Ill., 1,106.
50, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,105.
51, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,102.
52, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., John Brockland, St. Charles, Mo., Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 1,100.
56, Craig Auerbach, Sunrise, Fla., Joe Costanzo, Bethpage, N.Y., Vinny D'Ambrosio III, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,099.
59, Quentin Collins, Jamaica, N.Y., 1,096.
60, Rodney Alston, Philadelphia, Jeff Kubasak, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,095.
62, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,094.
63, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 1,093.
64, Brad Muri, Billings, Mont., 1,092.
65, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,091.
66, Michael Austin, Magnolia, Texas, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,088.
69, Bill Crane III, Mishawaka, Ind., Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1,087.
71, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,085.
72, Daniel Dunleavy, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,084.
73, Devin Golden, Coopersburg, Pa., Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,081.
75, Casey Creutz, Jackson, N.J., David Kipperman, Rocky Hill, Conn., Hugh McGainey, Baltimore, 1,080.
75, Shigeo Saitoh, Japan, 1,080.
79, Joe Novara, Holtsville, N.Y., 1,077.
80, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, Chris Fisher, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1,075.
82, Josh Schneidman, Bay Shore, N.Y., 1,074.
83, Stuart Williams, England, 1,073.
84, Jonathan Crowder, Edison, N.J., Kyle Bigelow, Troy, Ohio, 1,071.
86, Paul Moor, England, 1,069.
87, Greg Young, Viera, Fla., Dale Aivaz Jr., Yonkers, N.Y., 1,068.
89, Joseph Bofrone, Columbia, Md., 1,067.
90, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 1,065.
91, Mike Centrone, Carmel, N.Y., Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,064.
93, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,063.
94, Jeff Leaphart, Columbia, S.C., 1,061.
95, Tim Davidsson, Sweden, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,060.
97, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 1,059.
99, Williams Pautz, LeSueur, Minn., 1,058.
100, Geoffrey Young, Bel Aire, Kan., Matthew O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J., Jack Zuniga, Tulsa, Okla., R.J. Pollard, Versailles, Ind., 1,057.
104, Troy Lint, Leola, Pa., Mike Albert, Little River, S.C., 1,056.
106, Missy Parkin, Fullerton, Calif., Dom Barrett, England, 1,055.
108, Robert Mockenhaupt, Rutherford, N.J., 1,054.
109, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 1,053.
110, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Chatsworth, Calif., Allen Nichols, Loganville, Ga., 1,051.
112, Brian Gunn, Chicago, 1,050.
112, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 1,050.
112, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,050.
115, Jimmie Dillingham, Bonney Lake, Wash., Kamron Doyle, Brentwood, Tenn., Matt Meyer, Alexandria, Minn., Bryan Viator, Friendswood, Texas, 1,049.
119, Brad Miller, St. Charles, Mo., Jim Rogers, Brick, N.J., Michael Norris, Melvindale, Mich., Todd Book, Russells Point, Ohio, 1,047.
123, Fabrizio Cerutti, Plainview, N.Y., Austin Boulds, Wichita, Kan., 1,046.
125, Richard Holmes, Culpeper, Va., Brian Chec, Wheatland, Pa., 1,044.
127, Manuel Otalora, Colombia, 1,043.
128, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., Chris Kramer, Richlandtown, Pa., Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,042.
131, Alex Cavagnaro, Massapequa, N.Y., 1,041.
132, Joe Scianna, Oakdale, N.J., 1,039.
133, Adam Chase, Seaford, N.Y., Andres Gomez, Colombia, Mike Carmean, Georgetown, Del., 1,038.
136, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., 1,037.
138, Ronnie Horton, Christiansburg, Va., Carl Kurilich, Parma, Ohio, 1,035.
140, Ryan Friend, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,033. Mike Fagan, Dallas, 1,033.
142, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., Bradley Powell, Fox River Grove, Ill., Brian Boghosian, Agawam, Mass., 1,031.
145, Michael Askins, Gainesville, Ga., Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,030.
147, Tony Reynaud, Harwinton, Conn., Ron Papp, Bordentown, N.J., 1,029.
149, Matthew Paine, Richfield, Minn., Jesse Buss, Belvidere, Ill., Isao Yamamoto, Japan, 1,028.
152, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., David Knight Jr., Folcroft, Pa., Justin Warhol, Sound Beach, N.Y., 1,027.
155, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., Eddie Santiago, Tuckahoe, N.Y., 1,026.
157, Donald Beck, Fishers Island, N.Y., Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 1,025.
159, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, Ricky Schissler, Henderson, Colo., John Pierce, Denton, Texas, 1,024.
159, Robert Andersson, Sweden, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,024.
164, Richard Horsley, Morrisville, N.C., Jason Howard, Baltimore, 1,021.
166, Eric Copping, Websterville, Vt., 1,019.
167, Mykhaylo Kalika, Ukraine, Travis Celmer, Wernersville, Pa., Michael Calhoun, Wyandotte, Mich., 1,017.
170, Scott Halvarson, Lakewood, Wash., Drew Balta, Swisher, Iowa, Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 1,016.
173, Kyle Paxson, Orlando, Fla., 1,015.
174, Ray Edwards, Middle Island, N.Y., 1,014.
175, Nobuhito Fujii, Japan, 1,013.
176, Josh Chambliss, Hanahan, S.C., Garret Maxey, Greeley, Colo., 1,012.
178, Jimmy Johnson, Wilmington, Del., E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., Miles Coplan, Manchester, N.H., 1,011.
181, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., Mike Taylor, Havertown, Pa., Jaime Gonzalez, Colombia, 1,010.
184, Stephen Pavlinko Jr., Sewell, N.J., Tyson Branagan, Bedford, Texas, 1,008.
186, Kevin Magnan, Canada, Jack Castellano, Centereach, N.Y., Robert Fusik III, East Windsor, N.J., 1,007.
189, Sean McAuliffe, Staten Island, N.Y., William Bittenbender, Burlington, N.J., 1,006.
191, Jason Ciszewsik, Parlin, N.J., 1,005.
192, Dale Barshewski Jr., Keansburg, N.J., Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., Greg Rottengen, Washington, N.J., 1,004.
192, Joseph Vrobel, Crest Hill, Ill., Anthony Trethewey, Lexington, Ky., 1,004.
197, Oleksandr Kalika, Ukraine, Mike McDonnell, Chesterfield, Va., 1,003.
199, Joseph Nawn, Upper Darby, Pa., 1,002.
200, Nick Kokenos, St. Clair Shores, Mich., Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, Andrew Suscreba, Clifton, N.J., 1,001.
204, Christopher Blackmore, Fairfax, Va., Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,000.
204, Ryan Wyandt, West Lawn, Pa., 1,000.
207, David Pelkey, Burke, N.Y., Ernest Lukacs Jr., Manville, N.J., 999. Jeff Piroozshad, Coral Springs, Fla., 999.
210, Charles Bonis Jr., Port Chester, N.Y., Andrew Stewart, Galloway Twp., N.J., Rob Hoffman, Freehold, N.J., 998.
213, Charles Hayslett III, Apple Valley, Minn., 997.
214, J.T. "Action" Jackson, Sherman Oaks, Calif., 996.
215, Chris Williams, North Las Vegas, Nev., Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 995.
217, Rick Banister, Vandenburg, Calif., Ronnie Sparks Jr., Ecorse, Mich., Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 994.
221, Robert Greene, Oxford, Conn., Andrew Graff, Las Vegas, Jeffery Hicks, Allen Park, Mich., 993.
224, Yuta Shirahama, Japan, 992.
225, Carl Zbranak, Beachwood, N.J., John Furey, Freehold, N.J., Ron Dixon, Boynton Beach, Fla., 991.
228, Kenny Ryan, Ocean, N.J., Scott Falatovich, Hillsborough, N.J., Aaron Groendyk, Grandville, Mich., Cassandra Leuthold, Black Hawk, S.D., Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 990.
234, Mitch Sacks, Jersey City, N.J., 989.
235, Adam Barta, Girard, Ohio, Paul Pinto, Philadelphia, Julio Cesar Blancas, Mexico, 988.
238, Duane Steinmetz, Evans, Colo., Robert Smith, Voorhees, N.J., 987.
240, Billy Trudell, Coventry, R.I., Jeremy Domingo, Sewell, N.J., Fran Luzzi, Port Jervis, N.Y., 985.
243, Yoichi Nakayama, Japan, 984.
244, Kenneth Gray, North East, Md., Joe Krajkovich, North Brunswick, N.J., 983.
246, Eric Cornog, Cherry Hill, N.J., Philip Karwoski Sr., South Hadley, Mass., Chris DosSantos, Fairhaven, Mass., 982.
249, Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J., Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 981.
251, Woody Ross II, Warner Robins, Ga., Michael LoBianco, Brick, N.J., 980.
253, Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., Leon Platt, Summerville, S.C., 979.
255, Alexander Marx, Toms River, N.J., Shane Reid, Enfield, Conn., Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 978.
258, Jim Emens Jr., Rochester, N.Y., Matt Gasn, Laurel, Md., 977.
260, Robert Lint, Johnstown, Pa., 976.
261, Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa., 975.
262, Brian O'Mara, Webster, N.Y., 972.
262, Keith Laing, Los Angeles, 972.
264, Alejandro Reyna, Costa Rica, 971.
265, Conan Mackey, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 970.
267, Geoff Wetzler, Tolland, Conn., Noel Pabilonia, Jersey City, N.J., 969.
269, Justin Lesser, LaPorte, Ind., Miguel Lopez, Wichita, Kan., Matt Taylor, Knightdale, N.C., 968.
272, Dave Penfold, Hebron, Ind., Tomoyuki Sasaki, Japan, 967.
274, Ernest Lukacs, Manville, N.J., 966.
275, Craig Nidiffer, Trenton, Mich., Zack Brown, Raleigh, N.C., 963.
277, Clay Adams, Carmel, N.Y., 962.
278, Jimmy Clark, Corinna, Maine, Rob Gotterbarn Jr., Garden City South, N.Y., 960.
280, Rob Sperling, Livingston, N.J., 959.
281, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 956.
282, Billy Bertuch III, Yonkers, N.Y., 955.
283, David McGowan, Ringgold, Ga., Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 954.
285, Jim Wolcott, Hendersonville, Tenn., Bryson Rogers, Durham, N.C., Aaron Williams, Pennsauken, N.J., 953.
288, Zachary Wilkins, Canada, 952.
289, Chris Thornhill, Salisbury, Md., 950.
289, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 950.
291, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., Mike Dolan, Fond du Lac, Wis., Michael Houtz, Myerstown, Pa.,  Randy Kenny, Maple Shade, N.J., Jason Smalling, Bluff City, Tenn., 949.
296, Noel Vega, Forest Hills, N.Y., Ryan Pudlowski, North Versailles, Pa., 947.
298, Jessica Abel, Wichita, Kan., Van Tilley, Debary, Fla., Stephen Hardy, Raymond, N.H., Rashad Franze, Baltimore, 946.
302, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., Mike Gossman, Emmaus, Pa., 945.
304, Frank Verni, Bronx, N.Y., Jazreel Tan, Singapore, Dan Furman, Schenectady, N.Y., Martin Paulsson, Sweden, 944.
308, Mike Hastings, Millsboro, Del., 943.
309, Kelvin Wiggins, Rocky Mount, N.C., Michael Murtha, West Des Moines, Iowa, 942.
311, John Wenman, Middletown, Md., 941.
312, Steven Stayrook, Berwyn, Pa., Geordin Krupski, Newtonville, N.J., Darren Andretta, New Hyde Park, N.Y., 940, Joe Biscardi, Wantagh, N.Y., Steven Arehart, Chesapeake, Va., 940.
317, Darryl Carreon, Woodbridge, Va., 939.
318, Dave Shampaner, East Brunswick, N.J., Frankie Mazzella, Staten Island, N.Y., Frank Guccione, Castle Rock, Colo., 938.
321, Mike Klosin, Windham, N.H., 937.
322, Patrick Donohoe Jr., Hampstead, N.H., 936.
322, Timothy Gillick, Milford, Conn., 936.
324, Jerry Anderson, Smithton, Ill., 935.
325, Mauricio Chaparro, Colombia, Jonathan Sellers, Stratford, Conn., William Barlow, Edgewood, Md., 933.
328, Gary Smalling, Johnson City, Tenn., Richard Avery, Simpsonville, S.C., Brandon Robertson, Spotswood, N.J., 932.
331, Mike Armstrong Jr., Battle Ground, Wash., Victor Hnatczenko Jr., Philadelphia, 930.
333, Billy Young Jr., Edgewood, Md., Steven Maruffi, Brooklyn, N.Y., Clara Guerrero, Colombia,  Kevin Beers, Reinholds, Pa., Paul Smith, Clinton, Conn., 928.
333, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 928.
339, James Grago, Rome, N.Y., George Gohagan III, Roswell, Ga., Domenico Curra, Mahopac, N.Y., 925.
342, David Shinn, West Columbia, S.C., Gary Matten, Westminster, Colo,, 923.
344, Robert Lee, Japan, Tony Todd, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Toby Sambueno, Saginaw, Mich., Brandon Hinderer, York, Pa., 921.
348, Frank Szabo, Lawrenceville, Ga., 920.
349, Takayoshi Akiba, Japan, 919.
350, Gary Goldberg, Paxton, Mass., 917.
351, Damar Been, Eastchester, N.Y., Richard Salcedo, Elmhurst, N.Y., Ryan Yelle, South Easton, Mass., Tony Bennett, Worcester, Mass., 916.
355, Hideaki Aizawa, Japan, Lowell Schoonmaker, Middletown, N.Y., 915.
357, Steve Creech, Corbin, Ky., Dean Richards, Tacoma, Wash., Tyler Coplan, Manchester, N.H., Gary Faulkner Jr., Memphis, Tenn., 914.
361, David O'Sullivan, Sanford, Fla., Justin Bychkowski, Fairfield, Conn., Brian DiCicco, Agawam, Mass., 913.
364, Brandon Boyer, Hudson Falls, N.Y., 912.
365, Scott Salem, Oradell, N.J., Kenji Kawashima, Japan, Kyle King, Canton, S.D., 911.
368, Ken Yokobosky, Fredon, N.J., 910.
369, Brian Knauer, Federalsburg, Md., Fero Williams, Adelphi, Md., Ed Cutter, Manassas Park, Va., 909.
372, Matthew Carpenter, Woonsocket, R.I., Monte Baker, Bozeman, Mont., 908.
374, Danny Buchman, Maple Shade, N.J., Rich Poznanski, Union, N.J., Thomas Parker III, Columbus, 906.
377, Ryan Ool, Middletown, N.Y., 904.
378, Tony Ament, Monroe, N.J., Wayne Porr, Sinking Springs, Pa., Joseph Truchan Jr., Ringwood, N.J., 903.
381, Josh Malanoski, West Mifflin, Pa., 902.
382, Adam Kirtley, Apopka, Fla., 900.
383, Thomas McLane, Lusby, Md., 899.
384, Kevin Brophy, Oakhurst, N.J., Ralph Ehrlich, N. Massapequa, N.Y., Steven Green, Brooklyn, N.Y., 898.
387, Hayward Marlow, Bronx, N.Y., 897.
388, Duteche Aine, North Brunswick, N.J., 896.
389, Michael Stevens, Howell, N.J., Zach Simon, Scottsdale, Ariz., 895.
391, Nicholas Biglasco, Clark, N.J., Tim McAuliffe, Staten Island, N.Y., 894.
391, Darian LeMay, East Brunswick, N.J., 894.
394, Herbert Hiigh Jr., Bailey, N.C., 893.
395, Jack Cook, Denville, N.J., Luke Walker, Dumont, Colo., 892.
397, Eddie Wu, New York, Takashi Kudoh, Japan, 890.
399, Craig Coplan, Manchester, N.H., 889.
400, Michael Gibbons, Randolph, Mass., Doug Scheidig, Royersford, Pa., Pedro Agapito, Monticello, N.Y., 888.
403, Michael Smith, Howell, N.J., 883.
404, Brian Lohse, Corinth, Texas, 880.
405, Evan Nash, Kennewick, Wash., 879.
406, Jason Nicholas, Wantagh, N.Y., Ed Rabbitt, South Norwalk, Conn., 877.
408, Michael Dutkiewicz, Nicholson, Pa., Kevin Dziuba, Howell, N.J., Leon DeMasi, Rose Valley, Pa., Brian Sulzbach, Levittown, N.Y., 875.
412, Evan Ruoti, West Valley City, Utah, Mike Deckelman, Milford, Del., Benjamin Zakrocki, Philadelphia, 873.
415, Jerome Olson, Denver, Joseph Caloger, Milford, Pa., 872.
417, Kazumi Shioyama, Japan, Joseph Marinucci, Gaithersburg, Md., 871.
419, Joseph Ferrazzano, Beaver Falls, Pa., Ric Licardo, Ft. Belvoir, Va., 869.
421, Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., 868.
422, Eric Laflam, Milton, Vt., 866.
423, Nobuyuki Fukuchi, Japan, Jeffrey Smith, Annville, Pa., Matt Blackstone, Hot Springs, Ark., 865.
426, Connor LeClair, Athens, N.Y., Artavius Clark, Oxen Hill, Md., 864.
428, Mark Cornelius, Peru, Ind., John Barrett, Hazlet, N.J., 863.
430, Greg Eskow, Syosset, N.Y., Kenneth Bland Jr., Lorton, Va., 861.
432, Collin Raineri, Gilbertsville, Pa., 859.
433, Cody Vaughn, Arvada, Colo., Michael Robey, Morrisville, Pa., 858.
435, Bobby Benton, Accident, Md., 856.
436, Jonathan Burke, Wappingers Falls, N.Y., 853.
437, Emmanuel Rigas, Sarasota, Fla., 850.
438, Thomas Paisley Jr., Hazleton, Pa., 846.
439, Lee Groscost, Mentor, Ohio, 838.
440, Andrew Diley, Conway, S.C., 836.
441, Jonathan Glattstein, North Bergen, N.J., 835.
442, Shawn Tucker, New Brunswick, N.J., 834.
443, Shawn Fallon, Cranbury, N.J., Brian Turschman, Cary, Ill., 832.
445, Raphael Morin, Canada, 831.
446, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 821.
447, Stanley Harris, Chesapeake Beach, Md., Bruce Smallacombe, Jermyn, Pa., 817.
449, Michael Vella, Coram, N.Y., 815.
450, John Conroy, Mahopac, N.Y., 813.
451, Rich Kaluzny, Parlin, N.J., 807.
452, Troy Long, Northumberland, Pa., 804.
453, Brian Horton, Hastings on the Hudson, N.Y., 790.
454, Shawn Aiello, Hawthorne, N.J., 789.
455, Steven Fred, Williamstown, N.J., Clifford (Phoenix) White, Great Mills, Md., 787.
457, Ken Karamichael, New Brunswick, N.J., 785.
458, Ryan Chall, East Brunswick, N.J., 783.
459, Robert Butler Jr., Staten Island, N.Y., 775.
460, Ercillo Costa, Denver, 773.
461, Alex Quesada, Brooklyn, N.Y., 767.
462, Leo Mulligan, Columbia, N.J., Neil Senkowsky, Worton, Md., 762.
464, Kevin Bandrowski, Lancaster, Pa., 757.
465, Atef Darghali, Warren, Mich., 752.
466, Bill Kempton, Cohasset, Mass., 744.
467, Ricky LaRue, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 730.
468, Nicholas Vieta, Portage, Mich., 681.