World Series of Bowling

It has been months in the making, but the Professional Bowlers Association’s inaugural World Series of Bowling is about to make its historic debut on ESPN.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Oct. 25, bowling fans across America will see 13 champions crowned over a span of eight weekly PBA World Series of Bowling telecasts.

Over the course of the World Series telecasts, 22 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour players will make television appearances along with five stars of the PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM and two top PBA Senior Tour players.

The series will get underway with an historic event – the inaugural PBA Women’s World Championship – which will reward its winner with the first-ever berth for a woman in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas. In the title match, Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix, AZ will meet Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J. Also at stake is a $15,000 first prize and a women’s major title.

The second event in the opening telecast of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season is the revival of the PBA Senior World Championship, which was last held in 2002 in Las Vegas.

Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., will meet Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Township, MI, in another battle for a berth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Championships as well as a $15,000 payday.

The closing event of the first telecast of the season will be a special PBA Trick Shot Invitational featuring PBA Tour stars Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, Sean Rash and Brian Voss along with Finland’s two-handed sensation, Osku Palermaa.

On Nov. 1, the Motor City Open kicks off a series of seven ESPN telecasts featuring the 2009-10 PBA Tour players.

Following the Motor City Open, a unique “reality-style” telecast of the Cheetah Championship airs Nov. 8.

The Viper, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Championships for men and women – all conducted during the World Series of Bowling at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, MI, in August – will lead up to the first live telecast of the season – the finals of the PBA World Championship at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Dec. 13 from Northrock Lanes in Wichita, KS.

Watch for weekly summaries of upcoming ESPN telecasts on pba.com, and immediately following each telecast, pba.com’s Xtra Frame will feature a post-tournament interview segment with each tournament champion.

PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING TV PREVIEW SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 1 P.M. (E).
PBA Women’s World Championship (Final Match) Championship:
Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, AZ vs. Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ.
Prize Money: $15,000 first, $7,500 second.
PBA Senior World Championship (Final Match) Championship:
Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, MI, vs. Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, WA.
Prize Money: $15,000 first, $7,500 second
PBA Trick Shot Invitational (Head-to-Head Judged Competition)
Competitors: Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, Osku Palermaa, Sean Rash and Brian Voss. Prize Money: $10,000 first

PBA Motor City Open SUNDAY, NOV. 1, 1 P.M. EASTERN
(Five-Player Stepladder Finals) Match One: #4 Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC, vs. #5 Bill O’Neill, Southampton, PA. Match Two: Winner Match One vs. #3 Pete Weber, St. Ann, MO. Semifinal Match: Winner Match Two vs. #2 Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX Championship: Winner Semifinal Match vs. #1 Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, FL. Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, $9,000 third, $7,000 fourth, $6,000 fifth.

PBA Cheetah Championship SUNDAY, NOV. 8, 1 P.M. EASTERN (“Reality Style” Match Play Finals) Semifinal Match One: Ryan Ciminelli, Rochester, NY, vs. Derek Sapp, Keokuk, IA Semifinal Match Two: Stevie Weber, Chalmette, LA, vs. Norm Duke, Clermont, FL. Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

PBA Viper Championship SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 1 P.M. EASTERN (Match Play Finals) Women’s Championship: Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, TX, vs. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY. Semifinal Match One: Steve Jaros, Yorkville, IL, vs. Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, FL. Semifinal Match Two: Ryan Ciminelli, Rochester, NY, vs. Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, AZ. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

PBA Chameleon Championship SUNDAY, NOV. 22, 1 P.M. EASTERN (Match Play Finals) Women’s Championship: Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, AZ vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, TX Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, KS, vs. Ronnie Russell, Camby, IN. Semifinal Match Two: Bill O’Neill, Southampton, PA, vs. Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

PBA Scorpion Championship SUNDAY, NOV. 29, 1 P.M. EASTERN (Match Play Finals) Women’s Championship: Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY, vs. Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, AZ. Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, KS, vs. Mike DeVaney, San Diego, CA. Semifinal Match Two: Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, MI, vs. Jason Belmonte, Australia. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

PBA Shark Championship SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 1 P.M. EASTERN (Match Play Finals) Women’s Championship: Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ, vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, TX. Semifinal Match One: Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, NY, vs. Wes Malott, Pflugerville, TX. Semifinal Match Two: Jason Couch, Clermont, FL, vs. Michael Fagan, Patchogue, NY. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

PBA World Championship SUNDAY, DEC. 13, 1 P.M. EASTERN (Live Match Play Finals) Semifinal Match One: Bill O’Neill, Southampton, PA, vs. Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, MI. Semifinal Match Two: Wes Malott, Pflugerville, TX, vs. Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, FL. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two Prize Money: $50,000 first, $25,000 second, third $11,500 each.