ESPN’s 2011-12 PBA Tour Coverage Begins on December 4

For the 32nd consecutive year, ESPN will provide millions of American bowling fans with nationally-televised coverage of the Professional Bowlers Association during the 2011-12 season. 

The PBA Tour’s new television season, which includes 18 Sunday telecasts, will begin with a “doubleheader” on Sunday, Dec. 4 with the men’s and women’s World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA airing in back-to-back one-hour segments. 

The PBA-ESPN season will conclude with the live finals of the PBA Tournament of Champions from Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15. 

Supplementing the ESPN telecasts, pba.com’s exclusive Xtra Frame video streaming service will provide more than 250 hours of live, online coverage of PBA Tour preliminary rounds as well as start-to-finish coverage of four new Xtra Frame Tour events during the season. 

2011-12 ESPN-PBA TOUR SCHEDULE (all times Eastern) 

Dec. 4, 1 p.m. – World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (men), Las Vegas. 

Dec. 4, 2 p.m. - World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (women), Las Vegas. 

Dec. 11, 1 p.m. – World Series of Bowling (WSOB) PBA World Championship, Carter Division, Las Vegas. 

Dec. 18, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Hardwick Division, Las Vegas. 

Jan. 1, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Petraglia Division, Las Vegas. 

Jan. 8, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Aulby Division, Las Vegas. Jan. 15, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship finals, Las Vegas. 

Jan. 22, 3 p.m. – WSOB Bayer Viper Open, Las Vegas. 

Jan. 29, 12:30 p.m. – USBC Masters, Las Vegas. 

Feb. 5, 4 p.m. – Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational, New Orleans. 

Feb. 12, 3 p.m. – WSOB Chameleon Open, Las Vegas. 

Feb. 19, 3 p.m. – WSOB Scorpion Open, Las Vegas. 

Feb. 26, 3 p.m. – 69th U.S. Open, North Brunswick, NJ 

March 4, 3 p.m. – WSOB Shark Open, Las Vegas. 

March 25, 2:30 p.m. – WSOB Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, Las Vegas. 

April 1, 1 p.m. – WSOB Carmen Salvino Classic, Las Vegas. 

April 8, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA Exempt Players Championship, Las Vegas. 

April 15, 1 p.m. – PBA Tournament of Champions, Las Vegas. 

Tommy Jones Dedicates Win to His Father

An emotional Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, SC, dedicated his victory in the DSD Samho Korea Cup International Open at Homeplus Asiad Bowling Center Friday to the memory of his father, who died five days earlier after a lengthy battle with cancer. Jones, a 13-time Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title winner, was in Korea when he learned his father, 70-year-old Jack Allen Jones of Greenville, SC, had lost his struggle against cancer. 

After learning of his father’s death, Jones led a contingent of PBA stars into the
final rounds of the Korea Cup, qualifying fourth for the stepladder finals. He
defeated PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, NJ, 237-225, for the title after winning a three-player match with a 258 game against fellow PBA star Sean Rash of Montgomery, IL (224) and Japan PBA member Teruyuki Obara (203), followed by a 237-179 win over Korea’s Park Kyung Sin and a 258-234 victory over Korea’s Kang Sung Yu in the semifinal match. 

The elder Jones was retired after a 37-year career with Duke Power Company. He is survived by his wife Linda, sister Jean (Joe) Solesbee, granddaughter Ella and other relatives. The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Open Arms Hospice, 1836 W. Georgia Rd., Simpsonville, SC 29680. A memorial tribute to Jack Jones will be held at Tommy Jones’ home in Simpsonville on Sunday, Oct. 2. 

Condolences may be sent to the family at thomasmcafee.com.

Ebonite Adds a Mission

The new Mission X from Ebonite International will be available in October (10/18/2011). The new High Performance ball is HL 1350 coverstock in Royal Blue and Yellow, finished 800, 1000, 2000, 3000 Abralon and Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish. The “Mission 1.0” core (RG 2.50, Diff - .050) enhanced with Black Magnatite is the “engine” of the new Mission X.

Storm Adds Pearl to High Performance Ball Line

A breakthrough in coverstock technology rarely happens due to the complex nature of chemistry and polymer science. Yet Storm's new release will glide through the heads more easily than the original Virtual Gravity™ Nano yet still handle heavy oil. 

In looking for different ways to expand the benefits of nanotechnology, Storm explored several additive options to the base NRG coverstock and found that adding mica to this shell material created a cleaner glide through the heads without sacrificing any of its ability to handle larger amounts of oil. 

You’ll see increased entry angle with the new Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl with simultaneous amplified oil traction usually reserved for textured solids. Fragrance of the new Pearl Nano is Orange Chocolate. The new Storm Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl will arrive October 11th.

Three PBA Women Help Team USA Win Gold

Three women members of the PBA helped Team USA capture its first five-woman team 
gold medal in the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women’s Championships 
in 24 years on Sept. 10 in Hong Kong.

PBA Tour exempt player Kelly Kulick, two-time PBA regional titlist Liz Johnson 
and two-time PBA Women’s Series winner Carolyn Dorin-Ballard helped the United 
States to a 1,210-1,140 victory over Singapore in the gold-medal match. Former 
PBA member and three-time Women’s Series winner Shannon Pluhowsky also was a 
member of the team, and became the first woman in WTBA World Women’s 
Championships history to win four gold medals in the event (doubles, trios, team 
and Masters).

Pappas Wins 23rd PBA Regional Title, Wins in Five Decades

PBA Hall of Famer George Pappas of Charlotte, NC, joined the elite group of 
members to win PBA titles in five different decades when he defeated Richard 
Bucey of Forest Hill, MD, 224-220, to win the PBA East Region Howell Lanes 
Senior Open at Howell Lanes in Howell, NJ, on Sunday, Sept. 11.

Pappas, 64, picked up his 13th senior regional title (23rd overall) and his 
first since 2009 on his way to the $1,500 top prize. He defeated fellow PBA Hall 
of Famer and “Five Decade Club” member Johnny Petraglia of Jackson, NJ, 
223-193, to advance to the title match. Bucey defeated Mike Tryniski of Fulton, 
NY, 213-179, in the semifinal round.

In the only other PBA regional conducted over the Sept. 10-11 weekend, Chris 
Loschetter of Avon, Ohio, defeated Jeff Roche of Dearborn, MI, 216-198, to 
win the PBA Central Region’s G.A. Wintzer & Son Classic at Astro Lanes in 
Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Sunday, Sept. 11, for his 10th career PBA Regional title. 
He also earned $3,000.

Roche defeated Eugene McCune of Munster, IN, 259-179, to advance to the 
championship match. McCune started the stepladder final by defeating PBA Senior 
Tour competitor Ron Profitt of Brookville, Ohio, 247-204, and eliminating Brad 
Angelo of Lockport, NY, 239-228, in his second match.

Next weekend’s limited schedule of PBA Regional activity includes the joint PBA 
West/Northwest Red Bluff Open at Lariat Bowl in Red Bluff, CA.

Over the Sept. 23-25 weekend, the PBA East Region will visit Parkway Lanes in 
Elmwood Park, NJ; the PBA Central and Midwest Region senior players will 
converge on Delphos Recreation Center in Delphos, Ohio, for the Mel Westrich 
Senior Open, and the PBA Southwest Region visits Bowling World in Fort Smith, 
AK, for the Fort Smith Super Regional Open where a $5,000 first prize will be 
at stake.

For complete Regional tournament schedules and entry information, visit pba.com 
and click on “Regional Tour” under the “Schedules” drop-down tab.

Visionary Introduces the New Mixed Breed Ball

Visionary Bowling Products announced the new reactive solid Mixed Breed bowling ball. The new ball is a combination of “Mohawk” and “Serpentine” cores wrapped in the “Xiphos II” coverstock finished to 1000 grit Abralon. 

The ball is described as “the aggressive midlane roll of the Spartan with powerful backend of the New Breeds.” Radius of Gyration (RG) 2.54, RG Differential .052.

Lane #1 Introduces New Maxx Curve

Lane #1’s new Maxx Curve a red/black particle pearl called “Pure Explosion” coverstock finished at 20 microns (about 2000 grit) surrounding the “Backcut Asymeteric Diamond with Flip Block” core (Radius of Gyration 2.510, Differential .055). Lane #1 lists the Maxx Curve as a 130 on their 130 hook rating scale.

Storm Adds Frantic To Their Hot Ball Line

For the new Storm Frantic, Storm utilized a reliable, proven coverstock R2S™. R2S,  the second generation of Reactor™ coverstock material, is clean through the front of the lane and strong off friction.

 With a pearl and a solid version available in the line (2Fast and 2Furious), Storm prepared a hybrid version to see if it blended both power and control. Armed with the exact same coverstock as the Hy-Road™, it proved itself quickly during the testing process and moved on to the next phase, surface preparation. With a 1500-grit polished finish, the new Frantic was impressive during C.A.T.S.^® testing as it created three times the entry angle of the 2Furious.

 Looking under the hood, you’ll find the innovative "N.O.S. Core". When compared with the "Turbine™ Core", Storm designed an increase of flare potential by more than 15% with this higher volume core. FRAGRANCE: Orange/Lime. Release Date: October 25, 2011

Hammer Introduces a New Taboo

Introducing the newest Hammer Taboo. Hammer Brand Manager Jeff Ussery explained “Engineered to deliver an extra two to three boards of hook every time, it’s the strongest ball we’ve ever made. And with aggressive features like our proven High Mass Bias Gas Mask core w/ Flip Block and new Dark Electric Blue/Silver GTR II Pearl coverstock, it is finished Sanded with 800/1000/2000/3000 Abralon™.

How about a ball so forbidden it’s not available anywhere else but from Hammer Bowling. Right now purchase a new Taboo Blue/Silver from your local pro shop, download and fill out the form below and send to Hammer along with your receipt to receive a brand new Taboo Spare.