Jones 1st Round Leader of PBA's Earl Anthony Memorial

Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, SC, trying to end a two-year title slump, averaged 240 to take the first round lead in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)’s Earl Anthony Memorial Wednesday at Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl.

Jones, a 12-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour champion, started the opening seven-game qualifying round with a 267 game to claim a share of the lead and never let up. He finished with 1,680 pins for a 33-pin lead over Australia’s Jason Belmonte. Belmonte, a two-handed specialist, had the only 300 game of the opening round en route to a 1,647 total.

Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY, was in third place with 1,608 pins followed by Brian Kretzer of Dayton, OH, with a 1,601 total and Steve Jaros of Yorkville, IL, with 1,571 pins.

The PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM bowled its first seven qualifying games Wednesday night.

“I’ve had a bad couple of years, but I’m trying to get back on track,” Jones said. “I bowled okay in the last couple of World Series of Bowling events in Detroit and I did okay in (the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open in) Wichita, but I’m trying to stay positive, eliminate things I can’t control and just bowl.

“Last year I bowled well on this lane condition in Medford (OR). You can throw it hard and that’s my strong suit,” he continued. “Today I got off to a good start and I kept it going.”

Jones won his last title in the GEICO Classic in West Babylon, N.Y., in March 2008.

The fields of 64 men and 20 women will bowl seven additional qualifying games Thursday. The top 28 men and 16 women then advance to the best-of-seven- game, single-elimination match play rounds Friday. Match play will cull the fields to four men and two women for the live ESPN finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific).

The Earl Anthony Memorial is dedicated to the late superstar who was recognized as the greatest player in PBA history last January during the organization’s 50th anniversary celebration. Anthony, the first player in PBA history to earn $1 million, was a 43-time PBA Tour champion.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR EARL ANTHONY MEMORIAL
Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl, Dublin, Calif., Jan. 13

PBA TOUR FIRST ROUND (after 7 games)
1, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,680
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,647
3, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,608
4, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,601
5, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,571
6, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 1,570
7, John Nolen, Grand Blanc, Mich., 1,555
8, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,538
9, Andres Gomez, Bogota, Colombia, 1,535
10, Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 1,523
11, PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 1,518
12, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,517
13, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 1,516
14, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 1,515
15, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,514
16, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,513
17, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1,512
18, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, Fla., 1,507
19, John May, Lincolnton, N.C., 1,498
20, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 1,496
21, (tie) Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., and Steven Black, Phoenix, 1,493
23, (tie) George Lambert IV, Canada, and Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,473
25, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 1,470
26, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,469
27, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,468
28, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,465
29, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 1,464
30, Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind., 1,463
31, Stuart Williams, England, 1,462
32, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,459
33, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 1,458
34, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,457
34, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 1,457
36, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,454
36, Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., 1,454
38, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 1,448
39, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,447
40, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 1,444
41, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 1,443
42, Cassidy Schaub, Ashland, Ohio, 1,440
43, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,431
44, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 1,429
45, Ivan Miyasato, Clovis, Calif., 1,427
46, (tie) Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, and Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,423
48, (tie) Mika Koivuniemi, Howell, Mich., and Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,421
50, (tie) Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., and Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,410
52, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,407
53, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,404
54, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 1,392
55, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 1,390
56, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,388
57, (tie) Curtis Woods Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., and Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,380
59, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,375
60, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 1,358
61, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 1,355
62, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,354
63, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,344
64, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., withdrew (injury)

Bowler's Journal's Top Balls of 2009

The Virtual Energy™ from Storm® Products, Inc. was named the 2009 Ball of the Year by Bowlers Journal International magazine. This is the third consecutive year that Storm or Roto Grip® has received the Ball of the Year honors. In 2008 the Roto Grip Cell™ took home the top prize and in 2007 the Storm T-Road Solid™ was the winner.

In the January 2010 staff writer Joe Cerar announced the results of a national survey sent to over 200 pro shops. They were asked to rate the 2009 releases from all bowling ball manufactures.

Ball Of The Year
1. Storm Virtual Energy™
2. (Tie) Roto Grip Rogue Cell™
2. (Tie) Storm Reign™
4. Storm Second Dimension™
5. Roto Grip Mutant Cell™
6. Columbia 300 Freeze™
7. Roto Grip Nomad Solid™
8. Storm Furious™
9. Roto Grip Nomad Pearl™
10. Hammer Black Widow Sting™
11. Storm Natural™
12. Columbia 300 Full Swing™
13. Hammer Hot Sauce™
14. Columbia Bedlam™
15. Hammer Onyx Vibe™
16. Hammer Raw Burn™
17. Hammer Jigsaw™
18. Brunswick Rattler™
19. Brunswick C System™
20. Track 505-A™

Best Solid Reactive
1. Roto Grip Mutant Cell
2. Roto Grip Nomad Solid
3. Storm Furious
4. Hammer Black Widow Sting
5. Columbia 300 Full Swing

Best Pearl Reactive
1. Storm Reign™
2. Storm Second Dimension
3. Columbia 300 Freeze
4. Roto Grip Nomad Pearl
5. Storm Fast™

Best Hybrid Reactive
1. Storm Virtual Energy
2. Roto Grip Rogue Cell
3. 900 Global Bounty Hunter

PBA Ads One-A-Day Multivitamins as Sponsor

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and Morristown, NJ-based Bayer 
Consumer Care have agreed to a renewed and expanded association.  One A Day
® Men’s 50+ has become the official multivitamin of the 2010 Lumber
Liquidators PBA Tour in addition to the already established partnership with
Bayer Aspirin as the official pain reliever of the Tour.

The agreement includes title sponsorship of the One A Day Dick Weber Open
Jan. 26-31 in Fountain Valley, CA, plus a package of commercial spots, signage,
banner advertising on PBA.com, ESPN Classic re-airs and other promotional
opportunities throughout 2010.

The agreement also includes sponsorship of the on-air fan player question
feature during ESPN telecasts which will be called “More of What Matters to You”
presented by One A Day.

“Not only are we excited to continue Bayer Aspirin’s relationship with the
Professional Bowlers Association as the official pain reliever but also the
opportunity to add One A Day  Men’s 50+ as PBA’s official multivitamin,” said
Bayer HealthCare Vice President of Marketing and New Business Barton Warner.
“We want to take advantage of this opportunity to expand our relationship with
the PBA given the value of how effective the organization has been in connecting
with its fan base over the years.”

One A Day Men’s will sponsor three bowlers—reigning PBA Player of the Year
Wes Malott, two-handed star Jason Belmonte and reigning U.S. Open champion
and recent Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open winner Mike Scroggins.  The competitors
will wear the One A Day logo on their shirt backs and right sleeves and throw
specially-made spare balls emblazoned with the One A Day logo.

“We are very excited to join with Bayer in expanding our partnership to include
the One A Day brand,” said PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer. “This is
an example of how PBA strives to bring the best possible marketing value to its
sponsors.”

PBA Earl Anthony Memorial TQR Winners

Former touring player Dave Wodka, and his fiancé, Nicole Ellison, both of
Chatsworth, CA, were among the eight men and four women who advanced
out of the Tour Qualifying Round (TQR) Tuesday into the field for the Professional
Bowlers Association’s Earl Anthony Memorial which gets underway Wednesday
at Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl.

Wodka, who bowled as a full-time member of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour 
between 1991 and 2000, posted a seven-game total of 1,566 pins to lead the
men’s field. Also advancing to the 64-player Earl Anthony Memorial field were
Steven Black, Phoenix, AZ; Ivan Miyasato, Clovis, CA; Anthony LaCaze, Melrose
Park, IL; Andres Gomez, Colombia; Curtis Woods Jr., Santa Rosa, CA; Dave
D’Entremont, Middleburg Heights, OH, and Rick Francis, Linden, CA.

“This is the first Tour Qualifying Round I’ve bowled in four years,” Wodka said.
“My fiancé wanted to bowl, so I came along to bowl, too.

“I still love the competition, but I don’t want to do it for a living any more,”
Wodka added. He currently is general manager of Del Rosa Lanes in San
Bernardino.

Advancing into the Round of 20 for the PBA Women’s Series presented by
BOWL.COM qualifying rounds were Lindsay Baker, Amherst, NY; Ellison; Renae
Gross, North Port, FL, and Tina Stickney, Chandler, AZ. Baker led the women’s
Tour Qualifying Round with a seven-game total of 1,485 pins.

The bowlers advancing out of the TQR will join the Lumber Liquidators PBA
Tour and PBA Women’s Series exempt players for seven-game qualifying rounds
Wednesday and Thursday. The top 28 men and 16 women after 14 games will
advance to the best-of-seven-game, single-elimination match play rounds Friday.
Match play will cull the fields to four men and two women for the live ESPN finals
Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific).

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
EARL ANTHONY MEMORIAL
Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl, Dublin, Calif., Jan. 12

PBA TOUR QUALIFYING ROUND
(Top 8 advance to Earl Anthony Memorial field of 64)
1, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 1,566
2, Steven Black, Phoenix, 1,557
3, (tie) Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., and Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,505
6, Curtis Woods Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., 1,489
7, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1,485
8, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 1,461
9, Richard Torres, Antioch, Calif., 1,451, $1,000
10, Jason Andersen, Fremont, Calif., 1,449, $800
11, Derek Gregory, Sonora, Calif., 1,448, $600
12, Jeff Frankos, San Francisco, 1,424, $500
13, Chris Pitts, Fresno, Calif., 1,423, $450
14, Marvin Hale, Discovery Bay, Calif., 1,422, $400
15, Bob Aleksinski, Hillsboro, Ore, 1,414, $350
16, Jon Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif., 1,411, $325
17, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 1,409, $300
18, Noah Berger, Berkeley, Calif., 1,397
19, Matt Freiberg, Somerset, N.J., 1,393
20, Clark Walmer, Brentwood, Calif., 1,387
21, Ron Case, Oakley, Calif., 1,385
22, Joe Goldstein Sr., Hayward, Calif, 1,368
23, Michael Cimba, Monroeville, Pa., 1,366
24, David Doyle, Pacifica, Calif., 1,365
25, Andrew Cain, Scottsdale, Ariz., 1,356
26, Nick Morgan, Sacramento, Calif., 1,352
27, Gregory Thompson Jr, Dayton, Ohio, 1,350
28, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 1,348
29, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,346
30, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,342
31, Daryn Young, Danville, Calif., 1,334
32, Marty Deh, San Jose, Calif., 1,331
33, Chuck Tillson, Rohnert Park, Calif, 1,327
34, George Aboud, San Jose, Calif., 1,326
35, Chris Hillman, Pleasanton, Calif, 1,324
36, Allen Blansette, Napa, Calif., 1,322
37, Rodney Garrick, San Francisco, 1,321
38, Ivan Yee, San Francisco, 1,318
39, Brian Cooper, Visalia, Calif., 1,311
40, Manuel Otalora, Weston, Fla., 1,298
41, Garrett Richardson, Martinez, Calif., 1,291
42, Derryck Mertz, Santa Clara, Calif., 1,283
43, Barry Richards, Lodi, Calif., 1,282
44, (tie) Kioni Sodaria, Stockton, Calif., and Aaron Pawloski, Volcano, Calif., 1,281
46, David O'Sullivan, Clearwater, Fla, 1,255
47, (tie) David Johns Jr., Brentwood, Calif., and Lindsey Wong, Sunnyvale, Calif., 1,250
49, Tom Marlow, Lemoore, Calif., 1,239
50, Eric vanGlabbeek, The Netherlands, 1,234
51, Mike Nadolski, Westland, Mich, 1,229
52, Justin Bautista, Pleasanton, Calif., 1,220
53, Jerry Case, Mountain View, Calif., 1,205
54, (tie) Kevin Beber, Albany, Calif., and Kenneth Daily, San Leandro. Calif., 1,201
56, (tie) Mark McCreary, Livermore, Calif., and Shawn Amatori, San Francisco, Calif, 1,188
58, Chris Bennett, Antioch, Calif., 1,180
59, Dave Moore, Hickman, Calif, 1,179
60, Matthew Gregory, Dublin, Calif., 1,175
61, Joe Monastiero, Livermore, Calif., 1,174
62, John Hallam, Hercules, Calif., 1,165
63, Randall Harmon, San Jose, Calif., 1,163
64, Ronnie Lenting, The Netherlands, 1,157
65, Warren Weatherford Jr., Alameda, Calif., 1,140
66, Drew Parkin, Aliso Viejo, Calif., 1,102
67, Brett Mercurio, San Jose, Calif, 1,098
68, Brandon Perino, Riverbank, Calif., 1,093
69, Craig Jensen, Hercules, Calif., 1,086
70, Jamar Lee, Walnut Creek, Calif., 1,062
71, Larry Anecito, Hollister, Calif., 1,021

WOMEN’S SERIES TOUR QUALIFYING ROUND 
(Top four advance to Earl Anthony Memorial Women’s Series field of 20)
1, Lindsay Baker, Amherst, N.Y., 1,485
2, Nicole Ellison, Chatsworth, Calif., 1,329
3, Renae Gross, North Port, Fla., 1,323
4, Tina Stickney, Chandler, Ariz., 1,240
5, Jennifer Nelson, Menlo Park, Calif., 1,230
6, Cyndee Sutherland, San Jose, Calif., 1,213
7, Marie Alberto, Mountain View, Calif., 1,107
8, Rose Wolhar, Sunnyvale, Calif., 1,090
9, Diana Cavins, Fairfield, Calif., 1,050

Scroggin's Wins Pepsi Red White and Blue Open

Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, flirted with a perfect finish, but settled for an easy victory in winning his seventh career Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title in the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) at Northrock Lanes, Wichita, KS.

Scroggins ruined 42-year-old rookie Wayne Garber’s bid for his first PBA Tour title, 278-229, to conclude the highest scoring tournament in PBA history.

The finals aired Sunday on ESPN. Scroggins, who struggled in two preliminary matches leading up to the title contest, started the championship match with nine strikes before leaving a 7 pin on his first shot in the 10th frame. He made the spare and left another 7 pin on his fill ball, but the match may have been decided before it even started because the inexperienced Garber made a decision that played right into Scroggins’ hands.

Garber, making his first television appearance, earned his berth in the title match by upsetting PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, 10-8, in a one-ball, sudden-death roll-off after they had tied at 237-237 and threw matching strikes in the first roll-off frame.

As the highest ranking survivor in the ESPN finals, Garber then had the right to select which pair of lanes would be used for the championship match.

Normally, one pair of lanes is used for all TV matches, but because of the unusual six-player format used in the Red, White and Blue Open finals, two pairs of lanes were in use.

Garber decided to remain on the right pair of lanes where he had just defeated Williams, rather than move to the left pair of lanes where Scroggins had left a steady stream of 7 pins in edging Mike Fagan of Patchogue, NY, 218-197, and then fellow left-hander Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL, 227-215, in his preliminary matches.

“My biggest mistake was choosing that pair of lanes,” Garber said later. “I threw four practice balls on the left pair and had no look at all, but if I could do it over, I’d pick that pair.”

Scroggins, the reigning U.S. Open champion, said a silent “yeah” to himself when Garber announced his choice. No left-handers had bowled on the right pair other than a few practice balls, so Scroggins had fresh conditions which meant better odds his ball would finish hard and carry strikes.

“I was glad to get off the pair I was on,” Scroggins said. “The back ends got so tight, we had no carry at all. Then we got a little practice on the right pair and I never missed the pocket, so I felt pretty good. And I got some lucky strikes along the way.”

Despite his runner-up finish, Garber had the tournament of his life. “I’ve bowled for local titles, but this was a lot different,” he confessed. “I’m ecstatic. If there are nine clouds, I’m on cloud 15.”

In the other first-round match, Williams eliminated Michael Machuga of Erie, PA, 257-244, in his PBA-record 171st television appearance.

The Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the USBC was conducted on three different lane conditioning patterns the USBC plans to introduce on an optional basis to American league bowlers in cooperation with the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) for the 2010-11 winter league season. Similar in concept to golf’s tee system, the USBC Red condition was the most forgiving pattern, the White condition was a medium challenge and the Blue pattern – which was used for the ESPN finals – was the most challenging.

The Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour’s next event is the Earl Anthony Memorial Jan. 12-17 at Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl in Dublin, CA. The Anthony Memorial will include a PBA Exempt Tour event and the final PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM singles event of the 2009-10 season.

ESPN will televise the finals live at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Jan. 17. Wes Malott of Pflugerville, TX, is the two-time defending Earl Anthony Memorial champion; Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, NV, is the defending Earl Anthony Women’s champion.

PBA's Dick Weber Open

The One A Day Dick Weber Open returns to Fountain

Bowl in sunny Fountain Valley, CA January 26 - 31, 2010.

The Clutch Pearl Added at AMF

AMF Clutch Pearl A juiced-up “F62” Purple and Oyster pearl reactive coverstock finished to 2000 Abralon and polished surrounds the “Clutch” asymmetric core, giving this pearl tremendous hook down the lane. 15# RG 2.538, Diff 0.051.

Expect the new Clutch Pearl the week of January 25th.