2012-13 SEASON KICK-OFF ISSUE2012-13 SEASON KICK-OFF ISSUE

HEY, BOWLERS! IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO. . .

JOIN A FALL LEAGUELeagues Now Forming at Your Local SEMBCA Bowling Center

JOIN A FALL LEAGUE

VOL. 37, NO. 1 Detroit, Michigan — Published Every Other Wednesday AUGUST 22, 2012

You can now e-mailthe Bowler’s Digest at

bowlersdigest@ymail.com

PLEASETAKE A COPYCompliments ofThis Proprietor

Harry SullinsWins Regional

The Detroit area’sHarry Sullins recentlywon the PBA Midwest/Central Region WoodDale Senior Open atWood Dale Bowl in WoodDale, Ill. Sullins, Chester-field Twp., led the eight-game qualifying 1825,and entered match play asthe No. 1 seed.

In the first-round bestof five, Sullins defeatedAlan Grobmeier, Gilbert,Ariz., 3-1. He thenadvanced to down LennieBoresch Jr., Kenosha,Wis., 2-0, in the nextround. In the semi-finalmatch, Sullins edgedDon Holmes, Itasca, Ill.,201-189, and defeatedKenny Parks, Hammond,Ind., 258-192, in thechampionship match.

Strampe JoinsMichigan Hall

The Michigan SportsHall of Fame opened itsdoors to legendaryDetroit area bowler BobStrampe during inductionceremonies at the historicGem Theatre in Detroit.

Strampe joined a classof 24 athletes andcoaches, including base-ball’s Willie Hernandezand Milt Pappas, hock-ey’s Marcel Pronovost,basketball’s Chet Walkerand legendary profootball coach GeorgeAllen.

ALMOST TWO MILLION IN LEAGUESBowlers Now Top 70 Million Mark

Fact. More than 70 millionpeople in the United States bowlduring a year.

Fact. Almost two million com-pete regularly in league play certi-fied by the United States BowlingCongress. Staff at USBC Head-quarters in Arlington, Texas, works

closely with about 3,000 local as-sociations to serve over two mil-lion members.

Bowling has soared into the up-per echelon of sports, setting asteady pace by blending strong or-ganization with modern centers inwhich to participate. Although the

sport now appeals to people fromall walks of life, entering a bowl-ing center today would give fewclues to its origin.

Bowling has been traced to ar-ticles found in the tomb of an Egyp-

tian child buried in 5200 B.C. Theprimitive implements included ninepieces of stone at which a stone“ball” was rolled, the ball havingfirst to roll through an archway

CHECK OUT ‘TIPS FROM THE PROS’ — PAGE 8CHECK OUT ‘TIPS FROM THE PROS’ — PAGE 8

Wichita Woman Breaks NationalThree-Game Record with 879

ARLINGTON, Texas — Former Wichita State bowler Katie Verbilnarrowly missed becoming the first woman to roll a 900 series at WestAcres Bowl in Wichita, Kan.

The Phoenix native threw 33 consecutive strikes to start the “Battleof the Sexes” league, but a 10-pin ended the run for the left-hander. Shefinished with games of 300, 300 and 279 for an 879 series.

Pending formal approval, Verbil’s series would be the highest inbowling history by a woman, according to United States Bowling Con-gress records.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” said Verbil, whose previous best seriesof 845 came in July 2007. “I can’t even put into words how it feels. It’sso surreal. It’s an amazing feeling to hold a national record like that. Itwas fun and it was intense. Probably the most fun I’ve had in a longtime.”

Verbil, who competed collegiately at Wichita State from 1998 to2002, headed into the 10th frame of the final game with a chance toshoot just the 22nd perfect series in USBC history. But she left a 10-pinon a solid pocket shot.

“That darn 10-pin,” Verbil said. “I’m just glad it wasn’t a 7-pin be-cause I probably wouldn’t have spared it. I was more nervous throwingmy spare ball.”

The previous record for high three-game series by a woman was878, which was set on Dec. 12, 2001 by Karen Rosenburg of Rolla, Mo.Two bowlers havE fired 877 series — Jackie Mitskavich of Van Wert,Ohio, on Aug. 10, 1997 and Stephanie Hoover of Goshen, Ind., on March9, 2007.

(Continued on Page 9)

IN THE

NEWSNEWSIN THE

NEWS

Dale Hofmeister Wins 19th MMBA Title• DALE HOFMEISTER (right) added another Budweiser

Michigan Majors title to his all-time leading total by winning his19th title at Galaxy Lanes in Grand Blanc. Pictured (from left)tournament runner-up Ed Burbo, Galaxy Lanes Proprietor KenHochstein and Hofmeister. See complete story on page 9.

Wednesday, August 22, 20122

WHERE TO FIND ITDirectory charge is $12 per issue(Limit 50 words). FAX (586) 286-

5877, or send to: “Where to Find It,”c/o Bowler’s Digest, P.O. Box 96,

Fraser, MI 48026bowlersdigest@ymail.com

PLEASE NOTE: Because of anagreement with Detroit area

bowling centers, Bowler’s Digestdoes not publish open bowling or

“Rock ‘n Bowl” rates.

Bowling Parties• ASTRO LANES, 32388 John R,

Madison Heights. Come have an“Astro Experience” with us. Ourfundraisers, class reunions, company,

birthday and anniversary parties arethe best! We have full catering servicefor any type of party. Call (248) 585-3132.

• CLOVERLANES BOWL,28900 Schoolcraft Rd. Livonia. We of-fer awesome Adult and Children’sBirthday Parties. Take advantage ofour upper lounge and its large dancefloor. Choose us for your next Groupor Company Party. To meet your spe-cial needs we offer full service cater-ing. For more information call (734)427-6410.

• THUNDERBOWL LANES,4200 Allen Rd., Allen Park. The 2-hour party includes: bowling, unlim-ited FREE arcade play, pizza, pop, pa-per products and a cosmic bowling pin

for the birthday child. $12 per personwith a 6-person minimum. For moreinformation, call (313) 928-4688.

Cosmic Bowling• CONTINENTAL LANES,

31055 Gratiot, Roseville. Cosmic GlowBowling. By the hour, up to 5 peopleon a lane. $15 one hour, $25 two hours,$32 three hours. Friday 10 p.m. to 2a.m. and Saturday 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.Call (586) 293-2300.

• IMPERIAL LANES, 44650Garfield, Clinton Twp. “Best CosmicShow” with two giant video screens.Every Friday and Saturday night at 8p.m. at $18 an hour per lane. Saturdaydaytime from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at$2.75 per game. Call (586) 286-8700.

• THUNDERBOWL LANES,4200 Allen Rd., Allen Park. “CosmicBowling” is available on Friday andSaturday nights. Cosmic pricing in-cludes 3 hours of bowling, unlimitedFREE arcade play and music videoson large screen TVs. Sessions start at10 p.m. The price is $15 per personplus $3 for shoes. For more informa-tion, call (313) 928-4688.

Extreme Bowling• THUNDERBIRD LANES, 400

W. Maple Rd. Troy. “EXTREMEBowling.” Metro Detroit’s best! HighTech Lights, Music and Huge VideoScreens. Friday nights 10 p.m. tomidnight. And for the family“PINDEMONIUM” with family-friendly music and music videos. Sun-day afternoons. 12:30 p.m. to 4:30p.m. For information call(248) 362-1660.

Located Inside BOWL ONE LANES1639 E. 14 Mile Rd. in Troy

(248) 577-0440MONDAY-FRIDAY 2-8 • SATURDAYS 12-6

AMF • BRUNSWICK • COLUMBIAEBONITE • FABALL • STORM • TRACK

DEXTER & LIND SHOES • KR BAGSSpecial Discounts for Youth Bowlers, Michigan Majors,Mid States Masters, American Masters, MJMA Members

Fred Bauss • Kerry Kreft • Jen Bator • Brad Smyth

rrs TM

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Fred Bauss • Kerry Kreft

Visit the ‘Detroit Bowling Hall of Fame’ Exhibit at ThunderbowlTHUNDERBOWL LANES • 4200 ALLEN RD. in ALLEN PARK

Phone (313) 928-4688 Fax 928-5110

THUNDERBOWL LANES90 LANES — LARGEST BOWLING CENTER IN MICHIGAN

Leagues Now Formingfor the 2012-13 Season

Call (313) 928-4688

Established by Steve Cruchon in 1976

P.O. Box 96, Fraser, Michigan 48026Voice Mail (586) 286-2450 • FAX (586) 286-5877

E-mail the Bowler’s Digest at bowlersdigest@ymail.comVisit Our Website at www.bowlersdigest.com

Bowler's Digest is the official publication and “voice” of bowling in Southeastern Michigan.Serving more than 250,000 men, women and youth bowlers in and around the Bowling Capi-tal of the World and many parts of Michigan. Bowler's Digest appears every two weeks inleading bowling centers, bowling supply stores, etc., compliments of the proprietors.

Dan and Cathy Cruchon Publishers

Rick Strobl Editor-in-ChiefBy-line articles appearing in Bowler's Digest do not necessarily reflect the opinions of thepublishers or editor-in-chief, nor does the presence of any advertisement necessarily con-stitute either approval of or recommendation by Bowler's Digest.

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REGULAR CORRESPONDENTS

Mark Martin MDUSBC Columnist Libbi Fletcher MDUSBC Columnist

Chuck Pezzano Syndicated Columnist Cheryl Daniels Tips from the Pros

Ken Charrette Michigan Majors

You can e-mail the Bowler’s Digest atbowlersdigest@ymail.com

Dancing/Video Fun Night• THUNDERBOWL LANES,

4200 Allen Rd., Allen Park. Watch mu-sic videos on a 160” screen as well ason over a dozen large screen Tvs whileyou’re bowling. Videos are playednightly. Call Thunderbowl Lanes at(313) 928-4688 to get completedetails.

Moonlight Doubles• SUNNYBROOK LANES, 7191

East 17 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights. “9-Pin, No Tap” Moonlight Doubles. Sat-urdays at 11:30 p.m. Check-in at 10:45p.m. $25 per couple includes threegames of bowling, first and second mys-tery games and prize fund. We guaran-tee a minimum of five places paid. Ad-ditional jackpots available. For moreinfo, call (586) 264-2700.

IGET THE BOWLER’S DIGEST

ADVANTAGECALL (586) 286-2450FOR ADVERTISING

IMFORMATION

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 3

METRODETROITUSBC NEWS

By Association Manager

Mark A. MartinFor more information about

the Metro Detroit USBC,call 1-888-753-6350

or visit www.mdusbc.com

DEXTER & LIND SHOES IN STOCK

Featuring One of the Largest Selections ofBowling Balls, Bags, Shoes and Accessories

in Southeastern Michigan

Trophies, Plaques & Awards for ALL Occasions

EXPERT FITTING & DRILLINGBall Resurfacing & Polishing

Visit Our Web Site at wojciksproshop.com

LOCATED IN ROSEVILLE(Frazho & Gratiot)

25935 Gratiot AvenuePHONE (586) 778-2272

Memberof the

ProfessionalBowlers

Association

• THE CALL for league bowling is inthe air.

If you are not signed up for a league asyet, why not call your local bowling centerand inquire about openings. Every bowlingcenter will help place you in a league whichmatches your skill and interest level.

League bowling is the most reasonablypriced recreational opportunity a person canhave. For an average of $12-$18 each leaguesession, you can enjoy the physical exercise

the sport provides, the ca-maraderie of being withothers with like interestsand the competition.

Speaking of the physicalexercise the game provides,make sure to stretch thosemuscles before competitionso you don’t end up on thedisabled list. Be sure to getto your league session a fewminutes early and throw afew practice balls.

If you haven’t bowledfor a while, like since lastspring, visit your localbowling center and work onyour mechanics. By doing

this you won’t be surprised when that firstleague session comes.

If you are unsure about joining a league,encourage one of your friends to join withyou. This can make the experience muchmore pleasant.

Bowling centers offer leagues at everylevel of competition. There are leagues forall women, all men, mixed and youthleagues at virtually all local centers.

For parents, this is the chance to get yourchildren involved in the game that you prob-

fers certified organizational support forleagues. The annual cost is very nominal andonly has to be paid in one league to be cov-ered in your other local leagues.

Annual membership in the USBCthrough the Metro Detroit USBC is $19.

The USBC through the MDUSBC offersleague structure support, standardized rules,bonding, awards program; standardizationof the equipment used and recognizedleague averages. The MDUSBC also offersour own brand of local awards program andother opportunities only available to ourmembers.

The MDUSBC will continue to offer anew improved plastic membership cards di-rect mailed to each bowler, tournaments,charitable causes, bonding program, an im-proved awards program, discount opportu-nities and a $20 savings on a purchase of

The Call for League Bowling Is in the Airably enjoyed in your youth. In addition toyouth leagues there are also many familyleagues, where youth bowl with adults.There is much flexibility built into theseleague structures to accommodate everyfamily’s needs.

Nearly all bowling centers offer a youthprogram. Even if your local center has nothad one in the past, check with the centerpersonnel about their current programs.

Local bowling centers have done a tre-mendous job of keeping up with the times.The summer time is when your local bowl-ing center prepares for the busy fall winterseason.

I have visited several local bowling cen-ters and I recommend that you do the same.Many have made improvements during thesummer to enhance your bowling experi-ence.

The United States Congress (USBC) of- (Continued on Page 4)

Friday Night

5 Star ClassicAccepting New Teams for the 2012-13 Season

◆ LARGE Optional Jackpots — LARGE Payouts Weekly◆ 33-Week Season Includes Optional Doubles Tourney◆ 5-Man Teams ◆ Bowling Starts at 6:30 p.m.◆ Individual Average Cap — 219 Three-Year Composite◆ Team Max. Avg. — 1090 ◆ $50 Team Entry Fee◆ Established for Over 30 Years ◆ Starts Sept. 7th◆ Kegel Navigational Patterns in Use — Switch Every 4 Weeks

$10,000 1st Prize*$5,000 Per Half

*(Based on 20 Teams, actual payoff pending league vote and total # of teams)

Contact Pres. Tom at 586-532-9934 • Sec. Ron at 586-296-8525

Sunday Morning LeagueIs Looking for New Teams for the 2012-13 Season

$15,000 First Prize◆ Prize List Based on 24 Teams

(2nd $9,000, 3rd $6,000, Last Place $1,500)◆ Top Competition — Large Jackpots — Kegel Patterns◆ Bowling Starts at 10 a.m. ◆ Start Date Sept. 16th◆ No Ind. Max. Avg. ◆ New Teams — Max. Avg. 900 ◆ 4-Man Teams◆ Handicap 90% from 900 ◆ Established for Over 30 Years◆ Complimentary Coffee & Toast Each Week◆ All New Teams Get $50 Sponsor Fee Paid by House

All Bowlers Welcome — Men & Women5 Star Lanes, 2666 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Hgts.

Call (586) 939-2550 ◆ www.5-starlanes.com

GET THE BOWLER’S DIGEST

ADVANTAGE

CALL (586) 286-2450

I

Wednesday, August 22, 20124

FALL LEAGUESat COUNTRY LANES

CLEAN CENTER • NEW FLAT SCREENS • FREE Wi-Fi

MEN’S LEAGUES• Monday Men • 5-Man • 6:30 p.m. • Starts Aug. 27th

• Monday Trio • Starts Sept. 10th at 6:30 p.m.$6,000 FOR 1ST PLACE • LEAGUE MEETING AUG. 27 AT 6:30

• Tuesday University Men’s Classic • 5-Man • Starts Aug. 28th• Wednesday Country Keglers • 5-Man • Starts Aug. 29th• Thursday American Legion • 4-Man • Starts Sept. 6th

WOMEN’S LEAGUES• Wednesday Nite Ladies Trio • Starts Aug. 29th

• Thursday Country Janes • 5-Man • Starts Aug. 30th

MIXED LEAGUES• Friday Trio • Starts Aug. 24th

• Greenfield Mixed • 4-Man • Starts Sept. 7th• Every Other Saturday & Sunday Leagues Start After

Labor Day • 5 or 7:30 p.m.

SENIOR DAYTIME LEAGUES• Monday 4-Man • Starts Aug. 27th at 12:30 p.m.

• Wednesday 4-Man • Starts Aug. 29th at 12:30 p.m.• Thursday 4-Man • Starts Aug. 30th at 12:30 p.m.

ALSO DAYTIME LADIES LEAGUESSATURDAY YOUTH LEAGUES START SEPT. 8TH

Call For More Info, Call

COUNTRY LANES30250 W. 9 Mile Rd. in Farmington

248-476-3201www.bowlatcountrylanes.com

$150 or more at participating pro shops.Your best value in sports is still certifi-

cation, as it has been for over 100 years.* * *

EVENT LOCATIONS FOR2012-13 SEASON

• THE 2012-13 season promises to bevery busy with 11 tournaments on the sched-ule. Bowling tournaments can be very re-warding so you should plan your schedulearound some of our events.

The MDUSBC Adult / Youth Tourna-ment will be held Sunday, Oct. 7 and Oct.14 with two squads each day at UniversalLanes in Warren. Parents, this is a great op-portunity to do something with your kids.

The MDUSBC Junior Masters will becontested Saturday, Oct. 27 at Classic Lanesin Rochester Hills. If you are a youth bowler,why not step up to the challenge and bowlagainst the best in our association in thisscratch event?

For those over the age of 60, the

MDUSBC Super Senior Masters will takeplace Nov. 3-4 at Mayflower Lanes inRedford. This scratch event is open to allmembers of the association 60 years of ageand older.

The ever popular MDUSBC Queens willbe held on Sunday, Dec. 2 at UniversalLanes in Warren. This scratch event featuresthe best female bowlers in the associationwith six games of qualifying and match play.

The MDUSBC 500 Club tournament isa fun time for women bowlers in our asso-ciation and will take place on Sunday, Dec.9 at 300 Bowl in Waterford. The only re-quirement is that the female bowler musthave bowled a 500 series in her lifetime andbe ready to have a good time.

Once the calendar turns over to 2013, theaction really heats up.

The MDUSBC Youth City Tournamentwill take place on Sundays in January andFebruary at Cherry Hill Lanes in DearbornHeights.

One of the premier events in our asso-ciation will be held in January when the

MDUSBC Masters is held at ThunderbowlLanes in Allen Park. This event runs twoweekends with 10 games of qualifying onthe first weekend and match play the sec-ond weekend. This is an event that everytop bowler in our association points to andwants on their resume.

Once the calendar turns to February it’stime for the MDUSBC Women’s Champi-onship and MDUSBC Open Championship.These two events will once again be held atthe same center, Bowl One Lanes in Troy,at the same time. Get your reservations andentries in early to make sure you don’t getshut out.

The MDUSBC Senior Masters is opento all association bowlers 50 years of age

and older in mid February. The site this yearwill be Parkway Lanes in Trenton. One dayof qualifying is followed by two days ofmatch play to crown the champion.

The final event of the season is theMDUSBC Senior Team event. BroncoLanes in Warren will be the host in March.This team event is open to all USBC mem-bers over the age of 55 and promises to befun filled.

Thanks to Turbo 2-N-1 Grips for spon-soring the Junior Masters, Super SeniorMasters, Queens, Masters and Senior Mas-ters. Red Robin Restaurants and AnsaraRestaurants sponsor the Masters and SeniorMasters. Their support is very much appre-ciated.

(Continued from Page 3)

The Call for League Bowling Is in the Air

GET THE BOWLER’S DIGEST

ADVANTAGE

CALL (586) 286-2450

I

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5

Mike Samardzija PBA Sr. Champion and Hall-of-Famer

Jennifer SamardzijaVisit Us at www.kandsbowlingandtrophysales.com

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Why Not Ask a Bowler to Join Your League?

• READY, SET, go!As you read this article, most leagues will

start up, especially those who bowl on Mon-day and Tuesday, as they get the holidaysthis year as part of their schedule.

Summer goes quickly in Michigan, es-pecially one that was as nice and warm asthis one. Although, that doesn’t always helpthe bowling industry as more and morepeople are outside enjoying the weather,instead of coming inside to enjoy our sport.

I did hear a good story as I made myrounds this month conducting league officeworkshops. Bowl One has a summer trio onWednesday nights. This year they put 37teams on the floor! That is awesome!

Congrats to the Bowl Onestaff and Community Bowl-ing Centers on a job welldone!

Now is the time for ev-eryone to go ask ONE per-son to join their league orany league for the season.Both of my leagues havenew bowlers joining thisyear. This is exciting as itgives us a chance to meetnew ladies, introduce themto our competitive, yet funleagues, invite them to joinour squad for the tourna-ments and hopefully enjoybowling in general.

Speaking of tournaments, we need to dobetter at supporting our tournaments at ev-ery level. At one of my workshops, I askedfor a show of hands as to who has bowledthe city tournament. One hand was raised,but she added, “Not recently.”

Why is that? Do bowlers not know aboutit? Do they not think they are “goodenough?” Is no one asking them to bowl?Well, I am asking right now.

If you are a tournament bowler, invitesomeone to come with you. Help thembuild a team if they need assistance. If youare NOT a tournament bowler, come outand support the city tournament. Even if itis just team event, or just doubles andsingles, if you don’t have a team. Signup at the center to sub during a squad that

is convenient for you.As to the question of not being good

enough, all of the championship tourna-ments are handicapped events at this time. Ithink if you try it, you will come back againand again, as I have. I have now bowled in30 national tournaments, and over 30 cityand state tournaments. I began when I wasasked, and now I am a squad leader. I lookforward to competing each year, and all ofthe fun we have during those weekendsaway from home.

Please check out our tournament listing

METRODETROITUSBC SCENE

By MDUSBC Director

Libbi FletcherFor more information about

the Metro Detroit USBC,Call 1-888-753-6350

ASTRO LANES32388 John R in Madison Heights • 248-585-3132

2012-13 Season

CAM LEAGUES MOVEDFROM FAIRLANES

LOOKING TO EXPAND• TUESDAYS AT 3:30 P.M.

Call Ron at 248-972-1000

• THURSDAYS AT 6:15 P.M.Call Scott at 248-765-8062

— 4-MAN TEAMS —

on www.mdusbc.com and I am sure you willfind a tournament that you would enjoy.

If you have any questions regarding tour-naments, squad times, eligibility, etc. pleasecall our office and take the option for tour-naments, and I am sure Holly would behappy to assist you with anything you need.

Now go ask someone to join a league!Surely there is someone in your league whowould love to be asked to bowl a tourna-ment! I challenge you to increase our tour-naments this year... you can do it!

Have a great bowling season!

2012 USBC Open Prize Checks in the MailThe 2012 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships provided many

memorable moments during its 151-day run at the Baton Rouge River Center inBaton Rouge, La., and now, more than $5 million in prize money is on its way totournament participants.

Prize checks were placed in the mail Tuesday morning and will go to team cap-tains, who will distribute them to their bowlers. This year’s event featured nearly60,000 bowlers, and more than half (32,650) will receive a share of the multi-mil-lion-dollar prize fund. Checks include winnings from the USBC Open Champion-ships, yearlong brackets and side events and the Bowlers Journal Championships.

Wednesday, August 22, 20126

How Many Bowling Leagues Are Unsanctioned?

DRAKESHIRE LANES35000 Grand River in Farmington Hills

248-478-2230www.drakeshirelanes.com

Ladies Daytime Leagues• Wednesday 9:30 a.m. • Morning Glories • 3 to a Team• Thursday 9:30 a.m. • Novi Pin Pointers • 4 to a Team

Senior Leagues• Tuesday 12 p.m. • Golden Champs • 4 to a Team

Youth Leagues• Saturday 10 a.m. • Saturday Youth • 4 to a Team

Bumper Bowling• Saturday 10 a.m. • Saturday Morning Bumpers • 2 to a Team

Men’s Leagues• Monday 7:30 p.m. • MLZG/JWV • 4-Man Teams

(Must be a Member of B’nai B’rith)

• Tuesday 7:30 p.m. • Farmington Elks Men • 5-Man TeamsALL AVERAGES WELCOME!

• Tuesday 7:45 p.m. • Downtown Fox • 5-Man Teams(Must be a Member of B’nai B’rith)

• Weds. 8 p.m. • Drakeshire Men’s Jr. House • 4-Man TeamsTeam Cap 920 — Individual Cap 230

• Thursday 7 p.m. • King Pin Pro Shop Sport Shot DoublesBOWL LIKE THE PROS • NEW LEAGUE

Ladies Night Leagues• Wednesday 6 p.m. • Wednesday Ladies Trio • 3 to a Team

• Wednesday 7 p.m. • Drakeshire Damsels • 4 to a Team• Thursday 6:15 p.m. • Ladies Classic • 4 to a Team

• Thursday 7 p.m. • King Pin Pro Shop Sport Shot DoublesBOWL LIKE THE PROS • NEW LEAGUE

Mixed Leagues• Monday 6:30 p.m. • Farmington Mixed • 4 to a Team• Tuesday 5 p.m. • Tuesday Night Mixed • 4 to a Team

• Tuesday 8 p.m. • Goodtimers • Any Combo of 4• Weds. 5 p.m. • Farmington Hills Municipal • 4 to a Team

• Thursday 7:30 p.m. • Thursday Mixed Trio • NEW LEAGUE• Thursday 7 p.m. • King Pin Pro Shop Sport Shot Doubles

BOWL LIKE THE PROS • NEW LEAGUE

Mixed Leagues — Bowling Every Other W eek• Saturday 5:30 p.m. • Sparetime • 4 to a Team

(Must Have At Least One Bowler of Opposite Sex)• Saturday 5:45 p.m. • Saturday Nite Trip Outs • 4 to a Team

(2 Men/2 Ladies)• Saturday 5:45 p.m. • Digital Mixed • 4 to a Team

(Must Have At Least One Bowler of Opposite Sex)• Saturday 8:30 p.m. • Fun-n-Run • 4 to a Team

(2 Men/2 Ladies)• Sunday 5:45 p.m. • Easy Commuters • 4 to a Team

(Must Have At Least One Bowler of Opposite Sex)• Sunday 6 p.m. • MSP Metropolitan Singles • 4 to a Team• Sunday 7 p.m. • Funtimers • 4 to a Team • Any Combo

...There is no bowling cri-sis, major or minor, local ornational, to which bowlingwill not respond to with ameeting, a conference or aseminar.

...Records are made to bebroken though some can onlybe tied. But the JohnnyPetraglia astounding careermark of at least one nationaltitle in the past six decades isone that could stand for a lotof years into forever. One ofthe first hurdles is to remainhealthy enough over thosemany years.

...No sport brings male andfemale bowlers closer in com-

petitive and social settings better than bowl-ing, for people of all ages for amazing longtimes.

...My first heroes in bowling were AndyVaripapa, Junie McMahon, Lou Campi,Lindy Faragalli and Marion Ladewig. Whowere yours?

...I like the story about the two men, onean ardent but struggling bowler and the otheran average working man, who each won fivemillion dollars in a lottery. When asked whatthey planned to do with the money, theworking man said he was going to quit hisjob, spend a lot of time fishing and playinggolf and take life easy, living on his newfound wealth. The bowler scratched hishead, thought a bit, then said, “I guess I’lljust keep bowling in every tournament I can— until the money runs out.”

• IDLE BOWLING thoughts:How many bowling leagues are

unsanctioned? No one really knows, butevery one should care. More sanction feesmean more money in the budget for worthyprojects to keep bowlers, create morebowlers, meaning more interest in the sport,

more business for bowling proprietors andmore numbers to present to potential spon-sors who then might spend more money inbowling.

...One of the not remembered enoughmajor events in bowling TV history was the$50,000 win of Carolyn Anderton in a win-

ner take all match play featurenationally telecast by CBS.The announcers were BrentMusburger, Phyllis George andTelly Savalas.

...Before Mel Allen tookover as the host of the popularJackpot Bowling TV show, thelead announcer was anotherman of great baseball notice —Leo Durocher

...Take in a senior pro tour-nament, national or regional,and more often than not, therewill be a sprinkling of all-timegreats who still bowl well andwith the same style as ever.“Only one problem,” said oneof the veterans. “I roll the balla lot harder — and it goes slower.”

...Mike Aulby has always followed asimple code, just try to bowl a little betterevery time you bowl.

...There is always a buzz when starbowlers blow what is considered an easyspare conversion. Too many averagebowlers, and some good ones too, havetrouble in building confidence in shootingat single-pin spares — particularly the endpins. Top spare shooters advise that onsingle-pin spares to roll the ball faster andstraighter.

...You can never tell about lane condi-tions and what effect they may have. Therehave been weeks on the national pro tourTV finals four top stars averaged a mere 201.And a week later, with four top stars again,they averaged 262.

LOOKING TO ADD TEAMS!DETROIT

ALL-STAR CLASSICSponsored by

Thunderbowl LanesExciting new

format expectedwith an awesome prize fund!INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS INTERESTED:CONTACT ART SCHROEDER ANY TIME

AT 586-569-9765.

By CHUCKPEZZANO

Bowling Hall-of-Famerand Nationally

Syndicated Columnist

DETROITALL-STAR CLASSIC

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 97

Wednesday, August 22, 20128

By CHERYLDANIELSMember of the

Professional Women’sBowling Association

TIPS

FROM

THE P

ROS

gressive urethane ball for 10-pins for rightiesand 7-pins for lefties.

Today’s reactive resin and now particleshell balls dominate the market. In terms ofreactive resin and particle shell balls, theycome in either solid coverstock or pearlizedcoverstock. Reactive resin balls have a veryaggressive back end reaction, whereas par-ticle shell balls tend to roll heavier in themid-lane (the area just past the arrows andbefore the backend). The pearlizedcoverstock balls are naturally more shiny inappearance with swirls and give you moreskid in the front of the lane.

When there is less head oil in the heads(first 15 feet), you will probably want to usea pearlized shell to get more length beforeit starts hooking. If you bowl on very oilylanes, you will need a more aggressive ballin a solid shell coverstock that is dull tosemi-dull.

In the final analysis, your choice ofequipment should be determined by the laneconditions you bowl on. I suggest: one re-active resin in a solid shell, one particle shellin a solid shell, one pearlized reactive resinand one plastic or hard shell urethane.

Q: How do I keep from getting nervouswhen I am on a string of strikes and havea chance to shoot 300?

A: We all get nervous, it is a natural hu-man reaction. The key is to remain in the

Getting Your Equipment Ready for League Play

• THIS WEEK’s tip column is cover-ing equipment for league play. Obviouslydepending on your skill level and the typeof competitive situation you are in will de-termine how much and what kind of equip-ment you will need. The higher the stakesthe more demanding your knowledge ofequipment will become.

In most league situations, three to fourballs is enough if the lanes you bowl on arefairly consistent. I usually keep a few morein the car, just in case. I suggest always hav-ing a harder plastic or shiny regular, less ag-

same frame of mind you were in when youthrew the first few strikes. Everyone haskeys to their game, such as staying down,extending through your target, etc. Try toconcentrate on what helps you to make goodshots and let that be your focal point. Re-play in your mind your good shots and cap-ture what it feels like to your body. Don’t

IMPROVE YOUR GAME!PRIVATE LESSONSBy Professional Women’s Bowling Association Star

CHERYL DANIELS

Located Inside Novi Bowling Center

GET A CUSTOM DESIGNED LAYOUTFOR YOUR STYLE OF PLAY

(248) 344-8940

Strike Masters Pro Shop

focus on whether or not you carry your nextshot, but on your execution of that shot. Thatyou can control.

—◆ Send Questions to Cheryl Daniels, P.O. Box 252, Novi, MI 48376 or e-mail meat “shebe@freeway.net” or visit mywebsite at www.cheryldaniels.com.

PREMIER LANES33151 23 Mile Rd. in Chesterfield

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FALL OPENINGS• MONDAY NIGHT LADIES LEAGUE

Starts Sep. 10th at 6:30 p.m.Looking for 5-Lady Teams or Individuals

• LOOKING FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT LEAGUEMen’s, Ladies or Mixed

• THURSDAY NIGHT MEN’S LEAGUEStarts Sept. 13th at 7 p.m.

Looking for 5-Man Teams or Individuals

• FRIDAY NIGHT CEDAR POINTE LEAGUEStarts Aug. 31st at 7 p.m.

Includes Bus Trip to Cedar Pointe on Oct 27th4-Person Teams • Men, Women or Mixed

• SATURDAY YOUTH LEAGUEStarts Sep. 22nd at 11 a.m.

12-Week Season • Boys, Girls or Mixed

• SATURDAY NIGHT LEAGUEStarts Sep. 8th at 6 p.m.

Looking for 4-Person Mixed Teams or Individuals

• SUNDAY VEGAS LEAGUEStarts Sep. 26th at 4:45 p.m. • Every Other WeekLooking for 4-Person Mixed Teams or Individuals

PABCON Championships Kick OffARLINGTON, Texas — Though the United States has won more than 61 percent of

the gold medals in the history of the Pan American Bowling Confederation Champion-ships, members of Team USA won’t take their competition lightly when the 2012 eventbegins next week.

Athletes from 18 countries will descend upon Sunset Station’s Strike Zone BowlingCenter in suburban Las Vegas for the 2012 PABCON Combined Championships, whichwill feature men’s and women’s teams. The event will serve as the qualifier for the 2013World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships.

Team USA will send a mix of veterans and newcomers to the event. Patrick Allen, JohnJanawicz, Steve Smith, Bill O’Neill, Tommy Jones and Marshall Kent comprise the men’steam, while the women’s team will have Liz Johnson, Stefanie Nation, Josie Earnest,Diandra Asbaty, Shannon Pluhowsky and Leanne Hulsenberg. The tournament marks theTeam USA debut for Kent, Earnest and Hulsenberg.

Since the start of the PABCON Championships, formerly the American Zone Champi-onships, in 1961, the United States has claimed 106 of a possible 172 gold medals. TeamUSA leads the overall medal count with 220. Mexico has claimed 28 golds and 102 totalmedals to rank second.

Medals will be up for grabs in singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters nextweek will all the action being broadcast live on BOWL.com’s BowlTV. Competition be-gins with singles on Monday at 8 a.m. Pacific.

For more information, visit BOWL.com/PABCON2012.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 99

CAN-AM BAKERDOUBLES CLASSIC

www.can-am-baker.com$1,500 Guaranteed 1st

2012 Schedule

ALL DATES, CENTERS, AND TIMES ARESUBJECT TO CHANGE IF NEEDED.

THERE IS A DRESS CODE FOR THE GRAND FINALS.(Based on 3 yr. composite of all leagues excluding sport conditions )

Entry Fee: $120/team

Come and Experience Bowling’sMost Exciting Format!

Dale Hofmeister Wins 19th Budweiser MMBA Title at Galaxy Lanes• DALE HOFMEISTER

added another BudweiserMichigan Majors title to hisall-time leading total.Hofmeister won his 19th titleat Galaxy Lanes in GrandBlanc.

Hofmeister, as the No. 1seed, receives four practiceballs on the stepladder pairprior to the match. Dale neverthrew one strike in his warmup. It was a different storyonce the game began,Hofmeister started with the fistfive strikes en-route to a 239-221 win over Ed Burbo. Burbowas right in the match until heleft a 4-5-10 split in his ninthframe.

Ryan Powers, bowling in his very firsttournament, was the leading qualifier witha 1495 score to pace the 75 entries. Ryan

By KENCHARRETTE

Member of theGreater Detroit Bowling

Hall of Fame

he strikes out I couldn’t win.”* * *

• THE FINAL standings at GalaxyLanes — Dale Hofmeister (Essexville)$1,100, Ed Burbo (South Rockford) $600,Ryan Powers (Portage) $600, BrianNewcomb (Romulus) $400, John Kelley(Sterling Hgts.) $300, Rick Schultz (War-ren) $260, Harry Sullins (Sterling Hgts.)$250, Justin Crosby (Holly) $240, JeffEdwards (Sterling Hgts.) $230, Matt Ander-son (Holly) $220, Ken Ulicny (SwartzCreek) $210, Rick Zohott (Eaton Rapids)$200, Randy Hawks (Calesburg) $160,

Gerry Lobdell (Jackson) $150, FrankSnodgrass (Roseville) $140, Justin O’Hara(Westland) $130, Kevin Dyer (Burton)$120, Corey Miller (Grand Blanc) $110,Kirk Johnson (Jackson) $105, GeorgeGohagan III (Dayton) $100.

* * *• THE NEXT tournament is Saturday,

Sept. 15 at Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing.Contact the Budweiser Michigan Majorsat 21317 Frazho, St. Clair Shores, MI 48081,or call (586) 775-2414. Also the official website at http://www.michiganmajors.com.

ASTRO LANES32388 John R in Madison Heights • 248-585-3132

2012-13 Season Looking to Expand• Tuesday & Thursday Mixed Seniors at 10 a.m.

Call Pat at 248-585-3132

• Monday Men’s at 7 p.m. • 5-ManCall Pat at 248-585-3132

• Tuesday Men’s at 6:40 p.m. • 5-ManCall Pat at 248-585-3132

• Wednesday Eagle Men’ at 6:15 p.m. • 5-ManCall Jim at 248-543-4943

• Thursday Men at 7:15 p.m. • 5-ManCall Pat at 248-585-3132

hung on in the semi-final toplace fifth for the stepladderfinal. There were two 300games in the qualifying byRick Schultz and JustinCrosby.

Powers had 11 strikesin the first match but had awide open 5-pin split in theseventh frame as he coasted toa 261- 212 win over JohnKelley. Powers continued hishot hand with an easy win258-193 win over BrianNewcomb.

The wheels fell off forPowers in the semi-finalmatch. He started with twoopen frames and was never in

the match. Ed Burbo won, 234-176.Hofmeister said, “I don’t know what to

say. It does not grow old winning. I got luckywhen Ed left that split in his ninth frame. If

made of three pieces of marble.Another ancient discovery was the Polynesian game of ula maika, also utilizing pins

and balls of stone. The stones were to be rolled at targets 60 feet away, a distance whichtoday still is one of the basic regulations of tenpins.

Bowling at pins probably originated in ancient Germany, not as a sport but as a reli-gious ceremony. Martin Luther is credited with settling on nine as the ideal number ofpins.

The game moved throughout Europe, the Scandinavian countries, and finally to theUnited States, with the earliest known reference to bowling at pins in America made byauthor Washington Irving about 1818 in “Rip Van Winkle.”

The game was being played throughout the world and rules were different almost ev-erywhere. Even basic equipment was not the same. In fact, why and when the extra pinwas added from the European game of ninepins to the American game of tenpins still is amystery.

Regardless of how the game came into being, it became so popular by mid-19th cen-tury that indoor lanes were being built throughout Manhattan and the Bronx and on west-ward, in Syracuse, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee and other cities with largeGerman populations.

In 1875, delegates from nine bowling clubs in New York and Brooklyn met in GermaniaHall in the Bowery and organized the National Bowling Association. This was the firstattempt to bring order out of chaos.

Disagreement raged between East and West, principally the alignment of New YorkState bowlers against everyone else to the west. On Sept. 9,1895, the American BowlingCongress was organized in Beethoven Hall in New York City.

A group of 40 women, encouraged by proprietor Dennis J. Sweeney of St. Louis, metat Sweeney’s establishment in 1916 and formed what was known as the Women’s Interna-tional Bowling Congress.

Bowlers Now Top 70 Million Mark(Continued from Page 1)

PBA UPDATEPBA UPDATEWednesday, August 22, 201210

‘SUPER-SIZED’ 2012-13 PBA TOUR INCLUDES‘WINTER SWING’ AT THUNDERBOWL LANES

SEATTLE — The Professional BowlersAssociation has been “super-sized.”

The upcoming 55th annual PBA Tourseason, which includes a “Winter Swing”stop at Thunder-bowl Lanes in Allen Park,will be longer. The number of titles up forgrabs will be greater. The fields will be

larger. Even the length of many TV showswill be increased.

PBA Commissioner Tom Clark made theannouncement that the PBA’s historic 2012-13 campaign will run from November’sPBA World Series of Bowling IV at SouthPoint Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas through

December 2013 and include up to 40 op-portunities for players to win PBA Tourtitles.

“This season will be big,” Clark said.“Every year the greatest players in the worldproduce unforgettable moments in theirquest for PBA titles, but the PBA and itsfans wanted more. The stage is now set.”

The PBA schedule will include twoWorld Series of Bowling, five major cham-pionships, new Winter and Summer Swingopen events with multiple titles at stake, andan estimated 15 World Bowling Tour stopsthat will award PBA Tour titles if won byPBA members and PBA International mem-bers.

Approximately 50 hours of action willbe televised nationally during the season.Additionally, the PBA’s online bowlingchannel Xtra Frame plans more than 200hours of live coverage.

Clark said the 14-month season will alsomean a move towards a regular calendar-year PBA season starting in January, 2014.

Significant highlights from the 2012-13schedule include:

• The United States Bowling CongressMasters will be held at Brunswick ZoneCarolier Lanes in North Brunswick, N.J., inFebruary, the PBA Tournament of Champi-ons will be hosted by long-time PBA hostWoodland Bowl in Indianapolis in March,and the 70th U.S. Open will be held at a siteto be announced in July 2013.

• The new PBA Winter Swing will becontested in January at Thunderbowl Lanesin Allen Park, Mich., host of WSOB I. Inaddition to four national titles including arevamped PBA Players Championship, theWinter Swing will introduce a significantnew format to be announced.

• Ten of the scheduled nationally-tele-vised shows have been increased from 90minutes to two hours, which means theUSBC Masters and PBA Tournament ofChampions, among others, will feature five-player stepladder finals instead of four.

• All World Series event finals will re-turn to stepladder formats.

• The PBA Tournament of Championswill return to a traditional limited-field in-vitational event.

• The World Tenpin BowlingAssociation’s World Bowling Tour pointslist — based on cumulative totals over a spanof two years — will determine the finalistsfor the men’s and women’s WBT Finals pre-sented by the PBA which will be held atboth WSOB IV and WSOB V.

Also to be announced will be the annualPBA Chris Paul Celebrity Invitational.

* * *Future news releases will also detail the

full ESPN and Xtra Frame coverage slates.Additional updates will be posted onpba.com. Also follow the PBA on Twitter@pbatour and on its Facebook page Pro-fessional Bowlers Association (PBA). Tosubscribe to Xtra Frame, visit pba.com.

2012-13 PBA SeasonSchedule Highlights

Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 - Sunday,Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. —PBA World Series of Bowling IV

Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 - Sunday,Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. —WSOB Cheetah Open

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 - Sunday,Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. —WSOB Viper Open

Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 - Sunday,Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. —WSOB Chameleon Open

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 - Sunday,Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. —WSOB Scorpion Open

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 - Sun-day, Nov. 11, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev.— PBA World Championship

Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 - Satur-day, December 1, 2012 in Tokyo, Ja-pan — Round One’s International Ja-pan Cup

PBA Winter Swing

Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 - Tuesday,Jan. 29, 2013 in Allen Park, Mich. —Carmen Salvino Classic

Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 - Tuesday,Jan. 29, 2013 in Allen Park, Mich. —Mark Roth Classic

Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 - Tuesday,Jan. 29, 2013 in Allen Park, Mich. —Don Carter Classic

Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 - Tuesday,Jan. 29, 2013 in Allen Park, Mich. —PBA Players Championship

Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 - Sunday,Feb. 24, 2013 in North Brunswick,N.J. — United States Bowling Con-gress Masters

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 - Sunday,March 31, 2013 in Indianapolis, Ind.— PBA Tournament of Champions

PBA Summer Swing

Sunday, May 19, 2013 - Monday,May 27, 2013 in TBA, USA

Sunday, July 21, 2013 - Sunday,July 28, 2013 in TBA, USA — 70thU.S. Open

Friday, Nov. 01, 2013 - Sunday,Nov. 10, 2013 in TBA, USA — PBAWorld Series of Bowling V

Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 - Sat-urday, Nov. 30, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan— Round One’s International JapanCup

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Missy Parkin Defeats Robin Romeo to WinWomen’s Bowling Alliance Queens Title

Women’s Bowling Alliance Champion Missy Parkin of Lake Forest, Calif., ledwire to wire en route to win the Women’s Bowling Alliance Queens title at SunsetStation’s Strike Zone bowling center in suburban Las Vegas, Nev. Parkin outdis-tanced USBC Hall of Famer and recent U.S. Open Senior Champion Robin Romeo,Newhall, Calif., by 149 pins and the rest of the field by 335 pins or more.

The recent Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open TV show finalist averaged 226 duringqualifying on the Kegel Winding Road pattern, then 220 with a 7-1 match playrecord on Sunday. Lindsay Boomershine of Brigham, Utah was third and defendingchampion Tina Stickney of Phoenix, Ariz., finished fourth.

Parkin received the $2,000 winner’s check, 2013 USBC Queens entry, tiara, WBAMeritage wine, charm bracelet and a bouquet of flowers for claiming the secondAnnual WBA Queens title.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 911

Walter Ray Williams Jr. Sweeps 2012 PBA Senior Tour StatsPBA UPDATEPBA UPDATE

After dominating the season statisticalcategories for more than two decades on thePBA Tour, PBA Hall of Famer Walter RayWilliams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., is doing more ofthe same as a member of the PBA SeniorTour.

Williams, who won his first PBA SeniorPlayer of the Year title in a points contestdesigned specifically for that purpose, alsoled all 50-and-older players in competitionpoints, average and earnings as the nine-event 2012 season came to an end Tuesday,Aug. 14, in Decatur, Ill.

The 52-year-old right-hander earned163,367 competition points in nine events,easily running away from runner-up BobLearn Jr. of Macomb, Mich., who had114,611 points. Williams won the averagetitle, scoring at a record 233.41 pace for 267games to top runner-up Wayne Webb’s229.85 average and break his own recordof 229.56 set during the 2011 season. Andthe season’s only two-time title winner ledthe Senior Tour in earnings with $35,900,comfortably ahead of runner-up HughMiller’s $26,850. Williams completed hissweep with 48 Player of the Year points,topping Venezuela’s Amleto Monacelli’s 32points.

During his 47-title PBA Tour career,Williams was PBA Player of the Year seven

times, earnings leader seven times, averageleader eight times and competition pointschampion eight times - all PBA Tourrecords.

The final Senior Tour stats also show-cased how close the 2012 Senior Rookie ofthe Year race will be. The winner of thatcontest will soon be determined in votingby bowling media and PBA members. Theleading candidates are four players who eachwon one title and finished in the top 10 inall three key statistical categories:

Learn, who won the Senior Miller HighLife Classic in Mooresville, N.C., finishedsecond in competition points, fifth in aver-age and sixth in earnings.

Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wis.,who won the Senior Sun Bowl in The Vil-lages, finished 10th in points, fourth in av-erage and seventh in earnings.

Monacelli, who won the PBA SeniorU.S. Open, finished sixth in points, seventhin average and third in earnings.

Mike Edwards of Tulsa, Okla., who wonthe USBC Senior Masters, finished ninth inpoints, third in average and fourth in earn-ings.

In his final event as a PBA competitor,PBA Hall of Famer Dave Soutar ofBradenton, Fla., capped his career as the all-time leader in earnings as a PBA Senior

player. In addition to his seven Senior Tourtitles, Soutar finished his career with a totalof $586,120 in earnings in Senior Tour andSenior Regional competition. Soutar, whobowled in a record 259 Senior Tour events,earned $518,170 exclusively in Senior Tour

competition, making him the only player tosurpass the $500,000 milestone at the na-tional senior level. Gene Stus of Allen Park,Mich., is the only other player to exceed thehalf-million-dollar milestone in total careersenior earnings ($522,885).

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Dave Soutar Concludes Career After MoreThan Half-Century of PBA Competition

DECATUR, Ill. — PBA Hall of Famer Dave Soutar ended his career in PBAcompetition in appropriate fashion during the final day of qualifying of the PBASenior Decatur Open presented by Brunswick — before a big crowd and throwingthree strikes in the 10th frame of his last game.

It brought an end to more than a half-century of PBA competition for the 72-year-old who won 18 titles on the PBA Tour and seven on the Senior Tour.

“He was my roommate on Tour and has been a close friend for 50 years,” fellowHall of Famer and competitor Johnny Petraglia said of Soutar. “It marks the end ofan era and it’s going to be tough bowling out here without him.”

Soutar, who was the onlyplayer to win both the UnitedStates Bowling Congress Mas-ters (1973) and Senior Masters(2000), finished the SeniorDecatur Open in 52nd with a3,183 pinfall and a 214 in hisfinal game in qualifying.

“It wasn’t until the last gamethat I thought about it being mylast tournament,” said Soutar,“Then I saw people gatheringaround and it started to hit me. Idon’t show much emotion but Istarted to get tears in my eyesin the 10th frame-so much sothat I couldn’t see my target.With everyone gathering aroundI thought to myself, please letme strike in the 10th frame. Itwas probably as nervous as I’veever been bowling in a tourna-ment.”

Soutar began his career in1961 and in only his fifth tour-nament as a professional, hewon a major - the PBA Na-tional Championship - for hisfirst PBA title. From thatlaunching pad to stardom, hewould go on to win 11 titlesover the next seven years, fin-

ishing in the top 10 in earnings six times over that same period.His best season came in 1970 when he won five titles, the most of any player on

Tour that year. In what he admitted was his biggest disappointment, he did not earnPlayer of the Year honors that season. That distinction went to another Hall of FamerNelson Burton Jr., who won four titles. Soutar’s consolation prize was the PBA’sprestigious Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award, awarded by his fellow competitors.

A member of both the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame, Soutar was voted 20thgreatest PBA player of all-time in 2009. He won titles in five decades and holds therecord for number of Senior Tour events entered with 259.

“I have to admit that realizing I’m not going to be doing this anymore, is a littledepressing, but time goes on,” added Soutar, who now makes his home in Bradenton,Fla., but got his start in the sport in his native Detroit.

As the crowd gathered for his last game, Soutar’s wife, Hall of Fame bowlerJudy Soutar, was also hanging on every shot in the last game of his career.

“I so much wanted him to bowl a good game that last game,” Judy said. “As itturned out it was the ultimate ending for a great career. When he got the first strikeI was satisfied but the next two were just a bonus.”

• DAVE SOUTAR ends a half-century ofPBA competition, which included 18 titles on thePBA Tour and seven on the Senior Tour.

Wednesday, August 22, 201212