"Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport - the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the human drama of athletic competition..." ABC's Wide World of Sports Introduction
Every Saturday, when I was a much younger soul, like clockwork this poem recited. After the bowling match reached its conclusion, the last "so long" from the bowling venue ushered in these fine words. So familiar was its chant that you could close your eyes and just imagine the terrible spill that each week on cue, the unfortunate ski jumper would undertake.
When reading about USBC's recent quest to coach the two-handed style of bowling, I could not help but think back to some articles that were shared about the early days of the ABC and how the leaders of the time governed the game. In those very early times of governance, when the game was still being defined at a rapid pace, a new crop of hotshot bowlers came into vogue because some of the more ingenious players figured out how to make exotic bowling balls and use them to their advantage. Those early high tech balls were known then as 'dodo balls' and the players that used them were called 'dodo bowlers.'
A record field of 80 turn out for Golden Ladies Classic in Las Vegas
Stephen Ambrose, a fantastic history writer, made famous E Company with his "Band of Brothers" book that followed the exploits of the 101st Airborne from Normany to Hitler's Eagle Nest. Jeanette Robinson, a super bowling promoter, is making famous a "band of sisters" who bowl in the Storm National Golden Ladies Classic each year. The 20th renewal of the National Golden Ladies Classic drew a record 80 entries, five more than the previous high.
Bill O'Neill (l.) of Southampton, Pa, has been named the Kegel Bowler of the Month for February 2010 by the Bowling Writers Association of America. O'Neill backed up his September 2009 BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month award winning his second PBA title in five months, the 67th Lumber Liquidators U.S Open. Finishing a very close second in voting was Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (r.), Ocala, Florida, winner of the USBC Masters.
Lydia Rypcinski (l.) of Chicago, Ill., has been selected as winner of the 2010 Bowling Writers Association of America Luby Hall of Fame Award in recognition of her career of distinguished contributions to bowling journalism. BWAA also announced John Berglund (r.) of St. Martin, French West Indies, as their winner of the organization's 2010 Alberta Crowe Meritorious Service Award, honoring his years of off-the-lanes dedication to the sport.
The Storm Golden Ladies Classic tournament will be held at the Orleans Hotel-Casino and Bowling Center in Las Vegas from March 8-10. The tournament is open to all women over the age of fifty. The Storm Golden Ladies Tournament isn't just an ordinary bowling tournament. This year, almost 80 bowlers entered the event and, although it is a highly competitive event, it is a social event. It is more like a tea party, and a chance for old friends to gather and enjoy themselves in friendly competition.
Say hello to alcoholic drinks (if so desired) while bowling
I am sure that all the members of the USBC Board of Directors agonized over the tough decision to change 100 years of history and allow alcoholic beverages to be purchased by bowlers during the prestigious United States Bowling Congress' Open National Championships at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. To me, this a decision that has both a right and wrong aspect, depending on how you view the USBC Open Championships, which for years was promoted as the Showcase Event of the ABC.
Norm Duke (l.) and Liz Johnson (r.) have been chosen as the best bowlers of the calendar year 2009 by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). For Duke, it is back-to-back crowns, as he also won in 2008, and it is his fourth overall (1994, 2000) Johnson's 2009 award was her third, and her best performances are coming in odd years. She also won in 2005 and 2007. Duke edged Wes Malott, 57-23, while Johnson won handily over Kelly Kulick, 105-43.
Upload completed - 121 videos from 14 events are available on youtube.com/bowlingdigital
Bowlingdigital.com in cooperation with Flavio Cuva and Beat Grauwiler has published nearly 150 videos in the past four years, Since our videos are in high quality or high definition, many users with lower bandwidth were unable to open even a downsized version. Therefore we have uploaded 121 videos from 14 events onto YouTube and will add all future recordings. To watch Bowlingdigital's videos on YouTube click here. For a selection of 50 videos click on "bowlingdigital TV" on the top horizontal menu bar.
Sometimes it hurts to be right. Through the mail Thursday, I got three issues of the Colorado Bowler News publication and I glanced at my stories -- because I often forget what I have written. My story in the December issue carried this headline: "USBC Faces Difficult Financial Times That Could Result in Drastic Measures to Save Money". Sadly, the day after I read my story again I got a call from John Jowdy. The first thing he asked me was if I had heard about who
had been laid off by the USBC.
Reno leaders gambled on National Bowling Stadium and it has paid off
Looking down at the lights of downtown Reno from my 18th floor room at the Eldorado Hotel/Casino made me realize what a great role that bowling and the Eldorado have played in the revitalization of this once cowboy gambling Mecca. The first time I drove through Reno in the 1960s the rave in the casino I visited was about the upcoming rodeo. It was not surprising because there were a lot of cowboys in the casino and I liked the sign hanging over Virginia Street: "The biggest little city in the world."
The Orleans bowling center in Las Vegas, Nev., USA (Feb. 1-7, 2010)
The 2010 TAT Amateur Nationals at the The Orleans in Las Vegas, Nev. registered 4968 entries in this one-week event. Ricky Henderson (center) from Baltimore, Maryland walked away the winner and he took home $25,000. Finishing second was Senior division bowler John Young earning $15,000 for his efforts. Third place went to Joseph Guerrero cashing for $12,500, while 205 division bowler Fabio Andrade made $10,000 for 4th place. 189 & Under Handicap bowler Erik Glenn cashed for $6,000 for 5th place.
Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) President Jackie Wyckoff announced that Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Ark., and Robin Romeo, Newhall, Calif., have been elected as 2009 BWAA Senior Bowlers of the Year. Mohr (l.), 53, captured three PBA Senior titles and had the high average for the season with 223.14. Romeo (r.), 52, easily won the female Senior Bowler of the Year honors with her dazzling performance in the USBC Women's Championships in Reno.
South Point Casino, Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 4-7, 2010)
Anthony Marine, Long Island, New York won the first ever Classified 210 & under Mini-Eliminator sponsored by Columbia 300. Marine won $5,000 thanks to a 233 scratch game (251 with handicap) in the final shootout match. Finishing second was another Long Islander, Damon Gizzi of St. James, with 226 incl. handicap worth $2,500. Third place went to Landon Young of Las Vegas, who received $1,250 for 197 with handicap.
South Point Casino, Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 3-7, 2010)
Rick Miller of Lincoln, Nebraska won the 2010 Winter Mini-Eliminator sponsored by Columbia 300. Rick received the $20,000 winner's check after bowling a 236 in the final shootout match, 20 pins greater than second-place finisher Sam Carter, a senior bowler from Ben Lomond, Calif., who earned $10,000. Finishing third was the 205 & under champion Darnell Pearson of Baltimore, Md., who shot a 193 to earn $7,500.
The Canadian Tenpin Bowling Federation (CTF) has announced the 2009 Bowlers of the Year for adult male and female, senior female and junior male and female bowlers. Caroline Lagrange, Notre-Dame de Pins, Quebec and George Lambert IV, Hamilton, Ontario, were named in the adult division. Both won the 2009 National Championships. Lagrange (l.) also won the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup while Lambert (r.) earned a spot on the 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.
Jack Guay of Calgary, Alberta has been named as the 15th member of the Canadian Tenpin Federation Hall of Fame in the Athlete's category. Guay joins 14 other athletes, one veteran and nine builders in the national tenpin hall. The presentation will be held at the closing banquet of the National Championships which will take place in Surrey, British Columbia May 21-24, 2010. Guay, the 2004 Canadian Male Bowler of the Year, is a two-time Team Canada member.
Kelly Kulick (pictured) of Union, N.J., has been unanimously named the January 2010 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). Kulick became the first woman to capture a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, the PBA Tournament of Champions, by defeating top-seeded Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 265-195. This is Kulick's third BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month award, also claiming honors in May 2007 and June 2006.
The prestige of Bowling This Month bowling publication has been nothing short of miraculous, particularly the impact it has had on fervent bowlers. With all due respect to other bowling publications, BTM has become the Bible among pro shop operators and bowlers who take the game seriously. It is the realization of a dream come true for its founder, Bob Summerville, the most passionate bowler-person I have ever met.
Grand Opening of the International Bowling Campus by Joan B. Taylor
The theme of the grand opening was "The Stars Shine Bright Deep in the Heart of Texas" and it was no exaggeration writes Joan B. Taylor (r.). The grand opening of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington Texas was embedded in a bowling summit over three days. People came in from all over the country and a few from outside the US for the Southern Bowling Writers Dinner and Roast, a BWAA Board Meeting, and two days of seminars wrapped around a mini-expo.
When reading about USBC's recent quest to coach the two-handed style of bowling, I could not help but think back to some articles that were shared about the early days of the ABC and how the leaders of the time governed the game. In those very early times of governance, when the game was still being defined at a rapid pace, a new crop of hotshot bowlers came into vogue because some of the more ingenious players figured out how to make exotic bowling balls and use them to their advantage. Those early high tech balls were known then as 'dodo balls' and the players that used them were called 'dodo bowlers.'
Stephen Ambrose, a fantastic history writer, made famous E Company with his "Band of Brothers" book that followed the exploits of the 101st Airborne from Normany to Hitler's Eagle Nest. Jeanette Robinson, a super bowling promoter, is making famous a "band of sisters" who bowl in the Storm National Golden Ladies Classic each year. The 20th renewal of the National Golden Ladies Classic drew a record 80 entries, five more than the previous high.
Bill O'Neill (l.) of Southampton, Pa, has been named the Kegel Bowler of the Month for February 2010 by the Bowling Writers Association of America. O'Neill backed up his September 2009 BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month award winning his second PBA title in five months, the 67th Lumber Liquidators U.S Open. Finishing a very close second in voting was Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (r.), Ocala, Florida, winner of the USBC Masters.
Lydia Rypcinski (l.) of Chicago, Ill., has been selected as winner of the 2010 Bowling Writers Association of America Luby Hall of Fame Award in recognition of her career of distinguished contributions to bowling journalism. BWAA also announced John Berglund (r.) of St. Martin, French West Indies, as their winner of the organization's 2010 Alberta Crowe Meritorious Service Award, honoring his years of off-the-lanes dedication to the sport.
The Storm Golden Ladies Classic tournament will be held at the Orleans Hotel-Casino and Bowling Center in Las Vegas from March 8-10. The tournament is open to all women over the age of fifty. The Storm Golden Ladies Tournament isn't just an ordinary bowling tournament. This year, almost 80 bowlers entered the event and, although it is a highly competitive event, it is a social event. It is more like a tea party, and a chance for old friends to gather and enjoy themselves in friendly competition.
Norm Duke (l.) and Liz Johnson (r.) have been chosen as the best bowlers of the calendar year 2009 by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). For Duke, it is back-to-back crowns, as he also won in 2008, and it is his fourth overall (1994, 2000) Johnson's 2009 award was her third, and her best performances are coming in odd years. She also won in 2005 and 2007. Duke edged Wes Malott, 57-23, while Johnson won handily over Kelly Kulick, 105-43. 
Bowlingdigital.com in cooperation with Flavio Cuva and Beat Grauwiler has published nearly 150 videos in the past four years, Since our videos are in high quality or high definition, many users with lower bandwidth were unable to open even a downsized version. Therefore we have uploaded 121 videos from 14 events onto YouTube and will add all future recordings. To watch Bowlingdigital's videos on YouTube 
The 2010 TAT Amateur Nationals at the The Orleans in Las Vegas, Nev. registered 4968 entries in this one-week event. Ricky Henderson (center) from Baltimore, Maryland walked away the winner and he took home $25,000. Finishing second was Senior division bowler John Young earning $15,000 for his efforts. Third place went to Joseph Guerrero cashing for $12,500, while 205 division bowler Fabio Andrade made $10,000 for 4th place. 189 & Under Handicap bowler Erik Glenn cashed for $6,000 for 5th place. 
Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) President Jackie Wyckoff announced that Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Ark., and Robin Romeo, Newhall, Calif., have been elected as 2009 BWAA Senior Bowlers of the Year. Mohr (l.), 53, captured three PBA Senior titles and had the high average for the season with 223.14. Romeo (r.), 52, easily won the female Senior Bowler of the Year honors with her dazzling performance in the USBC Women's Championships in Reno.
Anthony Marine, Long Island, New York won the first ever Classified 210 & under Mini-Eliminator sponsored by Columbia 300. Marine won $5,000 thanks to a 233 scratch game (251 with handicap) in the final shootout match. Finishing second was another Long Islander, Damon Gizzi of St. James, with 226 incl. handicap worth $2,500. Third place went to Landon Young of Las Vegas, who received $1,250 for 197 with handicap.
Rick Miller of Lincoln, Nebraska won the 2010 Winter Mini-Eliminator sponsored by Columbia 300. Rick received the $20,000 winner's check after bowling a 236 in the final shootout match, 20 pins greater than second-place finisher Sam Carter, a senior bowler from Ben Lomond, Calif., who earned $10,000. Finishing third was the 205 & under champion Darnell Pearson of Baltimore, Md., who shot a 193 to earn $7,500.
The Canadian Tenpin Bowling Federation (CTF) has announced the 2009 Bowlers of the Year for adult male and female, senior female and junior male and female bowlers. Caroline Lagrange, Notre-Dame de Pins, Quebec and George Lambert IV, Hamilton, Ontario, were named in the adult division. Both won the 2009 National Championships. Lagrange (l.) also won the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup while Lambert (r.) earned a spot on the 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.
Jack Guay of Calgary, Alberta has been named as the 15th member of the Canadian Tenpin Federation Hall of Fame in the Athlete's category. Guay joins 14 other athletes, one veteran and nine builders in the national tenpin hall. The presentation will be held at the closing banquet of the National Championships which will take place in Surrey, British Columbia May 21-24, 2010. Guay, the 2004 Canadian Male Bowler of the Year, is a two-time Team Canada member.
Kelly Kulick (pictured) of Union, N.J., has been unanimously named the January 2010 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). Kulick became the first woman to capture a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, the PBA Tournament of Champions, by defeating top-seeded Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 265-195. This is Kulick's third BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month award, also claiming honors in May 2007 and June 2006.
The theme of the grand opening was "The Stars Shine Bright Deep in the Heart of Texas" and it was no exaggeration writes Joan B. Taylor (r.). The grand opening of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington Texas was embedded in a bowling summit over three days. People came in from all over the country and a few from outside the US for the Southern Bowling Writers Dinner and Roast, a BWAA Board Meeting, and two days of seminars wrapped around a mini-expo.