Mike Durbin
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Mike Durbin (born May 3, 1941 in California) is a former American professional bowler. He became a member of the PBA in 1967, a year in which he won two tournaments and was named PBA Rookie of the Year by Sporting News. He would go on to win a record three Tournament of Champions titles (1972, 1982 and 1984)[1] and 14 total PBA titles, amassing over $800,000 in career earnings. (The three Tournament of Champions titles has since been matched by Jason Couch in 1999, 2000 and 2002.) Durbin was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1984.
During the 1983-84 season, Durbin served as the president of the PBA.
From the early 1980s to 1995, Durbin worked as a color analyst for ESPN alongside play-by-play man Dennis Schreiner. The two called tournaments in the summer and fall, along with senior tour events, while ABC Sports would cover the spring events on the Pro Bowlers Tour. Durbin would occasionally call the action himself with another analyst, such as Earl Anthony, if Dennis was out on assignment. Durbin also worked as a commentator for USA Network's occasional bowling telecasts in the 1980s. In 1996, Marshall Holman became the new color analyst for ESPN's coverage, while Durbin took over play-by-play duties. He retired from broadcasting in 1997.
Durbin co-authored with Dan Herbst a self-help bowling book called From Gutterballs to Strikes. It was published in 1998. He now resides in Henderson, NV.
[edit] Sources
- www.pba.com, official site of the Professional Bowlers Association and the Denny's PBA Tour
- ^ World Tournament of Champions History, at www.hickoksports.com
