Professional Bowlers Association

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling. The PBA, with almost 4,300 members worldwide^[1], oversees the PBA Tour, the PBA Senior Tour, and the PBA Regional Tour (a sort of minor-league circuit). The PBA Regional Tour consists of seven regions: Central, East, Midwest, Northwest, South, Southwest, and West. Its season runs from September to April, and its tour is televised exclusively by ESPN.

Qualifying for the Tour

From the PBA Tour's inception through the 2003-2004 season, most national PBA events were open to the entire PBA membership. Starting in October 2004, the PBA adopted an all-exempt national tour format. In this format, only 64 bowlers compete each week. Bowlers can earn exemptions by winning a tournament during the previous season, winning one of the four major tournaments (thus gaining a multi-year exemption), placing among the top finishers in points, leading a region^[2] on the PBA Regional Tour, or finishing in a high position at the PBA Tour Trials.

The top 25 bowlers on the RPI points list in each of the seven PBA regions (through September 2008) will earn an invitation to the 2008 RPI. The top five from each region – plus the winner of the 2008 Regional Players Championship (won by Sean Swanson in late May) – will receive airfare and accommodations for the event in December. The normal $150 entry fee will still be required for those players, but they will not have to pay an additional fee to be eligible for an exemption.

The next 20 players in each region will pay their own way to the RPI and will also be required to pay an additional $750 to be eligible for the exemptions on top of their $500 entry fee. All bowlers competing in the event are guaranteed a minimum $400 cash payout.

The 2008 RPI will feature a similar format to the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Trials in that competitors will bowl for five days on each of the PBA’s five oil patterns. The top eight bowlers who have paid the additional entry fee will earn exemptions for the 2009-10 season, provided they finish in the top 16 overall.

The number of exemptions awarded at the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Trials can vary - 10 spots were available in 2006-07, but only seven spots at the start of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 campaigns. That number can increase due to injury deferments for currently exempt bowlers. Jason Couch, Tony Reyes, Patrick Healey Jr. and Jeff Carter were awarded injury deferments in 2007-08, allowing them to retain their exempt status for the 2008-09 season.

In the 2006 Denny's PBA Tour Trials, Kelly Kulick made history becoming the first woman to ever gain a PBA exemption (she was exempt for the 2006-07 season). Before it dissolved, Kulick was the 2001 Rookie of the Year on the PWBA, won the 2003 Women's U.S. Open, and was a three time member of Team USA.

In total, 58 bowlers received exempt status for the entire 2008-09 season. The six remaining spots are awarded each week through the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Qualifying Round (TQR). (Prior to 2007-08, PBA Commissioner Fred Schreyer would regularly award one spot to any former touring pro under the Commissioner's Exemption; this option was rarely used during the 2007-08 season).

During the TQR, amateur and PBA bowlers bowl 7 games of qualifying. The top amateur bowler advances (no matter where he or she finishes), along with the top five PBA members. In the 2007-08 PBA season, rookie Rhino Page made a remarkable five TV finals appearances (winning one title) despite having to bowl in the TQR every week. Along the way, he set records for most times qualifying for a tournament out of the TQR (12) and most match-play rounds for a non-exempt bowler (9).

Finals formats

Prior to the debut of the PBA on ABC television in 1962, most tourneys bowled a set number of match-play games, with the champion crowned by final overall total pinfall.

Beginning in the 1960s through 1997 (with the exception of one year), televised events were done in a "stepladder" format. Four matches would be held, with the #5 and #4 seeds meeting first. The winner of the first match would bowl the #3 seed, and likewise up to the top spot.

ABC experimented in 1993 with a King Of The Hill format. Under this arrangement, only the top four seeds made it to the television finals, instead of five, with the traditional stepladder format. The #4 and #3 seeds met first, with the winner facing the #2 seed, and that winner then facing the #1 seed. The winner of the tournament faced the current "King" for an additional cash prize. The winner of that match would then bowl the winner of the following week's tournament. The "King" could defend his title even when not competing in the event hosting it. The tour resumed its normal "stepladder" format the following year.

The bowler who won himself the most notoriety for winning "King" matches was Ron Williams, who won only four tourneys in his career, yet held the "King" spot for five consecutive weeks that year.

Special formats were also used on occasion in conjunction with Old Spice deodorant, which sponsored a Winning Never Gets Old challenge annually in the mid 1990s. The winner of the championship would bowl a Seniors Tour bowler for the rights to an extra $10,000.

When the PBA moved to CBS in 1998, a two-match format was adopted. Again going to four bowlers, the #2, #3, and #4 players bowled in one match, with the winner to face the tournament leader for the championship.

After the PBA's sale and move of broadcasts to ESPN, each bowler bowled nine qualifying games, with the top 64 by pinfall competing in best 4-of-7 matches. The four remaining bowlers from match play competed in two semi-final matches, followed by a final match. A few tournaments still used the stepladder format for the finals.

In January 2005, the PBA tournament format was modified because of the all exempt tour. Non-exempt bowlers bowl on the first day to determine who qualifies for the tournament. The second day consists of 14 games to determine the 32 bowlers who will make "match play" on the third day. Seeding is based on a rolling points list of the 20 previous events.

The third day features 32 bowlers competing in potentially 21 matches in a single day. It starts with the first round in the morning, followed by the second round ("Round of 16") after lunch. That night, the quarterfinal ("Round of 8") matches are conducted. All matches are a best 4-of-7 format. The four quarterfinal winners make the field for the televised finals. Depending on the finals format, a fifth bowler may be added based on highest pinfall among the quarterfinal non-winners.

The championship round remains single head-to-head matches for semifinals and finals on the final day.

Top 10 in PBA titles

The following are the top titles winners in PBA Tour history. The table list the name and the number of titles; a check mark indicates that the player is still active.

Rank	Name	Titles	Active?
1.	Walter Ray Williams Jr.	45	Y
2.	Earl Anthony	43
3.	Pete Weber	34	Y
	Mark Roth
5.	Parker Bohn III	31	Y
6.	Norm Duke	30	Y
	Dick Weber
8.	Mike Aulby	29
9.	Don Johnson	26
10.	Brian Voss	24

In May 2008, the PBA announced that it was revising its all-time records to include ABC Masters and BPAA All-Star titles if they were bowled by a PBA member.^[3] ABC Masters titles prior to 1998 and BPAA All-Star (U.S. Open prior to 1971) titles were previously not counted as PBA titles. They are now counted as both a PBA title and a major title. The most significant impact of this change is that Dick Weber, who won four BPAA All-Star events, moves from an 8th place tie on the all-time titles list to 6th place (30 titles). Also, Earl Anthony is credited with two more major titles, both being USBC (ABC) Masters, giving him a record ten majors among his 43 total titles; he had previously shared the record of eight major titles with Pete Weber.

Hall of Fame

The PBA Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 with eight initial inductees: Ray Bluth, Don Carter, Carmen Salvino, Harry Smith, Dick Weber, Billy Welu, Frank Esposito and Chuck Pezzano. It was located at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri; it will become part of the new USBC headquarters in Arlington, Texas and is slated to open in early 2010.

Through 2008, there are 81 PBA Hall of Fame Members in three categories:

• Performance (41)
• Meritorious Service (26)
• Veterans/Special Categories (14)

Membership in the Hall of Fame was originally determined by annual elections. From 2000-2008, those in the Performance category had to have ten PBA titles (or two major championships) on their resume, as well as be retired from the tour for five years.

Another revision took effect in 2008. Bowlers can now qualify for the Hall of Fame based on five PBA titles on their resume, as long as two of those titles were major championships. Other active bowlers can now qualify for the Hall as well if they have 20 years of membership and are elected.^[4]

Player of the Year

The PBA Player of the Year began being officially recognized in 1963. It was awarded by The Sporting News from 1963-70, and by the PBA membership from 1971-2007. Some factors used in the voting process for a given season included major titles, total titles, Tour average ranking, points ranking and TV finals appearances. The mid-70's to early-80's were dominated by Earl Anthony and Mark Roth. The two won 10 of the 11 P.O.Y. awards between 1974-84, and faced off in many memorable finals. In the 2007-08 season, a new Player of the Year system was instituted, where a points system only determines the winner. Chris Barnes became the first Player of the Year winner under this new system in 2008, edging out Walter Ray Williams Jr. by two points.

PBA lane preparation

Unlike the typical "league condition" or "house shot", which facilitates a fairly consistent pattern and wider target area, the PBA rotates five challenging lane oil patterns throughout the season. The patterns — known as Cheetah, Viper, Scorpion, Shark and Chameleon — feature varying oil volumes and lengths that require pros to adjust ball angle, rotation and speed accordingly. On some patterns, certain "strike lines" (areas of the lane) are unplayable, and spare shooting becomes much more important. This means a 220 average on the PBA Tour would easily translate to 20-30 pins higher on a typical league shot.

To put this theory to the test, the PBA held a special "Ultimate Scoring Championship" in the 2008-09 season, with pro bowlers competing on a typical league lane condition. The event took place November 9-11, 2008 in Taylor, MI, prior to the PBA Chameleon Championship that took place in the same bowling center. The lane conditions indeed proved easier for the professionals, as 3 of the 4 finalists averaged better than 250 during match play.^[5] The taped finals will be aired November 23 on ESPN.

Custom oil patterns are used for the four major tournaments. In addition, the PBA is introducing the Dick Weber pattern for two 2008-09 tournaments (including the Dick Weber Open), plus a newly-designed "Earl" pattern for the Earl Anthony Medford Classic.

Though most PBA pros tend to bowl their best on one or two of the PBA oil patterns, two players, Mika Koivuniemi and Tommy Jones, have managed to win at least one title on all five standard patterns.

PBA history

20th century

Prior to the PBA's inception, bowling was broadcast on television sporadically beginning in the early 1950s. NBC began with an early 1950s special telecast entitled Championship Bowling.^[6] Regular bowling shows, including Make That Spare and Jackpot Bowling with Milton Berle began airing nationally.

At the same time, there was a desire to start a professional bowling division in the United States; an effort led by Eddie Elias, a sports agent based in Akron, Ohio. During the 1958 ABC (American Bowling Congress) tournament in Syracuse, New York, sixty men, including Don Carter, Frank Esposito, Buzz Fazio, Dick Weber, Carmen Salvino, Billy Welu, Steve Nagy, Harry Smith, Ray Bluth, Dick Hoover and Junie McMahon, attended a presentation by Elias. After listening to his proposal, thirty-three of the men donated $1,650 each to start the organization, which was incorporated in 1958, and headquartered in Akron.

Competition began in 1959 with three tournaments. Lou Campi won the first event (the Empire State Open), and Dick Weber won the other two (Paramus Eastern Open and the Dayton Open)^[7] Weber would become the first "face" of the PBA in the early years, as he won 10 of the first 22 events held.

Elias would also lead the effort to give the PBA a permanent home on television, which it would find on ABC Sports by 1965. Coupled with the continued support of its charter members, as well as sponsorships by the Ford Motor Company, Coca-Cola (which sponsored eleven tournaments in 1963 alone)^[8], True Value Hardware and Firestone Tire, the PBA experienced growth in its tournament schedules and prize funds.

Schedules reached a plateau of 35 tournaments per year in the 1980s. The 1965 Tournament of Champions was the first to offer $100,000 in prize money; the 1982 event featured a $200,000 purse, and the 1987 U.S. Open, sponsored by Seagram distillery, offered a $500,000 prize fund as well as the first $100,000 first-place prize in PBA history.^[9]

By the 1980s, True Value pledged $100,000 to any roller of a perfect game on national television (increased to a $200,000 sum during its own True Value Open). Prior to this, the PBA would award a televised 300 game with $10,000 and a new Ford automobile. In addition, in the early 1990s the Miller Brewing Company offered $1 million to any bowler who could win all three of its tournaments in a given season.

As television exposure increased for the PBA, it spun off a Seniors Tour in 1981, with Bill Beach winning the first seniors' championship that year.

Elias continued to be involved in the PBA until his death in 1998.

Since 2000

The 2007-08 season

Main article: PBA Bowling Tour: 2007-08 season

In 2007, total PBA tournament prize money exceeds $9 million, versus approximately $1 million annually in the 1970s.^[10]

The 2008-09 season

On October 1, 2008, the PBA began a three-year sponsorship deal with Lumber Liquidators, making the American hardwood flooring retailer the tour's title sponsor through the 2010-11 season. Denny's, the title sponsor from 2005-08, remains a PBA sponsor, and will continue to be the title sponsor of the Denny's Dick Weber Open tour stop.^[11]

The PBA kicked off its 50th season with a major tournament: the PBA World Championship was moved to the front of the PBA schedule for the first time in history. The tournament was contested October 19-25, 2008 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kansas, with the live televised finals airing Sunday, October 26 on ESPN. The 20-event 2008-09 season concludes with the 66th U.S. Open, March 29-April 5 in North Brunswick, NJ. Other majors in 2008-09 include the Tournament of Champions (January 19-26 at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas) and USBC Masters (February 8-16 at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas).

The Dydo Japan Cup, which typically kicks off the PBA Tour season on ESPN, has been delayed until April, 2009, due to arena issues.^[12]

A special "Golden Anniversary Championship" featured 16 Senior PBA bowlers (age 50 or older) who earned entry through a dedicated qualifying round at the Hammond, IN tour stop. The eventual top two Senior bowlers squared off in a live televised final, airing after the final match for the regular touring pros on November 9.

The PBA Women's Series, which began on a limited basis in the 2007-08 season, continues this season with seven events (see "PBA Women's Series/Women's U.S. Open" later in this article). The series features head-to-head women's matches to air jointly with six PBA telecasts, plus a mixed doubles event with PBA professionals that airs February 1, 2009.

Majors are noted in bold text.

Exemptions for 2008-09

The following is a breakdown of the 58 bowlers who received a PBA exemption for most tournaments in the 2008-09 season:

• 40 - Current Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour (previous season champions and 2007-08 point leaders among non-champions)
• 6 - Point leaders from PBA regions
• 7 - 2008 Lake County Indiana Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Trials
• 1 - Non-exempt Points Leader from the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour (+)
• 4 - Deferred Exemptions from the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour

(+) Rhino Page topped all non-exempt bowlers during the 2007-08 season. But because Page also won a title, this exemption went to the next-highest non-exempt bowler, Edward VanDaniker Jr..

This leaves six spots that can be earned each week through the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Qualifying Round (TQR), for a total starting field of 64 bowlers. If a bowler from any of the aforementioned categories does not take his or her spot in a given week, the next-place bowler beyond 6th place in the TQR will take the spot.

Under this new format, active membership in the PBA is not a guarantee; it must be earned. The 2003 Tournament Of Champions was pivotal, as Randy Pedersen was facing elimination of his tour card in the semi-final match against Norm Duke. On his final shot, Pedersen left a ringing 10-pin and immediately singled out the sidelines, accusing a spectator of distracting him as he made his shot. From that point, Pedersen would have to bowl in the TQR in order to try making the match-play cut. (Duke would eventually finish runner-up to Steve Jaros in the final match.)

Ironically, Duke faced a similar fate in the 2007-08 season, but prevailed. Standing 51st on the PBA points list entering the 2008 Denny's World Championship, he defeated all-time titles leader Walter Ray Williams in the semifinals, then topped Ryan Shafer in the finals to maintain his Tour exemption for another two years.

Criticism of the format was brought forth by long-time PBA fans when 24-time winner Brian Voss lost his tour exemption following the 2006-07 season. Nineteen-time titlist Amleto Monacelli also lost his exemption at the same time.

There are some exceptions to this breakdown. The PBA World Championship, Dick Weber Open and PBA Marathon Championship events are open to the entire PBA membership in 2008-09. The U.S. Open and USBC Masters events are open to the entire PBA membership plus qualifying USBC amateurs.

In late May 2008, the PBA held the 2008 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Trials to determine the final seven bowlers who would attain exempt status for the 2008-09 season. At the Tour Trials, non-exempt PBA and international bowlers bowled nine games each day for five straight days on the five different PBA oil patterns. Six-time PBA titlist Dave D'Entremont led the field with a pinfall of 10,051 (223.4 average) to regain the tour exemption he lost following the 2007-08 season. Below are the seven bowlers with the largest pin totals after 45 games, who received exempt status for the 2008-09 season^[13]:

• Dave D'Entremont
• Craig Tuholski
• Chad Kloss
• Joe Bailey
• Jason Lundquist
• Randy Weiss
• Terrance Reeves

In addition, the following six bowlers received 2008-09 tour exemptions by finishing with the most points in their respective PBA Regions (the East Region points leader declined his exemption). As stated earlier, this is the last year that points alone will qualify a Regional bowler for an exemption:

• Ken Abner (Central Region)
• Nathan Bohr (Southwest Region)
• Andrew Cain (West Region)
• Chester Rogers Jr. (Northwest Region)
• Jason Sterner (South Region)
• David Traber (Midwest Region)

2008-09 Women's Series

In conjunction with the Women's U.S. Open, the PBA Women's Series continues this season with seven events. (See article: PBA Women's Series.)

2008-09 Finals Formats

The 2008-09 season uses a combination of bracketed and stepladder finals, plus some newly-introduced finals formats. The four-player bracketed format will be used four times during the season, a four-player stepladder format will be used nine times, and a five-player stepladder format will be used five times. In addition:

• The Don Johnson Buckeye State Classic (March 8) will feature an "Eliminator" format. In the opening match, the top four bowlers from match play will compete with the low bowler being eliminated. In the next match, the low bowler will again be eliminated from the remaining three. The final match will be standard: two bowlers face each other, with the winner crowned champion.
• Inspired by NCAA Basketball's "March Madness," the PBA Match Play Championship (March 22) will start by ranking the Top 64 bowlers in points through this point of the season. The first round will pair the 1st-ranked bowler against the 64th-ranked, 2nd-ranked versus 63rd-ranked, and so on in single-game match play to cut the field to 32. Using the same seedings, the field will be cut from 32 to 16, from 16 to 8, from 8 to 4, and from 4 to 2. Only two bowlers will remain for the televised final. These two will bowl three games each, with total pinfall deciding the champion.^[14]

Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Major Championships

The PBA Tour currently has four major championship events:

• The USBC Masters;
• The Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open;
• The PBA World Championship;
• The H&R Block Tournament of Champions.

The Masters Championship

Main article: USBC Masters

Current Defending Champion: Sean Rash

• The USBC Masters became an officially sanctioned PBA event in 1998. (Prior to 2005, this event was known as the ABC Masters.)

NOTE: In May, 2008, the PBA announced that it was revising its all-time records to include ABC Masters titles prior to 1998 if the person who earned the title was a PBA member at the time.^[3]

• Winners of the USBC Masters now earn a two-year PBA Tour exemption, meaning that for the following two seasons they do not have to qualify for the Top 64 each week through the TQR.

The United States Open

Main article: U.S. Open (bowling)

Current Defending Champion: Norm Duke

• The origins of the U.S. Open pre-date the PBA's founding by nearly a decade. Originally associated with the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) it was known as the BPAA All Star from 1951 to 1970. It was renamed the BPAA United States Open in 1971, and shortened to the U.S. Open thereafter. It has been held every year since, except for 1997.
• The U.S. Open is considered the most difficult of the tournaments to win today due to its demanding oil pattern, which differs from the five oil patterns the PBA generally employs. According to PBA.com, the U.S. Open uses a "flat" oil pattern, with equal amounts of oil being applied to every board.^[15] (Normal lane conditions feature a "crown" or larger amount of oil over the middle lane boards, to handle the heavier ball traffic.)
• Don Carter dominated the early BPAA All-Star events, winning four times between 1952 and 1960. Dick Weber also won this tournament four times when it was the BPAA All-Star.
• Mike Limongello won the first modern-day U.S. Open in 1971, defeating Teata Semiz.
• Marshall Holman became the first multiple modern-day winner with victories in 1981 and 1985.
• The purse for the 1987 event, sponsored by Seagram Wine Coolers, was a then-record $500,000, with $100,000 going to the eventual winner, Del Ballard Jr.
• The 1995 event, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, set a bowling attendance record with 7,212 watching Dave Husted notch the second of his three U.S. Open Crowns.
• Pete Weber holds the record with four modern-day U.S. Open titles (1988, 1991, 2003-04, 2006-07).
• Earl Anthony never captured the U.S. Open, despite runner-up finishes in 1973, 1979 and 1980.
• Norm Duke became just the seventh bowler in PBA history to win two majors in one season when he captured the 2008 U.S. Open. The victory was his 29th, putting him in a seventh-place tie with Mike Aulby on the PBA's all-time titles list, and made him the fifth Triple Crown winner (and third "grand slam" winner) in PBA history.

The PBA National / PBA World Championship

Main article: Denny's World Championship

Current Defending Champion: Norm Duke

• Don Carter won the inaugural National Championship in 1960 in Memphis, TN, defeating Ronnie Gaudern.
• Hall of Famer Wayne Zahn became the first bowler to win this event twice, defeating Nelson Burton Jr. both times.
• Earl Anthony staked his mastery in this event; twice capturing it three straight years (1973-75; 1981-83). His 1983 victory was his 41st title (under PBA rules at the time), a record that would stand until Walter Ray Williams Jr. broke it in 2006-07.
• Fellow Hall of Famer Mike Aulby won this event in 1979, the first of his 29 PBA titles. Ironically, he had to defeat Anthony to win.
• The following year, Johnny Petraglia won the final of his 14 titles at the Sterling Heights, MI, event. Petraglia became the second bowler to win bowling's original "Triple Crown" with this victory (after Billy Hardwick).
• A memorable 1994 PBA National featured brothers David Traber and Dale Traber squaring off in the final match, with David emerging victorious.
• With his runner-up finish in the February 2008 event, Ryan Shafer set a record with his fourth runner-up finish in a PBA major event without a victory. Overall, Shafer has made the TV finals in a PBA major event 10 times and has yet to win.
• The event moved from late season to become the season-opening tournament in 2008-09, meaning there were two World Championships during calendar year 2008.
• With his victory in the November 2008 World Championship, Norm Duke became the first PBA bowler to win three consecutive majors.

The PBA National Championship was renamed the World Championship in 2002-03.

The Tournament Of Champions

Main article: H&R Block Tournament of Champions

Current Defending Champion: Michael Haugen Jr.

• The Tournament of Champions has had many sponsors over the years; namely the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.
• Hall of Famer Joe Joseph captured the first Tournament of Champions crown in 1962.
• Billy Hardwick won the Tournament of Champions in 1965, besting finalists Dick Weber and Joe Joseph in a two-game set, 484-468-404. This was the first tourney in PBA history to offer a six-figure prize fund.
• George Pappas became one of the first bowlers to lead a tournament wire-to-wire (from opening game of qualifying to championship match) when he won the 1979 event.
• The 1981 edition saw the only double two-frame roll-off in championship round history, with Pete Couture finally emerging victorious over Earl Anthony in the second roll-off. Steve Cook won the championship with a memorable 287 game over Couture, gaining the first ten strikes before leaving the 6-7 split.
• Only two men have ever won the TOC three times: Mike Durbin and Jason Couch. However, Couch's wins were in consecutive tournaments.

PBA Triple Crown

The three "original" major championships (PBA World Championship, Tournament of Champions and U.S. Open) make up the PBA's "Triple Crown."

Only five bowlers in the history of the PBA have won all three jewels of the Triple Crown in their careers:

• Billy Hardwick
• Johnny Petraglia
• Mike Aulby
• Pete Weber
• Norm Duke

Despite 45 and 43 titles respectively, Walter Ray Williams and Earl Anthony are not Triple Crown winners. As mentioned, Anthony never won the U.S. Open, though he finished runner-up in the event three times. Williams has yet to win the Tournament of Champions.

PBA Grand Slam

Mike Aulby, Norm Duke and Billy Hardwick are the only three of the five PBA "Triple Crown" winners who have also won the ABC/USBC Masters, thus giving them the unofficial "grand slam" of pro bowling.

Don Carter is also noted for having won all four possible "majors" during his career (PBA National Championship, BPAA All-Star, World Invitational and ABC Masters), however some of these were not PBA events.

PBA in the media

The PBA provided its first televised event in 1962, and became a Saturday afternoon staple on the ABC schedule from 1965.

In its heyday, ABC's Pro Bowlers Tour outranked all sporting events on Saturdays with the exception of college football telecasts.

The 1991 Tournament of Champions was delayed for over thirty minutes at the start due to a bomb threat being phoned in at Rivera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio. The ABC telecast joined in during the evacuation's final stages and featured interviews with local officials, as well as classic clips from previous T of C telecasts.^[16][17]

Mark Roth, whose first career title was captured at the 1975 King Louie Open in Kansas by likewise rolling a 299 TV game, gained immortality by becoming the first bowler to convert the almost-impossible "7-10 split" on national television in the first match of the ARC Alameda Open on January 5, 1980. In 1991, John Mazza and Jess Stayrook also accomplished this feat on television. During the 2005-06 season, Walter Ray Williams Jr. became the only bowler to convert the 4-6-7-10 combination on television.

In 2005, ESPN Classic began televising old bowling broadcasts daily, including some of the more memorable ones in which bowlers shot perfect games or records were set. All of the telecasts originally aired on either ABC or ESPN since those are the tapes to which the network owns the rights.

Perfect and near-perfect televised games

There have been 18 perfect games bowled on the nationally-televised final day of regular PBA tournaments. Jack Biondolillo rolled the first one at the 1967 Tournament of Champions, and Ryan Shafer bowled the most recent one on March 18, 2007, at the semifinals of the 2007 Pepsi Championship in Indianapolis. There have also been two on Senior PBA Tour telecasts, by Gene Stus (1992) and Ron Winger (1993). Steve Jaros has the distinction of not only bowling one of the 18 televised 300 games, but also bowling the lowest televised score in history (129) in 1992.

A most memorable televised 299 game occurred on April 4, 1970 when Don Johnson defeated Dick Ritger to win the 1970 Firestone Tournament of Champions. With 11 strikes already down, he threw his 12th ball, stepped back and dropped to the floor. The ball hit the pocket, but the 10-pin remained standing. Johnson, still on the floor, briefly lowered his face into his hands, then stood up to a thunderous ovation. Along with the trophy and $25,000 check from Firestone, Johnson also received the 10-pin that denied him both an extra $10,000 and a new Mercury Cougar automobile for a perfect game.

References and footnotes

External links

• Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) homepage
• PBA on ESPN