Professional Bowlers Association

There is a lot to talk about in professional bowling and a tremendous opportunity to light up the social network over the next few weeks through July 9.
 
There are three brand new oil patterns, the 52-foot Badger, the 32-foot Wolf and the 40-foot Bear.
 
The “Greatest Bowlers in the World” return to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the 2013 GEICO PBA Summer Swing May 19 – June 2.  For the first time the PBA will use three different venues in one tournament featuring AMF Waukesha, AMF West and AMF Bowlero.
 
CBS Sports Network will present the GEICO Summer Swing Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. ET beginning June 11 through July 9.  Dave Ryan will join PBA Hall of Famer Randy Pedersen in the broadcast booth.
 
As the GEICO Summer Swing rolls on, let us spread the word and talk about it on Twitter #SummerSwing. The events, the format, the new lane conditions, the field, the wood surface at AMF Waukesha, the PBA Player of the Year race, CBS Sports Net, the return of Dave Ryan, the scoring paces, the winners and those who fail to win.
 
All of us, PBA, industry, partners, players, fans, Xtra Frame subscribers, friends, family together can take to Twitter, follow the scoring on PBA.com, watch the LIVE online Bowling Channel coverage and look forward to the CBS Sports Net shows.
 
Please join us, we will see you for Opening Day on the GEICO PBA Summer Swing with the PBA Badger Open May 20 from AMF Waukesha Lanes in the settee, LIVE on Xtra Frame and online via Twitter.
 
PBA Executives
  
Tom Clark – Chief Operating Officer, PBA Tour Commissioner
@ClarkPBA

 
PBA Staff
 
Janay Haggerty – Event & Community Relations Director
@onecapper22
 
Mike Jakubowski – Cross Marketing & Multimedia Specialist, Xtra Frame Producer
@SoyMikeJ
 
Jason Thomas – PBA.com Editorial Director, Xtra Frame Technical Producer
@TheBowlingGuy
 
Dave Schroeder – TV Producer, Xtra Frame Coordinating Producer
@dschroeder13
 
PBA Ambassadors
 
Mark Roth @MarkRothBowling
 
Television & Online Webcast Partners
 
ESPN @ESPN
ESPN PR (Tara Chozet) @TaraESPN
CBS Sports Network @CBSSportsNet
Neulion @NeulionIPTV
 
PBA Television Announcers
 
Lon McEachern @lonmceachern
Dave Ryan @DaveRyno12
Randy Pedersen @RandyPedersen1
Kimberly Pressler @MissPressler
 
 
PBA Players
 
Dick Allen @TypicalHB
Tom Baker @thebakes300
Chris Barnes @ChrisBarnes_PBA
Dom Barrett @dom_barrett
Jason Belmonte @JBelmo
Josh Blanchard @JB_bowling
Nathan Bohr @NBohr300
Jesse Buss @Jbuss300
Dino Castillo @rcast1007
Ryan Ciminelli @RyanCiminelli
Mike Fagan @Mike_Fagan
Andres Gomez @andres823
P.J. Haggerty @fistpump5
J.T. “Action” Jackson @jtactionjackson
Jack Jurek @JohnJurek
Mika Koivuniemi @PBAMika
Kelly Kulick @KellyAKulick
Martin Larsen @LuckyLarsen
Chris Loschetter @CLoschetter
Michael Machuga @MikeMachuga
Dan MacLelland @DMaclelland
Wes Malott @WesMalott
Amleto Monacelli @AmletoMOficial
Scott Newell @SNewellPBA
Scott Norton @Norton_Bowling
Bill O’Neill @Bill_ONeill
Rhino Page @RhinoPage300
Osku Palermaa @OskuPBA
Jake Peters @Jakey_Boy879
Sean Rash @Sean_Rash
Ildemaro Ruiz Jr. @ildemaroruiz
Ronnie Russell @russell2bowl
Mike Scroggins @mscroggs300
Brett Spangler @MOTIVnation
Jason Sterner @jason_sterner
John Szczerbinski @john_szcz
Brian Valenta @BValentaDuece
Lee Vanderhoef @cliffleeVandy
Johnathon Van Hees @JVH5
Lonnie Waliczek @lonniewal
Pete Weber @PDWBowling
Randy Weiss @rando300
Stuart Williams @Stu900
Dave Wodka @DaveWodka
Mike Wolfe @PBAWolfe
 
Product Registered Companies
 
Storm @Storm_Nation
Storm (Louie Wemett) @LouStorm11
Storm In The Bag (Del Ballard Jr. & Randy Pedersen) @Storminthebag
Motiv @MotivBowling
Ebonite @EboniteBowling
Hammer @Hammer_Booth @BowlHammer
Brunswick (Chuck Gardner) @ChuckGardner1
DV8 Bowling @dv8bowling
Columbia 300 (Bugsy Kelly) @BugsyKelly
Gemini Jerseys @G2Gemini
Roto Grip @BowlRotoGrip
Roto Grip (Chris Schlemer) @SchlemerReport
EFX Performance @efxusa
Turbo Grips @TurboGrips
Vise Inserts @ViseInserts
Track Bowling @TrackBowling
 
Sponsors
 
Barbasol @BarbasolShave
Jack Links @JackLinks
GEICO @GEICO
Sands Regency Reno @SandsReno
Teen Masters @teenmasters
United States Bowling Congress @USBC
 
 
PBA League
 
Terrell Owens – Owner, Dallas Strikers
@terrellowens
 
Chris Hardwick – Owner, Silver Lake Atom Splitters
@nerdist
 
Billie Jean King – Owner, New York City WTT KingPins
@BillieJKing
 
Kevin Hart – Owner, Philadelphia Hitmen
@KevinHart4real
 
Jerome Bettis – Owner, Motown Muscle
@JeromeBettis36
 
Jessie Williams – Owner, BROOKLYN STyLES @BR00KLYNSTyLES
@IJesseWilliams
 
LaMarr Woodley – Owner, Pittsbugh JackRabbits
@LaMarrWoodley
 
Chris Paul – Owner, L.A. X
@CP3
 
 
Media & Bowling Media
 
Above180.com (Joe Cerar & Tim Burg) @above180
About.com Bowling (Jef Goodger) @aboutbowling
11thFrame.com (Jeff Richgels) @riggs7465
Bowlers Journal @BowlersJournal
Bowling This Month @btmonline
Bowling News (Tony Franklin) @bowlingnewsnet
SportsRadio 1250 (Steve Fifer) @sparkyradio
International Bowling Media Association @IBMA_Media
Scott Salem @scottthebowler
BowlingFans.com @bowlingfans
Gianmarc Manzione @GianmarcManzion
InsideBowling @InsideBowling

 
Venues
 
South Point @southpointlv
Lucky Strike @luckystrike

It’s Opening Day for the PBA50 Tour on Monday, April 15.
 
Formerly known as the PBA Senior Tour, PBA50 – a professional tour for players 50 and over, will compete 11 times during the 2013 season in 9 title tournaments and 2 majors from April 15 in New Port Richey, Fla. to August 21 in Welch, Minn.
 
http://www.pba.com/Tournaments/SeniorTour/
 
Along the way, a season-long point competition will qualify the top three players for the televised PBA50 Tour Finals which will be a stepladder event conducted during the 2013 PBA World Series of Bowling V at South Point in Las Vegas, Nev. this November.
 
Xtra Frame, the online Bowling Channel will provide LIVE coverage of the PBA50 Tour this season, starting with the season’s opening events in Florida – the PBA50 Pasco County Suncoast Open benefitting Wounded Warriors April 15-17 from Lane Glo Bowl in New Port Richey and PBA50 Sun Bowl in The Villages presented by Hammer April 21-23 from Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages.
 
https://www.xtraframe.tv/pba/secure/registerform
 
Follow the PBA50 Tour this season wherever you are.  Download the online Bowling Channel’s FREE mobile apps and watch the stream on Android and Apple mobile phones, tablets and iPads.
 
+Android http://bit.ly/ZwKdYN +Apple http://bit.ly/YDA0Nu
 
Bill Beach won the very first PBA Senior Tour event in 1981. That same year Pete Weber won for the first time on the PBA Regional Tour.  Fast-forward to 2013, Weber reaches the half-century mark after claiming his second career PBA Tour Triple Crown and is ready to take on familiar rivals.
 
Weber joins fellow PBA Hall of Famers Tom Baker, Dale Eagle, Amleto Monacelli, Johnny Petraglia, Wayne Webb, Mark Williams and Walter Ray Williams Jr. in what promises to be great competition on the PBA50 circuit.  In addition PBA50 features a talented crop of players including 2-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr with players that enjoyed only a limited career on the PBA Tour.
 
Also, always be on the lookout for PBA50 eligible players 60 and over, the “Super Seniors”, never underestimate the experience factor, determination and the ability of professional bowling’s greatest ambassadors.
 
Follow the 2013 PBA50 Tour this season with coverage on PBA.com, PBA Facebook and PBA Twitter. Come and see the show when the PBA50 Tour comes to your town with ProAms and during the tournaments.  The best way to keep up is with LIVE coverage on the online Bowling Channel, Xtra Frame.
 
https://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalBowlersAssociation?ref=ts
 
https://twitter.com/PBATour
 
The road to the PBA50 finals from the PBA World Series of Bowling V begins April 15.  Join us on Opening Day, you know darn well Pete Weber won’t miss it.

I never had the chance to meet Luci Bonneau, but I wish I had.  Luci lost her courageous battle with breast cancer in 1999 and now, for the 13th time, Luci’s memory and battle live on at Palace Lanes in Houston.

For the first time, bowling fans from around the world will be introduced to "The Luci”.

Xtra Frame, online Bowling Channel, is proud to present LIVE coverage of the Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles benefitting the Stehlin Foundation for Breast Cancer Research at Palace Lanes in Houston, Texas July 20-22.  On the line is an $8,000 first prize and a Regional PBA title for members.

Watch ALL qualifying and match play LIVE on www.xtraframe.tv Saturday and Sunday.  Follow the scores, share photos, talk about the action on PBA Facebook and Twitter and in person with all of your bowling friends and fellow fans.

The action at Palace Lanes gets underway with a LIVE FREE Xtra Frame preview Friday July 20 starting at 7 p.m. ET.  Join Xtra Frame’s Mike J. Laneside, “The Bowling Guy” Jason Thomas and The Powerhouse Jackie Bowling for LIVE coverage of the sold-out Luci Bonneau Memorial Pro Am benefitting the Stehlin Foundation for Breast Cancer Research on PBA.com.

Visit the PBA Facebook Fan Page, or follow the PBA on Twitter @PBATour #TheLUCI this week for a link to the FREE LIVE preview show on PBA.com.  The festivities will include tips by PBA pros, player interviews and a preview of the Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles.

The Luci Bonneau Memorial attracts some of the country’s most talented bowlers with an all-star tournament staff including tournament founder Donna Connors with Jim Welch of Sunset Station Strike Zone.

Among the 84 doubles teams scheduled to participate in the Luci will be defending champions and winners of 4 of the last 5 “Lucis”, Shannon Pluhowsky and Tommy Jones.  Also scheduled to compete: Lynda and Chris Barnes, Liz Johnson with PBA Player of the Year and 2012 ESPY winner Sean Rash, Colombians Clara Guerrero and Andres Gomez, Carol Norman and Wes Malott, 2012 U.S. Women’s Open winner Kelly Kulick and Mike Scroggins.

Watch the Luci ProAm LIVE on the Xtra Frame FREE preview on PBA.com, then subscribe to your online Bowling Channel for LIVE coverage of the Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles Saturday and Sunday.

The Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles will be webcast LIVE in its entirety on PBA.com’s online Bowling Channel, Xtra Frame, including Saturday’s qualifying rounds and Sunday’s match play competition. Saturday’s schedule includes eight-game qualifying rounds for Squads A and B at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET, with the top 12 doubles teams advancing to round-robin match play Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.

If you can’t be there in person, you can help by spreading the word, watching the coverage on Xtra Frame or by donating, send a check to:

LB Striking Against Breast Cancer
% of Memorial City Bank
820 Gessner Road
Houston, Texas 77024

Bowling world, it is my pleasure to introduce you to “The Luci”.

For a schedule of upcoming Live Xtra Frame coverage in July and August, click here.

The PBA, Xtra Frame and the PBA's YouTube Channel are offering fans a unique opportunity to prepare for Sunday's exciting ESPN finals of the Mark Roth/Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship from the WSOB.

This is it sports fans, prime time bowling season.  Leagues are heating up.  Local, state and national tournaments are right around the corner.  Stock up on your Pepsi and Budweiser products, open up a bag of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky and invite your friends to follow the action on the PBA Tour.
 
PBA Tour action through the end of February is fast, furious and LIVE!
 
The 2011-12 PBA Tour moves East with the second of four Xtra Frame Tour stops at the Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300 at Sequoia Pro Bowl in Columbus, Ohio.  On the line Feb. 18-19, a $10,000 first prize, a PBA Tour title and an automatic berth into the Round of 36 at the 2012 PBA Tournament of Champions for the winner.
 
Watch ALL qualifying, match play and the stepladder finals LIVE on www.xtraframe.tv starting Saturday.  Follow the scores at www.pba.com, talk about the action on PBA Facebook and Twitter and in person with all of your bowling friends and fellow fans.
 
The action at Sequoia Pro Bowl gets underway with a LIVE FREE Xtra Frame preview Thursday Feb. 16 starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.  Join Mike J. Laneside, “The Bowling Guy” Jason Thomas and The Powerhouse Jackie Bowling for LIVE coverage of the fourth annual Carni-Bowl fundraising event benefiting juvenile diabetes and Nationwide Children’s Hospital of Columbus.
 
Visit the PBA Facebook Fan Page, or follow the PBA on Twitter this week for a link to the FREE LIVE preview show.  The festivities will include trick shots by PBA pros, player interviews and a preview of the Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300. 

Scheduled to participate in the Carni-Bowl fundraiser will be Chris Barnes, Jason Couch, Parker Bohn III, Rhino Page, Ryan Shafer, Brian Kretzer, Ronnie Russell, Chris Loschetter, Tom Smallwood, Tom Hess, Mike DeVaney and Dick Allen.
 
Thursday’s LIVE Carni-Brawl will pit up to 18 players in a succession of one-ball rolloffs, who will survive?  Watch it LIVE on the Xtra Frame FREE preview, then subscribe to your online Bowling Channel for LIVE coverage of the Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300 Saturday and Sunday.

The Xtra Frame Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300 will be webcast LIVE in its entirety on pba.com’s online bowling channel, Xtra Frame, including Saturday’s qualifying rounds and Sunday’s match play competition. Saturday’s schedule includes nine-game qualifying rounds for Squads A and B at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET, with the top 24 qualifiers advancing to modified round-robin match play Sunday.

Sunday’s live coverage on Xtra Frame will include modified round-robin match play sessions at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with the top four advancing to the live stepladder finals at 6 p.m. ET.  After the match play rounds, switch over to ESPN for PBA World Series of Bowling action from South Point for the PBA Scorpion Open.  Patrick Allen, Dave Wodka, Sean Rash and England’s “Dominator” Dom Barrett do battle for a pattern championship title in the eliminator format.

Come on back to the online Bowling Channel Sunday at 6 p.m. ET for LIVE coverage of the stepladder finals of the Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300.  True PBA Tour doubleheader action on Sunday.

After Xtra Frame crowns its second champion LIVE on Sunday evening, the action moves to the 69th U.S. Open Feb. 20-26 at Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J.  Exclusive LIVE coverage on Xtra Frame covers qualifying for the entire field Feb. 21-23 with the traditional 24 games of round-robin match play Feb. 24-25.  Watch the exciting LIVE conclusion to the 2011-12 PBA Tour season’s third major LIVE on ESPN Sunday Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. ET.

PBA Tour LIVE on Xtra Frame and ESPN.  I like it.