Regional Tour RundownFive of the seven PBA Regions are in action this weekend, August 24-26. The South Region heads to Columbia, S.C., for the Columbia Open while the Central Region is in Fort Wayne, Ind., for the 22nd Annual Bud Light Fort Wayne Open. The Midwest Region will be in Peru, Ill., for the Illinois Valley Classic and the East Region travels to Turnersville, N.J., for the Mil-Ray Foods Open. The Southwest Region rounds out the group with the Greenville Open in Greenville, Texas.
The South Region will also be hosting a Senior mixed doubles event in Jacksonville, Fla., while the Central and Midwest Regional Senior bowlers will be in Fort Wayne, Ind., for the Bowling Gift.com Senior Open.
Allen Becomes the 36th MillionairePatrick Allen, the 2004-05 PBA Player of the Year, recently became the PBA’s 36th millionaire in just 260 events (including Denny’s PBA Tour and Regional Tour events), becoming the fourth fastest player to reach the mark. Allen, who earned $107,660 on the 2006-07 Denny’s PBA Tour, has topped the $100,000 mark the last four seasons, including $350,740 on the 2004-05 Tour.
Chris Barnes currently holds the record, accomplishing the feat in just 220 events while Jason Couch and Pete Weber are tied for second with 253 events.
PBA “Show Us Your Finish Work Video Contest” Rolling AlongThe PBA’s “Show Us Your Finish Work Video Contest,” a contest that started July 31, will give bowling fans the opportunity to submit their “finishing work” – their reaction or celebratory dance after throwing a shot – in order to be considered for a grand prize trip for two to any stop on the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour, including VIP tickets to the ESPN telecast.
Bowling fans can enter the contest, which will run through the culmination of National Bowling Week on Aug. 30, by recording their finishing work at a local Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) bowling center and submitting the video on
Bowlspace.com, bowling’s digital destination
For bowling fans that don’t have a way of recording their finishing work, a separate drawing for a prize pack from PBA product registered companies will also be available on
Bowlspace.com.
PBA Women’s Series Details RevealedThe PBA announced details of the 2007 PBA Women’s Series, a special four-event mini-season to take place during the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour.
The 2007 PBA Women’s Series, which is sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), marks the first opportunity for women to bowl on Tour since the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) folded in 2003. The series will feature 16 women competing in four events which will run concurrently with four Denny’s PBA Tour events. All events will feature a $51,100 prize fund including a $10,000 top prize.
The four Women’s Series events will take place within a five-week period and will run concurrently with Denny’s PBA Tour events. The series will kick off with the Motor City Classic in Taylor, Mich., Oct. 31-Nov. 4, followed by the Etonic Championship in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Nov. 7-11, and the Lake County Indiana Classic presented by United Way in Merrillville, Ind., Nov. 14-18. After a one-week break, the women will return for the final event, the Great Lakes Classic in Wyoming, Mich., Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
The 16 women will bowl the same format as the men in each of the four events, which will feature a single elimination match play format. A practice session will be held Wednesday night from 4:30-6 p.m. for all bowlers competing in the events. Competition begins Thursday with the 16 women bowling two seven-game qualifying blocks from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. The top eight women will advance to match play, which takes place Friday with the best-of-seven games Round of 8 taking place at 2 p.m. and the best-of-seven Round of 4 at 7 p.m.
The final two women will advance to Sunday’s live ESPN televised championship round, with the women’s final match taking place after the two men’s semifinal matches. The winner will receive $10,000 with the runner-up taking home $6,000.
Apply for the PBA Junior Membership Program TodayApplications for the PBA Junior Membership Program are currently available for junior bowlers. The program, designed to give junior bowlers ages 17 and under the opportunity to receive exclusive offers from the PBA, costs just $25 annually.
Bowlers who participate in the Junior Membership Program will receive equipment discounts from select PBA product registered companies, exclusive e-mail news bulletins from the PBA, a monthly tip from some of the top bowlers from the Denny’s PBA Tour, a free PBA Yearbook, a free month of PBA Strikepass and a PBA Junior Membership card which will enable them to gain access to the official PBA Junior Membership home page on www.pba.com that contains exclusive online contests and promotions.
The application for the PBA Junior Membership Program can be found
here.
ESPN ClassicJohnny Petraglia’s win in the 1978 Long Island Open kicks off this week’s lineup of PBA action on ESPN Classic. Action continues Tuesday with Gary Skidmore’s win in the 1985 Greater Buffalo Open and Carmen Salvino’s title in the 1979 Miller High Life Classic. Action from Dick Ritger’s win in the 1979 AMF MagicScore Open airs on Wednesday while Thursday will see Tommy Evans’ win in the 1994 Showboat Senior Invitational. Brian Davis’ 1993 Greater Harrisburg Open win and over four hours of PBA Skills Challenge action on Friday leads into the weekend which will feature Ritger’s win in the 1974 Midas Open on Saturday.
Below is the complete ESPN Classic schedule for this week:
ESPN CLASSIC AUGUST 20 – 26
| Day | | Event (Winner) | | Time |
| Monday, Aug. 20 | | 1978 Long Island Open (Johnny Petraglia) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 21 | | 1985 Greater Buffalo Open (Gary Skidmore) | | 9 – 10 a.m. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 21 | | 1979 Miller High Life Classic (Carmen Salvino) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Aug. 22 | | 1979 AMF MagicScore Open (Dick Ritger) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Thursday, Aug. 23 | | 1994 Showboat Senior Invitational (Tommy Evans) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Friday, Aug. 24 | | 1993 Greater Harrisburg Open (Brian Davis) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
| Friday, Aug. 24 | | 2005 PBA Skills Challenge presented by Denny’s | | 1 – 5 p.m. |
| Friday Aug. 24 | | 2007 PBA Skills Challenge | | 5 – 5:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, Aug. 25 | | 1974 Midas Open (Dick Ritger) | | Noon – 1 p.m. |
*All times Eastern.
BirthdaysAugust 20Bryon Smith – Owns one Denny’s PBA Tour title, the 2003 USBC Masters.
August 21Pete Weber – Picked up his record-tying eighth career PBA Major title in the 64th U.S. Open.
August 22Sean Rash – Has accumulated a perfect 6-0 record on TV en route to three Denny’s PBA Tour titles.
August 24Steve Jaros – Owns seven career Denny’s PBA Tour titles including the 2005 Dexter Tournament of Champions.
This Date in Denny’s PBA Tour HistoryAugust 201972Nelson Burton Jr. nearly loses what looked like an insurmountable lead in the closing stages, but hangs on to defeat Wayne Zahn, 243-225, in the 1972 Waukegan Open for his third Tour title of the season.
August 211978Larry Laub joins select company among PBA champions by winning his 10th title at the 1978 Buffalo Open. Laub ends up with a 25-pin margin of victory over second-place finisher Pete McCordic.
1966Bobby Jacks wins his second straight Tour title by topping Wayne Zahn by 82 pins in the 1966 Waukegan Open.
August 221977Steve Westberg rolls away from a star-studded field in the 1977 Great Adventure Open in Trenton, N.J.
August 231994Randy Pedersen defeats Bob Vespi, 210-166, in the finals of the 1994 Greater Harrisburg Open to capture his 10th career title.
August 241988Four months after turning 50, Earl Anthony wins his first career PBA Senior Tour event with a 213-204 over John Hricsina in the title match of the 1988 Ebonite PBA Senior Championship.
August 261993Walter Ray Williams Jr. wins his seventh title of the season, defeating Joe Firpo, 248-215, in the finals of the 1993 Paula Carter’s Homestead Classic.
1987Mark Roth wins his second consecutive PBA tournament bowled by defeating Amleto Moncaelli, 258-202, in the inaugural Number 7 PBA Invitational.
1980In the PBA’s first venture into Canada in over a decade, Kevin Gillette becomes the first rookie to win a title on the 1980 tour, defeating Mike Aulby, 248-227, at the 1980 Canadian Open.