Professional Bowlers Association

The PBA and the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum recently got together to update the professional bowling section at the museum’s home in St. Louis, Mo. Among some of the changes is a display kiosk with video features highlighting the current stars of the PBA which also includes highlights of the changes the PBA has gone through in the past few years since the purchase of the PBA in 2000. Video of new PBA brand spots has also been included as well as a new metal overlay panel with the current PBA logo. “We wanted to update and upgrade our presence at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and this is the first step in that process,” said Bobby Dinkins, PBA Director of Senior and Regional Tours, who also heads up the Hall of Fame for the PBA. “Bowling fans as well as non-bowling fans who visit the Hall will now get to see what the ‘new’ PBA is all about. We’ve had discussions with the staff at the Hall and we’re excited about adding more PBA items in the future.” The PBA Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 with eight initial inductees and continues to serve as a permanent tribute to the PBA Tour. The PBA has three sections in its Hall of Fame, inducting members into the Performance Category, the Veterans/Senior Performance category and the Meritorious Service category. In March, the PBA announced that it will induct Detroit Free Press bowling writer Matt Fiorito and former Bowlers Journal International publisher Mort Luby Jr. as the two newest members of the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place during the 2005 PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions in Uncasville, Conn. The Meritorious Service Category, which currently houses 25 individuals, recognizes the efforts of individuals who have significantly advanced the PBA as an organization. Those enshrined are persons who over the years have demonstrated service, devotion, ideas and ideals and have made extraordinary contributions to the sport of professional bowling. Prior to this upcoming season, the last time the PBA inducted members into the Hall of Fame was in 2000, when Jim Fitzgerald and Parker Bohn III were inducted. Bohn was the last member in the Performance Category. Under new PBA regulations established in 2002, requirements to be considered for election in the Performance Category of the Hall of Fame changed. A bowler must now be retired from full-time competition on the PBA Tour for a minimum of at least five years, or have reached the age of 50. In addition, the bowler must have won 10 PBA Tour titles, or have won two major titles. While no bowlers are expected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Performance category within the next five years, some are already getting their plaques ready for permanent enshrinement in the Hall at some time. Randy Pedersen, Del Ballard Jr., Steve Hoskins and Bryan Goebel all have captured over 10 titles and once their time limits are met, they will be up for election in the Hall of Fame.