Professional Bowlers Association

The Bakes is back.

Two-time defending PBA Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker got back in the winners’ circle Wednesday, defeating Mark Glover, 245-221, to win the 2007 PBA Senior Northern California Classic at Harvest Park Bowl.

Baker won the PBA Senior Player and Rookie of the Year awards in his first season on Tour in 2005, then dominated the Tour last season, winning a Tour-record four titles in nine events including both Majors.

The road hasn’t been as smooth for Baker in 2007, however, as several big names have joined the Tour full time. PBA Hall of Famers David Ozio and Mark Roth have returned full time along with a solid group of rookies, including PBA Hall of Famer Steve Cook, and Sam Zurich and Sam Maccarone, each of whom have won titles this season.

Baker was on a mission after coming up empty in the first seven events. He finished second to Ozio in the season-opening PBA Senior Manassas Open and despite coming into the week second in the PBA Senior Point Rankings, he had made just one other championship round appearance.

On Tuesday, Baker caught a break to get into the title match. Trailing Sam Carter by 44 pins after four frames, Carter left the 4-6-7-10 split and opened, giving Baker an opening. The PBA Hall of Famer and exempt bowler on the Denny’s PBA Tour took advantage, striking five consecutive times to take the match, 234-219.

“I was worried there,” Baker (King, N.C.) said. “The right lane broke down and I went high and left a 4-9, but then he went to the right lane and left that split. I made a move and went a couple boards in on that lane and that was the turning point.”

Baker then moved on to face Glover, who was looking for his first career PBA Senior Tour title. The 52-year-old fell behind again as Glover started with three strikes, but after he nine-spared in the fourth frame, Baker took advantage and struck six times in a row to take the lead. The match all but ended when Glover fell to the same fate as Carter, leaving the 4-6-7-10 in the eighth frame, giving Baker his sixth title in under three seasons.

“I guess I was pretty frustrated,” Baker said about his season thus far. “I knew I was bowling well, but I didn’t have the success I’ve had the last couple seasons and it was just a matter of me carrying the 10-pin. It’s been my nemesis. Today it came down to 10th frame in a lot of the matches and when I needed strikes today I got them where earlier in the year when I needed them I left a 10-pin.

Baker earned $8,000 for the win while Glover took home $4,500. Carter (BenLomond, Calif.) and John Curtis (Newark, Calif.) each took home $3,000.

The PBA Senior Tour heads to Reno, Nev., next week for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters at the National Bowling Stadium July 8-13, the second and final Major event of the season.


PBA Senior Tour
PBA Senior Northern California Classic
Harvest Park Bowl
Brentwood, Calif.
Wednesday, July 4

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
(Single-game match. Winner earns $8,000. Loser earns $4,500.)

#14 Tom Baker		X		9/		X		X		X		X		X		X		9/		9/7
		20		40		70		100		130		160		189		209		228		245
#5 Mark Glover		X		X		X		9/		X		X		9/		s62		X		X9/
		30		59		79		99		128		148		164		172		201		221

ROUND OF 4

(Single-game match. Losers eliminated, earn $3,000.)

#32 John Curtis		212
#5 Mark Glover		237
Glover Advances
#10 Sam Carter		219
#14 Tom Baker		234
Baker Advances

ROUND OF 8

(Single elimination, best-of-three games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,700.)

#8 Rohn Morton		212 (38)		209
#32 John Curtis		212 (39)		213
Curtis Advances
#5 Mark Glover		244		268		237
#13 Kerry Painter		199		279		228
Glover Advances
#15 Bob Brady		232		245
#10 Sam Carter		254		258
Carter Advances
#6 Ty Dawson		204		223
#14 Tom Baker		223		229
Baker Advances

ROUND OF 16

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,300.)

#32 John Curtis		223		265		187
#1 Edward Silva		210		233		182
Curtis Advances
#24 Keith Sharp		237		226		225		216		195
#8 Rohn Morton		300		167		192		257		207
Morton Advances
#5 Mark Glover		234		200		234		245
#12 Kevin Croucher		200		290		233		237
Glover Advances
#4 Dave Soutar		214		258		159		216
#13 Kerry Painter		223		221		246		236
Painter Advances
#15 Bob Brady		226		226		238		278
#2 Dale Eagle		221		279		194		269
Brady Advances
#10 Sam Carter		242		215		202		204
#7 Vinnie Atria		210		207		235		194
Carter Advances
#6 Ty Dawson		247		227		269		254
#11 Tom Carter		243		232		175		236
Dawson Advances
#3 David Ozio		257		232		194		218
#14 Tom Baker		278		222		203		221
Baker Advances

ROUND OF 24

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,100.)

#32 John Curtis		234		258		285		233
#16 James Brenner		237		221		246		200
Curtis Advances
#24 Keith Sharp		224		235		238		228
#9 Dan Duskin Sr.		226		199		150		209
Sharp Advances
#12 Kevin Croucher		279		214		254		217		258
#21 Roger LeClair		239		224		221		267		207
Croucher Advances
#13 Kerry Painter		208		258		228		258		300
#29 Mike Landrith		251		259		215		218		233
Painter Advances
#31 Chet Steengrafe		213		166		279 (9)		248
#15 Bob Brady		268		274		278		257
Brady Advances
#23 Steve Stein		178		203		219
#10 Sam Carter		259		259		237
Carter Advances
#11 Tom Carter		273		232		199		268
#27 Teata Semiz		136		212		208		247
Carter Advances
#14 Tom Baker		197		214		290
#19 Jerry Walls		191		152		206
Baker Advances

ROUND OF 32

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,000.)

#17 Ted Staikoff		222		244		212		193
#32 John Curtis		224		247		203		227
Curtis Advances
#25 Roger Kossert		227		196		172
#24 Keith Sharp		236		252		215
Sharp Advances
#21 Roger LeClair		259		246		204
#28 Pete Couture		180		231		183
LeClair Advances
#29 Mike Landrith		247		278		278
#20 Bob Chamberlain		222		237		218
Landrith Advances
#18 Steve Ferraro		223		255		195		186
#31 Chet Steengrafe		231		184		217		233
Steengrafe Advances
#26 Gary Skidmore		246		266		205		203
#23 Steve Stein		189		268		218		236
Stein Advances
#22 Mark Roth		172		185		214		199
#27 Teata Semiz		237		239		200		238
Semiz Advances
#30 Don Blatchford		219		236		201
#19 Jerry Walls		264		245		221
Walls Advances