PBA HAS NEW PLAYERS COMMITTEE

PBA Introduces New Players Committee to Encourage Members’ Input

Rhino Page selected as chairman of newly-formed players’ group

CHICAGO (Oct. 31, 2016) – The Professional Bowlers Association has introduced a new PBA Players Committee, designed to encourage input from its membership base regarding a variety of programs and issues that impact professional bowlers.

PBA’s management team, led by PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark, will solicit input from the players’ group in issues such as tournament formats, communications, prize fund distribution, playing conditions, rules and similar issues that play a role in the lives of PBA members.

The PBA Players Committee, under the leadership of chairman Rhino Page of Orlando, Fla., will serve as a conduit between the membership and PBA management. Other members of the newly-formed players’ group are Jason Belmonte, Bill O’Neill, A.J. Johnson, Andrew Cain, Jon Van Hees, Ronnie Russell and Chad Lusche.

“Talks with the new PBA Players Committee have been very encouraging,” Clark said. “We are excited about working together closely on issues important to players, fans and partners.

“Throughout our history, the players have played a large role in shaping the competitive formats, rules and how the PBA is presented to fans. Through the increased emphasis and communication with this diverse and involved group of new Players Committee leaders we will continue that tradition.

“The PBA as an organization has shown an openness to change, a progressive mindset that has us positioned for growth,” Clark concluded.

Page earned PBA’s 2007-08 Rookie of the Year award when he won the first of his three titles. He is a former Team USA member and earned collegiate All-American honors while helping the University of Kansas win the 2004 men’s intercollegiate championship. Page and O’Neill are also members of the United States Bowling Congress board of directors as athlete representatives.

“There was a considerable time gap between the last time the PBA had an active players’ group and now,” Page said of his role in the new group. “My heart has always been wanting to help bowling, and I saw this as a great opportunity to serve the Tour. When Mike Fagan and Scott Norton stepped aside – they were the guys who really got the committee up and running again - I kind of stepped in.

“The group we have now represents all regions of the country,” he continued. “Our goal is to improve the lines of communications between the players and the PBA leadership. Our thinking is in the best interests of not only the players, but our fans and our corporate partners. I think we’ve been making a lot of great strides in that direction.

“One of our biggest goals was to create a structure for the players’ committee and to develop a strategic plan covering what we hope to accomplish, so we can let all of the other players see what the big picture is,” Page concluded. “Our next step is to improve those communications and let the other players know their opinions are important in what we’re trying to build for the future.”

BUTTURFF WIN LAS VEGAS OPEN

Arizona’s Jakob Butturff Wins PBA Xtra Frame South Point Las Vegas Open

Tommy Jones wins $10,000 bonus as season-long Xtra Frame Tour points leader

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 30, 2016) – Jakob Butturff of Chandler, Ariz., won his second career Professional Bowlers Association Tour title Sunday in the PBA Xtra Frame South Point Las Vegas Open at South Point Bowling Plaza in a championship round that featured three of the PBA’s rising stars.

Butturff, who won his only other title earlier in the year in the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open in Texas, struck on 10 of his first 11 shots to defeat 19-year-old Anthony Simonson of Princeton, Texas, 277-211.

Butturff, a 22-year-old left-hander, led the field after 32 games of qualifying and match play by 448 pins, winning 14 of his 16 matches Sunday without an open frame. Except for his 218 game to start the tournament, the second-year PBA member led all the way to the final match.

“Everyone performed great,” Butturff said. “I just had to make as many good shots as they did.

“My mom was diagnosed with cancer recently, so I really wanted to win this one for her. One thing I’ve learned is that when someone has cancer, you have to keep their spirits up and I know she likes it when I bowl well. My title was basically for her.

“I’ve just been successful bowling here in Vegas; it was more of a comfort feeling than anything,” he added.

Simonsen, who won both of his PBA Tour titles earlier in the year, won the semifinal match in a strike-fest against 21-year-old Swedish two-hander Jesper Svensson, 267-258. The battle of contenders for 2016 PBA Player of the Year honors began with Simonsen throwing seven strikes to start the match while Svensson, the Tour’s only three-time winner in 2016, converted three single-pin spares before rolling eight strikes in a row to finish his game.

In the first match, Simonsen struck on four of his first five shots before leaving the 4-6-7-10 split, but O’Neill had trouble gaining ground, leaving 10 pins on five of his first seven shots. He finally got on track with a late string of four strikes, but Simonsen recovered from his big split with a string of six strikes for a 242-224 victory.

Simonsen also struck on four of his first five shots against Jones in the second match, but Jones, after converting spares in his first three frames, threw three strikes to catch up. A 4-6-10 split in Jones’ seventh frame, however, gave Simonsen an opening and he jumped on it, throwing another string of five strikes to knock Jones out of the finals, 248-191. 

With his fourth-place finish, Jones earned 17 points in the final PBA Xtra Frame Tour event of the year and captured the $10,000 winner-take-all bonus with a season-ending total of 87 points to overtake E.J. Tackett, who finished with 84 points, and Ryan Ciminelli, who had 83.

The PBA Fall Classic continues Monday at South Point Bowling Plaza with qualifying rounds in the PBA Team Challenge, a high-powered five-player team competition that will conclude Tuesday. Twenty teams representing a broad mix of PBA Hall of Famers, PBA50 Tour stars, women, rising future stars and international players from 11 different countries will bowl six standard and 12 Baker format team games Monday at noon and 8 p.m. ET (9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT). The top six teams will advance to a six-game round of Baker format match play Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT), leading to four-team Baker format stepladder finals at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).

All competition in the PBA Fall Classic is being covered live, exclusively on PBA’s online video-streaming service, Xtra Frame. To subscribe, visit xtraframe.tv.

PBA XTRA FRAME SOUTH POINT LAS VEGAS OPEN

South Point Bowling Plaza, Las Vegas, Sunday

Final Standings

1, Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Ariz., $10,000.

2, Anthony Simonsen, Princeton, Texas, $5,000.

3, Jesper Svensson, Sweden, $3,000.

4, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., $2,000.

5, Bill O’Neill, Langhorne, Pa., $1,500.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Simonsen def. O’Neill, 242-224.

Match Two –  Simonsen def. Jones, 248-191.

Semifinal Match – Simonsen def. Svensson, 267-258.

Championship –  Butturff def. Simonsen, 277-211.

Final Match Play Standings (after 32 games, including match play bonus pins):

1, Butturff, 14-2, 8,504.
2, Svensson, 10-6, 8,056.
3, Jones, 10-5-1, 7,961.
4, O'Neill, 9-7, 7,845.
5, Simonsen, 8-8, 7,833.

6, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 6-9-1, 7,787, $1,400.
7, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 7-9, 7,760, $1,350.
8, Devin Bidwell, Wichita, Kan., 8-7-1, 7,706, $1,300.
9, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 10-6, 7,701, $1,250.
10, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 7-9, 7,689, $1,200.
11, Arturo Quintero, Mexico, 6-10, 7,684, $1,150.
12, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 6-10, 7,674, $1,100.
13, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 8-8, 7,614, $1,075.
14, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 7-9, 7,554, $1,050.
15, Ryan Graywacz, Feeding Hills, Mass., 6-9-1, 7,484, $1,025.
16, Joe Bailey, Wooster, Ohio, 4-12, 7,366, $1,000.

300 Games: Anthony Simonsen, Ildemaro Ruiz, Jesper Svensson, Michael Haugen Jr.

LAMONT JOINS PBA TOUR TELECASTS

Veteran Broadcaster Dave LaMont Tabbed as

New Play-By-Play Announcer for PBA Tour Telecasts

CHICAGO, Ill. (Oct. 27, 2016) – The Professional Bowlers Association and ESPN have announced that veteran play-by-play announcer Dave LaMont will join PBA's broadcast team at the start of the new ESPN-PBA telecast season that begins with the live finals of the PBA World Championship during the GEICO World Series of Bowling VIII in Reno, Nev., on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. ET.

LaMont joins PBA Hall of Famer and 13-time Tour winner Randy Pedersen, who returns for his 16th season as color analyst, and former Miss USA Kimberly Pressler, who returns in her role as sideline reporter, as ESPN’s PBA broadcast team.

“I regularly went to PBA Tour tournaments when they came to South Florida and as a longtime bowling fan, it’s a dream come true,” LaMont said of his new role. “Since I’ve been announcing bowling I’ve really gained a deeper appreciation for what the players do and quickly found that the sport has all the ingredients for great television. It has athletes who have a passion for what they do and who can perform under intense pressure, all in an environment where you never know what’s going to happen.”

The South Florida resident has extensive experience in bowling with stints as United States Bowling Congress Queens, Women’s U.S. Open and Intercollegiate Championships play-by-play announcer since 2010.

“We are very happy that the PBA is bringing Dave LaMont on board to do play-by-play for the upcoming season on ESPN,” said Rich Williams, Senior Producer for ESPN’s Packaged Show Unit. “Dave is a very talented and experienced pro and he’s always expressed his appreciation of the PBA and the sport of bowling.”

LaMont joined ESPN and ABC in 2004 as play-by-play announcer for college football and basketball including bowl games and basketball conference championship games. He also has called basketball games for the SEC Network and was substitute play-by-play announcer for the Miami Heat and Baltimore Orioles for several seasons.

For the last three seasons, LaMont has called Major League Lacrosse and among his other assignments in 2016, he called the Texas Relays track and field meet and the 2016 Invictus Games for ESPN.

The former radio voice for Miami Hurricanes’ football, basketball and baseball teams has spent more than 30 years in the South Florida market as a radio talk show host and reporter and is currently a member of the highly-rated Paul and Young Ron Radio Show broadcast team.

PBA SPARE SHOTS

PBA Spare Shots

PBA OFFERS FANS TWO FREE TRIAL DAYS TO EXPERIENCE XTRA FRAME

Bowling fans around the world will have two opportunities to experience PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling coverage at no cost in the days ahead.

PBA Hall of Famer Randy Pedersen will lead the Xtra Frame crew in calling the action and providing insights that are not available through any other media outlets.

The PBA, a pioneer in live, online video-streaming of its competition, will offer bowling fans around the world free access to both rounds of match play and the stepladder finals of the Xtra Frame South Point Las Vegas Open from South Point Bowling Plaza on Sunday, Oct. 30, where a PBA Tour title will be won.  

PBA also will provide fans with exclusive access to the final day of match play in the U.S. Open on Tuesday, Nov. 8, including one of the most exciting rounds of competition in the sport – the position round of match play to determine the five stepladder finalists for the live CBS Sports Network finals which will air on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Xtra Frame’s comprehensive coverage of the final two rounds of match play on Tuesday will begin at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) and 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). PBA Hall of Famer Marshall Holman also will join the XF team for coverage of the final round of U.S. Open match play.

To activate the free trial day, fans will simply need to go to the page for subscription options on the Xtra Frame site (https://www.xtraframe.tv/#!subscription?SUB_step=1) on Oct. 30 and/or Nov. 8 and click on the “Day Pass” option. They will then need to complete their registrations and, upon doing so, will have free viewing access on either or both days. (The “Day Pass” option will not be visible except on those two days: Oct. 30 and Nov. 8).

DRAFT POOL SET FOR 2017 PBA LEAGUE DRAFT

PBA League team managers will have a pool of 84 players to choose from when they draft two additional players to complete their rosters during the 2017 PBA League Draft on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas. Players who have made themselves eligible for the draft, which will be video-streamed live at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Xtra Frame, include the following players, listed in alphabetical order:

David Adcox, Shawnee, Kan.; Patrick Allen, South Salem,  N.Y.; Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C.; Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y.; D.J. Archer, Friendswood, Texas; Joe Bailey, Wooster, Ohio; Devin Bidwell, Wichita, Kan.; Kyle Bigelow, Troy, Ohio; Kenneth Bland, Cibilo, Texas; Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas;

Kim Bolleby, Thailand; Jesse Buss, Belvidere, Ill.; Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Ariz.; Mike DeVaney, Winchester, Calif.; Kevin Donovan, Painted Post, N.Y.; Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla.; Graham Fach, Canada; Mike Fagan, Berkeley, Calif.; Gary Faulkner, Memphis, Tenn.; Trey Ford, Bartlesville, Okla.;

John Furey, Freehold, N.J.; Tim Gillick, Milford, Conn.; Patrick Girard, Canada; Andres Gomez, Colombia; Ryan Graywacz, Feeding Hills, Mass.; Michael  Haugen, Phoenix; David Haynes, Las Vegas; Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa; J.T. "Action" Jackson, Sherman Oaks, Calif.; A.J. Johnson, Oswego, Ill.;

Robert Johnson, Amboy, Wash.; Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y.; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich.; w-Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J.; Anthony LaCaze, Hoffman Estates, Ill.; Thomas Larsen, Denmark; Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas; Francois Lavoie, Canada; Aaron Lorincz, Belleville, Mich.; John Maglio, Oceanside, N.Y.;

Shawn Maldonado, Houston; Michael Markis, Tafton, Pa.; Gerald Marrs, Huntley, Ill.; Robert McBride, Dallas; Eugene  McCune, Munster, Ind.; w-Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y.; Matthew McNiel, Minneapolis, Minn.; Brad Miller, Maryland Hts, Mo.; Jonathan Miller, Jacksonville, Fla.; Amleto  Monacelli, Venezuela;

Paul Moor, England; B.J. Moore, Greensburg, Pa.; Paul Nebel, Wellman, Iowa; Scott Newell, Deland, Fla.; Ryan Normand, Portland, Ore.; Brandon Novak, Chillicothe, Ohio; Matthew O'Grady, Matawan, N.J.; Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J.; Rhino Page, Orlando, Fla.; Osku Palermaa, Finland;

Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa.; w-Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif.; Kevin Paskevich, Burlington, Vt.; Anthony Pepe, Elmhurst, N.Y.; Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev.; Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C.; Kristopher Prather, Milton, Fla.; J.R. Raymond, Bay City, Mich.; Trevor Roberts, Crystal River, Fla.; Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela;

Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind.; Ryan  Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y.; Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore.; Jason Sterner, Cocoa, Fla.; Harry  Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich.; Darren Tang, San Francisco, Calif.; Richie Teece, England; Greg Thompson Jr., San Jose, Calif.; Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C.; Jon Van Hees, Charlestown, R.I.;

Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan.; Cameron Weier, Tacoma, Wash.; Dave  Wodka, Beavercreek, Ohio; w-Diana Zavjalova, Latvia.

Teams will draft in the following order, which is the reverse order of how they finished in 2016 PBA League competition. Listed are teams with team manager and three players protected from each team’s 2015 roster:

● Philadelphia Hitmen (manager Jason Couch): Dom Barrett; Tom Smallwood; Chris Loschetter.

● L.A. X (manager Andrew Cain): Jason Belmonte, Stuart Williams, Martin Larsen.

● Brooklyn Styles (manager Johnny Petraglia): Sean Rash, Parker Bohn III, Walter Ray Williams Jr.

● Silver Lake Atom Splitters (manager Mark Baker): Chris Barnes, Tom Daugherty, Jesper Svensson.

● Portland Lumberjacks (manager Tim Mack): Wes Malott, Ryan Ciminelli, Liz Johnson.

● Motown Muscle (manager Del Ballard Jr.): EJ Tackett, Anthony Simonsen, Josh Blanchard.

● NYC WTT KingPins (manager Carolyn Dorin-Ballard): Pete Weber, Marshall Kent, John Szczerbinski.

● Dallas Strikers (player-manager Norm Duke): Norm Duke, Tommy Jones, Bill O’Neill.

NEXT UP ON XTRA FRAME: PBA FALL CLASSIC, PBA LEAGUE DRAFT, U.S. OPEN ON TAP

Xtra Frame is headed to Las Vegas for the PBA Fall Classic, including the PBA Xtra Frame South Point Las Vegas Open, the final event in the 2016 Xtra Frame PBA Tour points competition that will reward the overall winner with a $10,000 bonus.

In the Las Vegas Open, set for Oct. 29-30, the winner will receive 25 points with the next 19 players earning points in descending value. The players to watch are E.J. Tackett with 76 points, Tommy Jones with 72, and Ryan Ciminelli with 69.

Following the South Point Las Vegas Open, live coverage will include the second PBA Team Challenge, a five-player team competition that will award PBA Tour titles to all five winning teammates (if they are PBA members) for the first time. Team Challenge coverage is set for Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

On Nov. 2, Xtra Frame will provide live coverage of the PBA League Draft, with eight team managers selecting the final two players to round out their 2017 rosters, beginning at 8:50 p.m. ET.

PBA’s Xtra Frame team will then provide exclusive live coverage of the qualifying and match play rounds of Bowling’s U.S. Open, Nov. 4-8. The stepladder finals will air live on CBS Sports Network on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. ET.

Three-day ($3.99), 30-day ($7.99) and Xtra Frame Season Ticket (a full-year’s coverage at an average cost of $1.25 per week) subscriptions are available by visiting “xtraframe.tv” and clicking on the “subscribe now” link. New monthly or Season Ticket subscribers also are automatically entered into monthly sweepstakes where they have chances to win a new high-performance bowling ball from Brunswick, DV8 or MOTIV.

QUBICA AMF PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: LEMOND DE-RAILS WEBER’S BID FOR 100TH WIN

● Joe Bailey of Doylestown, Ohio defeated Craig LeMond of Jasper, Ind., 278-230, to win the PBA Kokomo Central/Midwest Classic presented by Security Federal Savings at Heritage Lanes in Kokomo, Ind., Sunday, for his first QubicaAMF PBA Regional title, a $2,500 prize and eligibility to enter the 2017 FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions.

Bailey downed Craig Nidiffer of Trenton, Mich., 214-189, and LeMond topped Teddy Patrick of Indianapolis, 214-204, to advance to the championship match, but LeMond also distinguished himself by eliminating PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber in the best-of-three-game semifinal round, 2-0, to end Weber’s bid for his 100th overall PBA title. Walter Ray Williams Jr., who is tied with Weber with 99 overall titles, finished 32nd in the event.

● Three-time PBA Southwest Region Player of the Year Nathan Bohr from Austin, Texas, won seven of his eight matches to overtake Joe Findling of Mesquite, Texas, and claim his 23rd QubicaAMF PBA Regional title in the PBA Greenville Southwest Open Sunday at Shenaniganz in Greenville, Texas.

Findling opened the tournament with a 280 game and remained at the top of the leader board until the final game. Leading Bohr by 52 pins going into their position round match, Findling struggled while Bohr struck out from the second frame for a 290-161 victory and a 21-game total of 5,197 pins and a 107-pin margin of victory over Findling. Bohr earned $2,500.

● Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y. posted a 6-6 match play record and a 4,568 pinfall total, good enough to win the PBA Maple City Dodge Open presented by 900 Global by 88 pins over Matt Zasowski of Tonawanda, N.Y., at Maple City Bowl in Hornell, N.Y., on Sunday.

Shafer qualified second, but moved into the lead after four games Sunday morning.  Once in the lead, he never trailed on his way to the $2,400 top prize and his 29th QubicaAMF PBA Regional title. Zasowski, who was competing in his first PBA regional event in over 10 years, posted a 9-3 match play record and 4,480 total pins.

● PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J., and Jake Peters of Henderson, Nev., took advantage of their 5-1 match play record to post a 14-game total of 6,462 pins and win the PBA/PBA50 Ken Fowler Auto Center West/Northwest Doubles hosted by Yokayo Bowl in Ukiah, Calif., Sunday.

The title was Bohn’s 26th in QubicaAMF PBA Regional competition while Peters earned his second. They shared the $3,000 first prize.

Bohn and Peters defeated Joe Petrovich of Tracy, Calif., and Sean Mamlok of San Jose, Calif., by 341 pins for the title.

● Chris Johnson of Nashville, N.C., captured the inaugural PBA Century Lanes Hampton South Open title in Hampton, Va., Sunday by defeating top qualifier Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, N.C., 218-202, in the championship match.

Johnson, the no. 3 qualifier going into the stepladder finals, received $2,500 for his second QubicaAMF PBA Regional win. In the first stepladder match, Johnson defeated 15-time PBA Regional champion Kip Roberts of Glen Allen, Va., 258-247, and he then disposed of Jason Sterner from Cocoa, Fla., 235-222.

● For complete QubicaAMF PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on QubicaAMF Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area. For more information about QubicaAMF, visit www.qubicaamf.com or, for social media posts, visit http://bit.ly/QAMFSponsorship1.

QUICK NOTES

● Seven-time PBA Tour titlist and seven-time Team USA member Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pa., has been selected to serve a three-year term as an athlete representative on the USBC Board of Directors through the 2018-19 season. He fills the spot vacated by PBA titlist Mike Fagan who decided against seeking re-election. Other Team USA athletes on the USBC Board are PBA members Kelly Kulick and Rhino Page and former Team USA member Dan Patterson.

● Reminder: Tickets for all six GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VIII ESPN television finals Dec. 10 and 11 at the National Bowling Stadium are available online at pba.com/tickets. An all-day pass to attend the Cheetah, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Championship finals on Dec. 10 are $20. An all-day pass for the live PBA World Championship finals and the “USA vs. The World” telecast on Sunday is $15. Amateur bowlers who would like to bowl in the WSOB pro-am on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. should call the National Bowling Stadium (800-304-2695).

● This week marks the conclusion of the special PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Halloween-themed bowling ball promotion. New Halloween balls have been released by Concrete Software over the past month, and all of the special balls will be available be Friday through Sunday.

SENIOR WOMEN'S BOWLING TOURNAMENTS

2017 USBC SENIOR QUEENS MOVES TO MAY 23-26
ARLINGTON, Texas – Senior women bowlers will have the opportunity to compete in three national tournaments next year in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The 2017 United States Bowling Congress Senior Queens will take place May 23-26 at Circle Bowl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and $20,000 has been added to the prize fund. The 32 bowlers who advance to match play will cash at the event.
The USBC Senior Queens immediately will follow the USBC Queens, allowing senior competitors the opportunity to bowl in both events. The event previously had been scheduled to run alongside the Queens at the Baton Rouge River Center, but a change was made to better manage capacity.
The Senior Queens also will feature a new Super Senior element in 2017. The top eight non-cashing Super Seniors (age 60 and older) will bowl in a bracket for a special prize fund.
Senior Queens bowlers who also want to bowl in the USBC Women’s Championships can take advantage of a limited number of spots being held in the event. USBC has spots reserved on May 26-27 just for Senior Queens competitors, and bowlers interested in moving their Women’s Championships dates to these days will need to call 817-385-8325 or 817-385-8257 by Dec. 1.
Open to USBC members age 50 or older, the Senior Queens was first contested in 2000 and attracts an outstanding field from all over the world.
Qualifying for the 2017 Senior Queens will consist of 15 qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 31 players, plus three-time defending champion Robin Romeo of Newhall, California, for match play. Match play will determine the top five bowlers for the stepladder finals that will be shown live on BowlTV, the official YouTube channel of USBC.
Go to BOWL.com/SeniorQueens for more information and the complete schedule.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.

INSPIRING YOUTH AND LIFE AFTER GOLF

NEVERSINK--A whole new world has opened up for eight time LPGA golf tournament champion Sherri Steinhauer since her 26-year golf career ended on Sept 26, 2015 when she played with her family in a nine-some on a private resort course.
  The seasonal summer resident who makes her home in the Town of Neversink and winters in Palm Springs, California sat down with us recently to describe what her life has become without golf.
  "A  whole new world has opened up without golf, I lived in a vacuum because I lived and breathed the game of golf since I was a young girl," Sherri noted.
  The three-time British Open champion and four-time competitor in the Solheim Cup pointed out that she "wouldn't trade her golf career for any thing as I  had a great life doing what I loved to do, was able to travel the world, meet great people and play great golf courses."
   Sherri just this week received an announcement, dated Oct. 25, that she and two others will be inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in an induction that will take place in Milwaukee April 29th, 2017.
  "I'm excited, honored and thrilled to be a part of this accomplished group," she noted. The Hall has been in existence since 1951 and there are only about 135 people in it. Bud Selig was part of the selection committee as he is on the board and he too will be honored the same evening with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
  "I'm just lucky to have had the life that I had and since retiring and not playing golf anymore it's like my eyes are open and there is so much out there to explore and I have picked up this game of Pickelball and I've gone crazy over it," Sherri said.
  Pickelball is not only her new love but Sherri's seriousness for the game has prompted her to construct an indoor practice court with an automatic converted tennis shotmaker  that allows her to hit pickelballs and hone her return shot.
  Not only has she gotten active in competing in Pickleball she has also become a strong advocate for the sport and is helping the sport grow in Sullivan County by organizing the Grahamsville Pickleball Club which now boasts some 40 plus members and plays matches several nights a week including Saturday mornings from 10 to noon at the Town of Neversink Grahamsville Fairgrounds tennis courts.
  Tabbed the fastest growing sport in the USA Neversink town officials recently gave thanks to Sherri and Tami Shaver who gave the town a generous donation to help defray some of the costs associated with the repairs at the tennis courts and the installation of Pickleball courts.
  Pointing out that the game of Pickleball "is my new love," and when asked how she got into the game she noted that "two winters ago a friend of mine wanted me to play the game but I said I couldn't play it then because I was still playing golf and I didn't want to ruin my golf swing with another swing motion."
  Sherri pointed out that she said she would play and that happened the next winter in January 2016 when she" gave the game a try and absolutely became fully addicted to it and have hardly missed a day since."
  Not only does she play the game often Sherri studies the game and takes lessons from the top players in the country and has a coach in Wisconsin and California.
  Taking the  game seriously and adding an additional step forward Steinhauer now plays tournaments nationally and has gained the initial ranking of a 3.0, advanced to a 3.5 and in the summer just got ranked a 4.0. Her goal is being elevated to a 4.5 and the highest ranking (as in tennis) of 5.0.
  Sherri noted that within several days she would be competing in the 4.0 level in a national tournament in Kansas City in both the mixed doubles and women's doubles.
  Within the Grahamsville Pickleball Club Sherri has had the opportunity  to give helpful pointers and lessons and she notes, "it's nice to see the players progress and get better." 
  Sherri has a great philosophy when she states, "believe in yourself...the world is yours to do as you please....enjoy and have fun in the process."
  Sherri also has a passion to give back to the community the memories and accomplishments the game of golf has had in her life and located in her Town of Neversink home she has built a Golf Memorabilia Room that has been visited by local high school golf teams and cub scouts and the room reflects much of her career highlights.
   The Memorabilia room is filled to the rim with trophies, awards, plaques, player bags, scorecards, photos with celebrities, leader-boards and everything else you can imagine that is golf related.
  Many of the youth that have visited Sherri have expressed that it was it was so nice of her to open her home to their golf team and it was an honor to be in the presence of a golfer who has accomplished so much.
  Sherri's golf museum is filled with artifacts from her junior golf years through her 26-year professional career.
  This one of a kind museum which Sherri refers to as her "Memorabilia Room" covers both her amateur and professional career and in the far end of the room is the family room, slash media room.
  Steinhauer earned more than $6 million during her 26-year career.
  Steinhauer has hosted boy scouts, girl scouts and youth golf teams and plans to bring more children to her facility which promotes the game of golf and where serving as a mentor to children has become a passion project.
  Sherri pointed out that "I hope to inspire kids, I'll take them through and ask them what they want to do with their life and I'll just talk to them and tell them that dreams can come true."
  It's a great place for me to take kids and give them any kind of inspiration I can. I started dreaming about what I wanted to do at a young age and I really do feel like my dream did come true." she said.
  "Remembering back to my youth and what a shy person I was, I thought maybe I could inspire kids with my story...that with a dream you can set out to do anything you want as long as you are willing to work hard, stay focused and persevere though difficult times," Sherri added.
  Steinhauer pointed out that she has focused on "kids because I think they have the most to learn from it and I have had friends fly in to see it as well as some local friends who have requested to see it."
  When youth groups visit her it has strictly been on a referral basis and she has received referrals through word of mouth in the local community.
  When asked how she made the decision to locate in Neversink and what her major reason for locating here was Sherri said, "a friend of mine and her family had a piece of property for sale, I took a look at it and fell in love with it."
   Sherri also travels back to Wisconsin from New York to visit her family in the summer.
  "After 40 years of playing golf I began to suffer with hip issues...orthopedic surgery helped prolong my career a few years but when I realized I couldn't compete or play like I used to I lost the desire and the game became a responsibility instead of a pleasure so I then decided to put the clubs away," Sherri noted.
  Her willingness to share with today's youth what golf has done for her is a genuine beautiful gesture for this outstanding former LPGA champion and down the road we are sure she will capture many national Pickelball championships.                                                 
                                

Sherri Steinhauer's indoor Pickelball practice court.


                                                 

 
Tami Shaver man's the automatic converted tennis ball server at Sherri Steinhauer's indoor Pickelball practice court.
                                                     

Sherri Steinhauer practices hitting against a wall to improve her eye hand coordination at her indoor Pickelball practice court.

O'NEILL SELECTED FOR USBC BOARD

O’NEILL SELECTED FOR USBC BOARD
ARLINGTON, Texas – Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, has been selected to serve on the United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors starting with the 2016-2017 season.
O’Neill was selected to serve as an athlete representative on the USBC Board. He fills the spot opened when Mike Fagan chose not to seek reelection and O’Neill’s term will run through the 2018-2019 season.
A seven-time member of Team USA, O’Neill captured 24 medals in international competition, including 15 golds. He retired from Team USA earlier this year but continues to compete on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour.
He captured his seventh career PBA title when he won the PBA/PWBA Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles with Shannon O'Keefe this summer.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the USBC Board,” O’Neill said. “This is a great chance for me to give back to the sport that has provided me with so much throughout my career.”
O’Neill earned All-America honors each of his four years at Saginaw Valley State University and the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) named him Most Valuable Player in 2003 and 2004.
He joined the PBA Tour in 2005-2006 and earned Rookie of the Year honors. He won his first two titles during the 2009-2010 season, including the U.S. Open title.
For more information on the USBC Board, go to BOWL.com/Board.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.

HERE & THERE COLUMN

  Local Musician Is A Hot Ticket

                                                      

 

  Every now and then a talented  musician tops the local hit parade and such would be the case of Grahamsville guitarist and singer Albi Beluli who draws crowds wherever he performs.
  Albi, who hails from the famed Beluli family and their reputation for excellent food at the Grahamsville Deli, left the Deli business earlier this year to concentrate on his musical career.
  Albi noted that he had been in the family Grahamsville Deli business since he was a teenager.
  Following high school graduation he attended and graduated from Sullivan County Community College and furthered his musical education by taking courses  at Fredonia State University.
  He started his musical career in 1994 while in college and the bands he played with performed at McCabes, the Triangle Diner and various other locations throughout Sullivan County.
    Asked what he envisioned in now his full-time musical career Albi said, "I'm 41 now and like what I'm doing and can make an OK living and the best part is I enjoy entertaining."
  "I like meeting people, playing for happy hours for weddings, birthday and social parties and I do clubs, restaurants and bars," Albi noted.
  His style of music includes classic rock and he likes Elvis Presley and Albi said he loves older music."I add some five new songs every couple of weeks to keep my show entertaining and keep it fresh."
  Albi pointed out he likes singing songs where people sing along and music that makes people feel good.
  "I've make a lot of friends with my gigs and have a nice following wherever I play and that is what makes entertaining special for me," Albi noted.
  Albi is married and has one three year-old son.
  Anyone wanting to know where Albi is performing can obtain that information on Facebook.
  For an enjoyable evening catch one of Albi's shows.....it's worth the trip from anywhere.

BOWLING HIGHLIGHTS COLUMN

   A decline In Local League Bowlers



  There are four bowling establishments in Sullivan County, Callicoon Kristal Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Kiamesha Lanes and Beechwood Lanes.
  Two of the four saw a decline in league bowlers for the 2016-17 bowling season.
  Callicoon Kristal Bowl saw the demise of the Tuesday Men's league with several of the teams going over to the  Wednesday Men's league while others seemingly just aren't bowling.

  Kiamesha Lanes saw the Wednesday Men's league fold, several of the teams went to either the Monday Men's or the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league.

  The Friday Mixed league also saw a decline in bowlers and there are also no Mixed Leagues on Saturday or Sunday.
  Liberty Bowl saw the start of a Wednesday night Fun league with no prize money nor regular league commitment....just show up when ever you want to and bowl....but one can obtain a USBC average if they bowl 21 games.

  What has happened to the days when the former Liberty Lanes and Kiamesha Lanes had double shifts Monday through Thursday and mixed leagues on the weekends.

  I think if you asked bowlers why they bowled leagues, some of their answers would be to win the league and make a profit....and by profit they mean cover their costs of lineage and prize fund paid during the league year.
  Now, as we all know, lineage has probably doubled and tripled over the past 20 years and league fees and prize funds have not.
  So in previous decades, you had a $15 league where $5 went to lineage and $10 went to the prize fund. Well in today's prices, that same league probably pays close to $10 in lineage. So the league fees would need to jump to $20 a week just to be at the same level as they were in the previous decade.
  So maybe you are paying more per week now and getting back the exact same prize fund you did years ago so this tends to be the fact that less bowlers are being profitable....more bowlers are losing money and eventually quitting.

  Money leagues are going away as it is harder to make a profit thus the bowler loses interest.
  In future weeks we will explore other factors that have contributed to bowlers leaving the sport and what bowling establishments must do to attract new bowlers and keep the ones they have.

                                          
 Ed's Outlook

 

  The Professional Bowlers Association has announced a pair of special packages to provide GEICO World Series of Bowling VIII fans with unique experiences when the world’s greatest bowlers return to Reno Nov. 28-Dec. 11.

  The new “Strike” and “300 Game” World Series Fan Experience packages can be booked online by visiting http://www.pba.com/Tickets. Either package will insure fans have confirmed rooms at Silver Legacy over the Dec. 10-11 weekend, when rooms are expected to be hard-to-find in Reno. Fan Experience packages should be made by no later than Nov. 14.

  The “Strike” package includes two nights’ lodging at Silver Legacy Resort, two VIP tickets for all ESPN finals on Saturday, Dec. 10, and the live PBA World Championship finals on Sunday, Dec. 11; and round-trip transportation from Reno-Tahoe International Airport (for those flying to Reno). Price options per person depend upon the type of room selected. For the “Strike” package, options are: deluxe ($200), luxury ($220), superior ($245) and deluxe spa suite ($420).

  The “300 Game” package includes three nights’ lodging at Silver Legacy Resort, two VIP tickets to all ESPN finals on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10-11, a behind-the-scenes tour of the PBA Players Services truck and ESPN production truck; an official autographed PBA Tour bowling pan; an official WSOB t-shirt, and transportation to-and-from Reno Tahoe International Airport for those flying to Reno. Optional prices per person for the “300 Game” package, depending upon type of room selected, are: deluxe ($340), luxury ($370), superior ($410) and deluxe spa suite ($670).

The ESPN television schedule for the World Series includes the finals of the Cheetah, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Opens on Saturday, and the PBA World Championship plus a new USA vs. the World special event on Sunday.

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

  Bowling a curve ball or hook is one of he most effective ways to consistently bowl strikes.

  Curve balls can be tricky to learn however and require lots of practice. You should start out with a lighter ball than you would normally use to get the feeling of curving the ball.

  A bowling pro shop can even equip you with a special practice ball for this particular bowling technique.

  Let's get started with the how to's of hook bowling.

  When you start your approach, as usual you want to bring the ball back into swing position and keep your palm somewhat behind the ball. At the bottom of your swing you will want to release the ball and let it roll off your thumb first.

  This allows the ball to roll from the fingers and have more curve power. As the ball rolls from the fingers the hand motion should be upwards to roll rather then glide the ball on the lane.

  For this type of technique you must have a well fit ball that the thumb hole is not too tight.

  Concentrate on getting your thumb out of the ball first and lifting with your fingers up the side of the ball. Do not try to generate a curve with your wrist by coming over top of the ball.

  Lift straight up the sides.....the motions that this requires may feel awkward at first and as long as you use a ball that is not too heavy you can control the amount of curve you get.

  Learning to bowl hook balls can be a large investment time wise in practice, but this investment will be repaid in full when your average score improves greatly.

  Mike Luongo is a certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email Mike at mikel@stormbowling.com

Local Scores

Kiamesha Lanes

Monday Men's

  Real nice scoring by Vinny Collura of the Monticello Greenhouse team with a 808 series of single games of 296, 244, 268. Vinnie presently maintains a 236 average in this league.

  Other scores in this league.....Pedro Agapito III a 225, Paul Durland 235, 237, 656, Donny Durland 258, 649, Kevin Stackhouse 248, 652, Dave Graham 618, Charley Tuttle 228, Keith  Smith 256, 630, Eddie Lake 246, 258, 709, Rick Lake 236, 661, Gene Smith 235, 660, Michael Scuderi 234, 626, Tom Belgiovene 289, 231, 716, Lloyd Bridges 256, 683, Jon Wilhelm 233, 623, John Lopez 225, Larry Whipple 257, 646, Jody Farquhar 233, 251, 689, John Hoffmann 628, Chris Parken 233, 623, Dennis Matthews 233, 236, Kyle Matthews 245, 631, Dean Shattuck 601.

Tues. Mixed Firefighters

  Pedro Agapito III a 258, 661, Eddie Lake 233, 250, 247, 730, Kyle Vanwolde 229, 614, Trasey Barres 269, 617, Heather Dobell 181, Carena Collura 200, 531, Stanley Gilmore 233, Dustin Graham 240, Charlie Tuttle 255, 232, 687, Joan Lake 199, 537, Rick Lake 622, Liz Stubits 204, Keith Smith 632, Tom Belgiovene 225, Kyle Giordano 249, 266, 695, Jon Wilhelm 244, 663, James VanAken 601, Dave Graham 236, 604.

Thursday Ladies

  Sherri Laird 195, Lisa Cartwright 194, 506, Trasey Barres 236, 218, 602, Loretta VanAken 191, Liz Stubits 180, Christie Graham 200, Joan Lake 190, 191, 546, Valerie Fersch 180, Tabatha Smith 184, Shirley Bowens 208, Audrey Woolard 188.

Friday Mixed

  John Hoffmann 233, 626, Paul Berens 243, 603, Anne Kaplan 182, Kevin Stackhouse 625, Vic Decker 236, Linda Schaefer 186, Larry Whipple 235, 243, 646, Eddie Lake 616, Trasey Barres 231, 250, 653, Doris Castro 198, Aleah Balzano 182, Tito Santiago 242, 664, Loretta VanAken 189, Keith Smith 228, 247, 676, James VanAken 232, 636, Donnie Durland 246, 226, 227, 699, Mary Lee Williams 184, 186, 240, 610.

                                   

 

TACKETT DEFEATS RASH

EJ Tackett Defeats Sean Rash to Win PBA Fall King of the Swing Finale

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (Oct. 19, 2016) – PBA Fall Swing Bear Open winner EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., earned the title of King of the Swing by winning the PBA Fall Swing finale which aired on the CBS Sports Network Wednesday.

Tackett, the winner of the Fall Swing’s Bear Open for his second title of the season and third of his career, defeated Badger and Detroit Open winner Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., 192-189, in the title match at Thunderbowl Lanes in suburban Detroit.

The King of the Swing, a special showcase event, did not award a PBA Tour title, but it provided a unique challenge and a $10,000 bonus to the winner. The competition required the finalists to compete on a dramatically different lane condition on each lane – the 32-foot Wolf lane condition on the right lane and the 52-foot Badger lane condition on the left lane – putting a premium on adjustments, shot-making and equipment selections for the players.

Tackett, Rash and Tom Daugherty of Riverview, Fla. (Wolf Open winner) earned their spots in the special event by winning Fall Swing titles. Australian Jason Belmonte and Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas earned spots as the top non-winners in Fall Swing points.

In a close title match, Rash held the edge until the seventh frame when he left the 3-4-6-7 split and was not able to convert, handing the lead to Tackett. With Tackett holding a three-pin lead in the ninth frame and both players striking on their first ball in the 10th, Tackett earned the win when Rash was unable to double.

“It’s a unique challenge that you don’t see all year,” Tackett said about bowling on two very different lane conditions. “You know coming in the biggest challenge is getting the ball to do the right thing and whoever is the first to get into a good rhythm is going to have the edge.”

Tackett, who was the No. 2 qualifier for the stepladder finals, anticipated that using a different ball on each lane to match up with the contrasting conditions was the first step in putting together an effective strategy.

“Nothing seemed definitive as far as an advantage on either lane,” Tackett said. “On the long pattern (Badger), I used a ball with more surface and played an outside lane which seemed to work pretty well.”

In the semifinal, Tackett employed a similar strategy in defeating Belmonte, the three-time reigning PBA Player of the Year, 226-194.

“I had the feeling that if I had to bowl one more match I was going to have to do something totally different,” Tackett added. “I was just trying to get into some type of rhythm where I didn’t have to give the pocket away.”

In the opening match, Belmonte who had three top-five PBA Fall Swing finishes, beat Malott who had two Fall Swing top-five finishes, 199-185. Belmonte then defeated Daugherty, 219-208, to advance to the semifinal against Tackett.

PBA FALL KING OF THE SWING

Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Wednesday

Final Standings:

1, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., $10,000.

2, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., $5,000.

3, Jason Belmonte, Australia, $4,000.

4, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., $3,000.

5, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, $2,000.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Belmonte def. Malott, 199-185.

Match Two – Belmonte def. Daugherty, 219-208.

Semifinal Match – Tackett def. Belmonte, 226-194.

Championship Match – Tackett def. Rash, 192-189.

RAILRIDERS MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Andy Ashby Highlights Major RailRiders Announcement

Two-Time All-Star One of Three Additions to SWB Ownership

Moosic, Pa. – Two-time Major League All-Star, former SWB Red Baron and NEPA resident Andy Ashby was one of three additions to the SWB RailRiders’ (Triple-A/New York Yankees) ownership group as announced by the team at a PNC Field press conference today. Chuck Cohen and Steve Somers also were announced as new members of the team’s ownership.

Ashby spent parts of the 1991 and 1992 seasons with the then-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons during his rise with the Philadelphia Phillies. He also pitched for the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers over 14 seasons in the big leagues. Ashby has since served as a studio analyst for the Padres and as a game analyst for the RailRiders. He was an All-Star for the Padres in both 1998 and 1999, with the former going down as his best MLB season when he finished 17-9 with a 3.34 ERA, five complete games and 226.2 innings pitched. His 4.8 WAR (wins above replacement) ranked eighth in the NL that season per Baseball-Reference.com.

“It’s a new challenge for me,” said Ashby. “It’s something I’m excited about. I’ve played here and spent time in the majors, I think I can bring something to the table. As a player, now being on the other side of it, if there are questions about the player needs, I think I can help out. But I’m a rookie as an owner. I’m going to sit back and ask questions. I’m here to try and promote the ballclub. I don’t think you can ask for a better venue than what we have here. I’m going to get out in the community, meet people and spread the word about RailRiders baseball.”

Charles “Chuck” Cohen is managing director and third-generation owner of Benco Dental Company, the nation’s largest independently-owned dental distributor, and Clarion Financial, a sister company offering financing to dentists. Founded in 1930 by Benjamin Cohen, Benco serves over 25,000 dental offices and dental laboratories across the United States. The company is based in Northeastern Pennsylvania with locations in 40 states. A graduate of Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School and the University of Pennsylvania, Charles joined Benco as a territory representative in 1989. After taking on management roles in the company’s sales and marketing department, he assumed a senior leadership role in 1997; since that time, the company’s revenues have quadrupled. Charles chairs the board of the Center for Research and Education in Technology, a dental-trade group focused on introducing new technology into North American dental schools. He also serves on the board of Wilkes University, the Jewish Federation of Wilkes-Barre, the Advisory Board of the Seattle Study Club, and the Pennsylvania chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization. He has been awarded the Outstanding Young Leader award by the Jewish Federation of Wilkes-Barre (2001), the Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania (2002), and the Wyoming Seminary Outstanding Young Alumnus award (1999). Charles and his wife Rebecca live in Allentown with their son Benjamin & daughter Leah. Together they enjoy skiing, sailing, traveling, and biking.

“I'm so pleased and proud to have joined a championship team like the RailRiders,” said Cohen. “And the team isn't just well-managed on the field. The entire operation is first-class, from the maintenance crew to the food service team to the ticket sellers.  I'm excited to see us win for many years to come.”

Somers is the owner and President of Vigon. With an M.S. in analytical chemistry, he began his career on the technical side of the flavor and fragrance industry, eventually ending up at Givaudan. He moved rapidly up through the organization, being appointed as the business director of Givaudan’s fragrance ingredient division and soon after promoted to director of sales for North America. In pursuit of his vision of creating a unique and progressive company, he purchased Vigon International in 1998. Under Steve’s leadership, the company has since become one of the industry’s fastest-growing companies.

“My love of baseball has motivated be to pursue this opportunity,” said Somers. “It is a dream to be a part owner of a team affiliated with the most storied franchise in all of sports, the New York Yankees.”

The ownership additions were welcomed by another member of the team’s local ownership, Bob Mills.

“My fellow partners and I are very excited with the addition of Steve, Chuck and Andy to our ownership team,” said Mills. “All three gentlemen have a passion for baseball and, more importantly, a passion for baseball to be successful in Northeast Pennsylvania.  Steve brings considerable insight into the Poconos and Stroudsburg markets, and will help Josh (Olerud) and Jeremy (Ruby) in the continued expansion of the RailRiders’ brand in those markets.  Chuck will provide the SWB RailRiders’ management team with an immense amount of knowledge of the Northeast PA business community and its leadership.  And Andy provides the front office with Major League insight into the baseball operations and, more importantly, a relationship to the history of NEPA baseball thru his playing days here with the Red Barons.”

The 2016 Gildan Triple-A National Champion RailRiders open their 2017 home schedule on Monday, April 10 against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies). For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

HERE & THERE COLUMN

Folks Liked Board of Supervisors


  Remember the Sullivan County Board of Supervisors?
  As we quietly sit back and watch government get larger and larger we began remembering that our county had a pretty good form of government under the former board of supervisors.
  Then those so-called brilliant minds coordinated efforts to change the board of supervisors and elect legislators from legislative districts.
  That of course meant that not only would we still have town supervisors but we would add another layer of government that an already overly taxed population would have to pay for.

  Those supporting the new layer of government gave indications that the county supervisors weighted voting form of government was not legal (if it was not legal then why does our neighboring Delaware County exist today with a weighted voting board of supervisors)?
  Now the Sullivan Charter Review Commission is considering recommending the addition of an elected county executive to replace our appointed county manager.
  Nothing more than another layer of government. We don't need it.
  In our travels throughout Sullivan County during the past month we asked the folks their opinion on having a board of supervisors or a county legislature with an elected county executive.
  The majority told me they favored the supervisors and not the legislators and the reason why is that supervisors are more responsive to town folks....some town supervisors in the past even told me they have never seen their legislator at a town board meeting.
  A board of supervisors with an appointed county manager (administrator) makes for a more financially acceptable form of government.

  Bet you'll never hear that from the Sullivan Charter Review Commission.

BOWLING HIGHLIGHTS COLUMN

  Local Bowlers Become Pink Hero's


  Sullivan County bowlers along with keglers nationwide are participating in the October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Bowl for the Cure.
  The campaign this year has launched a new Bowl Pink theme to recognize those in the bowling community who have supported the fight against breast cancer.
  Bowl for the Cure, a year-round fundraising initiative sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) in partnership with Susan G. Komen, has made total contributions of more than $11 million to Susan G. Komen since 2000.

  The  Bowl Pink Hero campaign will focus on showcasing the work of associations, leagues, bowling centers and individuals who are doing more to support Bowl for the Cure and raise awareness about breast cancer.

  USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy pointed out that "the success of Bowl for the Cure is because of our bowlers and associations across the country. They are the ones who put together the tournaments, silent auctions and other fundraisers, and it is because of their hard work and generosity that Bowl for the Cure is able to raise awareness and contribute to the fight against breast cancer.
  For the month of October, Bowl for the Cure has asked associations to start the Bowl Pink challenge and st a goal of raising $500 in honor of Bowl for the Cure.

  Donations can be mailed to USBC or sent online at BOWL.com/BFTC.

  Please visit BOWL.com/BFTC (/bftc) for additional information on Bowl for the Cure and how you can make a difference this October.

    Ed's Outlook

  The  newest style of presenting professional bowling competition to their fans still is not as popular as what the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) did several  years ago.
  The PBA use to take its bowling show and competition on the road each week and  bowling fans in New York and the east coast could go and see their favorite professionals up close and personal at places like Latham, NY, Cheektowaga (near Buffalo), on Long Island, Norwich, Conn., at the Cavalier Lanes in North Brunswick, NJ and in Baltimore, Md.  
  The PBA claimed it was losing money this way but many of the professional bowlers disputed this and actually liked traveling different places and bowling in the pro-ams with their bowling fans.
  What the PBA has done is to take away that personal touch bowling fans  and professional bowlers enjoyed. It just isn't the same anymore.
  The last event to be held on the East Coast was the U.S. Open that took place two years ago at the Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, NJ.

  When the tour traveled to different locations each week it included 100-500 bowlers, staff and ESPN crew spending approximately 5-9 days and using up to 3,500 room nights per week that brought increased revenue for local restaurants and retailers.
  The East coast is getting shut out by the PBA.....there are no PBA50 tour stops and their are only several regional tour stops on the schedule.
  Just a thought here and wondering if the new Montreign Casino which we understand will contain a bowling establishment could bring a nationally televised ESPN event to our county?
  Something that the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and Montreign might think about......keeping in mind that the entitled sponsor fee for a nationally televised event is $250,000.  A national PBA Tour event would again put Sullivan County in the world spotlight.

   Bowling Tip
   By Mike Luongo

  At certain times during your bowling match slowing down the bowling ball is important.
  If you find your bowling ball skidding right past the break point, you are on a lane that has more oil than normal.
  The only way to compensate for this situation is to slow down your bowling ball. By slowing down your ball, your ball will have less momentum, therefore gripping earlier and hopefully on its normal break point.
  So how do you slow down your bowling  ball?
  Just like adding more speed to a ball, we will use our good old buddy, gravity, to help. This means holding  the ball lower during our approach. Depending on how much speed you want to take off the ball, you should lower it anywhere from two inches to a foot.
  Another good tip to follow here is bending a little at your knees as well.
  You will also want to start your approach closer to the foul line.
  These ball speed tips will really help you control your ball speed, but they will take a lot of practice to master.
  Mike Luongo is a certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question? call him at 435-720-7939 or email at mikel@stormbowling.com

  Local Scores

Beechwood Lanes

Monday Ladies

 Beth Schumacher 154, 150, Diane Conroy 177, Lois Erdman 164, Pam Wayne 166.

Callicoon Kristal Bowl

Hortonville Monday Ladies

  Mardette Wilcox 170, 181, 159, 510, Darlene Mantzourate 158, Charlene Meola 167, Opal Hocker 157, Sue Naughton 180, Kelly Gombita 159, Lillian Zieres 170, 160, Debbie Loughrey 152, Robin Luckey 173, Rebecca Rhodes 171.

Wednesday Fun

Brian Brustman 219, Brian Kitson 193, John Kline 181, Rich Thony 190, 215, 197, 602, Tim Sykes 185, Maribeth Olsen 159, Mardette Wilcox 165, 158,
Hopper Hubert 182, 189, Alby Thony 197, 190, Craig Stewart 200, John Fischer 188, 201.

Kiamesha Lanes

 Monday Men's

  Donny Durland 280, 279, 773, Rick Lake 279, 256, 756, Vinny Collura 230, 248, 701, Dean Shattuck 246, 225, 654, Justin Holland 245, Josh Strang 265, 619, Jim Walsh 237, Richard Bivins 614, Kyle Matthews 225, 244, 634, Paul Durland 231, Ryan Lepke 259, 657, Dave Graham 229, 648, Charley Tuttle 623, Keith  Smith 228, 255, 694, Eddie Lake 243, 245, 676, Michael Scuderi 253, Lloyd Bridges 620, Jon Wilhelm 225, 647, Robert Feeney 238, 640, Vincent DeGraw 254, 677, Larry Whipple 233, 614, Bobby Cooper 619, John Hoffmann 226, 225, 653.

Tues. Mixed Firefighters

Shane Cunningham 277, 247, 246, 770, Steve Belgiovene 225, 644, Kyle Giordano 247, 230, 665, Jon Wilhelm 226, 636, Dave Graham 237, 664, Kevin Stackhouse 234, 631, Pedro Agapito III a 229, 247, 690, Trasey Barres 192, 195, 542, Joann Ruggiero 180, 507, Eddie Walsh 248, 235, 694, Neil Bell 243, Ed Guthrie 225, 642, Laresko Niifa 225, 613, John Hoffmann 247, 665, Andrea Grossman 180, 508, Joan Lake 193, 508.

Thursday Ladies

  Tracey Barres 213, 223, 608, Tricia Tuttle 502, Liz Burgio 181, Pat
Gibson 181, Christie Graham 191, 185, 506, Monica Lane 189, Dottie Cox 180, 214, 564.

Friday Mixed

  Eddie Lake 264, 245, 259, 767, Dave Graham 230, 226, 656, Vera Bernhardt 206, 539, Joann Ruggiero 181, MaryAnn Drobysh-Berens 187, 180, 515, Kevin Stackhouse 226, 671, Joan Lake 185, 506, Linda Schaefer 204, 529,
Lauren Blume 211, 505, Trasey Barres 196, 508, Pete Nastasi 629, Angie Desmond 180, 514, Aleah Balzano 180, Matthew Jahn 234, 626, Ryan Lepke 237, 610, Loretta VanAken 507, Keith Smith 232, 225, 247, 704, James Van
Aken 629.

  Ed Townsend is a Public Relations consultant to the sport of bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or 800 series or even bowl your age, let Ed known at 845-439-8177, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.comWe are also on Facebook and Twitter.