MITCHELL NEW RAILRIDERS MANAGER

New York Yankees announce 2018 RailRiders field staff

Bobby Mitchell slated to lead RailRiders in pursuit of a fourth straight IL North crown

MOOSIC, PA (January 31, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce that Bobby Mitchell will serve as the team’s manager in 2018.  Mitchell will be joined in the dugout by pitching coach Tommy Phelps, hitting coach Phil Plantier, bullpen coach Doug Davis and defensive coach Travis Chapman.  Athletic trainer Darren London and strength and conditioning coach Brad Hyde also return to the RailRiders for the upcoming season.

Mitchell, 62, spent the last two seasons managing the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees Double-A affiliate in the Eastern League.  He led the Thunder to 87 wins in 2016 and a 92-48 record in 2017, pacing Trenton to the Eastern League Championship Series and earning Manager of the Year honors.  He was selected in the seventh round of the 1977 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of the University of Southern California.  Mitchell played professionally for 10 seasons within the Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays systems, including portions of four years at the Major League level.  His coaching career began in 1992 in the Montreal Expos organization and he has managed professionally for ten seasons, including three seasons for Salt Lake in the Pacific Coast League from 2008 through 2010.  Mitchell holds a career record of 609-508.

“From top to bottom, the Yankees have a lot of young talent moving up the ladder,” Mitchell said.  “The whole system is packed with prospects and that is a really good thing.  Honestly, the most satisfying part of the job is seeing guys make that jump to the big leagues.  Knowing our guys are driven and are going to work hard for that goal makes us all excited to get this season going.”

Phelps has served as the RailRiders pitching coach for each of the last two seasons.  He was originally selected in the eighth round of the 1992 First-Year Player Draft out of T.R. Robinson High School in Tampa and made his Major League debut for the Florida Marlins in 2003.  A former pitcher, he appeared in 75 games at the Major League level and 313 in the minors.  2018 will be tenth season as a Minor League pitching coach for the Yankees, having spent time with Trenton (2009-2014) and Tampa (2015) before joining Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Phelps has led the RailRiders pitching staff to the International League’s best earned run average and the second-most strikeouts during each of the last two seasons. 

Plantier joins the Yankees organization this year.  The former outfielder was initially drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1987 and made his big league debut in 1990 at age 21.  Plantier played portions of eight seasons in the Majors, spending time with the Red Sox, Padres, Astros, A’s and Cardinals.  Since retiring, he has spent time as both a manager, hitting coach and hitting coordinator in the Seattle Mariners farm system and managed Lake Elsinore in 2011.  From 2012 through 2014, Plantier was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres.    

Davis is a Bloomsburg native and is entering his second season within the Yankees organization.  A Central Columbia High School graduate, Davis was selected in the ninth round of the 1984 First-Year Player Draft out of NC State and played professionally for 12 years.  Davis began his coaching career in 1996, won a New York-Penn League title with Pittsfield in 1997, a South Atlantic League crown with Columbia in 1998 and was on the staff of the Florida Marlins when they won the World Series in 2003.  His managerial mark is 515-484, including two seasons with Syracuse.  Davis also spent seven seasons as the Minor League Field Coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays prior to joining the New York Yankees organization last year.

Chapman enters his sixth season as a coach or manager in the Yankees system, having spent 2017 at the helm of the organization’s Dominican Summer League team.  He was drafted by Philadelphia in 2000 from Mississippi State, played 134 games for the Red Barons in 2003 and made his Major League debut that season.  Prior to his stint with the DSL club last season, Chapman spent two years as the defensive coach for the Class-A Charleston RiverDogs in the South Atlantic League.

London returns for his 26th straight season as the athletic trainer of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate and 2018 marks his 30th year in the New York Yankees organization.  He was the International League’s Trainer of the Year in both 2006 and 2012.  Hyde was the RailRiders Strength and Conditioning Coach last season.  He graduated from Arkansas State in 2009 with a B.S. in exercise science and begin working for the Yankees in 2014.

“The Yankees are committed to developing their talented pipeline of players that runs through Scranton/Wilkes-Barre,” stated Josh Olerud, RailRiders Team President and General Manager. “Bobby Mitchell has proven time and again that he knows how to advance players along in their careers while also playing winning baseball.  We are excited to add the reigning Eastern League Manager of the Year to our family as we watch the RailRiders make another run at the Governors’ Cup in 2018.”

The RailRiders former manager, Al Pedrique, was hired by the Oakland A’s during the off-season and will serve as their first base coach in 2018.  P.J. Pilittere was the RailRiders hitting coach in 2017 and has been promoted to the New York Yankees field staff.  He is one of their two hitting coaches under new manager Aaron Boone.  

PBA CELEBRITY INVITATIONAL SUNDAY

SUNDAY ON ESPN: Ninth State Farm^® CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling! at 2 p.m. EST

CONROE, Texas (Jan. 30, 2018) – Houston Rockets All-Star guard and tournament host Chris Paul will try to defend his doubles title with a new partner in the Ninth State Farm^® CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling! Super Bowl Sunday at 2 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Paul will be joined by several celebrities and PBA Tour stars who will compete in the multi-format event contested at Bowlero The Woodlands in Conroe, Texas which benefits the Chris Paul Family Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting youth, education, health, sports and social responsibility.

In addition to Paul, who is the defending champion of the doubles event (with PBA partner Chris Barnes), other participating celebrities include former NFL All-Pro and former Celebrity Invitational winner Terrell Owens, Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts, and Paul’s All-Star Rockets teammate James Harden.

The alternate ball doubles format event will feature the following teams:

● Paul and PBA Hall of Famer and 38-time Tour winner Norm Duke

● Betts and eight-time Tour winner Bill O’Neill

● Owens and PBA Hall of Famer and 37-time Tour winner Pete Weber

● Harden and 2016 PBA Player of the Year EJ Tackett

Betts will be a threat for the title with partner O’Neill after having bowled a 300 game in the Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling!, which was part of the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX in November.

The telecast will also include a Baker format team competition with Paul, Harden, Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza, two-time Tour winner DJ Archer and fellow Texas PBA star Dino Castillo making up the Houston Strong team against Betts, Owens, 12-time Tour winner Sean Rash, and 2017 Teen Masters representatives Hannah Diem and Logan Harvey making up the Bowlero All-Stars team. In Baker team competition, each player will bowl two frames to complete the game.

In the third event of the telecast, all of the celebrities, plus actor/comedian Oscar Nunez and Rockets guard Bobby Brown, take part in the Go Bowling! Celebrity Super Clash, a one-ball sudden-death shootout where the player with the lowest pinfall per frame is eliminated.

PBA’s “Big February” continues on ESPN with three consecutive live Go Bowling! PBA Tour Sunday telecasts at 1 p.m. ET, beginning with the PBA Tournament of Champions on Feb. 11; the Go Bowling! 60th Anniversary Classic, Feb. 18, and the Barbasol PBA Players Championship, Feb. 25.

CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational Past Winners:

2017 – Chris Barnes/Chris Paul

2016 – Pete Weber/Terrell Owens

2015 – Ronnie Russell/French Montana

2013 – Chris Barnes/Chris Hardwick

2012 – Pete Weber/Jerry Ferrara/Blake Griffin

2011 – Jason Belmonte/Chris Paul

2010 – Jason Belmonte/Chris Paul

2009 – Jason Couch/LeBron James

RAILRIDERS JOB FAIR FEB. 17

SWB RailRiders to hold annual Job Fair on February 17

Interviews for interns and game day staff to be conducted at PNC Field from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MOOSIC, PA (January 30, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will hold their annual job fair on Saturday, February 17, in the club level at PNC Field. The team is seeking interns and game day employees for the upcoming season, which begins on April 6 at home. Potential employees will fill out applications and the front office staff will do interviews on the spot during the job fair.   

“Interns and game day employees are vital to the fan experience at PNC Field,” said Katie Beekman, Vice President/ Assistant General Manager of the RailRiders. “Customer service is a key component during every game and we are looking for individuals that will take pride in working for the team.”

The job fair will begin with intern interviews from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The club is seeking interns in a variety of areas: marketing/ sponsorship, ticket sales, stadium operations, media relations, video/ production, finance/ team operations and community relations.

At noon, interviews for game day staff will begin and last until approximately 2 p.m. The RailRiders are looking for dedicated game day employees to fill numerous roles within the organization. The game day staff includes bat boys/ girls, club level attendants, EMTs, grounds crew, parking attendants, video/ production assistants, ticket sales representatives, ticket takers and ushers. The team is also looking for members of the Pinstripe Patrol, the on-field promotions crew, as well as fun zone employees and performers to serve as the team’s mascot during games.  

Legends, the official catering, concessions and merchandise provider of the RailRiders, will also conduct interviews on February 17. Legends is seeking concession stand managers, workers and cashiers.  In addition, Legends will hire prep cooks, grill cooks, food vendors, general kitchen help, suite attendants, retail associates and interns.

“We have all types of applicants during the job fair,” Beekman stated. “We will interview students seeking summer employment and those looking for supplemental income.  We will talk with individuals looking to get back on their feet, people seeking a second job and retirees.  We want people who want to work at PNC Field.”

For more information, contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-BALL or visit swbrailriders.com. 

WINNING AT WOODLAND BOWL

Winning at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis has Special Appeal to PBA Players

Three Indiana players would like to earn a banner in “Beer Thirty” lounge

INDIANAPOLIS  – Every time Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis hosts a new Professional Bowlers Association tournament, it adds another chapter to its remarkable history as bowling’s most versatile host bowling center, and it isn’t just prize money and a title that attracts bowlers from around the world.

A lesser-known reality for Woodland Bowl’s PBA champions is that they earn a banner for permanent display in the center’s “Beer Thirty” lounge, an unusual “hall of fame” that commemorates an elite group of bowlers who have won titles in the only bowling center in the world that has hosted every different PBA major championship over the years, in addition to a number of other significant non-professional tournaments. There are currently 40 banners hanging in “Beer Thirty,” including 38 representing players who have won titles at Woodland, plus one for PBA legend and Indianapolis native Dick Weber, and another for PBA veteran Ryan Shafer, celebrating a 300 game he rolled at the center.

Beer Thirty got its name because it offers 30 different kinds of beer, according to General Manager Jim Doty, and “because it’s time for a beer at 5 o’clock somewhere…”

The newest banner winner could be the GoBowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic champion, if that player has not previously won at Woodland. The tournament will be part of a week celebrating PBA’s first 60 years, and it has attracted a world-class field.

Among the players already entered, in addition to international bowlers from 17 different countries, are three PBA Tour winners from Indiana who would very much like to add their own banners to the Beer Thirty lounge collection: 25-year-old nine-time PBA Tour winner EJ Tackett of Huntington who also is one of five bowlers who have both PBA Rookie of the Year (2013) and Player of the Year (2016) honors; 38-year-old four-time PBA titlist Ronnie Russell of Marion, and 2017 PBA Rookie of the Year Matt Sanders, an Evansville native now living in Indianapolis. Sanders won his first PBA Tour title during his rookie season.

The new PBA tournament, which is part of the Go Bowling! PBA Tour schedule in 2018, is open to all PBA members. That will include players who have bowled in events hosted by Woodland Bowl ever since it opened, and others who have never set foot in the iconic center. The 60th Anniversary Classic will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 13, and conclude on Sunday, Feb. 18, when ESPN will televise the stepladder finals live at 1 p.m. EDT.

Among the players already entered in the Go Bowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic are PBA Hall of Famers Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, 70-year-old Johnny Petraglia, 84-year-old Carmen Salvino and PBA’s all-time titles leader, Walter Ray Williams Jr., plus Chris Barnes and Ron Mohr who will join the Hall of Fame at week’s end. 

As part of the festive week, the PBA’s 60th Anniversary Celebration Dinner will include its 2018 PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Marriott North in Indianapolis. The late Don Mitchell, the founder of the Royal Pin Leisure Centers chain that includes Woodland Bowl, will be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame along with Barnes, an 18-time PBA Tour champion from Double Oak, Texas, and Mohr, a PBA50 Tour star from Las Vegas.

Earlier Saturday, the PBA will hold its 2018 PBA League Draft at Woodland Bowl where the eight team managers will select two players each to complete their rosters for the PBA League Elias Cup competition in Portland, Maine, in April.

“We’re honored to have Woodland Bowl chosen to host this very meaningful event,” said Doty, Royal Pin Entertainment’s General Manager. “Our long association with the Professional Bowlers Association has been a labor of love that brings back memories of past events that include many hall of fame members who have competed at Woodland Bowl.”

Admission tickets for the GoBowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic can be purchased in advance online (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/go-bowling-pba-60th-anniversary-classic-tickets-37388770820) or at the door. To purchase tickets for the PBA 60th Anniversary Celebration Dinner, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/go-bowling-pba-60th-anniversary-classic-tickets-37388770820#tickets.

Indianapolis area amateur bowlers who would like to bowl in the pro-am event on Saturday, Feb. 17, should call Woodland Bowl for details: 317-844-4099.

All qualifying and match play rounds of the PBA 60th Anniversary Classic, plus the entire PBA 60th Anniversary Celebration Dinner and hall of fame inductions, plus the PBA League Draft, will be live streamed by PBA’s online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. To subscribe to Xtra Frame, visit xtraframe.tv. Three-day, 30-day and 12-month subscription packages are available.

INKSTER SOLHEIM CUP CAPT.

Juli Inkster Appointed U.S. Solheim Cup Captain for Unprecedented Third Time

Inkster will become the first three-time Team USA Solheim Cup captain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 30, 2018 – After leading Team USA to back-to-back Solheim Cup victories in 2015 and 2017, LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster will return as captain for the biennial team match-play competition in 2019.

The 31-time LPGA Tour winner and seven-time major champion will become the first three-time Team USA captain at the 2019 Solheim Cup to be played on the world-famous PGA Centenary Course at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, from Sept. 13-15, 2019. The U.S. will head to Scotland leading Europe 10-5 all-time in Solheim Cup competition.

“This is an unbelievable honor and one I do not take lightly,” Inkster said. “I’m so stoked to be able to take the U.S. Team to Scotland, the home of golf, to compete in the 2019 Solheim Cup. We can’t wait to get started.”

Inkster, 57, and the U.S. squad will look to successfully defend their title on European soil, pitted against hometown legend and first-time Team Europe captain Catriona Matthew.

The last time the Solheim Cup was held in Europe, in 2015 in St. Leon-Rot, Germany, Inkster led the U.S. Team to the largest comeback win in Solheim Cup history. The Americans trailed by four points entering Sunday’s singles matches before staging a comeback for the ages, winning 8.5 points en route to a 14.5-13.5 victory.

In West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2017, Inkster became the first two-time U.S. Solheim Cup captain since Patty Sheehan was at the helm in 2002 and 2003. With Team USA’s 16.5-11.5 victory, she joined Judy Rankin as the only captains in Solheim Cup history (Team USA or Team Europe) with a 2-0-0 record. Inkster is the first three-time captain for Team USA, while Team Europe played under Captain Mickey Walker in the first four Solheim Cups (1990, 1992, 1994, 1996).

“Juli being the U.S. Solheim Cup captain for a third time is certainly historic, but almost everything about Juli’s career is historic,” LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan said. “She has set the standard on the LPGA Tour in so many ways, and now she’ll do the same for the U.S. Solheim Cup Team. Under Juli’s unique style of leadership, the U.S. Team is relaxed, cohesive and incredibly successful. Maintaining this highly successful formula, and continuing Team USA’s momentum, was the first priority among the U.S. Solheim Cup Committee.”

Inkster joined the LPGA in 1983 and played as a rookie in 1984, earning Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors after winning two major championships, becoming the first rookie to accomplish the feat. Inkster made her Solheim Cup debut as a captain’s pick at the second playing of the event in 1992 at Dalmahoy Country Club in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she went 1-1-1, winning her singles match against future European captain Alison Nicholas.

Inkster went on to represent the U.S. in nine Solheim Cups from 1992-2011 (1992, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011) with a 15-12-7 overall record, and was a member of victorious teams in 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Despite playing in six of the same Solheim Cups, Inkster and Matthew only met in competition twice, both times in foursomes on the opening day of competition. In 2003, Matthew and Janice Moodie defeated Inkster and Wendy Ward, 5 and 3, but Inkster evened the score in 2009 by partnering with Paula Creamer to defeat Matthew and Moodie, 2 and 1.

“Congratulations to Juli on this announcement. She’s done an amazing job in the last two Solheim Cups, and throughout her Solheim career, and will certainly be a formidable opponent at Gleneagles,” Matthew said. “Juli is someone who I have admired very much over the years in all that she has achieved both on and off the golf course, and I am delighted she will be my opposite number for the 2019 match. I’ve definitely picked up some valuable insights into Juli’s captaincy style over the last two matches, so I am excited we are both now in place and are ready to get down to business.”

Inkster’s name is prevalent throughout the Solheim Cup record books, including as the all-time leader in points earned in singles competition (seven). Her nine appearances are tied with Matthew and fellow American Cristie Kerr and are second only to Laura Davies (12), while she ranks seventh on the all-time points list (18.5) and in most matches won (15).

“I’m beyond excited to have Juli as the Solheim captain again,” said nine-time Team USA Solheim Cup member Cristie Kerr. “She’s an American star and a legend of the game. She has a chance to do what no one else has done before, and I believe she’s earned that.”

Inkster became the first Solheim Cup “playing assistant captain” in 2011, where she also earned the distinction of being the oldest player to compete on a Solheim Cup team at 51 years, 2 months and 30 days of age. Similarly, Matthew became the second-oldest player to compete when she filled in for Suzann Pettersen in 2017 at 47 years, 11 months and 24 days of age.

“I’m thrilled to hear that Juli will be returning for a historic third time as captain of the United States Solheim Cup team in 2019,” said John Solheim, PING Chairman and CEO. “Her experience as a two-time winning captain, along with her love and respect for the game, will be invaluable to the top-12 American players as they seek to make history in Scotland. As a nine-time participant in the event, Juli’s passion for the Solheim Cup has helped it to grow into the premier women’s team event in the world.”

As the Team USA captain, Inkster will be charged with selecting two players as captain’s picks in addition to the 10 automatic qualifiers. In 2015, she selected Creamer, who went 2-2-0, and Brittany Lang, who went 1-2-1. In 2017, Inkster selected Solheim Cup rookies Angel Yin (1-1-1) and Austin Ernst (2-2-0). Also in 2017, Inkster had to name a replacement for Jessica Korda who could not compete due to injury, and once again she opted for Creamer, who posted an impressive 3-1-0 record.

Inkster has yet to announce her assistant captains for 2019; Pat Hurst, Wendy Ward and Nancy Lopez served as her assistant captains in 2015 and 2017.

CUP CAPTAIN ANNOUNCEMENT

Team USA Solheim Cup Captain to be Announced Tuesday

The LPGA will announce the 2019 Team USA Solheim Cup captain on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at approximately 8 a.m. ET

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 29, 2018 – The LPGA Tour is set to announce the Team USA captain for the 2019 Solheim Cup at approximately 8 a.m. ET on Jan. 30, 2018. The 2019 Team USA captain will appear on Tuesday’s edition of Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” alongside LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan at approximately 8:05 a.m. ET.

The 2019 Solheim Cup will be held on the PGA Centenary Course at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, on Sept. 13-15, 2019. Team USA heads to Scotland leading Europe 10-5 all-time in Solheim Cup competition.

In September 2017, the Ladies European Tour announced Catriona Matthew as the 2019 Team Europe captain. Matthew played in nine Solheim Cups from 1998-2017 (1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017) and was a member of three victorious teams, in 2003, 2011 and 2013.

Following the LPGA’s announcement, there will be a media conference call with details below.

What: 2019 U.S. Solheim Cup captain media conference call

Who: Team USA captain

When: Jan. 30 at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

53rd PBA Tournament of Champions Storylines

Historic AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio to host season’s first

Go Bowling! PBA Tour major championship Feb. 5-11

FAIRLAWN, Ohio (Jan. 29, 2018) -- As host of the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions from 1966 to 1994, AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio has been the scene of some of the most memorable moments in PBA history.

That tradition will resume when AMF Riviera Lanes hosts the return of the PBA’s signature tournament Feb. 5-11 after a 24-year absence. The first major championship of the 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour 60th Anniversary season will culminate with a live ESPN finals telecast Sunday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. EST.

The 2018 TOC will feature an expected field of 80 PBA champions, including defending champion EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., who will battle for one of the most prestigious titles in the sport.

In addition to the tournament’s return to Fairlawn, Jason Belmonte’s quest for a record-tying 10th major title, Liz Johnson’s attempt to become the second woman to win the event, and the return of PBA greats Pete Weber and Walter Ray Williams Jr. to write another chapter in their storied careers are just a few of the compelling storylines for this year’s event.

All preliminary rounds will be streamed live via the PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For Xtra Frame subscription and schedule information visit http://www.xtraframe.tv/pba/

Here’s a look at some of the major storylines for the 53rd PBA Tournament of Champions:

TOC returns to traditional home: AMF Riviera Lanes hosts the return of the PBA’s signature tournament after a 24-year absence. The first major championship of the 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour 60th Anniversary season will culminate with a live ESPN finals telecast Sunday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. EST. When the TOC was last held at AMF Riviera Lanes in 1994, PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke won the event with a 217-184 victory over Eric Forkel.

TOC is a tournament for champions only: The 2018 TOC will include an exclusive field of PBA champions. In order to be eligible, a player must be a PBA member who has won a PBA Tour, PBA Regional, PBA50 Tour, PBA Regional, or PBA Women’s Series title.

Four-time GEICO Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte will try for another milestone in PBA history: With nine PBA major wins to his credit, the 2017 GEICO Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year, is one major title away from tying PBA Hall of Famers Pete Weber and Earl Anthony for the most the all-time major wins with 10. The 34-year-old two-hander from Australia will be trying for his third TOC win after winning back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. Entering his 10th Tour season, Belmonte will also have his eye on setting a new mark for shortest time to reach 10 major titles. He has already set the mark for shortest time to win nine major titles (six seasons). A win would also put Belmonte in the exclusive three-time winners club joining Mike Durbin and Jason Couch.

EJ Tackett is defending champion: 2016 Player of the Year EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., will defend his title in the hopes of becoming the first player since Belmonte to win the TOC in back-to-back seasons (2014 and 2015). Tackett, a nine-time Tour winner, won the 2017 TOC in Shawnee, Okla., by defeating Tommy Jones, 208-203, in the title match.

Pete Weber tries for a record 11th major and third TOC title: PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber won the 2013 Tournament of Champions to tie Earl Anthony for most PBA major titles (10) and became the only player to win PBA’s Triple Crown (Tournament of Champions, U.S. Open and World Championship) twice. At age 50, the 37-time PBA Tour winner also became the oldest player to win the TOC. If he wins, Weber would also join Mike Durbin and Jason Couch as three-time TOC winners.

Other two-handers in the field: While Jason Belmonte brought the unique two-handed delivery to prominence in his rookie season in 2009, five other players who have enjoyed success on the PBA Tour using the two-handed technique will also be competing. They include 2016 TOC champion Jesper Svensson of Sweden; five-time tour winner Osku Palermaa of Finland, three-time Tour champion Anthony Simonsen of Austin, Texas; two-time Tour winner Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, N.C. and Shawn Maldonado of Houston. At age 20, Svensson became the youngest TOC champion and at age 22, he is the youngest player to reach seven PBA Tour titles. At age 19, Simonsen won the 2016 USBC Masters to become the youngest player to win a major title.

TOC past winners entered: Past champions entered include defending champion EJ Tackett (2017), Jesper Svensson (2016), Jason Belmonte (2014, 2015); PBA Hall of Famers Pete Weber (1987, 2013), Norm Duke (1994), Johnny Petraglia (1971), Chris Barnes (2006), and future Hall of Famers Sean Rash (2012) and Tommy Jones (2007).

Walter Ray Williams Jr. still trying for a TOC title: Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. has accomplished nearly everything there is to accomplish in PBA competition except winning the Tournament of Champions. A TOC title would make the all-time titles leader (47) the seventh player to complete the PBA Triple Crown (titles in the U.S. Open, PBA World Championship and TOC), and the third player in history to complete the PBA “Grand Slam” (titles in the U.S. Open, PBA World Championship, TOC and USBC Masters). Mike Aulby and Norm Duke are the only players who have completed the Grand Slam.

An historic event for women: Kelly Kulick made sports history in 2010 by becoming the first woman ever to win a PBA Tour event when she won the TOC in Las Vegas. USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson will make her bid to become the second woman to win the TOC in this year’s event. Johnson became the second woman to win a PBA Tour tournament when she captured the 2017 PBA Chameleon Championship which was part of GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX in Reno, Nev.

Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia to compete in final TOC: Another one of PBA’s all-time greats, 14-time PBA Tour champion and 1971 TOC champion Johnny Petraglia will compete in his final TOC. The 70-year-old Petraglia is the only player in PBA history to win a national tour title (PBA Tour or PBA50 Tour) in six different decades.

International field: Nine countries are represented in the TOC field – Australia, Canada, Colombia, England, Finland, Sweden, Thailand, Venezuela, and the U.S.

TOC began in Indianapolis in 1962: Joe Joseph won the inaugural TOC at Play Bowl in Indianapolis with a two-game 480 pinfall total in 1962. Billy Golembiewski was second with 416 pins and Hall of Famer Carmen Salvino finished third with 409 in the two-game total pinfall championship round.

TOC admission and pro-am information: Spectator passes for the TOC pre-tournament qualifier on Feb. 5 and the official practice session on Feb. 6 are $10. Spectator passes for qualifying and match play rounds Feb. 7-9 range from $15-$20 with all-day passes available for $20 and $30. Tickets for the stepladder finals range from $30-$50, if purchased in advance online atwww.pba.com/tickets, and $50-$70 if purchased at the door. Tickets for all preliminary rounds will be available at the door.

Grassroots league bowlers who would like to participate in the TOC pro-am will have three opportunities on Saturday, Feb. 10. Squads will bowl at noon, 3 and 6 p.m. For pro-am entry information, contact AMF Riviera Lanes at 330-836-7985.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS SCHEDULE

AMF Riviera Lanes, Fairlawn, Ohio, Feb. 5-11 (all times Eastern)

Monday, February 5

3 p.m. - Pre-Tournament Qualifier (8 games)

Tuesday, February 6

2 p.m. - Practice Session

6:30 p.m. – King of Bowling exhibition match

Wednesday, February 7

11 a.m. - Qualifying Round 1 (6 games)

  6 p.m. - Qualifying Round 2 (6 games)

Thursday, February 8 

11 a.m. - Qualifying Round 3 (6 games)

  6 p.m. - Match Play Round 1 (8 games)

Friday, February 9

11 a.m. - Match Play Round 2 (8 games)

  6 p.m. - Match Play Round 3 (8 games)

Saturday, February 10

Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. – Pro-am squads

Sunday, February 11

1 p.m. - ESPN Stepladder Finals

Advance tickets for stepladder finals are available by visiting www.pba.com/tickets. Contact AMF Riviera Lanes at (330) 836-7985 for additional ticket and pro-am entry information or visitRivieraLanes@amf.com

BELMONTE VS MALOTT MATCH SET

Belmonte Vs. Malott PBA King of Bowling Match Set for Facebook Live

Fans vote for Australian star to challenge for KOB crown in re-match on February 6 in Fairlawn, Ohio

CHICAGO (Jan. 29, 2018) – Professional Bowlers Association fans have selected Australia’s Jason Belmonte, a four-time PBA Player of the Year, to try to end Wes Malott’s reign as PBA King of Bowling in a ground-breaking live streaming event on Facebook Live on Tuesday, Feb. 6, from AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio, kicking off the return of the PBA Tournament of Champions week to the historic bowling center in suburban Akron.

The best-of-three-game match will be available simply by visiting the PBA’s page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalBowlersAssociation/) at 6:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 6. The special event will be the first PBA event to air exclusively on Facebook Live. The event will be produced by the PBA staff with PBA Hall of Famer Marshall Holman, newly-elected PBA Hall of Famer Chris Barnes and PBA Tour champion Rhino Page calling the action.

“The PBA has been steadily improving its presence on Facebook with an increase in video highlights and live press conferences on our page, which is up to 200,000 followers and had more than four million video views during the recent WSOB alone,” said PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark in announcing the new Facebook Live relationship. “Taking this next step to a live event shown in its entirety, and working with the sports team at Facebook to make it happen, is exciting for the PBA as we navigate into our 60th Anniversary season.

“The PBA has always been on the cutting edge of presentation platforms for the greatest bowlers in the world, from national broadcast TV on ABC starting in 1962 to cable TV on ESPN starting in 1979 to direct-to-consumer streaming video of events on Strike Pass and Xtra Frame since 2001,” he continued. “This next foray for the PBA Network – presenting a live event in its entirety on the Facebook platform – is another exciting step in providing our fans with diverse, comprehensive access to our players and to PBA competition at all levels.

“The PBA King of Bowling and the incredible run by Wes Malott has proven to be a popular series, with unprecedented access for viewers to the players in an intense one-on-one setting. We expect to have the most-watched bowling event in Facebook history on February 6.”

Belmonte, a 16-time PBA Tour champion and the reigning GEICO Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year after winning an unprecedented three major championships in 2017, was selected as Malott’s opponent in fan voting conducted on pba.com and Twitter. He narrowly out-polled PBA Hall of Famers Pete Weber and Norm Duke, and Barnes – all TOC title holders.

Belmonte will be the first player in the King of Bowling series, which got its start in 2009, to face Malott for a second time. In April 2017, Malott posted a 721 three-game series at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, to defeat EJ Tackett and Belmonte, who recorded 664 and 640 series, respectively, in a three-game total pinfall match. In eight title-defense matches thus far, Malott has never lost, defeating Barnes, Patrick Allen, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Rhino Page, Parker Bohn III, Tackett/Belmonte and, most recently, Tommy Jones.

The King of Bowling match will unofficially kick off the PBA Tournament of Champions’ return to AMF Riviera Lanes for the first time since 1994. Qualifying and match play rounds will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday leading into Sunday’s live ESPN finals at 1 p.m. EST. All preliminary rounds will be live streamed on PBA’s Xtra Frame (visit xtraframe.tv for subscription information).