Mega TV Weekend Caps Inaugural
PBA World Series of Bowling

ALLEN PARK, Mich. A roster of more than 30 of the world’s top bowling stars, including the finalists in the Professional Bowlers Association Women’s and Senior World Championships who are yet to be decided, is set for a grand finale television weekend Saturday and Sunday September 5-6, at historic Thunderbowl Lanes to conclude the five-week PBA World Series of Bowling.

“It’s going to be a dream weekend for bowling fans,” said PBA Deputy Commissioner Tom Clark.

Thunderbowl’s Arena Bay, originally built nearly 50 years ago to showcase the ill-fated National Bowling League, will come full circle as the site for six ESPN television events at noon, 3:30 and 7 p.m. each day. The PBA Women’s and Senior World Championships title matches will lead off the weekend at noon Saturday, followed by the finals of the Motor City Open at 3:30 p.m. and the men’s and women’s Viper Championships at 7 p.m. Sunday’s lineup includes the men’s and women’s Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Championships, respectively.

The PBA Cheetah Championships, conducted from start to finish in a unique documentary format, will also be part of the PBA’s Detroit lineup on ESPN this fall.

“The PBA brought its first World Series of Bowling to Detroit because this is the capital of the bowling world,” Clark said. “We are concluding our five-week, 13-tournament program with a series of television events that will showcase Detroit for seven consecutive weeks on ESPN beginning Oct. 25.”

Among the PBA stars who have qualified for one or more of the weekend telecasts are Hall of Famers Pete Weber, Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Amleto Monacelli; reigning PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott and previous-season Player of the Year Chris Barnes, and top women’s stars Liz Johnson, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Kelly Kulick. Australian two-handed sensation Jason Belmonte is among the TV finalists as are Thomas Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., and Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa., who was a star collegiate bowler at Saginaw Valley State.

Tickets for the weekend events are available at Thunderbowl Lanes in prices ranging from $5 to $25. Tickets will be available at the door or can be ordered in advance by calling 313-928-4688.

PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING WEEKEND ESPN FINALS SUMMARY

PBA SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Sept. 5, Noon (airs on ESPN Sunday, Oct. 25, 1 p.m. ET)
Championship: players to be determined on Friday, Sept. 4

PBA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Sept. 5, Noon (airs on ESPN Sunday, Oct. 25, 1 p.m. ET)
Championship: players to be determined on Friday, Sept. 4

MOTOR CITY OPEN
Saturday, Sept. 5, 3:30 p.m. (Stepladder Final; airs on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m.)
Match One: #4 Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., vs. #5 Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa.
Match Two: Winner Match One vs. #3 Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo.
Semifinal Match: Winner Match Two vs. #2 Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas
Championship: Winner Semifinal Match vs. #1 Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.

PBA VIPER CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. (airs on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 15, 1 p.m. ET)
Women’s Championship: Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, vs. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
Semifinal Match One: Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., vs. Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Semifinal Match Two: Ryan Ciminelli, Rochester, N.Y., vs. Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz.
Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two

PBA CHAMELEON CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, Sept. 6, Noon (airs on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. ET)
Women’s Championship: Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas
Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., vs. Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind.
Semifinal Match Two: Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa., vs. Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela
Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two

PBA SCORPION CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, Sept. 6, 3:30 p.m. (airs on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. ET)
Women’s Championship: Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., vs. Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix
Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., vs. Mike DeVaney, San Diego
Semifinal Match Two: Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., vs. Jason Belmonte, Australia
Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two

PBA SHARK CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m. (airs on ESPN Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET)
Women’s Championship: Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas
Semifinal Match One: Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., vs. Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas
Semifinal Match Two: Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., vs. Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y
Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two

PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (live, airs from Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan.)
Semifinal Match One: players to be determined on Friday, Sept. 4
Semifinal Match Two: players to be determined on Friday, Sept. 4
Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two