Bowling Highlights 10-23-09

PBA Providing "Taped" Version Of Their Events

It has been months in the making, but the 2009 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) inaugural World Series of Bowling is about to make its historic debut on ESPN, but what you will be seeing is tour tournaments that have been taped and are not live.
Beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern this Sunday, (Oct. 25), bowling fans acrossAmerica will see 13 champions crowned over a span of eight weekly PBA World Series of Bowling telecasts. Over the course of the World Series telecasts,22 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour players will make television appearancesalong with five stars of the PBA Women's Series presented by BOWL.COM andtwo top PBA Senior Tour players.
Success comes in many ways and bowling fans tend to like "live" events over "taped" events but the PBA is advancing the theory that the World Series of Bowling has indeed shown success, but, the real test will be how many bowling fans will be attracted to the "taped" championships that were already bowled in August and the first week in September.
Events taped for future broadcast historically have proven to not attract anywhere near the number of viewers as "live" competition. The old news theory is not a healthy move by the PBA and the many tour stops (like the one formerly held each fall in Cheektowaga near Buffalo appears to be a thing of the past and all the many bowling fans at this venue are now cheated out of rubbing elbows with PBA bowlers and all of the motels-hotels, eating establishments, gas stations, airlines etc. etc. who benefited from bowling in western New York State are now left out in the cold and the struggling economy.
The fans of the PBA are the ones who are hurt the most with this new World Series of Bowling because the PBA now would like us to cave in and not print the results before the shows air on TV and they simply are asking the print media to change a basic principle of print journalism which is to print the new when it happens.
Well bowling fans.......we're printing the news shortly after it happened.
Here's the champions of the World Series of Bowling events.
In the PBA Men's Shark Championship Jack Jurek won. Kelly Kulick won the Women's Shark title. Mike Devaney won the Scorpion Men's title with Shannon Pluhowsky taking the Ladies Championship, Bill O'Neill is the Men's Chameleon Champion and Shannon Pluhowsky won her second championship. Rhino Page won the Men's Viper event and Liz Johnson the women title. Norm Duke captured the Cheeta Men's title and Walter Ray Williams Jr. won the Motor City Open championship.
The series will get underway with an historic event " the inaugural PBA Women's World Championship" which will reward its winner with the first-ever berth for a woman in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions in LasVegas. In the title match, Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix will meet KellyKulick of Union, N.J. Also at stake is a $15,000 first prize and a women's major title.
The second event in the opening telecast of the Lumber Liquidators PBATour season is the revival of the PBA Senior World Championship, which was last held in 2002 in Las Vegas. Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., will meet Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Township, Mich., in another battle for aberth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Championships as well as a $15,000 payday.
The closing event of the first telecast of this season will be a special PBA Trick Shot Invitational featuring PBA Tour stars Chris Barnes, Parker BohnIII, Norm Duke, Sean Rash and Brian Voss along with Finland's two-handed-sensation, Osku Palermaa.

The Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This week's tip is a reminder that although there are so many aggressive, high performance bowling balls available, the main component of the sport is having a sharp game and becoming a good shot maker.
Some lane conditions have become very soft and that combination with today's bowling balls has led to high scoring conditions making the majority of today's bowlers very complacent about working on their physical game.
However, the sport of bowling is making a comeback as can be seen in some of the newer Sport Bowling Leagues....so knowing how to adjust to varying lane conditions and understanding how to use today's bowling balls is only part of the equation.
For those bowlers who want to maximize their potential in this sport, I cannot stress enough the importance of finding a qualified and certified bowling instructor. Even more preferable, you should work with an instructor who uses video technology to completely analyze your game.
For example, we use the Brunswick Pro Trainer system which gives us the ability to replay a student's shots in slow motion, showing them what adjustments need to be made and compare them to the highest caliber bowlers in the world....best of all.....the student is able to take a video home to study and watch at their convenience.
The knowledge you gain from a Certified Instructor is knowledge that will be useful to you and will stay with you throughout your bowling life.
Mike Luongo is technically certified through IBPSIA as a Pro Shop Operator and Master Instructor. He is also a Silver Level Coach with the USBC and is also the Northeast Regional Sales Manager with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 341-1694 or via email at mikespro@warwick.net

Local Scores

Kiamesha Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Men's league include a 203 by Mike Mulligan, Dan Ricco 206, Paul Durland 224, Jeryl Scott 214, 237, 645, Vinnie Collura 206, 226, 626, James VanAken 235, 610, Josh Strang 232, 615, Tom Belgiovene 202, John Hoffmann 252, 245, 682, John Fischer 204, 214, 609, Dave Graham 201, 225, 625, Serafin Rodriguez 201, Pete Mitro 213, Jo Jo VanKeuren 208, 277, 223, 708, Frank Scuderi 225, Mickey Lake 202, 221, 610, a 157 triplicate by Roy Sweeney, Eddie Lake 237, 212, 218, 667, Rick Lake 256, 632, Lloyd Bridges 223, 216, 629, Niifa Laresko 221, James Frost 212, Keith Smith 225, 606, Jack Moylan 204, 201, James Ratner 213 and Kort Wheeler 233.
In the Tuesday Mixed Firefighters league Cara Nicholson 192, 515, Leanne Mangabang 203, 188, 566, Carena Collura 198, 508, Carol MacAdam 190, 191, 560, Vinnie Collura 224, 246, 245, 715, Lisa Cartwright 190, Andrea Grossman 514, Neil Bell Jr. 236, 256, 667, Joe Peabody 213, Ed Guthrie 202, 237, 635, Joan Lake 185, Ryan Lepke 245, 237, 655, Jack Rustic 225, Shane Cunningham 201, Russ Keesler 225, 214, 200, 642, Crystal Price 187, Fran Kaiser 205, 503, Vincent Scuderi 242, Debbie Durland 194, 181, 203, 578, Mal Press 212, 602, Jon Wilhelm 201, 267, 666, Kevin Stackhouse 203, Roberta Yakin 182, 195, 521, John Hoffmann 202, 207, 205, 614, Bob Yakin Sr. 212, 246, 657, Kris Gwiozdowski 228, 235, 619, Barbara Yeomans 180, Donna DuBois 194, 502 and Cliff Starr 200.
In the Wednesday Men's league Daniel VanAken 214, Kenny Atkins 212, Vincent Scuderi 223, Craig Wilhelm 203, Kevin Stackhouse 202, 209, 221, 632, Al Caycho 211, Justin Lopez 207, John Lopez 202. 215, 601, Bob Yakin Jr. 218, Bill Danchak 205, 200, Allan Jones 216, 222, 634, Frank Muller Jr. 215, 200, George Battle Jr. 202, 228, 607, Larry Berens 202, Dean Shattuck 258, 227, 209, 694, Josh Strang 245, 615, Tom Belgiovene 215, 206, 604John Hoffmann 202, 225, Jody Farquhar 212, Rick Lara 236, 216, 625, Tim McIntyre 201, Frank Emmens 210, Michael Travis 200, Shawn Lyons 234, Anthony Atkins 222, Eddie Lake 258, 234, 249, 741, Joe Fallon 255, 235, 232, 722, Matt Fallon 235, 204, 215, 654, Jon Wilhelm 236, 211, 634, Rich Bradford 208, 213 and Donald Durland 216, 259, 657.
In the Friday Night Mixed Doubles League, Edward Lake 248, 258, 237, 743, Thomas Skiff III a 255, 268, 715, John Cascone 204, 246, 202, 652, Don Durland 267, 638, Frank Emmens 216, 223, 625, David Graham 203, 236, 622, Tom Palmer 212, 218, 622, Laresko Niifa 207, 205, 605, Robert 242, 603, Paul Berens 204, Larry Berens 207, Mark Fedun 212, Leroy Williams 211, Michael Osborn 214, Kevin Babcock 207, Robert Sze 200, Kevin Stackhouse 209, Ernest Wood 223, Alpesh Patel 208, Tammy Sze 201, 253, 633, Ant Rau 201, 229, 192, 622, Mary Lee Williams 202, 196, 584, Tina Rau 205, 550, Cathy Carpenter 214, 542, Mary A. Drobysh-Berens 182, 540, Joan Lake 190, 506, Carolyn Williams 190, 502, Christa Sweeney 194, Vera Bernhardt 184 and Linda Schaefer 191.

Fox Bowling Center

Recent highlight scores in the Tuesday Early Birds Ladies league include a 182 by Jan Smith and Sandy Winans 204, 220, 574.
In the Wednesday Men's Independent league Tom Anderson 207, 207, 213, 627, Mike Bowker 202, Al Bullis Sr. 231, 221, 614, Andrew Bullis 218, 255, 245, 718, Cody Conway 214, 211, 200, 625, Frank Couse Jr. 202, Jim Dibble 221, 211, 625, Brandon Drumm 235, Brian Drumm 217, 204, Anthony Gately 234, 233, 647, Graig Gehrig 203, Bill Gleim 255, 215, 222, 692, Dylan Green 241, Jeremy Gulley 210, John Gurnick 233, Paul Ignatovich 203, Pat Kille 234, 605, Ryan Kille 246, Jerry Kulakosky 200, 201, Donnie Marino 235, 246, 667, Robert McNaught 213, 235, 247, 695, Ed Milk Jr.. 211, Neil Mosher 221, Dick Price 238, 207, 237, 682, Charlie Reichenbaugh 202, Josh Rice 206, 211, Brian Tiffany 206, 246, 651, Frank Whitmore 203, Luke Wormuth 223, 237, 229, 689, Fran Wormuth 218, Jay Wormuth 213, 216 and Tony Wright 239, 223, 202, 664.
In the Thursday Men's Deposit National league Rob Bolster 221, Al Bullis Jr. 202, 218, 602, Al Bullis Sr. 226, Andy Bullis 211, 245, 214, 670, Matt Conklin213, 227, 615, Ray Cornwell 231, Howard Couse Sr. 202, Frank Couse Sr. 225, Jeff Curtis 242, 217, 634, Vic Davis 204, Norm Ellis Jr. 225, Adam Forrester 225, Paul Ignatovich 232, 222, 200, 654, Robert Johnson 234, 213, 641, Gino Jones 201, 201, Greg Keesler 205, 223, 613, Rich Lenio 225, Paul Siegler 212, 202, Jim Valentine 217, 207, 214, 638 and Dan Wormuth 249, 219, 664.
In the Friday Mixed Couples league Andy Bullis 223, 214, 205, 642, Frank Couse Sr. 256, Anne Couse 184, 200, 553, Crystal Ellis 212, 535, Norman C. Ellis 214, Norman E. Ellis 215, Elizabeth Gleim 217, 526, Bill Gleim 204, 268, 243, 715, Hope Jones 191, 192, 545, Mark McGraw 266, 246, 224, 736, Rick Mills 223, Randy Mower 205, Skip Wilson 233, 223, 628 and Dan Wormuth 205, 205, 213, 623.
In the Sunday Afternoon Mixed Fun league Ray Cornwell 234, 203, 223, 660, Erwin Haeussler 202, Marty Haeussler 225, 201, 618, John Hoffmann 204, Rodney "Taylor" Jester 191, 192, Matt Johnson 202, Don Marino 268, 212, 237, 717, Jean Mills 182, Rick Mills 245, Ed Townsend 202, Shirley Townsend 180 and Chris Wadeson 224, 601.

Gravity Alley

Recent highlight scores in the Wednesday Mixed league include a 214 by Kevin Breidenstein, Dave Predmore 220, 213, 608 and Scott Ropke 213, 253, 656.

Beechwood Lanes

Recent highlight scores in the Monday Ladies league include a 176 by Jody Gulley, Diane Staves 168, Debbie Murphy 163 and Beth Schumacher 162.
In the Tuesday Ladies league Debbie Loughrey 180 and Pat Peters 171, 167.
In the Wednesday Men's league Bob Glassel Jr. 195 and Tom Gain 221, 197, 570.

This column is written by Ed Townsend, a public relations conlsultant to the amateur and professional sport of bowling and to several bowling writers associations. If you have a topic that would make good reading, or have league and tournament scores and information, Ed can be reached at 439-8177, vie e-amil at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at 230-8674. For a more expanded version of the bowling columns, please visit our Web Page at http://bght.blodspot.com