Pedersen, Eagle and Nicholson
Elected to Hall of Fame

The Professional Bowlers Association has announced that 13-time PBA Tour titlist Randy Pedersen, Senior Tour standout Dale Eagle and former PBA lane maintenance director Len Nicholson have been elected to the PBA Hall of Fame Class of 2011.> > All three will be inducted during ceremonies Saturday, Jan. 22 at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas following the ABC Sports telecast of the PBA Tournament of Champions.> > Pedersen, 48, is currently the color analyst for Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour telecasts on ESPN but he earned entry into the Hall based on his accomplishments on the lanes. The Clermont, Fla., resident won the 1987 PBA National Championship for his lone major title and was ranked 35th on the PBA’s list of 50 greatest bowlers as part of the organization’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2009. He had 34 top-five finishes in 561 Tour tournaments bowled during his career, finishing in the top 20 in earnings six times and the top 20 in average eight times.> > “When Fred (PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer) called me with the news, I had to put the phone down and give a great big yell,” Pedersen said. “It’s very humbling and gratifying. When I first started out on tour in 1981, I never imagined something like this could happen.> > “During the journey, my first thought was winning titles and making money. I never started thinking about the Hall of Fame until I was on the downside of my career. Maybe it’s always in the back of your mind, but when I was in my heyday, the focus was always on winning.”> > Eagle, 64, is the second player elected into the Senior section of the PBA Hall of Fame, following John Handegard, who was inducted in 2009. The Frisco, Texas, resident has 11 career Senior Tour titles which ranks tied for third all-time. Among his titles are four Senior Tour majors – Reno PBA Senior World Invitational (1997); The Villages Senior World Championship (1999); PBA Senior National Championship (2001), and USBC Senior Masters (2003).> > He was the PBA Senior Rookie of the Year in 1996 and Senior Player of the Year in 1999. In 171 PBA Senior Tour tournaments he has finished in the top five 40 times. He also won 10 Senior Regional titles and three PBA Tour titles.> > “It’s something I’ve been waiting for for 47 years,” said Eagle, who is still active on the Senior Tour. “When I was a teenager I dreamed of being a great bowler. Bowling and the PBA have been my life and to be recognized as a great player has made my dream a reality.”> > Inducted into the meritorious service category, Nicholson’s career was devoted to the science of bowling lane maintenance and for more than 20 years the Tucson, Ariz., resident was the PBA Tour’s lane maintenance director. Nicholson, 70, has gained worldwide industry recognition as one of the foremost experts on the subject of lane maintenance.> > Nicholson was instrumental in developing the PBA Lane Maintenance Program in 1971 which is still referred to today. He was a founding member of the Bowling Foundation which was created to finding solutions to scoring issues in bowling. An instructor, author of several bowling publications and host of the popular Phantom Internet radio bowling program, he also has served on the technical committee of the World Tenpin Bowling Association. He was a recipient of the bowling industry’s Flowers for the Living Award and the John Davis Award in recognition for his contributions to the sport.> > "This is the highlight of a career that has been devoted to such an important part of the sport," Nicholson said.> > Inductees are elected to the PBA Hall of Fame by a group of veteran bowling writers, industry leaders and current Hall of Famers.