PBA Spare Shots

RICHEST TOURNAMENT IN PBA HISTORY WILL BE "LIVE" ON PBA.COM'S XTRA FRAME
Never before in bowling history has every player, every squad, every shot been under as much scrutiny and pressure as we’re about to witness in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. And never before have bowling fans had the opportunity to watch all of the drama unfold like they will this year by subscribing to Xtra Frame, the official video streaming channel of the PBA.

Before the four-player stepladder finals return to ABC live at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Jan. 22, Xtra Frame will provide a front row seat for all qualifying and match play rounds at Red Rock Lanes Jan. 16-21.

Fans can start a monthly subscription for just $7.99 and watch the battle for $250,000, the richest prize in the history of professional bowling. Visit http://xtraframe.tv/pba to sign up for more than 50 hours of live qualifying and match play coverage of the Champions Field and the Elite Field. The webcast will air worldwide via Xtra Frame, featuring in-depth analysis from PBA players, Jeff (The Bowling Doctor) Mark, and experts from all PBA Product Registered companies, hosted by Mike J. "Laneside."

Xtra Frame's Jackie Bowling also will return to Las Vegas for live Powerhouse reports offering on-lane conversations between players and PBA Product Registered ball representatives. Shortly after the live qualifying and match play rounds, content will be available on-demand for viewers who are unable to watch the live webcasts.

On Jan. 22, Xtra Frame will produce live PBA:39X60 pre-game and post-game shows before and after the live ABC show.

BILLY HARDWICK, NELSON BURTON JR. TO INTRODUCE PBA HALL OF FAMERS
PBA Hall of Famers Billy Hardwick and Nelson (Bo) Burton Jr. will be part of the 2011 PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday, Jan. 22, at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas when they introduce newly-elected hall of famers Len Nicholson and Dale Eagle, respectively. Mike Roth, director for ESPN’s PBA telecasts, will introduce Randy Pedersen.

The PBA Hall of Fame ceremonies will follow the live ABC television finals of the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions which begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. The hall of fame festivities, which also are open to the public, get underway at 7 p.m. Tournament of Champions and hall of fame tickets are available on pba.com.

WORLD BOWLING WRITERS HONOR KOIVUNIEMI, KULICK
Mika Koivuniemi, a native of Finland, who has had exceptional success in the international bowling arena as well as on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, has been elected to the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame along with England’s Kirsten Penny.

Koivuniemi, who has won eight PBA Tour titles including two majors since joining the Tour full-time in 1999, has won titles in 15 countries around the world. He is the only European ever to win the DyDo Japan Cup.

WBW also has selected 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions winner Kelly Kulick and England’s Dominic Barrett as 2009-10 World Bowlers of the Year.

Koivuniemi and Kulick will receive their WBW awards during the PBA Hall of Fame dinner at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 22. Tickets for the post-PBA Tournament of Champions awards dinner are available online at pba.com.

ENGLAND’S STUART WILLIAMS WINS QATAR OPEN
England’s Stuart Williams, who missed the start of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season in October because of a travel visa problem, won the recent Qatar Open in preparation for his return to the United States for the PBA Tournament of Champions. Williams defeated Denmark’s Mai Ginge Jensen, 422-401, in the two-game title match to win 30,000 Euros.

NOTED LANE MAINTENANCE EXPERT JIM JARYSZAK DIES
Jim Jaryszak, who worked closely with the PBA in developing the “animal” lane conditioning patterns used in PBA competition and PBA Experience league programs, died unexpectedly on Dec. 30 from a blood clot in his lung. Services for the Dyer, Ind., native were held Thursday in his hometown. At the time of his death, Jaryszak was a member of the USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications staff.