STAILKOFF SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

PBA50 Tour Veteran Ted Staikoff Named

2017 PBA50 Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award Winner

CHICAGO (Sept. 11, 2017) - Ted Staikoff of Black Hawk, S.D., a competitor on the PBA50 Tour for 20 seasons, was selected by his fellow competitors as the winner of the 2017 PBA50 Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award.

“When John (PBA50 Tour Director John Weber) called to tell me I won the award, I said, are you kidding?,” a surprised Staikoff said. “It’s quite an honor to receive an award with that name on it—probably the top honor of my career.”

Staikoff, who will turn 70 in November, is still competitive on the tour for players 50 and older. In 2017, he had a best finish of 11th in the Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open, matching his previous best finish in a major (2007 Senior U.S. Open). His career-best finish overall is fourth which he accomplished twice in 2004.

“I feel like I’m bowling better now than when I was younger,” said Staikoff, who is a retired lieutenant colonel in the South Dakota Army National Guard. “What makes it special for me is to see the great young bowlers – or young-old bowlers as I call them – come out to bowl on the senior tour and then have the opportunity to bowl against them.”

Staikoff got off to a slow start this season with finishes of 110th and 130th in the first two tournaments but thanks to some help from fellow competitors Bob Learn Jr. and Tom Carter, was able to turn his season around.

“Another thing that makes it so enjoyable to bowl out here is the help you get from the other guys,” he said. “Bob and Tom noticed that I needed to get the ball down on the lane sooner and stop muscling the ball. They found a problem with my arm swing and worked with me to correct it, and as a result I had some better finishes later in the season.”

In addition to his 11th-place Senior U.S. Open finish, Staikoff also finished 14th in the PBA50 South Shore Open in Hammond, Ind.

“As long as I’m competitive I’ll keep going,” said the two-time PBA50 regional winner. “It’s an opportunity to bowl against some great bowlers and make a lot of friends along the way and you can’t ask for much more than that.”

The Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award is named after the late PBA Hall of Fame legend, who won 30 PBA Tour and six PBA50 Tour titles among his many accomplishments in the sport.

History of PBA50 Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award Winners

2017 – Ted Staikoff

2016 – Kerry Fulford

2015 - Tom Carter

2014 - Chris Keane

2013 - Robert Harvey

2012 - Dave Soutar

2011 - Ray Randall

2010 - Robert Harvey

2009 - Larry Graybeal

2008 - Fred Baldwin