Boston Red Sox Star Mookie Betts to Return to PBA’s World Series of Bowling
Rising star in baseball world hopes to “do a little better” in second WSOB appearance
RENO, Nev. (Oct. 31, 2017) – Boston
Red Sox star Mookie Betts began thinking about competing in the World
Series very early in the year, but as much as he wanted to return to
bowling’s version of the classic event in Reno, he would have preferred
playing in the Major League Baseball fall classic.
When
the Houston Astros ended Boston’s bid for another World Series title,
winning their American League Division Series, 3-1, the 25-year-old
Betts was free to begin full-scale preparations for his alternative
plan, competing in the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX, presented
by Eldorado Reno Properties, Nov. 7-19 at Reno’s National Bowling
Stadium. WSOB IX kicks off the 2017-18 Go Bowling! PBA Tour.
“I
hope I can do a little better than I did last time,” Betts said
Tuesday. “I think I understand the mental side of what I need to do a
little more, but it’s not like I have it down pat. But I can use my
experience from last time. We’ll see.”
Betts,
who made his debut in Professional Bowlers Association competition
during the 2015 WSOB VII in Reno, has been eagerly awaiting the chance
to try it again.
“Bowling
has been a part of my life forever, so it isn’t going away,” he said.
“I like to compete, but I also know I need to get better.”
Since
the baseball season ended, Betts said he’s been practicing regularly,
in part to get his right hand toughened up a bit for the daily grind of
two five-game qualifying blocks. His goal is to finish among the top 150
against the field of 195 on any given day. In his WSOB debut in 2015,
Betts averaged 190 for his 36 qualifying games – nine each on four
different animal patterns.
His
life as a professional athlete has evolved during the past two years.
In 2016, when he played a starring role in helping the Red Sox to the
American League playoffs, Betts hit for a .318 average with 31 home runs
and 113 RBIs., winding up runner-up in the American League MPV voting.
He was named MLB’s Defensive Player of the Year, won Silver Slugger and
Gold Glove honors, and earned the first of two straight berths in the
MLB All-Star Game.
His
star continued to rise 2017, when he again played a pivotal role in
helping the Red Sox win the American League East Division title and
earned another trip to the All-Star game. On Nov. 7 he’ll find out if he
will win back-to-back Gold Gloves for his stellar play in right field.
As
brilliantly as he has played in the Major League Baseball arena, Betts
remains grounded to his bowling roots, started by his mother (Diana
Benedict) in his Nashville, Tenn., hometown. And he has proven to be a
sponge in soaking up knowledge in whatever sport he plays.
Is there any relationship between bowling and baseball?
“I
think the short bursts of focus are a key,” Betts said. “I’ve played
baseball in front of thousands of people, so I’ve learned to get over
those little moments pretty quickly. It’s the same in bowling. If things
aren’t going well, you get your focus back and get back on track.”
Betts
will join a sold-out field of world-class bowlers from 27 different
countries for five-game qualifying rounds at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Pacific
time) in the PBA Chameleon
Championship presented by Reno Tahoe on Wednesday, Nov. 8; the PBA
Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame on Thursday, Nov. 9; the PBA
Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game on
Saturday, Nov. 11 and the Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by
GoBowling.com on Sunday, Nov. 12.
If
Betts finishes among the top 25 percent of the field after 40 combined
games on the four animal patterns, he’ll advance to PBA World
Championship cashers round on Nov. 13 and 14. If
he finishes among the top 16 in any of the four individual animal
pattern events, he’ll advance to single-elimination match competition on
Nov. 15 and 16.
All
of the preliminary rounds will be live streamed on PBA’s Xtra Frame
online bowling channel. For subscription information, visit
xtraframe.tv.
WSOB
IX concludes Nov. 17-19 with finals live streamed on ESPN3 (and also
recorded for Sunday telecasts on ESPN beginning Dec. 10).
GEICO PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING IX
(a part of the 2017-18 Go Bowling! PBA Tour)
presented by Eldorado Reno Properties
National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev., Nov. 7-19 (all times are Pacific)
Tuesday, Nov. 7
10 a.m. – PBA Chameleon 39 and Shark 45 practice session
1 p.m. – PBA Regional and PBA50 Challenge finals, 8 games round robin match play
4:15 p.m. – PBA50 Challenge Finals (Xtra Frame)
5 p.m. – PBA Regional Challenge Finals (Xtra Frame)
Wednesday, Nov. 8
11 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe qualifying, 5 games
Top 16 after 10 games advance to Chameleon Round of 16 match play on Nov. 15
Thursday, Nov. 9
11 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame qualifying, 5 games
Top 16 after 10 games advance to Shark Round of 16 match play on Nov. 15
Friday, Nov. 10
Noon – PBA Cheetah 33 and Scorpion 42 practice session
Saturday, Nov. 11
11 a.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game qualifying, 5 games
Top 16 after 10 games advance to Cheetah Round of 16 match play on Nov. 16
Sunday, Nov. 12
11 a.m. – Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling.com qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling.com qualifying, 5 games
Top 16 after 10 games advance to Scorpion Round of 16 match play on Nov. 16
Top 25 percent of field after 40 combined qualifying games on
Chameleon, Shark, Cheetah and Scorpion patterns advance to PBA World
Championship cashers’ round on Nov. 13
Monday, Nov. 13
1 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Chameleon 39 pattern
5 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Shark 45 pattern
Tuesday, Nov. 14
1 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Cheetah 33 pattern
5 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Scorpion 42 pattern
Top five after 60 combined qualifying games on Chameleon, Shark,
Cheetah and Scorpion patterns advance to PBA World Championship
stepladder finals, live on ESPN, Sunday, Sept. 19, noon (3 p.m. EST)
Wednesday, Nov. 15
11
a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe qualifying
Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
1:30
p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe qualifying
Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
Four winners advance to ESPN Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe finals on Nov. 18
3:30 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
6 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
Four winners advance to ESPN Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame finals on Nov. 18
Thursday, Nov. 16
11
a.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge
Mobile Game Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match
play
1:30
p.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge
Mobile Game Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match
play
Four winners advance to ESPN PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA
Bowling Challenge Mobile Game finals on Nov. 18
3:30
p.m. – Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling.com Round
of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
6
p.m. – Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling.com Round
of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
Four winners advance to ESPN Go Bowling! Scorpion Championship finals on Nov. 18
Friday, Nov. 17
6 p.m. - USA vs. The World team event (live on ESPN3)
7:30 p.m. - National Bowling Stadium pro-am
Saturday, Nov. 18
Noon – PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno Tahoe semifinals and finals (live on ESPN3)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship presented by Xtra Frame semifinals and finals (live on ESPN3)
4:15 p.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game semifinals and finals (live on ESPN3)
6 p.m. – Pepsi PBA Scorpion Championship presented by GoBowling.com semifinals and finals (live on ESPN3)
Sunday, Nov. 19
Noon – PBA World Championship stepladder finals (live on ESPN3)
3:30 p.m. – World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s WBT Finals presented by PBA (live on ESPN3)
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