Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Bowling Bytes--6/2/10

~ Mohr Clings to Lead as PBA Senior Northern California Classic Field Heads Into Match Play Finals -- "Reigning PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, still in search of his first title of the 2010 season, held onto a two-pin lead at the end of qualifying Tuesday in the PBA Senior Northern California Classic at Harvest Park Bowl.Mohr finished the 16 games of qualifying with a 3,624 total, two pins ahead of four-time PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year Tom Baker of King, N.C., as the top 32 players headed into Wednesday’s single-elimination match play finals..."

~ Wayne Webb Goes for Third Straight PBA Senior U.S. Open Title June 6-11 in Las Vegas -- "PBA Hall of Famer and two-time defending champion Wayne Webb will attempt to become the first three-time winner of the PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Suncoast when the 2010 edition is conducted June 6-11 at the Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas. Webb will be among approximately 250 bowlers ages 50 and over who will compete in the first major of the 2010 PBA Senior Tour season...In 2009 Webb successfully defended his Senior U.S. Open title by defeating Brian Voss, 214-188, in the championship match. In 2008 he defeated top qualifier Johnny Petraglia, 204-172, for his first PBA Senior Tour title...The 52-year-old Webb, who recently moved to Columbus, Ohio, from Sacramento, Calif., to open Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl, won the Senior Columbus Open in April for his third Senior Tour win and despite having to deal with the demands of being a new proprietor, is confident heading into this year’s Senior U.S. Open..."

~ Rob Stone: more than just hambones and yahtzees -- "He inspires critics to yearn for days when bowlers kept score by abacus, the lanes were lit by gas lamp, and any display of passion more boisterous than a golf clap warranted permanent expulsion from the bowling center. He has turned a ham hock into the most bitterly polarizing symbol the sport has ever known. He is . . . well, maybe not quite the most interesting man in the world, but if you listen to his hissing chorus of detractors, you just might think so. All he needs now is a bottle of Dos Equis and a gruff Latin accent. He is Rob Stone, Lord of the Hambone, jester in the royal court of future hall of famer Randy Pedersen, and the face glued to dart boards in the homes of bowling purists from coast to coast..."

~ Robert Andersson wins men's division at 3rd European Bowling Tour Masters -- "Robert Andersson (pictured left), Sweden, and Kamilla Kjeldsen (right), Denmark are the men's and women's champions of the 3rd European Bowling Tour Masters 2010, the season-ending event of the 2009 European Bowling Tour. The winners each received 4.000 Euro..."

~ Surasak Manuwong averages over 265 to lead 43rd Singapore International Open qualifying -- "Surasak Manuwong (pictured left), Thailand, posted a huge 1061 4-game series at Orchid Bowl at Orchid Country Club in Singapore to lead the men's Open Masters qualifying in the 43rd Singapore International Open. Manuwong's 265.25 average propelled him atop the Overseas Pool, 91 pins ahead of second-placed Aaron Kong, Malaysia, with 970. Howard Saw, overtook Justin Lim (right), both Singapore, by six pins to take the lead in the Local Pool with 956 or an average of 239,00...On the women's side, local bowler Kristel Oh chalked up a 963 series to jump to the top of the Local Pool and to overtake previous leader Cherie Tan by 26 pins. Zandra Aziela (pictured left), Malaysia, held on to the lead in the Overseas Pool with 931 and an average of 232.75 for four games. Li Hsiao Ping, Chinese Taipei, is 21 pins behind in second place with Ivana Hie, Indonesia, in third with 883...A total of 42 men (39 qualifiers plus the top 3 from the desperado squad) and 30 women including defending champions Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, and Sharon Koh, Malaysia, will advance to the Masters Finals..."

~ The 11th Frame: Robert Smith latest star to retire from PBA Tour -- "Robert Smith is the latest star to announce his retirement from what's left of the PBA Tour...There is good and bad in the new Tour, and there has been passionate debate on all the changes on the pba.com message boards. What isn't debatable is that it's very different. What also isn't debatable is that bowlers should be thankful that any PBA still exists -- too many just don't get the economic climate for sports seeking sponsors and other commercial ties. Virtually every other sport is suffering -- the main differences are in where the sports started from...But the PBA's struggles aren't the only reason Smith is retiring, according to the following statement he posted on the PBA message board..."

~ Quitting While You're Ahead -- "Is it possible to get too good at bowling? For some, I think the answer is yes. There are a few freaks of nature who seem to dominate the game from age 2 throughout their entire lives. But for most people, becoming a good bowler takes practice. So, the question again: is it possible to get too good?..."

~ Arlington's Bob Learn Jr. finds new niche as bowling center marketing coordinator -- "Like too many Americans, Bob Learn Jr. faced a dilemma when his job at the United States Bowling Congress was eliminated in February. "At first, I said 'OK, we just moved here,' " said Learn, an Erie, Pa., native. " 'We just sold our home. What do we do.' Four days later, I was fortunate to be working here." A former Professional Bowlers Association touring player who was well-connected in the industry, Learn almost immediately received offers from around the country. But after getting away from Erie's brutal winters, he and wife decided they preferred to stay in North Texas. So when Bill Blackerby, general manager at Fort Worth's Cityview Lanes, contacting him, he was more than happy to take the job. Today, he's marketing coordinator for both Cityview and USA Bowl in Dallas..."

~ Dick Weber for King Louie (1953)

~ Questions on armswing, urethane bowling balls and approach -- "Q: Two coaches advised me to incorporate a free armswing, and I’ve been working on it. My problem is that my ball speed is still slow because the shoulder muscles get really tight going into and at the top of my swing. I have a five-step approach and push the ball into the swing slightly after my second step. Once it reaches the top, I can’t relax my muscles. What should I do?...Q: I am a senior bowler well into my 60s and am very frustrated. I had been using an old urethane bowling ball for decades and decided to upgrade to a new weapon. So I had a 16-lb. ball drilled and, frankly, I can’t handle it. It moves rather dramatically on the back end no matter where I move my target or my feet. Then I obtained another ball, a 14-pounder, and had it drilled for minimum action. Same result: too much back-end. I can flatten the release and try to kill the hook, but that doesn’t always work. Is there any ball that could give good pin action but not be as reactive on house patterns?...Q: I have had both knees replaced, and ever since I’ve had problems bowling. Do you think a one-step approach might help, or should I stay with four steps and practice more? I’ve gone from a 180 average down to 135 — very embarrassing. Any ideas?..."

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