The Foundation / The Foundation / The Cornerstone Newsletter

The Cornerstone Newsletter, March 2010

June Davis — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:24:34 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 13, Issue 3 March 2010

"The crisis is upon us, friends. Our sport is in trouble. Many of you, that love the game as we do, will look at the crisis like a friend who is in trouble and needs our help. We must not shrink from the task before us, we should welcome it. It is 'our' generation that has been called to the challenge. If not now, when? If not us, who?"

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

__________________________________

Letter from the Editor

Change

By now, you’ve probably heard about the recent layoffs at USBC. The layoffs came just days after their grand opening festivities introducing the new Bowling Campus and the International Training and Research Center.

While I haven’t seen anything official on the events, the internet has been abuzz with the rumors. I have seen a few articles on the subject and even some message boards have threads going on the topic.

In the past several months, we’ve seen an extensive amount of change at USBC. Most notably of course is their relocation to Texas, a new Executive Director, Stu Upson, and the retiring of long time executive Kevin Dornberger.

It seems that change has been coming for a long time. Bowling memberships have declined over the past several years and while recreational participation in the game of bowling has been sensational, participation in the sport of bowling via leagues just hasn’t rebounded. Tournaments such as the USBC Open Championships and the USBC Women’s Championships have had steady participation but in the current economy, it appears that even those may feel a crunch.

The Open Championships have only 13,419 teams registered as of this writing. That is far less than the more than 17,000 teams that made the Las Vegas tournament in 2009. And, it’s only slightly better than the previous high non-Reno record of 13,222 teams set at the 2005 Baton Rouge tournament. The Women’s Championship only has 5,391 teams registered. The 2009 Reno event attracted more than 8,300 teams. One can’t help but wonder if the major change to the women’s tournament has hurt entries.

Change seems to be the theme for bowling right now. It seems that the leaders of bowling are making some interesting and tough changes. Many of these changes seem to be shaking up the bowling community. But in the end, whether the majority likes it or not, bowling has to change in order to revive itself.

I don’t know if all of these changes have been good or bad. Only time will tell. I don’t necessarily agree with all the changes either. But, I’ll keep an open mind and see what happens.

I have a feeling there will be more changes coming.

Fans to decide which league bowlers will get a shot at the pros

By: Terry Bigham; USBC Communications

Most people who play sports can only dream of having a chance to compete against the pros on national television with thousands of dollars at stake.

For 18 bowlers, their chance to compete against some of the best professionals on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, including star Norm Duke, is closer to becoming a reality through the PBA Experience Showdown.

The PBA Experience Showdown is a unique competition for United States Bowling Congress Sport Bowling members. Sport bowlers compete in leagues which use many of the same lane conditions that are used on the PBA Tour. For the last six months, the top bowler (highest scratch series) each week in those leagues was eligible to be entered in the PBA Experience Showdown.

More than 1,300 entries were sent to USBC from Sport Bowling leagues. From those qualifiers, 18 competitors were randomly selected as finalists. The entries were divided into six groups based on what lane conditions they bowled on when they qualified, and three finalists were randomly selected from each category.

Now through March 1, bowling fans can visit BOWL.com and vote for their favorite bowler from each of the six lane patterns - Chameleon, Cheetah, Scorpion, Shark, Viper and Other Sport Patterns - and the top vote-getter from each pattern will advance to the PBA Experience Showdown finals. Fans can vote one time (for each oil pattern) per day.

The finals of the PBA Experience Showdown will be held April 6-7 at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas. The finals will be taped for television and are scheduled to air April 11 on ESPN.

The six finalists will compete in a six-game qualifier, with each game being contested on a different PBA lane pattern. The finalist with the high score earns a spot to compete on TV against the five winners of the 2009-10 PBA Tour Versatility Swing events - Duke, Rhino Page, Bill O'Neill, Mike DeVaney and Jack Jurek.

Below are the final 18 qualifiers and the patterns on which the qualified. To vote, go to www.bowl.com/sportbowling/poll.

PBA EXPERIENCE SHOWDOWN FINALISTS
With name, hometown, and bowling center
Chameleon winners
Joseph Petrowski, East Syracuse, N.Y., Bowl-Mor Lanes
Mandy Wilson, Dayton, Ohio, Capri Bowling Lanes
Max Gross, Dallas, USA Bowl
Cheetah winners
Patti Riddle, Palatine, Ill., Brunswick Zone-Hawthorn
James Fugitt, Grapevine, Texas, AMF Showplace Lanes
Dan Keenan, Endicott, N.Y., Midway Lanes
Scorpion winners
Jeffrey J. Owens, Ithaca, N.Y., Patel's Bowl-O-Drome
Bill Matovina, Clearwater, Fla., Seminole Lanes
Kyle Casey, Kennewick, Wash., Spare Time Lanes
Shark winners
Holly Harris, Pasco, Wash., Spare Time Lanes
Stan Thrift, Lavaca, Ark., AR Bowling World
Brent Watson, Parkersburg, W.Va., Emerson Bowling Lanes
Viper winners
Jon Scarano, Raleigh, N.C., Buffaloe Lanes North
Kevin Reuer, Hoffman Estates, Ill., Beverly Lanes
Andy Tomita, Elmhurst, Ill., Beverly Lanes
Other Sport winners
Larry Darvas, Keller, Texas, USA Bowl
Bobby Wenger, Wooster, Ohio, Triway Lanes
Rick Bates, Manteca, Calif., West Lane Bowl

Bill Fong's 899 a new Texas Record

By: Jim Goodwin

46-year-old Bill Fong made a little bowling history in his Monday Mixers league session January 19 at Plano Super Bowl. Fong, owner of his own hair salon for the past 20 years, missed a perfect 900 series by a hair; rolling 300-300-299 in his quest to roll the 16th USBC certified 900 series in bowling history. A stubborn 10-pin on his 36th delivery made him the 11th bowler to roll an 899.

However, to set a new series record in a state that has produced such storied players as Bill Lillard, Mark Williams, David Ozio, and Del Ballard Jr. to name a few, is quite an accomplishment. The previous record was 890, set in April 2002 by DeSoto's Frankie Alonzo.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the story is that Fong made a ball change after the first game. He had two Storm Reigns in his bag, and opted to switch to the one with a weaker layout after the opening 300 game. "The back ends always hook more in the first game, so my plan was to compensate with surface and a stronger layout after the first game, and it worked pretty well," he said.

One might surmise that it worked very well. Fong worked in the pro shop business for six years and now drills his own balls in his garage. "I learned a lot when I worked with Tom Wicker, and now I am very meticulous about my equipment," he said.

In the final frame, a large crowd gathered behind lanes 27-28 to watch. The center had all 48 lanes going with league business. Teammates and many others took photos with cell phones.

"It was very exciting and pretty incredible," said Fong's teammate Tom Dunn, who has been bowling for a half century, but had never seen back-to-back 300 games. Tom and his wife Sandy were thrilled for their friend. "It was a privilege to watch," said Dunn.

For most bowlers it is impossible to imagine what it must feel like to roll 35 consecutive strikes, but Fong appeared cool during the evening, talking with teammates, and playing one shot at a time. "I wasn't nervous till I saw the crowd behind us in the last frame," he said.

And those nerves caused his first delivery in that frame to go a little high, tripping out the 4-9. His second shot was high flush perfect, and off his hand, the final ball made everyone think he had done it, but there stood the dreaded 10-pin.

"I thought I had it," said Fong. "I guess it was just a little too fast. It felt good and the same. But who can be unhappy about an 899? It was a great night. I just kept telling myself, just roll it like you do in practice. I also thought about my breathing, making sure I took deep breaths to stay calm."

Fong started bowling at age 13, and has had 21 previous 300 games and four series of 800 or better. He actually stopped bowling for about 10 years in his twenties to become a better golfer, like his sister, who was a standout player at Baylor University. "I love golf, but I knew I would never be the best, so I went back to bowling," he said.

Fong's average in the Monday Mixers jumped from 228 to 230 after the big night. He bowls in four leagues, and with practice, rolls about 15-20 games a week.

Kelly Kulick Makes Sports History as First Woman

to Win a PBA Tour Title by Capturing

45th PBA Tournament of Champions

By: Jerry Schneider

Sports history was made when Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., won the 45^th Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes becoming the first woman to win a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour tournament.

She defeated 2007-08 PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes 265-195 in the championship match to win a $40,000 first prize in PBA’s signature event, plus a two-year exemption on the PBA Tour.

“It’s been a dream of mine to win a PBA Tour event but I couldn’t have imagined it would have come in the Tournament of Champions,” said the 32-year-old right-hander. “It may have looked easy but my legs were like jelly—it got to a point where I couldn’t feel them. Believe me I was nervous and I was just letting adrenaline take over.”

The previous high finish for a woman in a PBA Tour event was second by Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., in the 2005 Banquet Open.

In 2006, Kulick became the first woman to earn an exemption on the PBA Tour by finishing sixth in the PBA Tour Trials. Her best finish in the 2006-07 season was 22^nd which she accomplished twice.

Kulick recognized the potential impact her victory will have for the future of the sport.

“I believe this can only mean bigger and better things for the sport,” she said. “If in any way this can be a boost for women sports and bowling, I’m willing to do my part.

“I feel like I’m on a magic carpet ride right now and I want to keep riding it higher and higher.”

In the championship match Kulick started with four consecutive strikes, then had an open frame when she left the 7-10 split in the fifth frame. She then went on to fire the next six strikes and a nine-count on the final ball to close the game.

Barnes, who won the Tournament of Champions in 2006, was trying for his second Tournament of Champions win.

“When it comes down to one game, a combination of factors have to come together and they just didn’t for me,” Barnes said, “but Kelly bowled great and she met every challenge.”

In women’s professional competition, Kulick won the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Queens and the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open in addition to winning the PBA Women’s World Championship in 2009.

In the semifinal match, Kulick defeated eight-time Tour champion Mika Koivuniemi 227-223 to advance to the final match against Barnes.

In the opening match, Koivuniemi defeated three-time titlist Rhino Page, 255-215.

Kulick earned a berth in the Tournament of Champions, by winning the PBA Women’s World Championship last September, the first PBA women’s major tournament.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Nev.

Jan. 24, 2010

Final Standings

1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J. 492 (two games) $40,000

2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas 195 (one game) $20,000

3, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich. 478 (two games) $10,000

4, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla. 215 (one game) $7,000

Stepladder Results

Match One – Koivuniemi def. Page, 255-215

Semifinal Match – Kulick def. Koivuniemi, 227-223

Championship – Kulick def. Barnes, 265-195

Williams wins second Masters title

By: Lucas Wiseman; USBC Communications

Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., won his second United States Bowling Congress Masters title Sunday, defeating top seed Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, 290-217, at the National Bowling Stadium.

The victory was Williams' 47th on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour, extending his record for the most in PBA Tour history, while also moving him up to a tie for second with eight career major titles.

"This is just another little feather, it's just awesome," said Williams, who defeated Barnes, 268-239, to win the January 2004 USBC Masters also at the National Bowling Stadium. "It's hard to explain it better than that. To win any tournament is awesome, and the bigger ones are even better."

Williams is now tied with Pete Weber and Mike Aulby with eight career major titles, but all three players trail USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Earl Anthony, who won 10 majors and 43 total titles.

"I really don't envision that I can get to 10, but I'm not giving up yet," said Williams, who turned 50 in 2009. "I'm going to go out there and plug along as good as I can, and the year that I'm no longer exempt out here, that's when I will have had enough."

In the title match against Barnes, Williams got off to a shaky start, going high on his first shot, breaking up a split and leaving a 7 pin. From there, he was perfect, finishing with 11 consecutive strikes to take home the $50,000 prize and two-year PBA Tour exemption.

Williams said the turning point in the match was when Barnes left a 10 pin in the fourth frame, but he managed to carry a similar shot in the fifth frame.

"Chris left that weak 10 pin after a scout came over and touched it but didn't knock it over, and then I step up and leave a 10 pin but the scout comes over and gets it," Williams said. "That helped me get a little more comfortable, and from that point, every one of my strikes was high flush."

Looking back on the loss, Barnes said he thought he threw the ball well, but it was the way the lanes broke down in practice that had a major impact.

"I lost this one in the practice session," said Barnes, who finished second in the season's second major, losing to Kelly Kulick, 265-195, in the PBA Tournament of Champions three weeks ago. "He played further right than I anticipated. When I broke them down, it made the lanes pretty good for me, but it had no affect on him."

When Williams and Barnes met for the Masters title in 2004, the scenario set up the same way. Barnes was the top seed, while Williams was No. 2.

"The last two Masters here in Reno, I've gone undefeated in match play, I haven't lost a three-game match, yet I haven't won either tournament," said Barnes, who made it through the double-elimination bracket unscathed in both events. "TV is one of the best things the sport has going for it, but it is probably the worst thing I have going for me personally."

To reach the championship match, Williams defeated No. 3 seed Ryan Ciminelli of Buffalo, N.Y., 258-224. Ciminelli advanced with a 246-229 victory over fourth seed Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, in the opening match.

The 2010 USBC Masters featured a field of 267 of the top professional and amateur bowlers in the world, competing for an overall prize fund of $255,000.

For more information on the USBC Masters, visit BOWL.com.

United States Bowling Congress

The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to more than two million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.

2010 USBC MASTERS
At National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.
Sunday's results

Final standings

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 548 (two games), $50,000.
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 217 (one game), $25,000.
3, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 470 (two games), $15,000.
4, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 229 (one game), $10,000.

Stepladder results

Match One - Ciminelli def. Scroggins, 246-229
Match Two - Williams def. Ciminelli, 258-224
Championship Match - Williams def. Barnes, 290-217

Recent ‘Phantom Radio’ Trivia Contest Winners

Phantom Radio’s monthly Trivia Contests continue to be popular with the listeners and the list of Phantom Phans continues to grow. These contests are sponsored by Storm Bowling and you must be a “Phantom Phan Club Member” to be eligible to win. It’s easy to join, just go to our website, at: www.foundation300.com and look for: How to join The Phantom Phan Club. Listed below are the most recent Phan Club winners. Sign-up today and WIN!

2010 Monthly Winners

JANUARY

1. Rafel Cons: Wins a Storm Bowling Ball. Congrats Rafel, please contact me as soon as possible so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm.

2. Brenda Wallick: Wins “A day at The Kegel Training Center.” Brenda, this is a great prize, so contact me as soon as possible so that we can schedule that date for you.

3. Tom Smith: Wins a unique Foundation “logo” Shirt donated by The Kegel Company.

4. Rick Wiltse: Wins a Special New Years prize directly from The Phantom himself.

FEBRUARY

1. Lisa Barnum: Wins a Storm Accessory Item. Congrats, Lisa, please contact me as soon as possible so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm.

2. Tom Berish: Wins a Souvenir Item from the Grand Opening of the USBC.

3. Allen Wallace: Wins a supply of Fizzion Cleaner, Kegel’s newest (Hot Selling) Item.

4. Jon Wolfe: Wins an assortment of notebooks from a potential (new) Sponsor.

MARCH

1. Michael Patrick: Wins a Storm Bowling Bag. Congrats Michael, and please contact me as soon as possible so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm.

2. Kathy Scoppettuolo: Wins a nice Souvenir Carry Bag from the USBC Grand Opening.

3. John Preston: Wins a very nice, unique “Bowling Theme” quick-note dispenser.

4. Debbie Lothes: Wins a Commemorative (miniature) Souvenir Bowling Pin from USBC.

For a complete list of all of the past contest winners, go to: www.foundation300.com

Once you are there, scroll down and click-on: Phantom Phan Club, then go to: Storm Bowling Trivia Contest Winners. If you don’t see your name, it’s because you are NOT a Member ! Join today to take advantage of all of the monthly prizes that are given away.

The total amount given away to date is well over $100,000.00 Join and get YOUR share.

Support our Sponsors:

We appreciate all that they do to bring Phantom Radio to you each and every week.

www.stormbowling.com

www.elitebowling.com

www.kegel.net

www.starsandstrikesbowling.com

www.teenmastersbowling.com

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

The Foundation has well over 1000-Members who have joined-in to assist. Some Members (Founding and Charter) have paid to show their support. Some Members (Associates) have just lent their “voice”. ALL of the members are important.

Even though The Foundation has NOT actively solicited bowling-related companies for help, some realize the importance of our “Mission” and have come forward with donations. We recognize the following companies for their loyalty and support to bowling.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

Please send change of address or email address to the address below, to ensure uninterrupted subscription to the Cornerstone newsletter.

The Cornerstone,

The Foundation’S Newsletter

The Foundation

c/o Kegel

6800 US 27 North

Sebring FL 33870

Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

Cornerstone Newsletter, February 2010

June Davis — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:54:37 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 13, Issue 2 February 2010

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

__________________________________

Letter from the Editor

Olympic Dreams

In just a few short weeks (as of this writing) the XXI Olympic Winter Games will begin in Vancouver. Seventeen days of intense competition in games such as snowboarding, skiing, figure skating, and curling. More than 80 countries will be represented by more than 5500 athletes and officials during these games.

All the hype about the upcoming Olympics kind of got me thinking. These athletes are at the top of their chosen sports. They work and train continuously to be the best that they can be. They not only keep in shape physically but they train their minds in order to be mentally prepared for the challenges they will face during competition. Many of these athletes have trained since they were very young in order for a chance to represent their home country in elite level competition. For any athlete, this, I imagine, is the highest, most prestigious honor.

As a competitor, I think we can all learn something from those athletes that compete at the highest levels. Simple lessons like never giving up on your dreams, set realistic goals and when you achieve them continuing reaching higher, and hard work will always pay off. Imagine what you can do if you just set a goal and stick with it; if you just persevere through the doubt, the struggles and often the pain. If you just work hard, you’ll achieve and your success will help you on your way to your next dreams.

While bowling is not an Olympic sport at this time, the new International Training and Research Facility at USBC in Arlington, TX is displaying the Olympic Rings at the facility as the training center for bowling’s own Team USA. Perhaps this moves bowling one step closer to realizing its own Olympic dreams.

2010 Team USA Team Trials Results

John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla., held on for a slim victory, while Brenda Edwards of Mansfield, Texas, pulled away from the field to win the 2010 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials.

Janawicz topped the men's field with a 36-game total of 8,168, an average of 226.8, while Edwards finished with 7,890, an average of 219.1, at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in suburban Las Vegas.

The men's championship came down to the final frame as Janawicz watched Professional Bowlers Association exempt player Mike Fagan of Patchogue, N.Y., leave the 1-2-10 on his final shot in which he needed a strike to tie.

Janawicz, who led Fagan by more than 100 pins heading into the final two games, allowed Fagan to have a shot at catching him by shooting 159 and 183 to close out the tournament.

"I feel like I was very fortunate to come away with the win," said Janawicz, a Team USA member in 2007 and 2008. "It's a good thing I had a four-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth because I definitely gave up three runs down the stretch."

Fagan could have won the title outright had he struck on his first shot in the 10th frame, but a stubborn 7 pin made it necessary for him to strike on the fill shot to tie. He finished second with 8,165, three pins behind Janawicz.

"I thought the first one was a very good shot," said Fagan, who earned an automatic spot on Team USA by being among the top three finishers. "On that last shot, I lost it off my hand. The lanes got very touchy and you had to keep your speed soft. Whatever little bit of adrenaline I had didn't help on that shot."

On the women's side, Edwards outdistanced the field in the final block and finished ahead of second-place finisher Kendra Gaines of Orlando, Fla., by 169 pins.

The top three men and top three women in the final standings earned automatic spots on Team USA. Joining Janawicz and Fagan on the men's side was third-place finisher Craig Hanson of Orlando, Fla., while Emily Maier of Wichita, Kan., finished third among the women to join Edwards and Gaines.

The National Selection Committee picked Tennelle Milligan of Arlington, Texas, Diandra Asbaty of Chicago, Cassidy Schaub of Polk, Ohio, and John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y., to round out the final roster for Team USA in 2010.

Heading into the Team USA Trials, 13 players had already secured spots by virtue of their selection earlier this year. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Chris Barnes, Wes Malott, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, Rhino Page and Bill O'Neill make up the remainder of the men's team. On the women's side, Stefanie Nation, Shannon O'Keefe, Shannon Pluhowsky, Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard were selected.

The top two boys and top two girls finishers who are 20 years or younger before Jan. 1, 2010 also earned automatic spots on Junior Team USA. Craig Hanson locked up the top boy’s spot, while Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., was second. For the girls, Jenn Boisselle of Brandon, Fla., and Samantha Hesley of Wellington, Fla., were first and second, respectively.

The National Selection Committee polished off the Junior Team USA 2010 roster by adding Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Fla., Christine Bator of Warren, Mich., Kyle King of Glendale, Ariz., and Devin Bidwell of Simi Valley, Calif., to the team.

At the USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis last July, 12 players earned spots on Junior Team USA. The boys group includes Mike Conn, Andrew Koff, Erik Gulbrandson, Chris Bardol, Jacob Peters and T.J. Baral, while the girl’s team includes Maggie Zakrzewski, Josie Earnest, Cassie Leuthold, Brittni Hamilton, Kristie Petravich and Kim Yioulos.

On the horizon: What's ahead for USBC

By: Gianmarc Manzione; USBC Communications

In the past weeks, visitors to BOWL.com have been treated to a look back at the many milestones of the United States Bowling Congress during its first five years, from the historic merger of four major organizations to the return of professional women's bowling to the national spotlight and so many other achievements.

But the end of this first chapter in USBC history means the beginning of another. A look into that future reveals many challenges and opportunities that constitute exciting possibilities for the sport and the bowling industry.

"There has been significant progress in pulling a wide variety of bowling industry constituents together, but there remains a monumental task ahead of us," says USBC Executive Director Stu Upson.

Part of that monumental task, according to USBC President-Elect Darlene Baker, includes striking a balance between the National Governing Body and USBC membership, exploring a wider variety of membership options, and enhancing communication throughout the organization, especially between USBC headquarters and its many valued associations.

"Efforts to promote Team USA and elite bowlers, which is the responsibility of the National Governing Body, have led to some disenchantment of the associations and membership," Baker says. "We also have to provide for our members. We can't be everything to everybody, but we do have to figure out how to meet our responsibilities as the National Governing Body, a membership organization, and a part of the industry."

Outgoing USBC President Jeff Boje sees several challenges.

"Our biggest challenge will be funding the needs of necessary change without sacrificing service to our most loyal members," Boje explains. "The valued core membership and our primary source of funding have become so critically low that minor increases in the membership fee structure are no longer adequate to sustain the organization as it exists today. It is not too late, though. Strategies are in place that can avoid the continuing cycle that has failed us for nearly 30 years. People love to bowl and the USBC can deliver value to a much larger base and in many new and creative ways."

As USBC's next president, Baker also emphasizes new membership programs and initiatives as indispensable to this vision of a more unified and balanced organizational structure, and sees improved communication as an important means of enhancing the USBC membership experience.

"I believe some of the future focus has to be to improve communication, and to look at different membership options. Associations need to be given more direction, and have their role defined," Baker explains. "We can no longer be the same organization we've been, or the organizations before us; and that will be our biggest challenge yet."

While USBC's roots are steeped in the merging of several major organizations under one umbrella, even greater effort at unity -- both within USBC and across the industry as a whole -- is at the forefront of Stu Upson's agenda.

"The sport and industry of bowling is still too fragmented -- men, women, youth, seniors, associations, proprietors, manufacturers, media, and on and on," Upson says. "We are still not at the point of groups and individuals putting aside their own agendas for the greater good of the industry."

"We are asking many people to make fundamental changes in a very short period of time," Boje acknowledges. "We have and will make mistakes. These mistakes will cast doubts and disenfranchise some people along the way. We must not waiver. Love for our sport is our biggest strength. Doubt and fear are our biggest threat."

Only the greatest bowlers in the world pass through here: the Wayne Garber story

By: Gianmarc Manzione; USBC Communications

If you're thinking about giving up on your dreams, try walking a day in Wayne Garber's shoes.

Try sitting where he sat as a doctor told him that his lifelong dream of making a Professional Bowlers Association telecast dissolved the moment he fell down a flight of stairs after a 2007 tournament in Reno, snapping both patellar tendons in his knees. Try spending the next four months on your back as your mind mulls the doctor's admission that never before had he seen a single athlete recover from such an injury.

"I love the game, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't bowl," the Modesto, Calif. native and exempt PBA player says. "If someone told me I couldn't bowl, I would find a way."

Professional bowling may not currently enjoy the cultural prominence of other pro sports, and bowlers are not doing any commercials for AT&T or Cadillac just yet. But Wayne Garber's story confirms that bowling, just like any other sport you want to name, is another way for us to rise above ourselves.

Garber heard such a call all his life. He heard it in the voices of hundreds of people who told him over the years that they would "see him on TV someday."

"I was just like 'OK, whatever. It's never gonna happen. Forget it,'" Garber says.

He heard it in the form of a letter send to him by Jim Gordon, owner of Yosemite Lanes in Modesto where Garber works as the manager.

"He sent me a heart-to-heart letter and said 'You cannot keep going at the weight you're at.' It would have been easy to sit on the bed and feed my face," Garber says of the months he spent laid out after surgery.

But Garber did not just listen to the call; he answered it. His answer was the 20 pounds of extra weight he dropped, the grueling months of incapacitation he spent listening to the growling of his stomach as he refused to indulge the "Pepsi and potato chip fiend" he had been for so long, and even more time in the gym that left him feeling younger than he had felt in years.

Then the call answered him back with words he thought he would never get to hear.

"Chad Murphy, Brand Manager for Columbia, helped me out as we were walking onto the set," Garber recalls of the moment when, at 42 years of age, he finally attained the dream he had given up on when he made the televised finals of the Red, White and Blue Open in Wichita on Jan. 10. "He stopped me and looked at me and said 'You know, only the best bowlers in the world pass through here.'"

No one could have told Wayne Garber that snapping his patellar tendons might ultimately become one of the best things that ever happened to him, but the evidence of how that fall down a hotel stairwell brought him closer to attaining his dream than ever before is too abundant to dispute.

"After being on my back for four months I bowled stiff-legged — probably not too bright — but I was averaging 220 without a knee bend," Garber explains of his return to the sport he loves after the accident that almost took it away from him for good. "I had a conversation with my best friend and told him 'I am bowling better than I ever have. I can't feel my legs; I feel so light on my feet.'"

With less weight to carry around and a fitness regimen that enabled him to perform at a level he had never experienced before, Wayne Garber found himself on the doorstep of his dream.

Last Sunday, before a national audience on ESPN, he opened the door.

Disbelieving bowling fans from coast to coast got their first glimpse of one of the most unorthodox bowling styles to ever be featured on national television, an 11-step approach in which his backswing begins just as he nears the foul line.

"It's a work in progress, I change it over time," Garber says. "You can't argue with the results, but looking at the video there is still a pause there. Maybe that has to do with not being very flexible. I don't bend like I used to."

Mike Scroggins, who ultimately defeated Garber for the Red, White and Blue Open title, agrees. So much so, in fact, that when Garber nearly collapsed to the ground after a crucial late-game shot stood between him and his first national PBA title, Scroggins thought he would have to help Garber up off the floor.

"When I left that stone 8-pin Scroggins told me he was scared that I wouldn't be able to get up," Garber says of that fateful moment in the game. "I got so low in devastation I might have needed help getting up."

But as he did after the prior devastations he overcame to just to make that show he'd dreamed of all his life, Wayne Garber got up on his own just fine. And if he knew the match was out of reach when he got back on his feet, the loss was merely a technicality. He had won the biggest battle of his life before he ever threw a shot that afternoon — the battle against himself.

Cheating…..or, Gamesmanship?

Bowling is played by over 100,000,000 per year – worldwide. Different surveys show that it is the first or second most participated sport in this country, depending on what survey you believe.

Bowling is an activity that can be played by children, ladies, men, senior citizens and the handicapped. It can be organized competition, or you can just do it for fun and recreation.

Bowling is looked upon as two (2) entities; one being recreational and the other being sport. There are also Professional Tours whereas competitors can try to make a living.

There is evidence that a form of bowling took place as early as 10,000B.C. There is also documented evidence that the game was played regularly in 5200B.C.

In this country, many different forms of bowling were played in the early 1800’s. Many groups had many different rules. In 1895, one of the main groups from New York called together other groups to form the American Bowling Congress (ABC). This group set a standard on rules.

In the early 1900’s, many gamblers, hustlers, sharks and other mavericks had many tricks to bend the rules. One of the primary rules initially set by the Congress was the maximum weight of a bowling ball, with the limit being 16-pounds.

The cheaters and hustlers would get two (2) balls – one weighing 18-pounds, and the other weighing 16-pounds and they would cut each ball in half. Then they would glue the two (2) different weighted balls together. The total weight would be legal (16-pounds), but the ball would actually be illegal because one-half of the ball would actually be overweight. It was called a “do-do” ball. Scales were soon developed in order to catch this act of cheating.

There were countless other ways to cheat with the bowling balls by adding holes and adding mercury or other (heavier than rubber) ingredients. These unbalanced balls would be devastating when they hooked into the pins. As time went by, numerous ways of “loading-up” (with plugs) a ball were developed until (in the late 1970’s) the Professional Bowlers Association banned ALL balls that were plugged.

Cheating and “gamesmanship” are very similar.

Bowling balls have revolved from wood to rubber to hard plastic to soft plastic to urethane to resin to reactive resin to todays balls, which are resin with particles in the coverstock. Because bowling is a game that is played on a surface, friction is what all bowlers seek. Friction causes the ball to hook which creates better pin action – thus more strikes – thus higher scores. Some of the types of particles that are added today by manufactures are: ground glass, volcanic ash and diamond dust.

Bowling lanes are oiled with a very lightweight oil in order to protect the surface from the friction that is created from the bowling balls. It is a mineral oil based liquid, which is very

similar to sewing-machine oil. The oil “moves” with each and every shot. The more surface that is on the cover-stock of a bowling ball, the more the oil will move or dissipate. Some types of oils have become heavier in an attempt to add more protection to the valuable lane surface.

Recently on national TV during the warm-up period, one of the bowlers used an extremely aggressive ball to rapidly change his opponents “line-to-the-pocket”. This practice is NOT cheating (per the rules) but it is common and can be used to your advantage.

In match play, if your opponent has an edge and is beating you in a “best-of-7 match”, it is not uncommon to see a bowler use this practice towards the end of a game to “mess-with-his-line”.

In official competition, bowling ball surfaces can not be adjusted by any foreign substance once the competition has started. However, it is not below a competitor to sneak an abrasive pad into his bowling towel to accomplish his secret goal of sanding his ball for more hook.

I have seen bowlers sneak a little talcum powder into an opponents thumb hole.

I have seen bowlers sneak a little hand lotion into an opponents thumb hole.

Messing with someone’s bowling ball can be devastating, as “FEEL” is so important to a player.

This practice is so serious that a rule is in place on the PBA Tour that you can NOT touch another players equipment………….but it is secretly (and slyly) done.

Another defensive “gamesmanship” ploy is done by some (a few) players. They watch and see where their opponent is sliding at the foul-line. Then they slide in that same place and “burn-rubber” with their own heel on their sliding shoe. The sole of the bowling shoe is leather, but the heel is rubber. There is a sinister way of sliding so that you can drag your heal to deposit a small amount of rubber off of your heal to disrupt your opponents slide.

Dripping some sweat in your opponents “slide-area” has also been done by the sneaky. After you make your shot, you look down and allow one bead of sweat (off of your brow) to fall onto his slide path. When he slides on that little bit of rubber (or sweat) it will disrupt his slide and usually throw them off for the whole game…..or the whole day!!!

Another trick is to tell your opponent how great and consistent they are. You tell them during competition that their non-bowling arm is always in the EXACT same position on every shot…and that their pinky finger is pointing in the exact same place, too. Your opponent starts thinking about that and fails to concentrate on what they are doing.

There are many, many ways of gaining an advantage. “Mind games” have always existed and nothing much can be done about it.

Bowling ball advantages are always sought. Rules and Regulations SHOULD take care of that.

CHEATING - GAMESMANSHIP? Hmmmmmmmm…………..

Terrell-Kearney named to Team USA coaching staff

By: Lucas Wiseman; USBC Communications

Three-time Team USA member Kim Terrell-Kearney of Grand Prairie, Texas, has been named assistant head coach of the Team USA program.

Terrell-Kearney, who will be inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in May, will work alongside Team USA head coach Rod Ross. Both coaches will also oversee the Junior Team USA program.

"Kim has tremendous credentials not only as an athlete but also as a coach," said David Garber, USBC High Performance Director for Team USA and Coaching. "We will utilize the full resources of our USBC Coaching staff to assist Rod and Kim in coaching Team USA and Junior Team USA."

A 10-time professional champion, Terrell-Kearney's most recent victory came at the 2008 U.S. Women's Open. Her other major victories came in the 2002 USBC Queens and the 2001 U.S. Women's Open.

Terrell-Kearney also serves as assistant head coach of the International Training and Research Center, working with Ross, who is the head coach. Before taking that position, she was the head coach at Delaware State University and an assistant coach for Junior Team USA.

"I'm honored and excited by the chance to work with our country's elite bowlers," Terrell-Kearney said. "With the completion of the training center, I look forward to using our new tools to help coach the players in our state-of-the-art facility."

Team USA and Junior Team USA will compete in several events in 2010, including the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Men's Championships, the WTBA World Youth Championships, the Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships and the QubicaAMF World Cup.

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

Please send change of address or email address to the address below, to ensure uninterrupted subscription to the Cornerstone newsletter.

The Cornerstone,

The Foundation’S Newsletter

The Foundation

c/o Kegel

6800 US 27 North

Sebring FL 33870

Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

The Cornerstone Newsletter, January 2010

June Davis — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:55:22 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 13, Issue 1 January 2010

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

__________________________________

Letter from the Editor

Happy New Year

As of this writing it isn’t exactly a new year but I think its close enough.

If you’re like me, you’ve already started thinking about the goals you’d like to accomplish in 2010. Maybe you just want to be healthier; maybe you want to bowl a new high game, series or have a new high average; maybe you want to be a better person. No matter, the likelihood is that you’ve set some sort of goal for yourself for the upcoming year.

Unfortunately, a lot of times, we bite off more than we can chew when we set our goals. Sometimes we’re a little ostentatious and just set a goal that perhaps isn’t as realistic as it should be. Perhaps we have good intentions but just don’t have the follow through to accomplish the goals we would like to achieve. When setting your goals for the New Year, be sure to be realistic; don’t set your goals so high that you simply can’t achieve them. Setting your goals too high will ultimately result in a big let down for you. If you really do have your sights set on the stars, make that your long term goal and then set some short term, interim goals so you can feel and see some progression. You have to want to change and you’ll have to work to achieve whatever goals you set. Make sure you don’t prematurely set yourself up for failure and unhappiness.

No matter your goals for the New Year, make 2010 the best that it can be. Surround yourself with friends and family; live a happy life and think your decisions through. Ultimately, only you can find your happiness.

Underdog Smallwood Wins One for America's Unemployed in PBA World Championship

Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., hit a home run for America’s unemployed workers Sunday, upsetting reigning Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, 244-228, to win the PBA World Championship at Northrock Lanes.

Smallwood, a 32-year-old former assembly line worker who was laid off from his job with General Motors nearly a year ago, won his first PBA Tour title, his first “major” title, a $50,000 first prize, a two-year exemption to continue his PBA Tour career and his first chance to bowl in January’s PBA Tournament of Champions.

The title match was a nail-biter until the 10th frame. Malott started with four strikes, but then ran into carry problems on the right lane. Smallwood stayed close, striking on five of his first six shots, but then left a 4-6-7 split in the seventh frame and the tide turned to Malott’s favor. Malott wasn’t able to put two strikes together in the final frames, however, and Smallwood answered with another four strikes in a row – including two in the tense-filled 10th frame – to seal the victory.

“It’s surreal,” Smallwood said. “It has been a wild ride.”

“I was already so nervous in the 10th frame, I told myself I couldn’t possibly get any more nervous,” he added. “The right lane was my good lane anyway, so I figured if I threw a decent shot, I’d be OK.”

Smallwood said he always felt he could compete on the PBA Tour, but with a wife and two-year-old daughter, he had no desire to go on the road until he got the bad news from General Motors. He then decided to enter the PBA Tour Trials in suburban Detroit, where a finish in the top eight meant a full year’s exemption to bowl. Finishing third meant a new career option.

“I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” he said. “Getting an exemption is so hard to do.”

Ironically, Smallwood recently got a call from the General Motors jobs bank, offering him a chance to go back to work.

“The lady who called asked me if I wanted to come back to work, but I told her no,” he said. “She asked what I was doing. I told her I’m now a professional bowler and that I’d be on ESPN this weekend. At first she didn’t believe me, but the lady sitting next to her was a bowler, so I wound up talking to her for a while. Now I think the people at GM are fans.”

“It’s disappointing, but I couldn’t get my ball to read the left lane,” Malott said. “I made the adjustments I needed to make, committed to them and threw good shots, so there really wasn’t much more I could have done. Tom stepped up in the 10th frame and made the shots he needed to make, so my congratulations to him.”

Malott defeated Rhino Page of Wesley Chapel, Fla., in the first semifinal round match, 203-191. Malott started the match with four strikes, but gave Page a chance when he left the 2-4-8-10 split in the fifth frame and opened, followed by missing a 10 pin. But Page made a fatal error, leaving the 4-6-10 split in his ninth frame, and Malott closed the door with a spare/strike in his 10th frame.

Smallwood, who had lost resoundingly in his first TV appearance earlier in the season, threw a pair of turkeys at Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa., en route to a 211-159 win in the second semifinal match. A pair of splits and open frames in the second and third, and the absence of a double the rest of the way, ended O’Neill’s title hopes.

Georgia youth bowler has winning name for USBC's new robot

By: Terry Bigham; USBC Communication

When Melissa C. Stewart of Roswell, Ga., submitted her entry for the United States Bowling Congress' Name That Robot contest, she noted that her inspiration came from the Hall of Fame bowler nicknamed The Machine.

The contest was held to find a name for the new ball-throwing robot ordered by USBC Technical Director Steve Kloempken. The new robot will help conduct experiments at the new International Training and Research Center in Arlington.

Stewart's winning submission of E.A.R.L. (Enhanced Automated Robotic Launcher) was selected by the USBC research team from hundreds of entries. She figured if Earl Anthony's nickname was "The Machine" then it was only "fitting to name the new ball-throwing robot for a bowler with machine-like characteristics."

For submitting the winning entry, Stewart, 16, will receive a three-day, two-night trip to Arlington, where she will receive a guided tour of the new ITRC from Kloempken and the chance to bowl against E.A.R.L. She also will receive bowling tips from some of USBC's top bowlers such as Shannon O'Keefe and Derek Eoff.

"While I am pleased to be named the winner of this contest, the true honoree is Earl Anthony, whose remarkable talents and achievements in the sport of bowling inspired my entry," Stewart said. "Hopefully, E.A.R.L. the robot will serve as a mechanical legacy to the memory of Earl Anthony and make future contributions to bowling that will honor his namesake."

E.A.R.L. will replace the legendary Harry the Robot, the USBC ball-throwing robot that is retiring after 10 years. Harry threw thousands of shots during his career and was especially instrumental in USBC's Ball Motion Study (http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/equipandspecs/pdfs/08ballmotionstudy.pdf), which helped the technical team gain knowledge on ball motion and bowling ball performance.

"E.A.R.L. has some big shoes to fill," Kloempken said. "But it is great that as we move into our new facility we are able to recognize one of the greatest bowlers of all time. E.A.R.L. will be an integral part of the USBC technical team for many years to come.

Schaub looks to defend Team USA Trials title

By: Lucas Wiseman; USBC Communications

Team USA member Cassidy Schaub describes the past year as one of the most rewarding of his young bowling career but also one of the most frustrating.

Schaub has dealt with success and disappointment since winning the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials last December, a title he hopes to defend starting Monday in suburban Las Vegas.

The two-handed bowler who throws from the left side had what he defined as a career moment when he earned a full-time exemption on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour through the Tour Trials in May.

Four months later he helped lead the Team USA men to the team gold medal at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"By far the past year has been the biggest in bowling I have ever had," Schaub said. "I got my dream job of being exempt, I won the Team USA Trials, which is one of the biggest tournaments you can win, and then we brought home the team gold medal from Puerto Rico to top it off. There is still a lot to be accomplished, however."

Not everything has been perfect for Schaub, however. His debut as an exempt player at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in Detroit didn't go as smoothly as he would have liked. After five events, he ranked 71st in points and 89th in average with 197.30.

"I didn't do as well as I hoped to do, but I learned a lot along the way," Schaub said. "Now it is what I do with the stuff that I learned that is going to determine how the rest of the season goes. I'm not going to let those five weeks get me down. Everyone goes through a learning curve on tour and some are worse than others. Let's just say that entire month was a learning curve for me."

Schaub will be among a field of more than 120 men and women looking to earn spots on Team USA at the 2010 USBC Team USA Trials, which will be held Dec. 14-18 at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Henderson, Nev.

For Schaub, the decision to return and try to earn another year on Team USA was an easy one.

"There is no greater feeling than standing up on the medal stand with the USA across your back and the national anthem playing as we win the gold," said Schaub, who was also a member of Team USA in 2007 and won a doubles gold medal with Rhino Page at the Pan American Games. "Once you experience that, you never want to give it up."

When the 2010 Team USA Trials begin, Schaub and the rest of the field will battle for 36 total games, nine games each day beginning Tuesday. Last year's women's champion, Liz Johnson, will not compete as she already has been selected to join Team USA in 2010 by the National Selection Committee.

Any USBC member is eligible to compete and a total of 10 spots (five men and five women) on Team USA will be up for grabs. In addition, eight bowlers (four boys and four girls) will earn spots on Junior Team USA.

The top three men and top three women finishers at the Team USA Trials after 36 games will earn automatic spots on Team USA, while the National Selection Committee will pick two additional men and two additional women to join the team.

Those players will join the seven men and six women, made up of current exempt players on the PBA Tour and former Team USA and professional women bowlers, who were recently selected to create the base of Team USA 2010.

USBC Youth members may also participate in the Trials, and in addition to competing for spots on Team USA, there will be spots on Junior Team USA 2010 up for grabs.

The top two male and top two female competitors who are 20 years old or younger before Jan. 1, 2010 will earn automatic spots on Junior Team USA 2010, regardless if they enter the event as USBC Youth or Adult members. The National Selection Committee will select two additional boys and two additional girls to join the team. The National Selection Committee will select from players who either competed in the Team USA Trials or who advanced to the match-play portion of the USBC Junior Gold Championships, which were held in July in Indianapolis.

Regional Players Vie for 2010-11 Tour Spots in Sands Regency PBA Regional Players Invitational

A field of 90 bowlers, many with aspirations of becoming full-time competitors on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour for the 2010-11 season, will compete in the 41st annual Sands Regency PBA Regional Players Invitational at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., Dec. 15-17.

Only the top 25 points leaders in each of the PBA’s East, South, Central, Southwest, Midwest, West and Northwest Regions are eligible to compete in the event which will award seven players an exemption for the 2010-11 PBA Tour season. The RPI also offers a $7,500 first prize plus a berth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas Jan. 19-24.

In 2008, John Nolen of Waterford, Mich., won the 40th anniversary RPI in Reno and then went on to capture another one of the most prestigious events in the sport – the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Masters in Las Vegas.

The tournament gets underway with a players reception hosted by the Sands Regency Hotel and Casino on Monday, Dec. 14. Following a practice session Tuesday morning, the entire field will bowl six-game rounds on each of the PBA’s Cheetah, Viper, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark lane conditioning patterns over a span of three days. Final standings will be based upon 30 games of actual pinfall.

Exemptions for the 2010-11 season will be awarded to the top seven players who have declared their desire to compete for exempt spots provided they finish in the top 16 of the overall standings. If there are not seven players in the top 16, unclaimed (or unearned) exemptions will be transferred to the PBA Tour Trials.

The inaugural RPI was won by hall of famer Tom Hennessey, a member of the fabled Budweiser’s of St. Louis team, in Cincinnati in 1969. The tournament has served as a launching pad for a number of players who went on to careers as national touring players. Among the past RPI champions who are still active as PBA Tour exempt players are reigning Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open champion Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas (1999); Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C. (2004); Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash. (2005), and Nolen.

Webber Women Win

By: Laura Stoughton

The Women Warriors of Webber International University won their first tournament at the Leatherneck Classic in Rock Island, Illinois on December 5-6. The women, in their inaugural season, join their male counterparts in training at the world famous Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Florida. Katie Thornton, Jessica Santiago, Paola Mendez, Stephanie Martins, Hayley Beavis, and Ashly Galante are led by Women’s Head Coach, Randy Stoughton.

After six individual games of qualifying and sixteen Baker games, Wichita State, the reigning National Champion, led the field of sixteen teams. Webber qualified second, Robert Morris was third and Lindenwood, the runner-up National Champion, rounded out the semi final field in fourth.

In the semi final matches, Robert Morris paired against Webber while Wichita State took on Lindenwood. Robert Morris started out hot with a double, spare and turkey through the first six frames. They held a commanding 141 to 102 lead before leaving a six-count washout in the seventh frame. They were unable to convert and Webber responded to the momentum shift by stringing four straight strikes going on to take the game 209-183.

Webber took the second game 179-162 and was one game away from winning the match. In game three, Robert Morris capitalized on two Warrior splits to win 180-178 and then went on to win another close game 199-194.

In the huddle prior to the deciding last game, Stoughton told his team to bowl with confidence and to back off the approach if they were unsure for any reason. Webber did just that. According to Stoughton, “Ashly locked it up in the ninth frame with maybe one of the best shots I’ve ever seen.” It became a pivotal moment for the team. Hayley Beavis closed the match sending the team to face Lindenwood in the finals. Stoughton said Hayley was “without a doubt the best bowler in the building all day on Sunday.”

Lindenwood also faced a tense five game, semi final match against Wichita State and may have been emotionally drained going into the final. Webber was able to capitalize by winning the championship in four games. Coach Stoughton attributed their success to solid player performances as well as good teamwork and enthusiasm. He experimented with a lineup change going into the tournament and felt each player performed to her individual strengths while contributing to a strong team effort. “It was exciting to win in only the fifth tournament together as a team,” Stoughton said. “The level of competition is high, and we feel honored to have walked away with a victory.”

Entry deadline extended for 2010 USBC Open Championships

By: Matt Cannizzaro; USBC Communications

Although there are more than 13,000 teams already signed up for the 2010 USBC Open Championships in Reno, Nev., the entry deadline now has been extended until Jan. 15, 2010.

The 136-day event begins Feb. 20 at the National Bowling Stadium and is scheduled to conclude on July 5. This will mark the first of two consecutive years the tournament will be held at the NBS. It will be the event's record ninth visit to Reno and the sixth time it will be held at the one-of-a-kind, 78-lane Stadium.

More than 65,000 competitors will make their way to "The Biggest Little City in the World" to compete for more than $6 million in prize money.

"While we reached our original entry deadline with good numbers, we decided to add some more time to give more of our members a chance to come and enjoy what Reno and the Open Championships have to offer," said Brian Lewis, USBC Championships Director. "Entries have been coming in at a steady pace, which proves the interest is still there, and we don't want anyone to miss out."

There are plenty of prime spots available for 2010, and it's never too early to start planning for 2011.
And since having the event in Reno in back-to-back years is unprecedented, USBC is challenging bowlers to help break the participation record. To entice them, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority has teamed with USBC to form the USBC Eagle's Nest, a special club for team captains who field teams in both 2010 and 2011.

Upon reserving spots for both years, captains will receive a monthly e-mail newsletter featuring tournament tips, the latest bowling trends and special offers. Eagle's Nest members also will be eligible for special giveaways, including a brand new car or truck, round-trip airfare compliments of USBC Travel, VIP upgrades on accommodations for the 2011 Open Championships and high-performance bowling balls.

To be eligible, team captains must register teams for both the 2010 and 2011 tournaments, and the 2011 reservation and deposit must be received by July 5, 2010.

There also are plenty of spots available for bowlers interested in competing in the 2010 USBC Women's Championships in El Paso, Texas. More than 7,000 teams are expected to compete in the event, which begins March 27 and runs until June 30. The entry deadline for the Women's Championships is Jan. 22, 2010.

Amy Polley named International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame curator

Amy Polley has been named curator of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame by IBMHOF Executive Director Bill Supper. Polley will be responsible for managing the collection, programs and exhibits at the new museum located in the International Bowling Campus in Arlington.

Polley brings significant leadership experience in sports museum administration to the bowling industry. She comes to IBM/HF from the Texas Rangers baseball club where she was assistant vice president and director of Legends of the Game Baseball Museum at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. During her nine-year tenure with the Rangers, Polley served as lead curator as well as overseeing daily operations of the 24,000 square-foot interactive museum including administration, marketing and financial management.

"Landing Amy Polley as part of our team is great news not only for the Hall of Fame, but the entire bowling industry," Supper said. "Amy brings the perfect skill set and experience we need looking ahead to the grand opening on Jan. 25 and beyond."

Prior to her work with the Texas Rangers, Polley served as special projects coordinator for the Museum of Texas Tech University. Polley holds a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Houston and master's degree in museum science from Texas Tech University.

"I am honored to be a part of this exciting time for the Museum and Hall of Fame and join the dedicated, professional staff of the IBC," Polley said. "The overwhelming support for the Hall from the bowling industry is truly amazing and I know it will be a great addition to the Arlington entertainment district."

The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame opens to the public Jan. 25,

International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame surpasses $1 Million goal

IBMHOF Chairman Pat Ciniello has announced that the not-for-profit organization has eclipsed its capital fundraising goal of $1 million from the bowling community.

"We are lucky to serve in an industry that has so many generous individuals and organizations," Ciniello said. "The bowling industry should take a bow as it really came through during this economic downturn by generating $1.1 million in donations and commitments. But we aren't done yet."

Ciniello expects to see additional contributions over the next few months.

"There are other people and groups who would like to contribute to the building of the new IBM/HF," he said. "Those who donate in excess of $5,000 will be permanently displayed in Arlington." Ciniello added he hopes the Arlington community and local businesses will match the funds raised by the bowling industry.

A recent surge in donations by state Bowling Proprietors' Association of America and United States Bowling Congress associations has complemented the $50,000 Diamond Level contributors. Those Diamond Level contributors are (in alphabetical order):

BPAA
Brunswick Billiard and Bowling
Bill and Barbara Chrisman, Storm Bowling Products
Pat and Lisa Ciniello, Bowland Centers
John and Linda Davis, Kegel Company
Daroll Frewing and Family, US Bowling Corp
Hans Krol and Nick Keppe, BowlTech
Pepsi
QubicaAMF
Jack Reichert Foundation
USBC

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

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The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

The Cornerstone Newsletter, December 2009

June Davis — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:08:40 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 12, Issue 12 December 2009

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

__________________________________

Letter from the Editor

Happy Holidays

It’s once again the time of year to celebrate another year’s passing and the beginning of a fresh new year. I know I say this every year but I really cannot believe how fast time seems to fly by. This year really has gone by in a blur.

As we celebrate the end of another year, let’s take a look at a few newsworthy things that happened in 2009.

Kevin Dornberger retires from USBC: After 20 years of service to the USBC in a multitude of capacities, Dornberger has stepped down. His last day at USBC was November 20 although he will continue his service in the industry as president of the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

Tammy Bommershine wins US Women’s Open: After undergoing back surgery in 1997, Tammy Boomershine completed her long recovery by winning the 2009 U.S. Women's Open. This was her first title since her back surgery. She defeated Carolyn Dorin-Ballard in the title match.

Lynda Barnes retires from Team USA: The most tenured and one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the Team USA program will retire from Team USA at the end of the year. Lynda wishes to focus more on her life and family. Additionally, she is very involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation since son Troy was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes last year.

Bill O’Neil wins first tournament: After making several shows last season, Bill O’Neil finally wins his first tournament during the PBA World Series of Bowling; the PBA Chameleon Championship. He defeated Ronnie Russell in the final match.

These are really just a highlight of some of the things that happened over the course of the past year. Hopefully 2010 will be another exciting year for bowling.

From our family to yours; we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May your holiday season be filled with happiness and good cheer.

Happy Holidays

NEW PARTNERSHIP ENHANCES WTBA

World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) has announced that is has signed a 15-month agreement with TSE Consulting, which is an international sports consultancy firm, in an effort to increase the attractiveness of the WTBA World Championships for potential host cities.

Working in cooperation with TSE Consulting, the WTBA wants to ensure that the World Championships continue to play a key role in its long-term strategy of becoming an Olympic sport as well as develop a strong connection between the sport and the host city.

The first five months of the agreement will focus on intense research and concept development prior to the launch of the 2013 World Championships bidding process in March 2010.

"The World Championships is the top global event for the sport of bowling," WTBA President Kevin Dornberger said. "First and foremost, it helps us to showcase bowling on an international stage, but it also gives us an opportunity to build relationships with host cities from around the world. When the event is over, we want to be able to leave behind a strong emotional attachment between bowling and the surrounding community. We believe that TSE can help us to achieve that goal."

"We are truly excited to be working with the WTBA," Managing Director of TSE Consulting Lars Haue-Pedersen said. "Bowling demonstrates infinite potential in the field of international sport. Together, we will be able to expose that potential and create opportunities for both the organization and the host city."

The WTBA is the primary governing body of tenpin bowling around the world. Currently, there are over 100 million bowlers, of which, 10 million participate in tournaments, leagues and championships. Three confederations - the PABCON Zone, the Asian Zone and the European Zone - are responsible for the development of the sport within designated geographic boundaries. The World Championships are comprised of elite bowlers from each of these three zones.

Since the first World Championships in 1954, such prominent countries as the United States, England, Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, Korea and Malaysia have hosted the Championships. Las Vegas most recently hosted the World Women's Championships at the world-renowned Cashman Center, featuring 60 specially-constructed lanes, the world's largest mobile video scoreboard, spectator seating and live video streaming. Munich, Germany is currently gearing up to host the 2010 WTBA World Men's Championships.

World Tenpin Bowling Association

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world.

Kevin Dornberger to Leave USBC

United States Bowling Congress Chief Operating Officer Kevin Dornberger has stepped down from his position and plans to leave USBC next month. His last official day will be Nov. 20.

"I am very proud of what we accomplished in moving the organization to Arlington," Dornberger said. "Now I feel like it is time for me to move on and pursue other career challenges."

Dornberger was named Interim Chief Operating Officer in July 2007 after the retirement of Roger Dalkin and had the "Interim" tag removed in 2008. Prior to his appointment as Interim COO, he had been USBC Vice President for National Governing Body since 2005. He also oversaw the organization’s legal affairs as General Counsel from 2005 to 2007. He has been a leading force in attempting to get bowling more recognition as an international sport.

Before joining the full-time USBC staff, Dornberger had been a member of the American Bowling Congress Board of Directors since 1985 and was elected a vice president in 1995. When the USBC was formed in 2005, he held the title of ABC Executive Vice President. During his 20 years on the Board, he also served as USA Bowling president and administrative director. Active as a youth bowling volunteer for years, he was a youth coach and later became president of the Sioux Falls, S.D., YABA local association in 1989.

"Kevin has been a central figure and key leader in the sport of bowling for many years," USBC Executive Director Stu Upson said. "He has helped build a solid foundation for the organization’s future success. I wish Kevin all the best in his future endeavors."

In addition to his more than four decades of service to the bowling industry, Dornberger is an accomplished competitor as well. He was part of the 2001 ABC Tournament Team All-Events championship team. Along with numerous state and local titles, he has 16 perfect games and four 800 series to his credit. He was inducted into the South Dakota Bowling Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Sioux Falls Hall of Fame in 2000.

Dornberger continues to serve as president of the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

Koff Named Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Winner

By: Terry Bigham; USBC Communications

Andrew Koff's bowling resume includes winning seven gold medals at an international event, a second-place finish at a major national junior tournament, taking the team and all-events titles at a national youth event, and placing fourth in a PBA regional tournament.

And that was just this past summer.

Koff, a senior at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, has been selected to receive the 2010 Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award by the United States Bowling Congress. The award is presented annually to a male high school senior or college student who competes in the sport of bowling and shows star qualities such as distinguished bowling performances on the state and national levels, academic achievement and extracurricular and community involvement.

"Words cannot express how proud I feel," Koff said. "I also realize that receiving this award bears great responsibility. I hope that I can become as successful in bowling as those who have won this award before me. USBC has definitely impacted the course of my life with the generous scholarship awards that I have been awarded."

Koff took second at the USBC Junior Gold Championships to earn a spot on Junior Team USA for the second consecutive year. At 17, he is the youngest member of the team. As a member of Junior Team USA, he won seven gold medals at the Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas.

He was part of the championship team at the USBC Youth Open, where his teammates included fellow Junior Team USA members Jake Peters and Brent Bowers. He also took the all-events title at the Youth Open; that title earned him a spot in the 2010 Bowling's Clash of Champions.

The Clash is a USBC tournament that brings together champions from USBC national events. It is scheduled for April in El Paso, Texas, and qualifying for the event ranks high on Koff's list of bowling performances.

"I never dreamed this would be possible," Koff said. "My chance at making the Clash came down to the 10th frame of the ninth game at the Youth Open. I had to get past two of the best youth bowlers I know, Jake Peters and Brent Bowers. I think that being able to participate in the Clash is a dream come true."

Koff has shown he has the skills to compete at the highest levels of the sport. He was fourth in the PBA Midwest Region Illinois Valley Open tournament this past summer and was 48th at the USBC Masters in Las Vegas in February. In March 2008, Koff came within one pin of reaching the match-play round at the Denny's U.S. Open.

Back for his final year at Gulliver Preparatory High School, Koff is carrying a 3.9 grade-point average (4.0 scale). Among his current classes are AP courses in physics, calculus and statistics, and he works a part-time internship at Turbo Vision Design Group, Inc. After graduating, he plans to attend college and major in engineering.

As the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award recipient, Koff will receive a $6,000 scholarship that will be presented at the annual USBC Convention. This year's convention is scheduled for April 28-May 1 in Reno, Nev.

D'Errico Named Alberta E. Crowe Award Winner

By: Terry Bigham; USBC Communications

In her application essay for the Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award, Heather D'Errico wrote about how her brother, Marc, won the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award back in 2003. Upon accepting his award, Marc predicted that one day his little sister would join him as a Star of Tomorrow.

That prediction has come true as Heather D'Errico has been selected to receive the 2010 Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award. The award is presented annually by the United States Bowling Congress to recognize a female high school senior or college student who competes in the sport of bowling.

"Watching my brother's accomplishments growing up, I have looked up to him and was determined to follow his footsteps," D'Errico said. "Not only am I extremely honored to win such a prestigious award, but I am grateful to make my brother and family proud for believing in me all these years."

A junior at Robert Morris University of Illinois majoring in Applied Health Professional Studies, D'Errico is starting her third season on the bowling team. She took over as team captain last season, and her coach, Dale Lehman, said she has been a huge contributor.

During her sophomore season, she took the individual title at the Boilermaker Classic, one of five top-five finishes, and was named to five all-tournament teams.

"Heather has learned how to lead not only with her bowling game, but also by listening to her teammates and offering advice to help them when needed," Lehman wrote in his recommendation letter.

D'Errico also has been performing well off the lanes. She has been on the Dean's List each quarter at Robert Morris and was named to the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) Academic All-America team in each of her first two seasons.

This past summer, she earned the American Council on Exercise (ACE) national certification in personal training and works part-time at a fitness club to help pay college expenses.

D'Errico is the 50th recipient of the Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award, which is named in honor of the seven-term president of the Women's International Bowling Congress. The award is presented to a female high school senior or college student who competes in the sport of bowling and shows star qualities such as distinguished bowling performances on the state and national levels, academic achievement, and extracurricular and community involvement.

The award winner receives a $6,000 scholarship that will be presented at the annual USBC Convention. This year's convention is scheduled for April 28-May 1 in Reno, Nev.

U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN SHIFTS TO TEXAS in 2010

ARLINGTON, Texas - With a revised format and live televised finals, the U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event, will return in 2010 with the qualifying and match-play rounds hosted by Cityview Lanes, a 64-lane center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The competition at Cityview Lanes, which will be held May 6-11, kicks off a series of major bowling events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The 2010 USBC Hall of Fame dinner will take place May 11 at the City Club in downtown Fort Worth, while the 2010 USBC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place May 12 on the grounds of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington.

Following the Hall of Fame ceremony, the live televised finals of the U.S. Women's Open will take place at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington at 6:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN2.

For the first time since returning in 2007, the U.S. Women's Open will feature round-robin match play. Players will compete in three eight-game blocks from May 7-9 with the top 24 players advancing to match play May 10-11. The four players with the best 48-game totals, including match-play bonus pins, will compete in the live stepladder finals.

"Match play is a traditional part of major bowling tournaments, and this format is more representative of a true U.S. Women's Open test," USBC Vice President of Media Pete Tredwell said. "And having one live TV finals show instead of five taped TV finals shows creates additional excitement while being more cost effective."

Tammy Boomershine of North Ogden, Utah, topped a field of 170 players, including 59 international competitors, to win the 2009 event, which was held at Strike Zone Bowling Center inside the Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nev.

The qualifying and match play portions of the 2010 U.S. Women's Open will shift to Cityview Lanes, the largest center in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

"This will bring a lot of prestige for us," Cityview General Manager Bill Blackerby said. "It's an opportunity for us to show off the new look we have at the center."

In conjunction with the U.S. Women's Open, USBC will conduct its Hall of Fame ceremony outdoors and separate from its annual tournament or convention venue for the first time.

"Our goals in moving the inductions to Arlington are to spotlight the new International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and International Bowling Campus while possibly growing the event into something big every year," Tredwell said. "The inspiration for this idea comes from the annual baseball and pro football ceremonies. Those venues allow for large crowds and major media coverage. Plus having it the same day as the U.S. Women's Open brings more focus to both events."

First selections made for 2010 Team USA

A group of 13 of the country's top bowlers will lead Team USA into international competition in 2010 as part of the team's roster was announced Wednesday. A selection committee of United States Bowling Congress and Professional Bowlers Association representatives picked seven men and six women to join Team USA.

Walter Ray Williams Jr., Chris Barnes, Wes Malott, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, Rhino Page and Bill O'Neill were selected for the men's team.

On the women's side, Stefanie Nation, Shannon O'Keefe, Shannon Pluhowsky, Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard were the selections.

"We are very fortunate that we had such a talented pool of players to choose from," said Rod Ross, who takes over as Team USA head coach in 2010 in addition to his role as head coach of the International Training and Research Center. "It is extremely difficult for the committee to make these types of decisions, but I feel we have put together a great nucleus of players who will continue to lead Team USA to success next year and in the future."

Ross said the selection committee elected to go with seven men as the team gears up for the 2010 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Men's Championships next August in Munich, Germany. Barnes, Jones, Allen, Page and Williams were part of the team that led Team USA to four of six gold medals at the 2008 World Men's Championships.

All but one of the players selected were members of Team USA in 2009 with the lone exception being Kulick, who has been on the team five times in the past.

Two women picked the past two years elected not to submit their names for consideration this year. Lynda Barnes, a 12-time Team USA, member recently announced her retirement from the team, while Kim Terrell-Kearney has decided to focus her attention on her role as assistant head coach at the International Training and Research Center.

To be considered for selection to 2010 Team USA, men were required to be exempt players on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, while the women must have been on Team USA at least once since 1999 and/or former Professional Women's Bowling Association/Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour members.

The selections only represent a portion of the final roster of 2010 Team USA players. All USBC members will have a chance to join the team by competing in the 2010 USBC Team USA Trials, scheduled for Dec. 14-18, 2009 at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

The top three men and top three women finishers at the Team USA Trials will earn automatic spots on Team USA, while the National Selection Committee will pick two additional men and two additional women to join the team.

Team USA will represent the United States in several international events throughout 2010, including the World Men's Championships, the Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships and the QubicaAMF World Cup.

December 16, 2009 = #400

The popular Phantom Radio Show will celebrate Show #400 this month. It is a syndicated real audio radio show that’s accessed through the Internet, at: www.foundation300.com or any of over 120 links on various bowling related sites on the Internet. The Show is an Internet based bowling ‘talk show’ that is done via telephone and recorded weekly with Audio Software, called: Real Player. Most computers have Real Player, but if not - you can download it for free, at: www.real.com The Show is the equivalent of a Bowling "Squawk Box" interview, that’s usually pre-recorded (and raw) which basically means that it’s unscripted.

Once accessing the site, look for: Phantom Radio Show. When you get to The Show, you will hear the Phantom's Radio Show Theme Song – “Mission Impossible”. Kegel, a real supporter of "Saving our Sport", gives you a little chuckle about their choice of theme songs as they are a great leader and advocate of the sport of bowling.

The Phantom has had a laundry list of names on The Show that can only be termed as fantastic, or as The Phantom would say, “Phantom-Tastic”. It’s the: “Who's Who of Bowling”; Legends, Pro Bowlers, Industry Leaders, anyone who is anyone at all in the sport has been called out to support The Show. It is an incredible list of past guests - some departed, some old, some are controversial, and some (most – if not all) of the best.

The Phantom is a great interviewer, always able to dig down and get the real personality out of his guests. His sometime loose and always chuckling personality by throwing in good old humor and fervor for the game is contagious. "I'm going to ask you one more thing that listeners want to know", is when The Phantom will usually deliver his version of a kindly low blow - straight to the heart, want-to-know question.

Jim Dressel, Executive Editor of Bowlers Journal International, says: “Phantom Radio is a real pioneer in the field of internet broadcasting with its weekly bowling show. The fact that the show is regularly scheduled makes it a real ground-breaker in the field”. Dressel also comes on the Show at the end of each quarter to help The Phantom review what has happened in the previous few months. Every Show is available 24-hours per day and all of the past shows are archived.

The overall premise of The Show is to be informative, entertaining, pass along knowledge and sometimes even be controversial. The Phantom says, “Overall, the bottom line is to help to promote the sport.”

Once each month there is a Trivia Contest that is sponsored by Storm Bowling, and The Phantom gives away some very nice prizes, including bowling balls, bags, shoes and various other prizes. The questions are easy and they have given away thousands and thousands of dollars worth of prizes. There is also a Phantom Phan Club which is easy for you to join.

Next year (2010) The Show will be entering its 10^th year. Besides Storm Bowling, Kegel helps foot the bill, as well as EliteBowling.com and Stars and Strikes – America’s Bowling NewsMagazine. A new show starts each Wednesday – so “Tune-In” and enjoy.

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

Please send change of address or email address to the address below, to ensure uninterrupted subscription to the Cornerstone newsletter.

The Cornerstone,

The Foundation’S Newsletter

The Foundation

c/o Kegel

6800 US 27 North

Sebring FL 33870

Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

The Cornerstone Newsletter, November 2009

June Davis — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:44:15 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 12, Issue 11 November 2009

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

Letter from the Editor

Be Courteous

I must say, I think I’ve always taken lane courtesy for granted. I’m courteous to the bowlers around me because I want them to be courteous to me. I guess I kind of follow the old “Golden Rule” adage: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. I provide the kind of lane courtesy I would hope that my fellow bowlers would extend to me. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.

I was just at league a couple of weeks ago. On the pair next to me were a coworker and his team. I am friends with the team and was having fun bowling next to them. Well, my coworker had a chance for 800 the last game. In fact, he needed to strike out in order to hit 800 even. He got up in the 10^th frame and everyone stayed back a little; everyone except Joe Inconsiderate that happened to be bowling on my pair. This guy stood in such a way that he caught the bowler’s eye and it was just distracting enough in that pressure situation to cause an errant shot costing the bowler 800. The guy didn’t think anything of it; he just stepped up and went about his bowling.

Now there is no rule that says you must stay back; only that you should respect proper lane courtesy (which we’ll address in a moment). That said the polite thing to do would be to give a bit of extra courtesy in those pressure moments.

Lane courtesy is simple. Look left and look right. If the person next to you is up, let them go. Wait for them to finish their delivery and come back before you step on the approach. This isn’t just courtesy, it’s safety. Think about those times when you’ve stepped out of a shot or maybe ran out a good shot and nearly collided with a neighbor bowler. By waiting until they come back to the beginning of the approach, you ensure not only that you see them but they see you.

This rule applies most of the time. However, in tournaments, there may be different lane courtesy rules. Make sure you know the rules going in so that you can obey them.

For more information, Teresa Ross wrote some great tips on lane courtesy. They can be found in the “Coaching” section on www.bowl.com.

Young Bowler Helps Fill Tournament Void in North Texas

By: Terry Bigham; USBC Communications

A bowling tournament might not be considered a necessity to most kids, but a young north Texas bowler's desire for competition led to the creation of a popular youth bowling tour.

Lance Ragland of Mesquite, Texas, explained that back in 2006, when he was 14 years old, he noticed there was "a lack of youth tournaments in the Dallas area, especially Junior Gold qualifiers." So Ragland and Robert McBride decided if no one else would set up tournaments, then they would create their own.

And so was born the Lone Star Youth Classic Tour. While McBride is no longer involved with the tour, Lance and his father, Billy, run the events with Lance's mom, Sandra, also pitching in.

The LSYCT, which will hold its next event Nov. 1 at Plano Super Bowl in Plano, Texas, has awarded nearly $20,000 in scholarship money. The tour holds eight to 10 tournaments a year.

For Lance, who is a senior at Poteet High School in Mesquite, these tournaments also are a way to help prepare his fellow Texas bowlers for elite competitions, such as the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships.

USBC Youth members who meet a minimum average - 175 for boys, 150 for girls - can become Junior Gold members. They then can enter Junior Gold qualifying events and attempt to earn a spot in the Junior Gold Championships, which this year will be held July 10-16 in Indianapolis.

Lance has competed in Junior Gold Championships the last three years and knows what to expect. He understands the challenges bowlers will face, so LSYCT events use PBA Experience lane conditions to allow competitors to become familiar with the more challenging patterns.

"Junior Gold is a huge challenge, especially this year, considering the patterns," Lance said. "That is why we host our tournaments on PBA shots, so that bowlers can be prepared to face what is out there at Junior Gold and Teen Masters."

But Lance, who also serves on the Dallas USBC Youth Board of Directors, isn't all about bowling. He is involved in Poteet's theatre department and works as a sports intern and student disc jockey on the Mesquite public schools radio. The job at the radio station could turn out to be valuable training.

"I plan to major in broadcast journalism," said Lance, whose college choices include Wichita State and the University of North Texas. "My career goal is to do the play-by-play for the PBA telecasts on ESPN."

If you need additional information about the LSYCT, send an e-mail to lsyctinfo@tx.rr.com.

Women Bowlers 2nd in First Major Collegiate Tournament of the Year

The Webber International University women's bowling team competed in their first tournament in program history. The Warrior women were impressive with a second place finish in the first major collegiate event of the season, the 39th annual Midwest Collegiate Classic.

The women's team also had strong individual performances. Warrior bowlers Ashly Galante and Jessica Santiago were honored with an All Tournmanent selection. All Tournament honors are given to the top 5 individuals who bowled all nine team games. Galante was second after averaging 205.44 for 9 games while Santiago averaged 199.56.

The women's first ever tournament performance was similar to the men's first tournament last season which resulted in a fifth place finish and two bowlers on the All-Tournament team.

Women’s Final Team Standings

College Total Pins
1 Central Florida 10723
2 Webber International 10534
3 Lindenwood University 10234
4 McKendree University 10218
5 Cal-State Fresno 10211
6 Robert Morris * Gold Team 10160
7 Wright State 10053
8 Bellarmine University * Burgundy 9988
9 Ball State Univ – Cardinals 9762
10 Calumet College 9622
11 Newman University 9588
12 Viterbo University 9515
13 Purdue University 9504
14 Robert Morris * Maroon Team 9455
15 St Ambrose University 9390
16 William Penn University 9334
17 Illinois State Univ 9286
18 Missouri Baptist 9276
19 Robert Morris University Peoria 9276
20 Michigan State Univ 9265
21 Western Ill University 9258
22 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 9217
23 UW Eau Claire 8971
24 Grand Valley State Univ 8849
25 UW Milwaukee 8795
26 UW Green Bay 8644
27 Bellarmine University * Silver 7761

PBA's World Series of Bowling Makes ESPN Debut on Oct. 25

It has been months in the making, but the Professional Bowlers Association’s inaugural World Series of Bowling is about to make its historic debut on ESPN.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Oct. 25, bowling fans across America will see 13 champions crowned over a span of eight weekly PBA World Series of Bowling telecasts. Over the course of the World Series telecasts, 22 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour players will make television appearances along with five stars of the PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM and two top PBA Senior Tour players.

The series will get underway with an historic event – the inaugural PBA Women’s World Championship – which will reward its winner with the first-ever berth for a woman in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas. In the title match, Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix will meet Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J. Also at stake is a $15,000 first prize and a women’s major title.

The second event in the opening telecast of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season is the revival of the PBA Senior World Championship, which was last held in 2002 in Las Vegas. Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., will meet Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Township, Mich., in another battle for a berth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Championships as well as a $15,000 payday.

The closing event of the first telecast of season will be a special PBA Trick Shot Invitational featuring PBA Tour stars Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, Sean Rash and Brian Voss along with Finland’s two-handed sensation, Osku Palermaa.

On Nov. 1, the Motor City Open kicks off a series of seven ESPN telecasts featuring the 2009-10 PBA Tour players. Following the Motor City Open, a unique “reality-style” telecast of the Cheetah Championship airs Nov. 8. The Viper, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Championships for men and women – all conducted during the World Series of Bowling at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich., in August – will lead up to the first live telecast of the season – the finals of the PBA World Championship at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Dec. 13 from Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan.

Watch for weekly summaries of upcoming ESPN telecasts on pba.com, and immediately following each telecast, pba.com’s Xtra Frame will feature a post-tournament interview segment with each tournament champion.

SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Women’s World Championship (Final Match)

Championship: Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, vs. Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ

Prize Money: $15,000 first, $7,500 second.

PBA Senior World Championship (Final Match)

Championship: Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, Mich., vs. Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash.

Prize Money: $15,000 first, $7,500 second

PBA Trick Shot Invitational (Head-to-Head Judged Competition)

Competitors: Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, Osku Palermaa, Sean Rash and Brian Voss.

Prize Money: $10,000 first

SUNDAY, NOV. 1, 1 P.M. EASTERN

Motor City Open (Five-Player Stepladder Finals)

Match One: #4 Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., vs. #5 Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa.

Match Two: Winner Match One vs. #3 Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo.

Semifinal Match: Winner Match Two vs. #2 Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Tex.

Championship: Winner Semifinal Match vs. #1 Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, $9,000 third, $7,000 fourth, $6,000 fifth.

SUNDAY, NOV. 8, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Cheetah Championship (“Reality Style” Match Play Finals)

Semifinal Match One: Ryan Ciminelli, Rochester, NY, vs. Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa

Semifinal Match Two: Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., vs. Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla.

Championship: Winners of Match One and Match Two

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Viper Championship (Match Play Finals)

Women’s Championship: Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Tex., vs. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY

Semifinal Match One: Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., vs. Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Semifinal Match Two: Ryan Ciminelli, Rochester, NY, vs. Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz.

Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

SUNDAY, NOV. 22, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Chameleon Championship (Match Play Finals)

Women’s Championship: Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Tex.

Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., vs. Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind.

Semifinal Match Two: Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa., vs. Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela

Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

SUNDAY, NOV. 29, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Scorpion Championship (Match Play Finals)

Women’s Championship: Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY, vs. Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix

Semifinal Match One: Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., vs. Mike DeVaney, San Diego

Semifinal Match Two: Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., vs. Jason Belmonte, Australia

Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA Shark Championship (Match Play Finals)

Women’s Championship: Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ, vs. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Tex.

Semifinal Match One: Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, NY, vs. Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Tex.

Semifinal Match Two: Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., vs. Michael Fagan, Patchogue, NY

Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two

Prize Money: $25,000 first, $13,000 second, third $7,000 each.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13, 1 P.M. EASTERN

PBA World Championship (Live Match Play Finals)

Semifinal Match One: Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa., vs. Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich.

Semifinal Match Two: Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Tex., vs. Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two

Prize Money: $50,000 first, $25,000 second, third $11,500 each.

Roto Grip Presents Malott's All Stars Contest

By: MIKE J. LANESIDE

Can you imagine a big, nasty Wes Malott portrait hanging in an art gallery?

The idea is not as far-fetched as you might think. The next generation of bowlers and sports fans is getting the connection between bowling, creativity and Mr. Versatility.

Roto Grip, in a creative burst of its own, is presenting Malott’s All-Stars Contest. The contest is open to any USBC Youth member 20 years of age and under that wants to display their creativity by drawing a picture of Malott and writing a one-page letter to Wes.

The Grand Prize winner gets a 3-day experience with Wes from Roto Grip. First, dinner with Malott for the winner and family. Malott will visit the winner’s school and offer a lesson after school. Then, the reigning PBA Player of the Year will make an all-day appearance at the winner’s USBC Youth League.

To top it off, the winner receives a complete package of Roto Grip products including balls, bags, apparel and accessories. Finally, Roto Grip will videotape and photograph the entire experience and give the winner a keepsake DVD.

Mail your drawing and letter to Roto Grip by October 31 for the incredible prize package and a chance to be featured at rotogrip.com and an upcoming issue of US Youth Bowler.

In 1982, Earl Anthony was my favorite player as I grew up a junior bowler and fan of the PBA Tour. I can’t imagine how cool that would have been to have Earl over for dinner with mom, dad and my brother, then show up in Mr. McKay’s chemistry class and then make an appearance at Red Carpet Lanes to hang with my bowling buddies.

In 1982, artist LeRoy Nieman issued “Million Dollar Strike”, an incredible tribute to the sport of bowling and its greatest legend Earl Anthony. Suitable for framing.

Spread the word to all USBC Youth members that whoever wins Malott’s All-Stars contest might be the next LeRoy Nieman or the next Wes Malott. Either way, suitable for framing.

Mike Jakubowski brings his professional sports production experience to the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour as an audio producer and PA announcer in addition to hosting Xtra Frame programming. Be on the lookout for Mike’s weekly blog - Mike J. Laneside on pba.com.

Recent Phantom Radio Trivia Contest Winners

Phantom Radio’s monthly trivia contests continue to be popular with the listeners and the list of Phantom Phans continues to grow. The contests are sponsored by Storm Bowling and you must be a “Phantom Phan Club Member” to be eligible to win. It’s easy to join, just go to our website, at: www.foundation300.com and look for: How to join The Phantom Phan Club. Listed below are the most recent Phan Club winners. Sign-up today and you could win, too!!

AUGUST – 2009

1. Dale Diamond: Wins a beautiful Bowling Bag from Storm Bowling. Dale, please contact me so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm Bowling. Congrats!!

2. Warren Friedl: Wins a Souvenir Shirt from the popular Don Glover Masters Scratch tournament to be held later in the year.

3. Don Schiele: Wins a Carmen Salvino, Bobble-Head Doll. This is a very nice item.

4. Allen Wallace: Wins a Kegel Shirt that he can proudly wear while he works on his game.

SEPTEMBER – 2009

1. Jim Raudy: Wins a Storm Bowling Ball. Jim, please contact me as soon as possible so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm. Congratulations!

2. Kathleen Scoppettuolo: Wins a very popular Carmen Salvino Bobble-Head Doll.

3. Lonnie Senior: Wins a nice shirt from Kegel and The Foundation.

4. John Weber: Wins a nice shirt from Kegel and The Foundation.

OCTOBER – 2009

1. Rick Wiltse :Wins a Storm Accessory Item from Storm Bowling. Rick, please contact me so that I can put you in touch with our friends at Storm Bowling. CONGRATS !!

2. Debbie Lothes: Wins a collection of surprise gifts from Phantom Radio.

3. Mike Carroll: Wins a Souvenir Bowling Poster from the Kegel Company.

4. Rafel Cons: Wins a very nice collared, Foundation Bowling Shirt.

For a complete list of all of the past winners (and their prizes) go to: www.foundation300.com Once you are there, scroll down and click-on: Phantom Phan Club, then go to: Storm Bowling Trivia Contest Winners. If you don’t see your name, it’s because you are NOT a Member!!!! Join today and start taking advantage of all of the great monthly prizes that are given away. Soon, we will be celebrating our 400^th Show. We are very proud of that!!!

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

Please send change of address or email address to the address below, to ensure uninterrupted subscription to the Cornerstone newsletter.

The Cornerstone,

The Foundation’S Newsletter

The Foundation

c/o Kegel

6800 US 27 North

Sebring FL 33870

Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

The Cornerstone Newsletter, October, 2009

June Davis — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:39:52 GMT

The Cornerstone

The Foundation Newsletter

Volume 12, Issue 10 October 2009

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

__________________________________

Letter from the Editor

Mental Meltdown

If you don’t keep up with sports, namely tennis, or at least watch Sportscenter, you may not have Serena Williams’ recent tirade against a lines judge at the US Open. If you haven’t seen it, Google it or YouTube it and you can see how agitated she got. If you have seen it then my question is this: can you relate to her frustrations?

We all have moments where we just get mentally fried. It’s at these moments when we truly test our training and concentration; we test our ability to hold it all together and fight through the anger, frustration and adversity to pull ourselves back into the game. Sometimes we are successful while other times, unfortunately, we are not.

In Serena’s case, she was not successful and her outburst towards the line judge may cost her severely. She is not only facing a potentially heavy fine; including perhaps losing her prize money of $350,000; she could be facing a suspension from future Grand Slam tournaments. This all because she basically lost her temper.

I know I have lost my temper when bowling. You get in the heat of the moment and one thing goes wrong; then perhaps another and another; before you know it, the snowball is accelerating downhill and it can’t be stopped. It’s easy to snap. And when you snap, it’s easy to talk irrationally and say illogical things just to vent your frustrations.

How many times have you been bowling a tournament or maybe even just league when an opponent or player on another lane kicks a ball return or slams a ball onto the rack? I’ve seen it many, many times. How many times have you heard players mutter profanities or even yell at another player or a worker in the center? I’ve seen that too. It isn’t pretty and at the root of it, it isn’t professional or very sportsman like.

It’s easy to let that snowball effect get you down. It’s easy to feel frustrated and get aggravated by it. It’s easy to let your emotions get the best of you. Controlling emotions in the heat of battle is a very difficult task; one that even professionals have trouble tackling at times. That said it’s important that you act in a professional manner during competition. Bowling, as with any sport, is competition and no matter how intense the competition it should remain friendly.

Barnes wins PBA World Series of Bowling Lumber Leaders Title

Texan claims $10,000 bonus prize by averaging 221.93 for 103 games

Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, captured the Professional Bowlers Association's World Series of Bowling Lumber Leaders special event Wednesday at Thunderbowl Lanes, averaging 221.93 over 103 qualifying games in seven World Series events to claim the winner-take-all $10,000 prize.

"I had a kind of disappointing finish," the 12-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist said. "I was 180 over (pins above a 200 average) after four games. I was thinking about finishing in the top eight to get a bye for the match play rounds, and I shoot 170.

"I just don't allow myself to be happy."

A 229 final game was enough to allow Barnes to finish with 22,859 pins and coast to the title over challengers Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, who finished second with a 22,692 total, 167 behind Barnes. Sean Rash of Wichita, Kan., was third with 22,602 pins.

"The Lumber Leaders bonus, and being in the top eight to get byes in each event, has been my focus since early in the World Series," Barnes said. "Winning the Lumber Leader event is a big deal. It's like making it to another TV show."

PBA World Series of Bowling Lumber Leader Standings (after 103 games)

1, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 22,859 (221.93 average), $10,000
2, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 22,692 (220.31)
3, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 22,602 (219.44)
4, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 22,541 (218.84)
5, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 22,363 (217.12)
6, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 22,328 (216.78)
7, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 22,268 (216.19)
8, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 22,222 (215.75)
9, Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 22,168 (215.22)
10, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 22,121 (214.77)

USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications Committee adopts new specification

USBC Equipment Specifications and Certification Raises the allowable lower-limit radius of gyration (RG) measurement

The USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications Committee has adopted a new specification for all bowling balls approved for competition on or after July 1, 2010. The new specification will raise the allowable lower-limit radius of gyration (RG) measurement to 2.460 inches up from 2.430 inches.

Raising the lower-limit RG specification will delay and weaken overall ball motion, thereby decreasing the amount of inherent aggressiveness bowling ball manufacturers can infuse into their bowling ball product lines.

This specification change, and others that have been recently adopted, which include Surface Roughness - Ra, lane surface hardness and lane conditioner viscosity, is aimed at reestablishing player skill as an equally if not more important factor than technology in determining bowling ball motion.

"Our sport incorporates a multitude of variables relating from the ball to the bowler to the lane and beyond. This new RG specification should be supported by league and tournament players alike because it is another step that USBC is taking to bring results back in line with player performance," USBC Technical Director Steve Kloempken said.

"We will continue addressing this issue and investigating possible specification changes until we get back to the point where player skill is as important as, if not more important than, technology in determining success on the lanes."

The realization that a new lower-limit RG specification was needed came about after USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications team members conducted exhaustive analysis of the Ball Motion Study, a two-year, joint research venture conducted by USBC in cooperation with bowling ball manufacturers.

The study examined and ranked how 18 different variables affect bowling ball motion. The study was completed in March 2008.

Since that time, the USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications Committee has evaluated the results and used the findings to establish and/or modify specifications limiting a bowling ball's Surface Roughness - Ra and, now, lower-limit RG standard.

All bowling balls approved before the deadline will be grandfathered in under the current RG specifications, making them legal for future USBC-certified competition. The specification change will only apply to balls approved on or after July 1, 2010.

"One of the important things to consider is how research and this new specification benefit our members," Kloempken said. "Between 2005 and 2008, we gathered critical knowledge and data from the Ball Motion Study. Using that data to modify current specifications like this is critical to educate our members and uphold the credibility of the sport. It is all done in an ongoing effort to balance player skill and technology, and you as a USBC member are a part of it."

The PBA’s “New Look” For 2009-2010

The PBA tour is off to a flying start. The first seven tournaments, titled the “World Series of Bowling” (WSOB), were recently conducted in the Detroit area. These events featured all willing PBA members and it was open to all amateur bowlers that also included several of the world’s greatest international stars. This is part of the “new PBA” program.

Following these exciting events, the PBA will resort to the regular 64-man exempt field. The 64-man field will take on a “new look” with numerous new faces and the absence of some familiar bowlers who failed in their attempts to re-qualify.

The new additions include the following top finishers at the PBA Tour Trials that were conducted this past May in Allen Park, Michigan: Joe Ciccone (re-qualified), Stevie Weber,George Lambert (Canadian), Thomas Smallwood, Cassidy Schaub (two-handed, no-thumb bowler), Mitch Beasley, Tim Mack and Stuart Williams (from England).

The following players qualified as the top finishers for PBA Regional Players Invitational held this past December, in Reno, Nevada: John Nolen, P.J. Haggerty, Lonnie Waliczek (after two years absence), Dave Arnold (after several years absence), John May, Brian Waliczek, Derek Sapp and Wayne Garber.

Returning from an injury deferment: Tommy Delutz, Jr..

Golden Parachute Exemption (awarded by PBA Commissioner): Brian Voss.

Here are the exempt players for the 2008-09 season (which are not for this season): Billy Oatman, Dave D’Entremont, Tommy Baker (now on the senior tour), Joe Bailey, Andrew Cain, Jason Lundquist, Terrence Reeves, Tony Reyes, Chester Rogers, Ken Simard, David Traber, Craig Tuholski, Chris Warren and Randy Weiss.

Additionally, the following foreign PBA stars failed to qualify: Bill Rowe (former Canadian super star) and Andres Gomez (outstanding bowler from Colombia).

Most noticeable is the absence of perennial exempt players, Tommy Baker, Dave D’Entremont and David Traber. However, the return of Joe Ciccone, Dave Arnold, John May, and Lonnie Waliczek was heartwarming. Joe Ciccone, along with Bill O’Neill and Brian LeClair, are the BEST players on the pro circuit without a singles TITLE. Unfortunately Le Clair will have to re-qualify through the pro-tour qualifying system. O’Neill and Ciccone are LONG OVERDUE. This could be their year!

A couple of veteran players experienced sub-par years, yet managed to garner enough points to qualify for the 2009-10 season. These include Jason Couch, a 15-time titlist, and Mike Edwards. Relative newcomers, Todd Book and Jason Sterner amassed enough points to again qualify for the 2009-10 season.

Who Are Some Of The Returning “Old Guys”?

The 2009-10 season will be significant for five of the greatest bowlers in PBA history; ageless wonders, Parker Bohn (age 46), Norm Duke (age 45) Brian Voss (age 51) Pete Weber (age 47) and Walter Ray Williams (age 50 in October).

Although Voss failed to gain exemption this past year, he was accorded an honorary exemption (Golden Parachute) by Commissioner Fred Schreyer. Brian did very well in his short stint on the senior circuit and proved he is still capable of putting up big numbers.

Walter Ray Williams, Jr. experienced his poorest season in the past 10 years. Although WRW’s 2008-09 record would be the envy of most PBA players, it was not ‘Williamesque’. He was sixth place among point leaders, despite the fact he won one title and cashed in all 21events he entered. He made match play 17 times, made four TV appearances, which included two seconds and a third. He averaged 221.27 (sixth) and earned $99,780, good enough for seventh among money leaders. While these figures would elate most PBA players, I’m certain Walter Ray, who sets ultra-high standards for himself, was disappointed. Nonetheless, Williams remains one of the most feared players in the game, despite the fact he has reached the ripe old age of 50.

Pete Weber failed to win a tournament during the past season. Pete appeared on TV four times, finishing second once, fourth twice, and fifth once. He ranked 11^th on the points list, and averaged a respectable 221.16…not too shabby for a 47 year-old kid.

Parker Bohn won one tournament during the last season. He cashed in 20 of 21 events he entered, made match play 12 times, and appeared on TV twice. He averaged 220.17 (good enough for 10^th) and earned $80,190.

Norm Duke, the diminutive magician, captured three titles during the 2008-09 season. He also led the PBA in earnings, $199,630. Although his three titles and earnings total led in both categories, they may be a bit deceiving. A number of players managed to appear in more match play. Additionally, Duke’s 219.44 average, ranked 13^th among the PBA players. Nonetheless, Duke made the best of his opportunities in 11 match play finals, witnessed by his three titles.

There is an old adage, “out with the old, in with the new”.

While there may be substance to this cliché in most sports, the above-mentioned over 45 group have certainly contradicted this belief.

Williams and his veteran buddies are proving that bowling is a lifetime sport, even at the top.

(NOTE: This column was reprinted with permission from Hall of Fame writer and coach, Mr. John Jowdy. It was also edited for space. Thanks John, we appreciate it…… The Foundation).

WTBA Congress votes to return joint World Championships

The World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) will join its men's and women's world championships every four years beginning in 2013, the WTBA Congress decided recently. The Congress was held after the Women's World Championships at Sunset Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

The WTBA World Championships will feature both men and women for the first time since the 2003 event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The WTBA will also continue to hold men's and women's world championships separately.

In 2014, there will be a WTBA Men's World Championships and 2015 will feature a WTBA Women's World Championships. 2012 will be an "Off Year" as there will be no world championships.

The joint championships will have a limited field of 36 women and 36 men teams (countries). Approximately one in three countries from each of the three zones - American, Asian and European - will take part, at the moment this means 16 countries from Europe, 11 from Asia and 9 from American zone. The definite distribution will be decided 1st January two years before the championship year.

"Each zone will independently determine which countries will compete, presumably through Zone Championships in the non-world championships year leading up to the joint event," WTBA President Kevin Dornberger said.

Countries may have men and women teams as well as men or women teams only. Therefore the total number of countries participating in a Joint World Championship will be minimum 36 and maximum 72 countries.

"Having our men and women compete together in the same venue every four years adds another level of excitement than when they are competing separately."

The process for determining future sites for WTBA events was also changed by the WTBA Congress. Instead of exclusively awarding bids to member federations to host world events, cities or countries will also be able to bid starting with the 2013 joint world championships.

"Allowing cities and countries to bid for our championships is a major step in the right direction," Dornberger said. "This allows for more commercial opportunities and opens the door for our events to garner more sponsorship and support from local communities."

In other news, the WTBA Congress elected China's Cui Zhiqiang as second vice president of the organization. Marti Koedijk, Netherlands and Cathy Innes, Canada were elected as auditors for two years.

Cui beat out Ponkuchamy Satkuna Nathan, Malaysia, who was aiming to re-enter the WTBA presidium through the back door, six years after he was forced to step down as WTBA President at the 2003 WTBA Congress in his own country Malaysia.

Prior to the 2009 WTBA Congress, Nathan, still the president of the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress, insisted to attend the Team Managers Meeting of the 2009 WWC to announce that Malaysia was playing under protest.

The 75-year-old also boycotted the Opening Ceremonies which was considered a sign of disrespect not only towards his own players but also towards the other 222 players from 44 WTBA member federations.

The relief that Nathan failed to become elected was so great that delegates, who voted against Nathan, showed the victory sign while walking through Sunset Station.

Cui, who is a newcomer in the WTBA presidium, has serviced as the vice president of the Chinese Bowling Association since 2004 and vice president of the Asian Bowling Federation since 2008. He also has been involved in other sports and currently is the vice president of the Chinese Rugby Union and was the former secretary general of the Chinese Golf Association.

Upcoming WTBA World Championships

2010 - Men's World Championships, Munich, Germany
2011 - Women's World Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2012 - Off year
2013 - Joint World Championships, TBD
2014 - Men's World Championships, TBD
2015 - Women's World Championships, TBD

Among other decisions made by the 2009 WTBA Congress were:

Oiling pattern at championships (Rule 4.6.2 – 4.6.8)
The new rule says there are three oiling pattern categories from which two categories will be selected latest two months before a championship. In each category there are 3-4 patterns available on WTBA website on January 15 each year. The definite patterns within the two selected categories to be used during a championship will be publsihed at the team manager meeting.

Number of bowling balls in championship (Rule 4.10.2 – 4.10.9) The new rule says that a maximum of six balls for each player will be permitted during a championship. A player can register less than six balls when the championship starts and then register more balls up to a total of 6 balls. No replacement of balls permitted.

No smoking
If a player is caught smoking during a game he/she will have zero pinfall for that game. If smoking between games within a block he/she will have zero pinfall in the succeeding game.

Slow bowling (Rule 4.21.1)
4.21.1 d) will be read as “A player is given 30 seconds from the moment the previous bowler steps down from the approach to the time the ball leaves the hand of the bowler” The proposed ”Double Jump” was not approved.

Tie rule
In case a tie exists in Single, Double, trios or Team event before the semifinals the highest positioned will be the player/team with the highest last game.

“The Rainbow Bridge”

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth.

It is called: “The Rainbow Bridge” because of its many beautiful colors.

Just this side of The Rainbow Bridge is a land of hills, valleys and meadows, all covered with lush, green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this lovely land.

There is always food, water and warm spring weather.

There, the old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole once more. They play all day with each other, content and comfortable.

There is ONLY one thing missing.

They are not with the Special Person who loved them on Earth.

So each day they run and play until THE DAY comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up!

Then, the nose twitches! The ears are up! The eyes are staring!

YOU have been seen...and your pet runs from the group!

You take him in your arms and embrace.

Your face is kissed again and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then together again, you cross over “The Rainbow Bridge”, never again to be separated.

(NOTE: A few years ago I lost a pet and I was devastated. “Striker” had been my close “Pal” for eleven years. A bowling friend of mine sent me this to comfort me…….and it did. Feel free to send this to a friend who loses a pet, as I am sure that it will comfort them, too).

___________________________________________

Membership Report

We have members in all 50 states,
and the District of Columbia

We have members in 49 countries, including the United States:

Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada China Columbia Costa Rica Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Great Britain Greece Guam Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea Latvia Malaysia Mexico The Netherlands N. Ireland Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand Panama Philippines Puerto Rico Peru Qatar Scotland Singapore Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey U.A.E. Ukraine Venezuela

Corporate Sponsors

The problems that exist in our Sport are “industry-wide” problems that must be addressed by the entire Industry. The Foundation does all that they can to help, but we can NOT do it alone.

KEGEL

KAT Travel

I.B.P.S.I.A.

EBN Services

Storm Bowling

Classic Products

Bobs’ Business, Inc.

Vincennes University

BowlersParadise.com

Virtualtournaments.com

Wichita State University

David Driscoll & Associates

International Bowling Industry Magazine

Stars and Strikes Bowling Newsmagazine

_________________________________________

Please send change of address or email address to the address below, to ensure uninterrupted subscription to the Cornerstone newsletter.

The Cornerstone,

The Foundation’S Newsletter

The Foundation

c/o Kegel

6800 US 27 North

Sebring FL 33870

Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”