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 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”

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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

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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

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Phone: 863-382-2643

Email: savrsprt@yahoo.com

The Foundation

“One World, One Game”

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