Foundation Games XIV

November 2002  PBA Northwest Regional  Keizer, OR ( At Town and Country )

1.  Dave Husted, Milwaukee, Oregon
2.  Craig Tuholski, Washougal, Washington
3.  Dan Orazio, Vancouver, Washington

Keizer , OR : A field of 47-professionals embarked upon Town and Country Lanes to test their skills in the unique and very popular Foundation Games format for the second consecutive year. Showing his greatness, PBA Hall of Famer Dave Husted, emerged the victor with an exciting one-pin victory to garner his 24 th -Northwest Regional title. Husted, who also owns 14-PBA Tour victories (including 2-US Opens), is the second Hall of Famer in a row to win a Foundation Games event, as the great Wayne Webb won the previous event at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in California this past July.

Day One: Friday, Nov. 8, 2002 . Pre-Tournament Meeting and Practice Session.

Foundation officials Len Nicholson and John Forst met with Town and Country Lanes General Manager John Preston, long-time PBA Northwest Director Gary Mage, PBA Northwest laneman Bob Hoskinson, along with the maintenance personnel at the bowling center to discuss all of the details regarding this year's event. The two patterns to be used were developed by the "pattern committee" at Kegel Company in Florida , which is spear-headed by John Janawicz. The patterns ( "short" and "long" ) are designed to challenge the players with their abilities in 5-distinctly separate areas: A). Accuracy. B). Power. C). Shot-making. D). Repeatability. E). Mental preparedness. The Foundation feels that "this" versatility will determine the best bowlers. After the meeting, the lanes were dressed with both patterns for the practice session, which went from 3-5pm . American Bowling Congress Director Gary Wilson was there for the all-important "process verification" and the checking of the lane topography. Wilson, who was requested to be there from The Foundation, gladly accepted and was there throughout the 3-days.

Day Two: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2002 . First Day of Qualifying.

At 5:30am , the entire crew arrived at the bowl and thoroughly stripped the lanes. The 24-lanes were then conditioned with the "short" pattern which was to a distance of 31-ft., using 20.86 mL of Offense oil. Twenty-lanes would be used for the 10-games of qualifying, thus each player would bowl on the exact same lanes, with 5-games in the morning being on the short , and 5-games on the long , in the afternoon. At the end of the first 5-games, Rich Broderhausen was the leader at: +83, a 216-average. Husted was in 2 nd at +29, local lefty Brian Kaplan was in 3 rd at +20, Don Allen III was in for 4 th place at +14 and veteran Dennis Bailey was in 5 th at -14. The low scores were indicative of the degree of difficulty that this short pattern possessed. A two-hour break was then taken for lunch and the lane crew cleaned the lanes once again. The "long" was now put down by the Sanction Elite lane machine to a distance of 43-ft. using 20.37 mL of oil. "After" bowling tapes were taken, as well as "before" bowling tapes. The bowlers then returned from lunch and bowled their 2 nd 5-game block in the 10-game qualifying competition. The cut for the top-16 finalist was at -67 prior to going to these final 5-games. All eyes were on this number when the next squad started, as the important thing was to make it to the "Top-16" and return on Sunday to bowl in the all-important "match-play finals".

As expected, the scoring "pace" was slightly higher on the longer pattern. The players were able to use more aggressive equipment and the "break-point" on the pattern was more conducive to playing deeper inside than the "short", which was intentionally formulated for the players to play "out". And, speaking of equipment, the sponsor of the tournament (Track Bowling) had sent a representative to the event in an effort to help the players with their equipment. Mike Snellbaker was there throughout the event and did just that. I heard many comments from the players regarding the expertise that he provided. Perhaps the highlight of these final 5-games was the 298-game that was bowled by Bailey. Noteworthy was the congratulations that he received from the other players immediately upon completion of that exceptional game. Powerful Craig Tuholski was the 10-game qualifying leader with a score of 2110 - a 211-average. Broderhausen moved to 2 nd , Husted was now in 3 rd followed by Troy Miller and Thomas Ault, Jr. The cut to the top-16 was -92. PBA Tour veteran Ernie Schlegel was the alternate, missing by just 2-pins. There was a great mix of styles in the 16-man field, including 4-lefties.

Day Three: Sunday, Nov. 10, 2002 . Finals Day.

The lane crew and tournament officials once again arrived at 5:30am to thoroughly strip the lanes. Half of the lanes were then oiled with the "short" and the other half of the wooden lanes with the "long". This was to be a total test of ALL of the factors previously mentioned. Going from pair-to-pair on both patterns challenges each participant's entire "game", as well as his focus and concentration. On top of that , equipment choices were at a premium. The top players all mentioned that this is the way that it should be as the cream rose to the top.

Once the top-5 was determined, the Foundation format was put into place for the exciting step-ladder finals. Match #1 was between likeable Shawn Copeland, a 5-time Regional Champion and leading Rookie-Of-The-Year candidate, Erik Hohlbein. Erik, by virtue of being the higher qualifier, chose to bowl Shawn on the "short". The match see-sawed back-and-forth for the first few frames until Hohlbein pulled away in the later stages of the match, winning 224-170. Next up was Husted who wanted Erik on the "long". This match was nip-and-tuck until Husted tripled in the 9 th and 10 th to eliminate the talented lefty from Renton , Wa., by a score of 201-188. Match #3 was a "snapshot" of what greatness is. Husted was struggling and having problems with a consistent ball reaction. Dan Orazio was next up and took Dave to another pair, which was also a "long" pattern. Dan had won 14-consecutive games on this day and was the leader up until the last game, when he was overtaken by Tuholski. The talented Husted changed balls AND angles AND his hand position. He then proceeded to crush the pocket en-route to a 277-213 victory. Orazio just shook his head in amazement, as did all of the fans who witnessed it.

Tuholski (who finished 7 th last year), then took Dave to yet another pair of the "long" pattern. It was a classic match for the championship. Both players appeared defensive in a battle of wits and skills. Husted eked out a dramatic 1-pin victory, 187-186 earning the prestigious Foundation Games title and an expense paid trip to the International Foundation Games Championships to be held in 2003. Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals were awarded to the top-3 along with a beautiful Championship Trophy to Husted. John Davis, Kegel President and Foundation Founder was there to congratulate all of the finalists and award the championship trophy.

It was yet another successful Foundation Games event and one more step in bringing the Sport of Bowling to a position of credibility - exactly where this wonderful Sport belongs.