Bowling Digest back issues from June 2004:
Let's unify the tours.(Opening Frame)
Jun 22, 2004; ... THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE, PROBABLY too simple: Unify the tours. At the same time the PBA has put men's pro bowling back on the map, the PWBA and the attention paid to women's bowling has diminished. Did I say diminished? From one perspective--and to some degree, the only ...
Setting the record straight.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... John Jowdy has been a friend of mine for more than 20 years. I've spent many hours over fine (and not so fine) meals talking bowling with John, who is one of the most knowledgeable and respected instructors in the sport of bowling today. However, I would like to dispute some ...
Re-Pete.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... I am really sick of reading the negative letters you receive about Pete Weber. I have been a fan of Pete's since he used to come to Abingdon, Ill. as a teenager and bowl in the regional tournaments. I have bowled with him in pro-ams ...
Getting technical.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... Modern bowlers rely too much on high-tech equipment and too little on personal skill. They buy expensive balls, which they hurl toward the pins at warp speed, and call it bowling. The PBA, as a first step, should restrict tournament entrants to one ball of their choice that ...
Strange spares.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... As I was bowling at the Bonwood Bowl in Salt Lake City, two unusual things took place. On my first ball I picked up pins 1 through 6 and left the 7-8-9-10. (Where did my ball go?) On my second ball, I picked up all tour back pins for a spare. Hideo Iwamoto ...
Finnishing up.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... During the telecast of PBA Cambridge Credit Classic in December, Randy Pedersen repeatedly mentioned Mika Koivuniemi's daughter's birthday party. It's nice to know the family status of the players, but when you ...
What's in the bag?(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... Bowling in leagues for 51 years, I have patterned my game to that of Dick Weber, Billy Welu, and other stars of yesteryear gone by. I've also been a golfer for 40 years and again chose the game of one, Gene Littler, to follow. Recently Golf Magazine came up with a ligature, ...
Trials of the lanes.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... I have been watching the PBA on TV the last few weeks and the scores have been very low. I've always told my fellow bowlers that if we had to play on the sport condition, we could adapt. The better bowlers know when to change and alternate their ball rotations to accommodate different lane ...
Seedy seedings.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... During one of the PBA telecasts it dawned on me that when bowlers make the cut into the round of 32 in this season, the seedings are placed according to whoever the points rankings from last season. I want to voice my objection and say this is not fair. That means Walter Ray ...
The greatest.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... Is there any doubt that Walter Ray Williams Jr. is the greatest bowler of all time? He had an amazing 2002-03 season as we all know. But then he came out on tour in 2003-04 and is once again a favorite for PBA Player of the Year. I know ...
Candlepinned.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... I subscribed to BOWLING DIGEST in hopes of reading at least one article on candlepin bowling. That's what there is in my locality. I bowl in a candlepin league in Sanford, Maine. I hope there is an article on our sport in the future. ...
Crazy as a Cat.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... I just wanted correct information on a mistake in your "Crazy as a Cat" story ["Center Spotlight," December 2003]. The bowling center that is a mile from ...
Play it safe.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
Jun 22, 2004; ... In the PBA finals on January 11 and 18, Lonnie Waliczek lost matches because of splits in the last frames. He needed only to spare in the former final, and pick up nine pins in the latter. Why did he not, in both games, use his "spare ball" and simply roll it into the 1-3 ...
Macpherson tops the list of WIBC all-Americans.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... WENDY MACPHERSON HAS BEEN selected as the honorary captain of the 2003 WIBC All-America Team. The 36-year-old righthander beat out Carolyn Dorin-Ballard in the 30th annual poll to choose the best women bowlers of the year. Macpherson, the 2003 WIBC Queens champion, collected 90 ...
Brooks is granted admission to the BPAA Hall of Fame.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... FORMER BPAA PRESIDENT AND longtime bowling industry veteran James A. "Jamie" Brooks of New Braunfels, Texas has been selected as the 2004 BPAA Hall of Fame Inductee and recipient of the Victor Lerner Memorial Medal. The Lerner Medal is the highest honor in the bowling business and is ...
Haggerty is the ABC's Star of Tomorrow.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... DEMONSTRATING EXCELLENCE IN bowling and academic achievement. Patrick Haggerty of Weimar, Calif., has been selected as the 2004 ABC Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow. Haggerty, 18, will receive a $1,250 scholarship, renewable for up to three years, for a total of $5,000. A freshman at ...
The BPAA mourns the loss of a Hall-of-Famer.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... NEIL SCHERBARTH, OWNER AND operator of Highland Lanes in Milwaukee, passed away on March 1 at the age of 72. Scherbarth was a past BPAA board member and served as the board's sergeant-at-turns (1980-82) and secretary (1982-84). He served many years on the BPAA's tournament committee, ...
Strike up the wedding march at the ABC Tournament.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... THEY MET IN A BOWLING CENTER and sealed their love at the 2004 ABC Championships Tournament. Jimmy Hughes, 26, pulled Crystal Anderson, 19, out in front of lanes six and seven, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him. "I couldn't believe what was happening," ...
Turbo grips is going freestyle in an August seminar.(Industry News)
Jun 22, 2004 ... TOPICS INCLUDING TIMING, hand positions, release, shooting spares, ball surface, and adapting to lane conditions will be addressed tit a Turbo Grips bowling seminar held on August 14 at 5-Star Lanes in Sterling Heights, Mich. Leading the seminar me USA coaches Mark Robie, Roy Biggs, Bill ...
ESPN turns out the lights.(News, Notes & Quotes)
Jun 22, 2004; ... STEVE SANDERS ENDED his bid to purchase the PWBA tour because he viewed the deal ESPN offered the tour as being unacceptable. Last year, the PWBA bowled eight events before shutting down, with five of them airing live on Sunday afternoons in June and July. According to Sanders, ...
He's the Tenpins marathon man.(News, Notes & Quotes)
Jun 22, 2004; ... WHAT STARTED out as a whim turned into a purposeful pursuit for Gene Wethington, who became the toast of the nation--not just his hometown of Lebanon, Ind.--after he brought the Guinness world record for continuous bowling from England to the United States last December 29. ...
Scroggins ends his drought.(PBA Tidbits)
Jun 22, 2004 ... LEFTHANDER MIKE Scroggins won his second career title, the Baby Ruth Real Deal Classic, on February 29, snapping a 197-event winless streak. His first victory came in the 1992 Sacramento Open, which was his first-ever televised finals appearance. How long ago was Scroggins' first victory? ...
What a coincidence.(PBA Tidbits)
Jun 22, 2004 ... WAS SCROGGINS' WIN ALIGNED IN THE STARS? HIS first career victory came in 1992, a leap year. His next win took place on February ...
Aulby moves from boards to ice.(PBA Tidbits)
Jun 22, 2004 ... TWENTY-SEVEN-TIME PBA TITLE-WINNER AND PBA Hall-of-Famer Mike Aulby was honored by the tour between the Rounds of 16 and Eight in March's Uniroyal Tire Classic at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis. Aulby, who retired after the season-ending PBA World Championship, was honored by ...
The PBA is in the Army now.(PBA Tidbits)
Jun 22, 2004 ... THE PBA DONATED APPROXIMATEly $100,000 worth of surplus bowling equipment and apparel to the United States Army. The retro shirts, jackets, bowling bags, and more than 10,000 pairs of bowling shoes will be used to enhance participation in the Army's morale, welfare, and recreation bowling ...
Mika is murder on lefties.(PBA Tidbits)
Jun 22, 2004 ... MIKA KOIVUNIEMI WAS 8-0 IN TELEvised finals against lefthanders this season: He was 3-0 against Patrick Allen, 2-0 against both Jason Couch and Mike Scroggins, ...
The PWBA can learn from Salvino, Carter.(Striking Out)
Jun 22, 2004; ... MANY PEOPLE THINK THE women pro bowlers must change with the times, even if that means sometimes putting appearance before bowling ability. It's working in other women's sports like volleyball, tennis, billiards, and golf, so why not bowling? Of course, the first prerequisite in ...
Lessons for the young at heart: a straightforward checklist can help seniors stem the tide of age and continue their successful bowling pursuits.(Lane Logic)
Jun 22, 2004; ... LATELY, I HAVE BEEN GIVING quite a few bowling lessons to the "young at heart" in my local area of central Florida during the women's tour "hiatus." I've noticed some recurring themes among my senior students, which I would like to share with you here, as well as advice on how to make some ...
A tuck won't nip your revs worries.(Bowling Clinic)
Jun 22, 2004; ... * Does tucking the pinky finger give you more revolutions on the bowling ball? I've been told it does and wonder how. I have tried this, but it doesn't seem to work for me. I am a right-handed stroker who has averaged in the mid-190s for the past 10 years. I've watched Robert Smith, who ...
The fantastic plastic ball: it's time to correct misconceptions about the nature of the equipment we roll down the lanes.(The Coach's Corner)
Jun 22, 2004; ... HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU HEARD bowlers, professionals and amateurs alike, refer to their equipment as "plastic" or "resin?" In point of fact, these are misrepresented and distorted words used to define bowling balls. The use of "plastic" and "resin" to describe bowling balls is mistakenly ...
Pressure points: as the last events of the 2003-04 season ticked away, we took an insider's stroll along with some bowlers likely to be on the outside looking in when the all-exempt tour starts up.(Cover Story)
Jun 22, 2004; ... THE HEAT WAS ON FOR PRO bowlers this season. Not that the strain that comes with earning a living by rolling a bowling ball is something new to them. Behind the friendly smiles during autograph/practice sessions aimless banter with fans during pro-am events, and the ...
Donkee products.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Give Dad the gift that the professionals use: The Donkee Ball Spinner, the No. 1-used personal ball spinner made in the USA. It has two speeds, 580 and 850 rpms, and is ...
Roto-Grip.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... In the competitive market of high-performance bowling balls, you must have an edge to get ahead Rote Grip continues its constant quest for state-of-the-art technology and the Top Fuel[TM] is no exception. The Cyclotron[TM] core was taken from the original Fuel and combined with the all-new ...
Warily software.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Frames for Palm OS[R] and Pocket PC[R] handholds from Warily Software makes the perfect gift for any bowler! Frames is the easy-to-use scoring and statistics program that provides bowlers with powerful, pro-style statistics, graphs, and reports. Walter Ray Williams Jr. uses Frames to track ...
Skor-Mor.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... The Skor-Mor Guide, with three adjustable straps, ties your hand, wrist, and arm to a rigid metal brace and keeps your wrist straight and behind the bail for more ...
Time2spare.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... With the largest selection of bowling designs on the Internet, including new designs for T-shirts [below], mouse pads, tote bags; drink insulators, and bowling towels, Time2spare is the perfect shop to search for gift ideas for Father's Day Or that graduate who loves bowling! ...
Storm.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... The Triple X Factor[TM] by Storm features the new super-aggressive MONSOON[TM] Pearl Reactive cover stock, which performs better in today's bowling environment. Matching this powerful cover stock to the new inverted RAD3[TM] Triple Disk Technology weight block produces a massive back-end ...
Zen products.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... The audio training program "Zen Bowling: The Psychology of Better Bowling" will help you reach the same superior level of concentration and focus that superstar athletes use to help them succeed. Zen Bowling's audio training is a step-by-step mental training program designed to improve ...
BowlingShirt.com.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... BowlingShirt.com is proud to present its exclusive line of bowling bag purses! They are available in three color styles--pink with black, red with black, and black with white. We also offer three special styles--red with flame, pink ...
Brunswick.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Brunswick has turned up ball-performance levels to an all-time high with Activator[TM] cover stock technology. Activator cover stocks have been created to independently control traction in the oil and reaction in dry conditions. They have quickly established a reputation for excellence in ...
Lane #1.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Lane #1 debuts six balls: Taking the power of the Super Carbide Bomb core and wrapping it with the new Carbide Resin cover stock, Lane #1 creates me most powerful reactive ball ever made: the Cherry Bomb [right]. When your particle balls are hooking too early and your normal ...
Walter Ray Williams Jr. presents.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Bowling's premier performer and the reigning PBA Player of the Year, Walter Ray Williams Jr., reveals why he has enjoyed phenomenal success in the instructional video "Walter Ray Williams Jr.'s Secrets to Better Bowling." It is designed ...
Moro Design.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... The Pro Release is an adjustable wrist support of the highest qualify, It provides firm. comfortable effective wrist support, adjusts in a split-second, and carries a two-year guarantee. The Original Pro Release [bottom left] supports your wrist while ...
Columbia 300.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Release the power and go Full Throttle! If you haven't experienced the Cam Shaft[TM] core, join the masses and take your game Full Throttle[TM] [left]. At the starting line, the Rg of this triple-flip block core was lowered to produce lightning-quick revs in the mid-lane. The ...
Flashy Foot Wear.(Dads & Grads Gift Guide)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Flashy Foot Wear offers bowling shoe covers that combine ideal threads and material to produce a strong fabric that stretches easily. The cover also has thick pads on its bottom and inside for optimal bowling shoe protection It keeps water, soda, food, or any other foreign object found on ...
Here to stay: Mika Koivuniemi may still be new to the U.S., but his dominance on the PBA tour is becoming old hat.
Jun 22, 2004; ... LIKE MOST PROFESSIONAL bowlers, Finland's Mika Koivuniemi fooled around with plenty of other sports before settling on tenpins as his livelihood. That was lucky for him, as it turns out--but unlucky for the vast majority of other bowlers on the PBA tour. "There was basketball, ...
Taking a whirlwind tour: broadcasting the PWBA, overseeing amateur competition, or rolling a few frames herself--bowling's foremost female voice has seen it all.(Then & Now)
Jun 22, 2004; ... JAN SCHMIDT HAS TOUCHED many bases in her 45 years. Besides being an accomplished bowler and ESPN broadcaster, the former PWBA marketing director has won several softball championships as a left fielder and shortstop, been a quarterback and free safety in women's two-hand touch football, ...
Bowling through the omens: just when the signs seemed to be leading her astray, this 15-time champion buckled down for a stirring victory.(The Match I'll Never Forget)
Jun 22, 2004; ... OF MY 15 VICTORIES since joining the women's professional bowling tour 25 years ago, the last one, which came in the second event of the 1996 PWBA season at Claremore, Okla., has special meaning for several reasons. I kept seeing omens in things that occurred before and during ...
Schedule of major events.(Schedules & Statistics)
Jun 22, 2004 ... <Pre> Schedule of Major Events 2004 Senior Tour All dates and locations subject to change. Date EventCenter March 28-31 PBA Senior Epicenter Classic Epicenter Bowling Complex April 4-9 ...
Don't raise a stink--Smith is the champ.(PBA: Odor-Eaters Open)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Needing to strike on his first two shots in the 10th frame, Robert Smith threw two perfect shots en route to defeating Waiter Ray Williams Jr., 227-218, to win the PBA Odor-Eaters Open on February 15 at Golden Pin Lanes. Williams left the door open for Smith after converting a ...
Weber isn't taxed by his U.S. Open win.(PBA: U.S. Open)
Jun 22, 2004 ... In a shootout between two PBA Hall-of-Famers, Pete Weber defeated Brian Voss, 231-178, to win the 61st U.S Open, presented by Jackson Hewitt Tax Service in the Anaheim Convention Center. Weber, who picked up his third U.S. Open title, seventh major PBA title, and 31st career ...
Koivuniemi enjoys his extended stay in Reno.(PBA: Reno Open)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Mika Koivuniemi jumped to the top of the PBA World Point Rankings with a 258-181 victory against Brad Angelo in the title match of the PBA Reno Open at the National Bowling Stadium. Koivuniemi struck from the 5th frame on and was helped by two Angelo splits that decidedly swung ...
Williams creeps one step closer to Anthony.(PBA: ABC Masters)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Walter Ray Williams Jr. defeated Chris Barnes in a pressure-packed championship match to win the 54th ABC Masters and the $100,000 top prize at the National Bowling Stadium. Williams struck in his first six frames to open up a 34-pin lead on Barnes. In the 7th frame, Barnes left ...
Weber downs Delutz in a high-scoring thriller.(PBA: Medford Open)
Jun 22, 2004 ... In one of the highest-scoring finals in recent history, Pete Weber defeated Tommy Delutz Jr. 265-256 in the PBA Medford Open on January 18 at Lava Lanes. After both were perfect through eight frames, Delutz failed to convert a 4-9 split in the 9th frame, leaving the 9-pin. Weber ...
Hurricane Williams storms through the Pacific Northwest.(PBA: Earl Anthony Classic)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Needing to strike three times in the 10th frame to stay alive in the match, Walter Ray Williams Jr. threw a turkey en route to defeating Lonnie Waliczek, 211-205, to win the PBA Earl Anthony Classic in Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center. After Williams, a six-time PBA Player ...
Healey stays calm and lands a major win.(PBA: Tournament of Champions)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Needing only nine pins in the 10th frame to claim his first PBA major title, Patrick Healey Jr. struck three times en route to defeating Randy Pedersen, 222-188, to win the PBA Dexter Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Arena. Healey began the game with three consecutive ...
Koivuniemi makes history with his TV perfection.(PBA: Cambridge Credit Classic)
Jun 22, 2004 ... Mika Koivuniemi made history by tossing the 16th televised 300 game in the history of the PBA in his wildcard match against Jason Couch for a 300-248 win. Koivuniemi went on to beat Patrick Allen in the championship match, 259-237, at Bradley Bowl. Koivuniemi dominated all day, ...
Pins & puns.
Jun 22, 2004 ... IN A POLL TAKEN 25 YEARS ago, Dick Weber was voted the best all-around bowler of all time. Don Carter was second and Junie McMahon third. Following were Earl Anthony, Joe Wilman, Carmen Salvino, Don Johnson, Andy Varipapa, Mark Roth, Ned Day, Billy Hardwick, and Tom Hennessey. ...