July 31, 2009

 

By: Mark Martin

 

WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING

 

OK bowling fans, the traditional bowling season is starting soon and now the Professional Bowlers Association will be descending on our area during the month of August for the World Series of Bowling.

 

Becoming part of the World Series of Bowling is a great opportunity to gear up for your fall league. As a fan you can see the greatest bowlers in the world for a nominal charge; or you can participate in pro-am action and rub elbows with the greatest; or you can take the plunge and bowl in some of the actual events. Here’s your chance.

 

Detroit is the bowling capital of the world with the greatest bowling fans in the world. Thus the PBA is bringing 36 days of non-stop action to our market. Now it’s our turn to show them.

 

Starting Sunday, Aug. 2 at Taylor Lanes in Taylor the pro-am for the Motor City Open will take place at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Monday, Aug. 3 at 7p.m. Open to everyone the price starts at $50 per person. Visit www.taylorlanesbowling.com for more information or call (734) 946-9092.

 

Tournament action will start with practice sessions on Monday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. for “A” squad and 2 p.m. for “B” squad. Qualifying rounds will be held Tuesday and Wednesday morning before the cut to the top 24 is made for match play. Match play will be Wednesday at 6 p.m. and two sessions of match play on Thursday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. before getting down to the top five. The top five will return on Sept. 5 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park for the televised finals.

 

Local bowlers scheduled for the Motor City Open include 2009 USBC Masters champion John Nolen of Waterford Township, Mason Brantley of Detroit, Ed Campbell of Rochester Hills, Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland and Tony Moses of Dearborn Heights.

 

Once action concludes at Taylor Lanes everything will move to Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park . You will definitely need a schedule to keep up with the non-stop action from Aug. 7 until Sept. 6.

 

Pro-am events at Thunderbowl Lanes will be contested on Aug. 14 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Aug. 23 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. These are open to everyone with prices starting at $75 per person. Visit www.thunderbowl.org or www.pba.com for pro-am entries and further information.

 

During this time there will be championships contested on each of the five PBA animal lane patterns and the World Championship; four women’s championships and the Women’s World Championship; and the Senior World Championship.

 

Tournament Qualifying Rounds (TQR) for non-exempt bowlers for the five championships with a minimum of 10 positions available in each of the TQR’s. The TQR for the Cheetah Championship will be Aug. 8; Viper and Chameleon Championship TQR’s on Aug. 9; Scorpion and Shark Championship TQR’s on Aug. 22.

 

Women’s TQR’s will be contested for Viper and Chameleon on Aug. 13 and Scorpion and Shark on Aug. 22.

 

The Cheetah Championship qualifying, match play and finals will be contested Aug. 10 – 13.

 

The Viper Championship including the Women’s Series event will run from Aug. 14 – 16 to determine the finalists.

 

From Aug. 18 – 20 the Chameleon Championship including the Women’s Series will take center stage to determine the finalists.

 

The Scorpion Championship will operate from Aug. 23 – 25 with the Women’s Series.

 

From Aug. 27-29 the finalists for the Shark Championship will be determined.

 

Beginning on Aug. 30 the World Championship, Women’s World Championship and Senior World Championship, all open field events, will be contested. Non-members can participate in these events for $600.

 

All of this action leads up to six taped ESPN finals on Sept. 5-6.

 

Finals of the Women’s World Championship and the Senior World Championship will be taped on Sept. 5 at 12 noon. At 3:30 p.m. the finals of the Motor City Open will take place and finally at 7 p.m. the Viper Championship.

 

On Sept. 6 the finals of the Chameleon Championship, Scorpion Championship and Shark Championship will take place at 12 noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively.

 

The finals for the World Championship will take place live on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 13 from Wichita , Kan.

 

The taped shows will be aired throughout the fall leading up to the World Championship.

 

A hectic, frantic August bowling extravaganza will be a perfect launching for the fall bowling season. Why not join in the fun?

 

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HONOR SCORES

300 Games

Date, Name, Hometown, Center, League

July 16, Daniel Featherstone, White Lake , Wonderland Lanes, Spring Trio A

July 21, Jim Burton, Novi, Woodland Lanes, Woodland Invitational Summer

July 22, Willie Price, Pontiac , 300 Bowl, 300 Wednesday Trio Shootout

 

 

800 Series

Date, Name (Score), Hometown, Center, League

July 27, Ed Austreng (825), Waterford Twp., 300 Bowl, 300 Summer Doubles

 

 

Mark Martin writes a weekly bowling column for The Daily Oakland Press and is the association manager of the Metro Detroit USBC Association. He can be reached at (248) 443-2695, faxed at (248) 443-2690 or e-mailed at mark.martin@mdusbc.com.