March 6, 2009

 

By: Mark Martin

 

BIG PBA NEWS FOR METRO DETROIT

 

Bowling fans in the metro Detroit area will be treated to seven Lumber Liquidators PBA events over a period of 38 days in August and early September.

 

With metro Detroit being hailed as the Bowling Capital of the World the PBA is bringing what is billed as the World Series of Bowling here. The final event of the swing will be the PBA World Championship, the first major championship of the 2009-2010 season.

 

The PBA World Series of Bowling marks the first time the PBA Tour will spend an extended period of time in one city. Typically the tour travels from city to city on a weekly basis from October until April each year.

 

This concept will save the PBA hundreds of thousands dollars and also save the players significant money because they won’t have to travel and can stay in long term housing.

 

“The World Series builds on the proud tradition of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour being the standard in professional bowling worldwide,” said PBA Tour CEO and Commissioner Fred Schreyer. “ Detroit will be host to the greatest festival of competitive bowling in history.”

 

Detroit has more USBC certified bowlers than any other city in the United States .

 

Taylor Lanes in Taylor will kick off the events with the PBA Motor City Open Aug. 1 – 6. Taylor Lanes has hosted a PBA event for over 25 years and it’s only appropriate to start a new season at the venerable 48-lane facility.

 

After the PBA Motor City Open the action moves to Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park where six events will be held over a 30-day period.

 

Thunderbowl Lanes is a 90-lane facility that is like three bowling centers in one facility. It includes a 20-lane arena facility, a 16-lane section and a 54-lane section which would host most of the qualifying activity.

 

“We are thrilled to host this revolutionary month in PBA Tour history,” said Thunderbowl Lanes owner Tom Strobl. “ Detroit ’s passionate bowling fans are in for a treat.”

 

The seven PBA championship events with dedicated telecasts will be taped at the conclusion of the World Series and air out over what has traditionally been the first half of the PBA Tour season from mid-October until early December 2009, Sunday afternoons on ESPN. The first half of the season on ESPN will conclude with the live finals of the PBA World Championship on Dec. 13, featuring the four finalists decided in early September at the World Series.

 

The January – April second half of the PBA Tour season will be similar to the current Tour makeup, featuring live Sunday telecasts.

 

Tournament fields will be expanded from 64 to 72 players for the PBA Tour World Series. Along with the 58 exempt players, international exemptions will be introduced and at least 10 tournament qualifying positions will be available to win per event in Detroit .

 

The PBA Women’s Series, presented by USBC, will return with seven events in the 2009-2010 season. Six will take place at the World Series. A newly created open-field PBA Women’s Series World Championship will be part of the final event in Detroit . The field size for the Women’s Series will be increased from 16 to 20 bowlers for each exempt event and for the first time two TQR spots will be up for grabs for each women’s event.

 

The PBA Senior World Championship will also be part of the World Series. The championship match will be televised on ESPN.

 

In addition to all of the PBA Tour events there will be pro-ams, open sweepers, TQR’s and other various diverse side events operated by the PBA.

 

As the Bowling Capital of the World it is time for all area bowlers to stand up and show the rest of the world how much bowling is part of the fabric of our local society. More details on how you can participate will follow.

 

------

 

BOWLING ON TV THIS WEEKEND

 

The Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour will feature the Don Johnson Buckeye State Eliminator from Columbus , Ohio . The telecast will be at 1 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

 

------

 

HONOR SCORES

300 Games

Date, Name, Hometown, Center, League

Feb. 19, Dennis Soldan, Pontiac , 300 Bowl, Elks 810 Thursday Night Men

Feb. 19, Gary Thornton, Berkley , Hartfield Lanes, Thursday Night Men’s

Feb. 20, Lawrence Richardson , Southfield , Thunderbowl Lanes, 26 Mixed Invitational

Feb. 24, James Williams, Clawson , Five Star Lanes, Chrysler Central Engineering

Feb. 24, Chris McLarty, Oxford , Collier Lanes, Oxford Merchants

Feb. 25, Ryan Skarritt, Lake Orion , Airway Lanes, Wednesday Eagle League

Feb. 26, Mark Yerk, Sylvan Lake , 300 Bowl, Elks 810 Thursday Night Men

Feb. 26, John Robertson, Waterford Twp., 300 Bowl, Elks 810 Thursday Night Men

Feb. 27, Andrew Puma, Troy , Five Star Lanes, Tri County Men’s

Feb. 27, Darrell Birchett, Waterford Twp., Airway Lanes, SixPackers

Feb. 28, Ronald Zieman Jr., Redford, Hazel Park Bowl, Hamtramck Singles Classic

Feb. 28, Phillip Hanna, Detroit , Plum Hollow Lanes, LTB & Frenz

March 1, Timothy Bishop, Westland , Hazel Park Bowl, Hamtramck Singles Classic

March 2, Kelli Skarritt, Lake Orion , 300 Bowl, Sassy Ladies

March 3, Howard Gerenraich, Waterford Twp., Airway Lanes, F Troop

March 3, Emmanuel Madden, Pontiac, Classic Lanes, Untouchables Mixed

 

 

800 Series

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

Feb. 19, Andrew Bennett (805), Royal Oak , Thunderbird Lanes, Thursday T-Bird Men

Feb. 20, James Robertson (810), Waterford Twp., Airway Lanes, SixPackers

Feb. 21, Alec Reich (805), Warren , Hazel Park Bowl, Hazel Tuckey EOS

Feb. 26, Brian O’Rourke (805), West Bloomfield , Wonderland Lanes, St. Williams 07/08

March 3, Ronald Riegel Jr. (808), Fraser, Fairlanes, CAM Afternoon League

March 3, Howard Gerenraich (806), Waterford Twp., Airway Lanes, F Troop

 

 

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.