FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (June 25, 2010)
Bill Vint | PBA Media Relations
Professional Bowlers Association | 719 Second Avenue, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98104
PBA Spare Shots
WICHITA REGIONAL ALMOST PRODUCES A CHRIS VS. LYNDA BARNES FINALE
Lynda Barnes needed one more win to set up the first husband vs. wife title match in PBA history Sunday, June 20, at Thunderbird Lanes in Wichita, Kan., but top qualifier Kevin Mitchell of Tulsa, Okla., spoiled the fun when he eliminated Mrs. Barnes in the semifinal round, 224-180.
Chris Barnes defeated Mitchell, 247-195, to win the joint PBA Southwest/Midwest Regional Wichita Open, but it was his wife and the possibilities of an historic title showdown that had people talking.
Lynda Barnes made it interesting when she swept Wichita�s Sean Rash in their best-of-five-game Round of 16 match, 229-207, 202-193 and 235-227 in their first �re-match� since Lynda Barnes defeated Rash in the title match of USBC�s nationally-televised 2008 Clash of Champions in Kansas City, Mo., 258-237. Lynda Barnes then defeated 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour competitor George Lambert IV in their best-of-three, Round of 8 match, 217-178 and 220-124, to advance to the semifinal round.
The Wichita regional included a number of past and present PBA Exempt Players include PBA Tour title winners Rash, Rick Steelsmith, Lonnie Waliczek and Mike Edwards.
The closest Chris and Lynda Barnes ever came to bowling against each other for a significant title was during the 2009 USBC Clash of Champions. Lynda, the defending champion, qualified for that event as USBC Queens champion while Chris qualified as PBA Player of the Year. Lynda was eliminated in the preliminary rounds of that event, but Chris succeeded his wife as Clash champion.
ANOTHER BOHN IN CONTENTION?
Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J., finished third in the PBA East Region�s Howell (N.J.) Lanes Open � won by Brian LeClair � on Sunday, June 20, but it was another player named �Andrew Bohn� who attracted special attention.
The answer is, yes, the Bohns are related. Andrew, a 19-year-old right-hander, is the son of Parker�s uncle, Eddie Bohn of Freehold, N.J. Andrew, bowling as a guest, finished 38th and cashed for $400.
�Andrew is the youngest of my uncle�s three sons,� Parker said. �Most of my family grew up around auto racing in the Charlotte, N.C., area where my uncle and his two oldest sons worked for Evenham Motor Sports. Andrew loves racing as well as bowling, but it looks like bowling may be taking the lead.
�He really needs to bowl more events and gain confidence,� Parker said of his cousin. �He has been bowling for a number of years, but this is his first real year bowling as an adult. He�s a great young man with an even temperament on the lanes.�
LET THE GAMES BEGIN: GEICO TEAM SHOOTOUT GETS UNDERWAY SUNDAY ON ESPN
The stars of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour will return to ESPN on Sunday, June 27, with the first of four days of coverage of the GEICO Team Shootout from Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. Teams representing Brunswick, Ebonite International, Storm Products and 900 Global bowled a round-robin series of Baker format team matches in the inaugural �Manufacturers Cup� competition.
For the record, the fourth annual made-for-television bowling contest will feature a cast of players with a combined total of 280 PBA titles. Six are PBA Hall of Famers (Parker Bohn III, Johnny Petraglia, Brian Voss, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Norm Duke and Pete Weber), and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, the only woman in the field, is a USBC Hall of Famer.
The tape-delayed action, contested on lanes constructed in one of the Atlantic Coast region�s most popular theme parks, will air on June 27 at 2:30 p.m., July 3 at 2 p.m., July 4 at 1 p.m. and July 11 at 1:30 p.m. All times are Eastern.
XTRA FRAME HEADS FOR LAS VEGAS, INTERNATIONAL BOWL EXPO
If you�d like to find out the latest news in bowling straight from the mouths of the sport�s most influential leaders, and learn more about the newest in products and services, tune in to PBA's Xtra Frame Wednesday and Thursday, June 30 and July 1, for on-demand coverage from International Bowl Expo in Las Vegas. Special coverage in the �Bowlers Journal at Bowl Expo� programming will feature the superstars of the game during the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame�s Salute to Bowling Wednesday night.
PBA�S SOCIAL NETWORKING REACH CONTINUES FAST GROWTH PACE
The Professional Bowlers Association is riding the wave of online digital media in expanding the way sports information is disseminated to an information-hungry society. In addition to its documented growth of pba.com visitors and Xtra Frame subscribers, the PBA is rapidly expanding its social networking exposure.
PBA�s Facebook participation is up over 300 percent since the start of the 2009-10 season with more than 31,000 fans. PBA on Twitter has more than 2,200 followers and the original PBA Message Board has over 33,500 members. Follow the links on the PBA.com homepage to follow the PBA via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Speaking of YouTube, PBA video highlights have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times led this year by Osku Palermaa's incredible two-handed over-the-bar-stool trick shot (over 147,000 views) during the 2009 World Series of Bowling and Brian Voss' amazing 7-10 conversion in the position round of the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles (over 94,000 views).
PBA SENIOR TOUR GEARING UP FOR FINAL THREE EVENTS OF 2010
With his victory in the USBC Senior Masters, Wayne Webb of Columbus, Ohio, has taken a commanding lead in the 2010 PBA Senior Tour earnings and points races heading into the final three tournaments of the year. Webb, who hopes to win PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year honors for the first time, has banked $31,050 in four events, topping Mark Williams� $22,903, and he leads Williams by 20,000 points in that race. �Rookie� Walter Ray Williams Jr. is third in earnings with $17,150 in only three appearances.
The only race Webb isn�t leading is the average race where Walter Ray Williams is the leader at 226.74 after his limited schedule. Reigning Senior Player of the Year Ron Mohr is second at 223.74 and Webb is third with a 222.99 average. For complete Senior Tour statistics, visit pba.com.
The Senior Tour will conclude its season with three events in August � the Senior Lake County Indiana Open at Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind., Aug. 9-12; the Senior Decatur Open at Spare Time Lanes in Decatur, Ill., Aug. 14-17, and the Senior Jackson Open at Airport Lanes in Jackson, Mich., Aug. 21-24.
WILLIAMS TO TAKE A HORSESHOE BREAK BEFORE SENIOR TOUR WRAP-UP
Walter Ray Williams Jr. is taking a mid-summer break from bowling to pursue his other passion, horseshoe pitching. The six-time World Horseshoe Pitching Champion and member of the National Horseshoe Pitching Hall of Fame will compete in a tournament in Danville, Ill., July 10-11, before heading to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where � uncharacteristically � he questions whether or not he can win.
�I wish that I could be more competitive at the world tournament, but the reality is that a top five finish would be pretty good for me right now,� Williams said. �Unfortunately the top two players are quite a bit better than me, but that is the way it is.�
Folllowing the World Horseshoe Pitching Championships, Williams said he�s planning to head to Hammond, Ind., for the PBA Senior Lake County Indiana Open � the first leg of the PBA Senior Tour�s final swing. Olympia Lanes will host that event Aug. 9-12. The Seniors will then close their 2010 season with the Senior Decatur (Ill.) Open at Spare Time Lanes, Aug. 14-17, and the Senior Jackson (Mich.) Open at Airport Lanes, Aug. 21-24.
