Published: April 13, 2008 12:09 am            

Kegler's Korner: Men's city bowling champions crowned recently

TERRE HAUTE — Final results have been released for the Greater Terre Haute United States Bowling Congress Men’s Bowling Association Tournament — now that’s a mouth full.

Boy oh boy, this used to be simply called the Men’s City Tournament. But if you like acronyms, I guess it’s not too hard to spell out “GTHUSBCBA”. But with that observation aside, let’s go to the scoreboard.

In the scratch division, 6th Avenue A-Go-Go IX was the team winner with a score of 3,263. Individually, winners were Dave Paulin-Dave Renshaw in doubles (1,424), Rick Fugate in singles (737) and Bryan Barton in all-events (2,097).

In the handicap division, top placers in team were Robert Cooksey 3,399; Outcasts 3,396; Brazilian Lanes VII 3,335; Brazilian Lanes 3,328; Brazilian Lanes II 3,282; Roger’s Deer Processing 3,259.

In doubles handicap, top finishers included Dan Hunt-Wesley Owens 1,530; Tyler Hoffman-Stephen Kerr 1,527; Jim Sullivan-Scott Hill 1,459; Gordon Geckeler-Everett Sweatt 1,439; Toby Fields-Larry Hatfield 1,429; Mark Draper-Mike Pearman 1,399.

In singles handicap, high placers were Brian Taylor 803, Roy Kneeves 787, John Prouchnow 760, Mike Gambill 753, Stephen Kerr 721, John Michael Fugate 719, Everett Sweatt 715, Jay Riddell 714, Larry Hatfield 714, Dale Liggett 712.

Finally, in all-events handicap, the top three finishers were Stephen Kerr 2,209; Larry Hatfield 2,151 and Everett Sweatt 2,097.

• • •

Good news for fans of women’s professional bowling.

The U.S. Women’s Open will return this fall with five consecutive weeks of telecasts on ESPN, showcasing the world’s best women bowlers on national television for a second season.

The event will take place July 31-Aug. 6 in the Chicago suburb of Romeoville, Ill. All five telecasts will be taped Aug. 5-6 and will air for five consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 7 on ESPN, Sundays at 1 p.m. ET.

Also, the PBA Women’s Series will return for the 2008-09 PBA Tour season with at least seven events.

In all, women’s bowling will be featured on ESPN for at least 12 weeks between the U.S. Women’s Open and Women’s Series events.

The U.S. Women’s Open, which has an entry fee of $250 and is open to any USBC female member, features the world’s best professional and amateur bowlers and was a major on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour until that organization folded in 2003.

• • •

The final telecast for the PBA Tour this season is the Motel 6 Roll to Riches, a season-ending special event with a winner-take-all $150,000 top prize.

The event took place on Tuesday and will air as back-to-back one-hour shows on ESPN at 1 and 2 p.m. ET today.

The field includes this season’s major event winners Norm Duke, Michael Haugen Jr. and Sean Rash, defending champion Doug Kent, plus Parker Bohn III and Chris Barnes, who both earned berths in the event via a fan vote.

The format remains the same, beginning with a challenge round with bowlers having one-ball roll-offs with the lowest score in each round will be dropped into the first elimination round. The last two bowlers standing earn a bye into the second elimination round.

The two elimination rounds are six-frame “games” with a maximum score of 180. The two survivors square off in the “Race to Six Strikes”, the first to roll six strikes claim the $150,000 top prize.

• • •

The final PBA event of this season is not televised, but is a lifeline for prospective bowlers to earn one of seven exemptions for next season.

The Denny’s PBA Tour Trials will be in Merrillville from May 27 to June 1. The assembled field will bowl nine games for five consecutive days, each day on one of the five PBA Tour lane conditions — Shark, Scorpion, Viper, Chameleon and Cheetah.

The top seven competitors from the five-day cumulative pin totals will earn a PBA Tour exemption for the 2008-09 PBA Tour season.

• • •

With the “winter” bowling season winding down — several leagues have already concluded — Kegler’s Korner will go on hiatus until after the annual Bowler’s Hall of Fame Banquet.

A reminder, this event will be at St. Mary-of-the-Woods’ LeFer Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 5.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Terre Haute Bowling Center, Vigo Bowl, Imperial Lanes, Brazilian Lanes, plus the Men’s Association (Mike Zembrowski Sr.) or Women’s Association (Alusta Kneeves).

        

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