Page 15 - bwapr2013

APRIL 2013 -www.bowlingworld.com15
Scott Norton Wins
Earl Anthony PBA Players
Championship
Back-To-Back Splits Prove Costly To Challenger Sean Rash In
Title Match
ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Scott Norton of Mission Viejo, Calif.,
defeated reigning Professional Bowlers Association Player of the
Year Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., 219-191, to win the Earl
Anthony PBA Players Championship at Thunderbowl Lanes for
his third career title and second of the 2012-13 season.
The Anthony PBA Players Championship finals aired Sunday
on ESPN.
Back-to-back unconverted 4-9 and 4-6-7 splits in the fifth and
sixth frames put Rash in a 35-pin hole. He rebounded with a
string of three strikes, but Norton continued to fill frames to main-
tain the lead. When Rash failed to strike in the 10th, Norton only
needed seven pins in his 10th frame and the California left-hander
threw three strikes to seal the victory.
"I knew Earl Anthony when I was a kid. My mother (women's
professional hall of famer Virginia Norton) bowled on tour at about
the same time, so I got to know him," Norton said. "To win the
tournament named in his honor is really special.
"I thought it was a lot to get one title in a year, let alone two,"
Norton added. "I don't even have the words. I knew I was throw-
ing the ball well.
I knew I was in a good place mentally. Last year I knew what it
took to win, but this year, I just decided I'm out here because I
love to bowl and compete, and for no other reason."
Norton was frustrated that he was unable to put the match
away early, given opportunities by Rash, but he said he has new-
found confidence that he can ultimately get the job done.
"Every time (Rash) gave me an opening, I couldn't close the
door," he said, "but I have a little more determination now than
I've had in the past. Every time I'm on that big stage, I know what
I need to do."
Norton, a practicing attorney when he isn't bowling on Tour,
knows it's very early to start thinking about the PBA Player of the
Year race, but moving into a tie with Mika Koivuniemi as the only
two-time winners so far in 2012-13 at least puts him in the conver-
sations.
"If I win POY that's great," he said. "That's everyone's goal, but
I can only do what I can do and the rest isn't up to me."
EARL ANTHONY PBA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.
Championship
Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif. ($25,000), def. Sean Rash,
Montgomery, Ill. ($13,000), 219-191.
33, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 5,257, $2,200.
34, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5,251, $2,150.
35, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 5,247, $2,200.
36, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 5,245, $2,050.
37, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 5,237, $2,000.
38 (tie), Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, and Kurt
Pilon, Warren, Mich., 5,220, $1,925.
40, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 5,215,
$1,850.
41, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 5,201, $1,800.
42, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 5,175, $1,750.
43, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 5,133,
$1,700.
44, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 5,097, $1,650.
45, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 5,079, $1,600.
46, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 5,071, $1,550.
47, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 5,064,
$1,500.
48, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 5,063, $1,450.
49, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 5,056, $1,400.
50, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 5,019, $1,400.
51, George Branham III, Indianapolis, 4,857,
$1,400.
52, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, withdrew,
$1,400.
53, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, withdrew,
$1,400.
300 Games: Jason Belmonte.
(Continued from page 12)
Palermaa, Belmonte
Doug Kent & Danny
Wiseman Inducted Into
PBA Hall Of Fame
During Ceremonies in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS - Doug Kent of Newark, N.Y., the
winner of 10 Professional Bowlers Association Tour
titles including four major championships, and Danny
Wiseman of Baltimore, a 12-time Tour winner with one
major title, were inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame for
superior performance during ceremonies at the Indian-
apolis Marriott North Saturday night.
Wiseman, 45, joined the PBA in 1987 and has earned
just over $1.55 million. Kent, also 45, joined the PBA in
1988 and has earned just over $1.51 million during his
career. In the voting for the 50 Greatest Players in PBA
History during the organization’s 50th anniversary cele-
bration in 2009, Wiseman was ranked 42nd and Kent
43rd.
Among Kent’s major titles are the 1991 United States
Bowling Congress Masters, his first title, the 2002 PBA
World Championship, and the 2006 USBC Masters and
Denny’s PBA World Championship. Winning two ma-
jors in 2006 led to the Chris Schenkel PBA Player of
the Year award. He is one of only nine players ever to
win two major titles in the same season.
“As a young player I never thought about Halls of
Fame or Player of the Year awards,” Kent said. “All I
wanted to be was like my hero Mark Roth.
“I want to thank PBA for the opportunity to be a pro-
fessional bowler and to live a dream.”
Kent joins his brother-in-law, Parker Bohn III, in the
PBA Hall of Fame. Kent’s wife is the former Chrissie
Beamish; Bohn’s wife is the former Leslie Beamish.
They are the second set of brothers-in-law in the PBA
Hall, joining Mike Aulby and Steve Cook, who also
married sisters.
Wiseman, who won the first of his 11 standard titles in
the 1990 Fair Lanes Open in his hometown in his first
television appearance, won the historic 2004 USBC
Miller High Life Masters which was staged on a special
lane installation inside Miller Park in Milwaukee – the
first time a bowling championship had been conducted
inside a major league baseball stadium.
Wiseman also had memorable performances in the 1992 Tournament of Champions and 2009 USBC Masters, finishing sec-
ond in both tournaments.
Early in his career, Wiseman defined himself by compiling the winningest television record in PBA history at that time (21-5),
and by introducing a colorful persona that branded him as something of a maverick.
“I never had a lot of natural ability and often wondered how I got to this point,” Wiseman said. “I
have to give my parents a lot of the credit. I learned to strive for perfection from dad and to never
give up from my mom.
“I took what I learned from a lot of the greats in the sport, combined it with my own ability and
made a career out of it.”
Including the Class of 2013, the PBA Hall of Fame consists of 61 performance, 27 meritorious
service and three PBA50 (formerly senior) inductees.
PBA50 Tour Calendar
PBA50 Pasco County Suncoast Open, benefiting Wounded Warriors
Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Wednesday, April 17, 2013
New Port Richey, FL
PBA50 Sun Bowl In The Villages presented by Hammer
Saturday, April 20, 2013 - Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The Villages, FLPBA50 Greater Birmingham Open presented by Ebon-
ite
Sunday, April 28, 2013 - Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Trussville, AL
PBA50 Miller High Life Classic presented by Columbia 300
Sunday, May 05, 2013 - Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Mooresville, NC
PBA50 Dayton Classic presented by Roto Grip
Monday, May 13, 2013 - Thursday, May 16, 2013
Kettering, OH
Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Storm
Sunday, June 02, 2013 - Friday, June 07, 2013
Las Vegas, NV
United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters
Sunday, June 09, 2013 - Friday, June 14, 2013
Las Vegas, NV
PBA50 Northern California Classic presented by Track
Sunday, June 16, 2013 - Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Brentwood, CA
PBA50 South Shore Open presented by DV8
Monday, August 05, 2013 - Thursday, August 08, 2013
Hammond, IN
PBA50 Senior & Super Senior Doubles Classic, presented by Bruns-
wick
Saturday, August 10, 2013 - Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Decatur, IL
PBA50 Treasure Island Resort & Casino Open presented by MOTIV
Sunday, August 18, 2013 - Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Welch, MN
PBA50 Tour ESPN Finals
New York City WTT KingPins Earn Top
Berth for PBA League Elias Cup Finals
L.A. X captures final PBA League Earl Anthony round, but misses berth in finals by two points
ALLEN PARK, Mich. – L.A. X, a team of Professional Bowlers Association stars owned by
Los Angeles Clippers all-star guard Chris Paul, struck on seven of its first eight shots to build
an insurmountable lead over the top qualifiers, Terrell Owens’ Dallas Strikers, to win the PBA
League Anthony round, 257-214, but it wasn’t enough to earn the team a berth in the PBA
League Elias Cup finals.
L.A. X made its ESPN debut in the fifth and final qualifying round of PBA League competi-
tion, but missed the Elias Cup finals by two points. The Anthony team round aired Sunday on
ESPN.
“It was a game of near misses for us all week,” L.A. X franchise player Jason Belmonte
said. “We felt like there was always one game that seemed to get away from us, even in quali-
fying. The same thing was happening to us in the Clash eliminator rounds.
“I’m always the optimist, so I figured if we got on the main show, we’d take it and today we
did. The guys bowled awesome. I’m really proud of them,” he added. “We moved up to fifth in
the Elias Cup standings, but we still missed the finals. It was another near miss.”
L.A. X advanced to the Anthony round finals with a 207-206 victory over Chris Hardwick’s
Silver Lake Atom Splitters. After L.A. X’s Dave Wodka missed a 10 pin in the eighth frame to
(Continued on page 16)