6
- December 2016
SERVING THE BOWLING INDUSTRY SINCE 1967
PBA, PWBA Renew
Partnership Agreement
ARLINGTON, Texas –
The Professional Bowlers
Association (PBA) will provide regional competi-
tions and player services, plus live event cover-
age of the Professional Women’s Bowling Asso-
ciation (PWBA) through Xtra Frame, its online
video streaming service, after renewing its strate-
gic partnership agreement with the PWBA.
The PBA plans to conduct seven PWBA re-
gional events in 2017, and the women-only com-
petitions, which will be operated by PBA’s re-
gional managers, will complement the PWBA
Tour schedule to provide more competitive op-
portunities for women bowlers.
“The PBA is committed to helping build a strong
tour and providing regional events for women
bowlers,” PBA Tour commissioner Tom Clark
said. “We’re excited to continue showcasing
these talented bowlers on Xtra Frame, and we’re
looking forward to another great season.”
The PWBA will utilize Xtra Frame to provide
PWBA fans with exclusive live coverage of the
tour starting with the 2017 PWBA Sonoma
County Open, which kicks off the season April 27
-29.
“The PBA-PWBA partnership is a great exam-
ple of the bowling industry working together to
build a future for the sport,” United States Bowl-
ing Congress Executive Director Chad Murphy
said. “The partnership not only provides great
opportunities for today’s women bowlers, it also
gives youth and collegiate bowlers an inspira-
tional goal.”
The PBA will continue to provide player ser-
vices, equipment transportation and a mobile pro
shop for PWBA Tour members during the sea-
son.
The agreement provides PWBA members the
eligibility to bowl in all PBA events. In 2016,
PWBA members earned points in regional com-
petitions, culminating with the PBA-PWBA
Women’s Regional Challenge event that helped
kick off the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling
VIII in late November. Missy Parkin of Laguna
Hills, California, defeated Ashly Galante of Palm
Harbor, Florida, 267-188, to capture the title.
“The services the PBA provides, such as trans-
port and mobile pro shop, are important elements
in operating a professional tour, and we appreci-
ate the PBA’s collaboration,” Bowling Proprietors’
Association of America Executive Director Frank
DeSocio said. “Along with the regional events
that will allow more players to develop their skills,
these are all essential parts of building a strong
and successful PWBA Tour.”
Pepsi Partners With PWBA
For 2017
Pepsi will be the official soft drink of the Professional
Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour and the title
sponsor of the PWBA Tour stop in Lincoln, Nebraska, in
2017.
The Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open will be the sixth stop of the
2017 PWBA Tour season and will take place June 8-10 at
Sun Valley Lanes, the third consecutive year the center
will play host to a PWBA Tour stop.
Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Illinois, won her third career
PWBA title at the 2016 Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open.
“Pepsi is the official soft drink of bowling and a valued
partner of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of Amer-
ica,” BPAA President Nancy Schenk said. “We’re excited
to team with the PWBA and look forward to another excit-
ing season on the PWBA Tour in 2017.”
Pepsi once again will be featured as a tour sponsor during
PWBA Tour telecasts on CBS Sports Network. The net-
work will televise 13 of the 14 events, including live cover-
age of the four major events on the 2017 PWBA Tour.
“The PWBA is an opportunity for Pepsi to help support a
growing pro women’s sport and enhance our connection
with the bowling community,” Todd Elliot, Vice President,
National Foodservice Sales/Pepsico said. “Pepsi has a
longstanding relationship with the BPAA and its member
centers, and looks forward to continuing its relationship
with the PWBA.”
The 2017 PWBA Tour season starts April 27 with the
PWBA Sonoma County Open at Double Decker Lanes in
Rohnert Park, California. The 14-event tour will conclude
with the PWBA Players Championship, scheduled for Aug.
31-Sept. 3.
“Continuing to have Pepsi as an official sponsor means so
much to the PWBA Tour because the Pepsi brand is rec-
ognized worldwide,” said PWBA spokesperson Kelly Ku-
lick. “Pepsi has been a tremendous partner of bowling and
we look forward to continuing the relationship in 2017.
Houston Bowler Rolls First 900
In Lone Star State
By Matt Cannizzaro
ARLINGTON, Texas -
If you're at Copperfield Bowl in
Houston on a Thursday night during the bowling season,
you'll likely run into Sean Osbourn.
But, it was an unexpected guest appearance at the center
Monday that yielded a record-setting performance for the
24-year-old right-hander, who became the 29th bowler to
roll three consecutive 300 games for a 900 series in
United States Bowling Congress-certified competition.
Osbourn bowled as a substitute in Copperfield Bowl's
early league session, and then was asked to fill in for
someone on the late league.
The second half of his evening started with the usual
paperwork any bowler must fill out when bowling in new
league for the first time, but it ended with additional paper-
work he never could have expected.
"I couldn't believe it - I still can't," said Osbourn, who
owned four 300 games prior to Monday. "I wasn't shaking
at the end, though. I think I was in shock. It's great and
crazy, and I can't believe it happened to me. I love bowling
and always have, and this is something I'll never forget."
Osbourn's last 300 and 800 came at Copperfield Bowl in
September, when he opened the night with 12 consecutive
strikes and added games of 258 and 254 for an 812 se-
ries, the third 800 of his career.
That experience definitely helped him Monday after his
perfect start, despite impossible-to-avoid thoughts of the
likelihood of a poor shot or run-ending 10 pin. Neither hap-
pened, though, as Osbourn polished off the first perfect set
in the Lone Star State, topping the previous mark of 899,
shot by Bill Fong of Plano, Texas, in 2010.
"I'd never shot back-to-back 300s or two in the same set,
so it was a little unfamiliar, but I just tried to keep it going
and keep the shots online," Osbourn said. "I felt the same
way at the end of the third game, too. But, I was on my
good lane. I tried not to over think it and just throw the
ball."
Osbourn's 36-strike string came in the NFL Fall 2016
short-season league. The trios league kicked off its 14-
week season in mid-September and is scheduled to run
until Dec. 12.
"It definitely helped being in
a trios league, so I didn't
have to wait that long and
was able to keep my mind
focused," said Osbourn, who
comes from a family of bowl-
ers and has averaged as
high as 230, which came
during the 2013-2014 sea-
son. "Being that it was the
late league and some teams had already left, there weren't
that many people around. Those who were left came up to
congratulate me, and 5-10 minutes later is when it really
started to sink in."
Osbourn had about a week's notice concerning his sub-
stitute role in Monday's early league, in which he bowled a
less eventful series in the 670s. But, the first session
served as a great warm-up and gave him an idea how to
attack the oil pattern, even though his record feat would
take place on a different pair of lanes.
Osbourn's achievement is pending approval from USBC
and would be the 30th USBC-approved 900.
The first USBC-approved 900 occurred Feb. 2, 1997
when Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled three consecutive perfect
games in Lincoln, Nebraska.
