FEBRUARY 2014 -
3
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bowlingworld.com
TOURNAMENTS
Dan Long Wins First PBA Regional Title
By: Bette Addington – California Bowling Writers
Bakersfield’s Dan Long is celebrating his first-ever PBA Regional
Title—the PBA Sands Regency West/Northwest Winter Classic
presented by Motiv. Long emerged from a field of 57 bowlers and
became the sixth seed after bowling his seven games of qualifying.
The event was held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. The
event ran from January 10-12. Bowlers bowled on the USBC
White pattern.
Long held off 10-time world champion and number four seed Tet-
suya Kobayashi of Japan for the title (257-190). In the Round of 8
(best of three games), Long defeated Darryl Okamoto, from Hono-
lulu, Hawaii, 3-0. He then proceeded on to the semi-final round
and defeated Cris Ferreira, from Visalia, 259-248 before taking on
his championship final match against Kobayashi.
Long, fresh off winning the Modesto 6-Gamer back on December
8, averaged 240 for qualifying and averaged 250 in match play. He
said winning this title brought a “tear in my eye!”
A new resident to Bakersfield, Long moved here this past summer
from northern California. He has bowled since the age of 3 which
now makes it 35 years. Long, a lefty, was the only one to win all
his matches in match play. He won $2,000 for this first title as well
as received 25,000 PBA points.
THE COLUMBIA
300 FORTY
FRAME GAME TO
JOIN USBC OPEN
CHAMPIONSHIPS
AT NBS
By Matt
Cannizzaro
ARLINGTON, Texas -
The Forty
Frame Game and the United States
Bowling Congress have agreed on a
partnership that will bring the popular
tournament to the National Bowling
Stadium's Showcase Lanes in 2014,
and Columbia 300 will serve as the
event's title sponsor.
The Columbia 300 Forty Frame
Game, which started in 1989, has been
held in the same host city as the USBC
Open Championships since 1992, but
Reno, Nev., in 2014 will mark the first
time for the two events to be held in the
same venue.
"The Columbia 300 Forty Frame
Game draws thousands of competitors
each year with its fun format and
unique jackpots, and we're looking for-
ward to adding it to the variety of
events at the NBS," said Brian Lewis,
USBC Managing Director of Tourna-
ments. "We saw last year that bowlers
love the convenience of the on-site side
tournaments, and the uniqueness of
The Columbia 300 Forty Frame Game
will ensure that bowlers of all skill and
interest levels can find an event for
them."
The Columbia 300 Forty Frame Game
is a handicap singles tournament of 40
continuous frames that includes no-tap
frames, mulligans, bonus pins and
other fun challenges. There also is a
variety of side events and doubles for
bowlers to earn additional prize money.
The tournament has welcomed more
than 300,000 bowlers and paid more
than $10.5 million in 25 years of com-
petition.
"We are thrilled to be partners with
Columbia 300, one of the top ball
brands in bowling, and to be part of the
offerings to USBC bowlers," said Jim
Walter, owner of The Forty Frame
Game. "Our unique format is a lot of
fun and also gives participants the
chance to practice and possibly win
some money in the same atmosphere
where they will be competing for bowl-
ing's national championships."
The Columbia 300 Forty Frame Game
will be held on the Showcase Lanes,
which also are used for team practice
sessions. There will be specific after-
noon and evening squad times for The
Columbia 300 Forty Frame Game as
well as morning and early-afternoon
times set aside for team practice ses-
sions on the Showcase Lanes.
"Columbia 300 represents fun bowling
competition with your friends, making
partnership with The Forty Frame
Game a perfect fit," Columbia 300
Brand Manager Bugsy Kelly said. "We
look forward to helping make The Co-
lumbia 300 Forty Frame Game a spe-
cial experience that every bowler will
want to make part of their Reno visit."
Prize money for Forty Frame Game
tournaments nationwide, including The
Forty Frame Game in the event's
hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and a La-
dies Doubles, traditionally held along-
side the USBC Women's Champion-
ships (since 1995), is approximately
$450,000. Top performers also earn an
all-expense-paid trip to The Forty
Frame Game National Championship
Finals held each November in Las Ve-
gas, where they can win additional
prize money.
The Forty Frame
National Championship
This event is held each year on the first
or second weekend in November to
determine The Forty Frame Game Na-
tional Champion. The site is the Silver
Nugget Casino and Bowling Center in
Las Vegas. There are preliminary
rounds of bowling starting Friday eve-
ning and ending on Saturday or Sunday
morning with six finalists going head to
head for all the marbles in The Forty
Frame Game Championship Finals.
It is a fun event and another opportu-
nity to win more dollars. Eligible finalists
are the top winners from the Toledo,
USBCBA and USBCWBA plus any
league champions who are sponsored
by their bowling centers. All participants
receive free transportation, lodging and
meals. Guests are welcome at their own
expense. It is a party atmosphere and
an exciting conclusion to The Forty
Frame Game season.
