Page 10 - jan2013

10www.bowlingworld.com– JANUARY 2013
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
30th Anniversary Bay Branch
1st Place $10,000.00
WITH FULL PROGRESSIVE POT
February 16-17-18
(check website for more information)
Schedule
Jan 12-13 Clayton Valley Bowl
Jan 19-20 Diablo valley Bowl
Jan 26-27 AMF Pinole Lanes
Feb 2-3 Kentwig Lanes
Feb 9-10 Clayton Valley Bowl
Feb 16-17-18 AMF Pinole Valley Lanes
Feb 23-24 Diablo Valley Bowl
(925) 945-1204
CBS Sports Network To Air USBC
Intercollegiate Team And Singles
Championships
ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress Intercol-
legiate Singles Championships and the USBC Intercollegiate Team
Championships will be part of a four-week series that will air nationally
in May on CBS Sports Network.
This is the 12th consecutive year of national television for the team
event and the second for singles. Dave LaMont will handle play-by-
play, while USBC spokesman and Team USA member Chris Barnes
will provide color commentary.
CBS Sports Network will air the one-hour shows in high definition
over a four-week period each Friday in May, beginning May 3. The
Intercollegiate Team Championships and Intercollegiate Singles
Championships annually crown national champions in college bowling.
"Collegiate bowling showcases all of the great elements our sport
can be proud of," said Chad Murphy, International Bowling Campus
Managing Director of Youth Development. "CBS Sports Network will
give tremendous exposure to collegiate bowling and provide an amaz-
ing experience for the student-athletes who are featured on the tele-
cast."
All four shows will be taped at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb., on
April 20. Leading up to the taped television shows, bowling fans will be
able to watch all rounds of qualifying and match play for both events
on BowlTV.
For more information USBC Collegiate, visit BOWL.com/collegiate.
Slowly, but surely, the East, particularly New Jersey, New York City,
Long Island, N.Y. and portions of nearby states are rebuilding after super-
storm Sandy did its best to destroy a century of progress.
The water rained down from above and flowed from the sea and swol-
len rivers and flooded homes and businesses and the wind blasted in
speeds seldom recorded, and then the snow came, and all the time the
power was out to millions and more than that leaves and branches and
trees of every size cam tumbling down into backyards and streets and
onto houses, cars and people.
People looked into the sky and wondered if the locusts will be the next
threat, or an invasion of wild animals.
Many bowling centers lost power and couldn’t operate, some for as long
as two weeks.
Others retained the resources to open and attempted to function as
close to normal as possible.
Some bowlers saw their lives turned upside down, so even if a center
was open, many could not honor league or tournament commitments. The
storm played havoc with tournaments across the country because air
transportation came to a halt, and with major airports in the East shut-
tered, travel plans became another victim of Sandy, and the stories won’t
be told for years to come.
Bowling is still just a game, but involves so many in one way or another
that it will take time and patience to unravel the problems brought on by
Mother Nature gone wild.
League, club and tournament officials are making every effort to come
up with fair solutions to make allowances for bowlers who could not par-
ticipate, worrying more about keeping warm than keeping the end pins
from staying up on a good hit.
The input of bowling center owners and bowling officials has been a
proud reflection of the fact that bowling remains a people game.
Most leagues and tournaments have rules to cover almost every situa-
tion and officials and directors reserve the right to make final decisions.
In many bowling events there are penalties for no-shows, including for-
feiture of pre paid fees. In Sandy’s case, common sense seems to prevail,
because factors beyond the control of all involved came into play.
Proprietors who had power went above and beyond in aiding their com-
munities, offering food and shelter to those who needed it, and to the
many workers who were forced to do their work as best they could.
Bowlers are dedicated, and after being cooped up in their dark and cold
homes for days, couldn’t wait to bowl again. Most leagues returned to ac-
tion as soon as possible, and a junior tourney, just a day after the worst
days, drew more than 50 entries, though some of the parents or transport-
ers had to wait two hours to obtain a tank of gas, and not knowing where
the next fill up might be.
Bowlers who roll in leagues or tournaments usually are pretty good
planners because their efforts take time and involve adjusting work sched-
ules, family involvement and finances.
At times, rules and regulations seem too vague, because nearly every-
one is open to some debate.
But it seems there is always something new, and Storm Sandy was
something new – a challenge to all the bright minds in bowling.
It pays to read all the rules
and regulations, and it pays
even more to have patience
if they need new understand-
ing and interpretation.
Sandy was an unwelcome
visitor to all – but it showed
why you should be proud to
be into bowling.