MARCH 2014 -
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Belo Historic In Repeats As February
Bowler Of The Month
ARLINGTON, Texas - Jason Belmonte, Orange,
New South Wales, Australia, has been unanimously
chosen as the February 2014 Kegel Bowler of the
Month by the International Bowling Media Associa-
tion.
Belmonte defeated E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Indi-
ana, 221-177, for the USBC Masters title, for his ninth
career and third major PBA title. He is only the third
bowler to repeat as Masters champion; the first al-
most nearly a half-century.
After leading qualifying, the Australian two-hander
narrowly escaped the Contenders Bracket in the dou-
ble-elimination match play, qualifying fifth for the five-
man stepladder television finals. Starting from the
number five position, he defeated Ryan Ciminelli,
Cheektowaga, New York, 227-214, then Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Michigan, 202
-173. In the closest match of the day, Belmonte defeated Michael Haugen, Jr.,
Phoenix, in the semifinal, 235-234, setting up the championship match against
Tackett.
Belmonte joins USBC Hall of Famers Dick Hoover and Billy Welu as the only
back-to-back winners of the USBC Masters. Hoover won in 1956 and 1957, Welu
in 1964 and 1965.
Others obtaining votes this month were Chris Barnes, winner of the H.H. Emir
Cup; E. J. Tackett, runner up in the USBC Masters; and Kamilla Kjeldsen, winner
of the European Bowling Tour 8th International Wroclaw Open.
PBA Accepts 13 New Members From China
The PBA recently accepted membership applications from 13 Chinese bowlers, the first
players from their country to join the PBA. China becomes the 27th country represented
among PBA‘s more than 3,000 members.
China, one of 38 member nations in the World Bowling Asian Zone, has sent players to
compete in World Bowling tournaments and now hopes its country will be represented in
PBA competition by the time PBA World Series of Bowling VI rolls around this fall. The
PBA recently received its first memberships from China thanks to the efforts of Frank
Ningbo Zhao, president of Longmarch Bowling, a bowling center chain, bowling ball manu-
facturer and equipment supplier based out of Shanghai City.
Since the introduction of economic reforms in China and an economy that began to ex-
perience significant growth in the 1980s, the world‘s most populated country (1.3 billion)
experienced a boom period followed by a debut in Asian Zone competition. According to
Zhao, the first centers were opened in China in the late 1980s and by the late ‗90s, the
bowling boom peaked at roughly 30,000 new bowling lanes. But like
Japan before it, the boom began to fizzle.
After 10 years of maintaining itself, the Chinese bowling market began to experience new
growth in 2010, including a renewed interest in high-level competition. While there are
thousands of bowlers in the country, until this year, none had sought to reach PBA-level
standards.
Following a meeting with PBA Commissioner Tom Clark in Las Vegas, Zhao invited Wal-
ter Ray Williams Jr. to China. Williams‘ visit inspired Zhao to organize a ―Pioneers League‖
designed to give players a chance to record recognized averages. The 13 players who
averaged 200-plus in the special league are the first group to apply for PBA membership.
―Chinese bowlers are very excited about this,‖ Zhao said. ―They are so proud of being a
PBA member. They will soon come to play in PBA tournaments. They know they are not
isolated any more and some may start to dream to be the first Chinese to win a PBA title.‖
Zhao said the advancement has already had ―an immeasurable impact‖ on the Chinese
bowling industry and ―it will certainly help the growth and development of bowling in
China.‖
