10
– MAY 2013
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
May 25-26,27, 2013
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Over the centuries bowling has had a reputation as a gambling sport.
The sport came to the United States in the early 1600s as a lawn game, then progressed to a ball
and pin game, but with nine pins. Because there were too many reported incidents of gambling nine
pins was barred in most areas.
But some unidentified genius changed the history by adding a pin so that the game became ten-
pins and avoided the legal barriers.
It seems that every time you turn around a new casino is opened and the push is on to allow
more and gambling on sports competition.
At first glance bowling seems like a natural, you can bet on teams, and individuals, and you can
limit it down to single balls, games or even the total strikes, strikes in specific games or number of
games, and dozens of other variations.
Gambling on bowling tournaments has been attempted legally in Las Vegas, but has been a
dismal failure simply because there never was enough action to pay promoters and handicapping
bowlers is much more difficult than it looks.
Yet, bowling tournaments are basically a gamble. However, a huge number of people put up a
small amount of wagering money in the form of part of their entry fee, and it can be spread a long
way. People seem to get a kick out of betting on their own ability when it comes to bowling where
skill is involved and in most cases handicaps help even the playing field.
There has been room for professional bowling, and major tournaments around the world, pro and
amateur, have their appeals with prestige, travel, and money and merchandise prizes within limits
without the help of gambling on the results.
Bowling rules evolved over the years to insure that equipment meets rigid specifications and all
competitions have strict rules. And history has proven legal gambling on bowling has never been a
goal of many.
Lennie Boresch Jr. Captures
PBA50 Miller High Life Classic
For Second Career PBA50 Tour Title
Boresch Overcomes More Than 30-Pin Deficit To Beat Mike Henry 211-210 In Title Match
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Down by more than 30 pins halfway through the title match, Lennie
Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wis., came back to win the PBA50 Miller High Life Classic presented
by Columbia 300 by one pin Wednesday at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes.
Boresch won his second career PBA50 Tour title by defeating Mike Henry of Brunswick,
Ohio, 211-210, in the title match. In 2012 Boresch won in his PBA50 Tour debut capturing the
Senior Sun Bowl In The Villages title.
After Boresch made his run to take the lead heading into the 10th frame, Henry still had a
chance to win by throwing a double in the 10th frame. He got the first strike but threw a seven
count on the second ball handing the win to Boresch.
―I figured I was done but then Mike threw a bad shot and then I started thinking, well, you
never know what can happen.‖ Boresch said. ―It was kind of early in the match and I looked up
at the scoring monitor and saw I could strike out for 232. I didn’t strike out but I put enough
strikes together to put a little pressure on Mike.‖
It marked the second week in a row that the title match was decided by one pin. Hall of
Famer Tom Baker defeated Bryan Goebel 227-226 to win last week’s Greater Birmingham
Open.
―I thought Mike would get that double in the 10th frame after he got the first one because he
was generally bowling pretty well,‖ Boresch added. ―You just never know in this game.‖
Henry, who was also trying for his second career PBA50 Tour title, was hoping to end a
three-season winless streak dating back to 2010 when he won the Senior Lake County (Ind.)
Open.
Boresch’s win was a confidence builder after a slow start to the season and having thoughts
about taking this week off to work on his game.
(Continued on page 12)
Bryan Goebel Averages 240
To Lead Qualifying
In PBA50 Miller High Life Classic
Top 40 advance to Wednesday’s match play rounds
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Bryan Goebel, a 10-time winner on the PBA Tour, averaged 240 to
emerge as the leader after second round qualifying Tuesday in the PBA50 Miller High Life
Classic presented by Columbia 300 at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes.
Goebel, who had a 16-year career on the PBA Tour from 1989 until 2004-05, finished quali-
fying with a 3,851 16-game pinfall total bowling games of 266, 217, 232, 269, 242, 200, 216
and 268 in Tuesday’s second round.
―I felt like I bowled slightly better today,‖ said Goebel, who finished third in qualifying after the
first round. ―Even though I scored well I felt a little lost yesterday. I made some adjustments
today so now I just need to come out firing in match play and hopefully catch a few breaks.‖
Goebel leads a field of 40 players advancing to Wednesday’s match play rounds which be-
gin at 11 a.m ET. Round of 8 and championship rounds will get underway at 7:30 p.m.
Goebel finished second in last week’s Greater Birmingham Open for his best PBA50 Tour
finish to date, losing to Hall of Famer Tom Baker in a dramatic championship match, 227-226.
The 51-year-old Goebel of Shawnee, Kan., is competing in his second season on the PBA50
Tour after bowling in just four tournaments in 2012 where he had a best finish of 22nd in the
PBA Senior Don Carter Memorial.
―I had a lot of things going on last year including selling my share of the pro shop and was
really only competing at about 80 percent,‖ Goebel said. ―This year I’m going to give it a hun-
dred percent and hopefully the results will show.‖
Rounding out the top eight who earned two match play round byes were Dale Csuhta,
Wadsworth, Ohio, 3,799; two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska,
3,770; Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3,769; reigning PBA50 Player of the Year Hall of
Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,754; Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3,747; Hall of
Famer Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J.; 3,740 and Hugh Miller, Seattle, 3,696.
Joe Scarborough of Charlotte, who rolled the first 900 series in PBA history in the recent
PBA50 Sun Bowl In The Villages, advanced to match play finishing qualifying in 23rd with
3,508.
PBA.com’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame will provide coverage of all the Miller High
Life Classic match play rounds. For subscription information click on the Xtra Frame logo on
the pba.com homepage.
PBA50 Miller High Life Classic Presented By Columbia 300
George Pappas’ Victory Lanes, Mooresville, N.C., Tuesday
(Continued on page 12)
