Benjamin Doyle said he became a Sean Rash fan when Rash first joined the PBA Tour on a regular basis. But the 16-year-old Casper, Wyo., youth bowler never imagined he'd have the opportunity he got last week when he met and bowled with Rash during the USBC Masters at Sunset Station in Las Vegas.

Doyle (pictured right), a brain tumor survivor, got his chance to bowl with Rash (left) through the Make A Wish Foundation. He spent more than an hour on the lanes with Rash on Jan. 28 at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center.

"When (Rash) first came on tour, he became my favorite," Doyle said. "I love watching him. I want to be like him."

Doyle, a 10th grader who carries a 208 average in his youth league, said Rash gave him some great tips about keeping good balance and working on his follow-through. Following his lesson, Doyle promptly threw six strikes in a row before leaving a solid 7 pin to end his streak.

"One thing athletes do great is give back," Rash said. "I enjoy opportunities like this. When I was young and asked pros for help, they were always willing.

"It's very touching to work with these kids, to see what they have to fight through. They battle through things that are life-threatening, but in reality, they're human beings just like you and me, and that's what matters most."

Rash previously befriended 10-year-old Danny McCarty of Las Vegas, a victim of "brittle bone disease," during the PBA World Series of Bowling.

 

Chris Paul Celebrity Invitational "Red Carpet Interviews" now online

Red carpet interviews with PBA and celebrity participants in Sunday's Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Sheets Brand can be viewed on PBA YouTube page, including a Chris Paul interview by Xtra Frame's Jackie Bowling.

 

Additional interviews feature Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush, Entourage actor Jerry Ferrara, former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, teenage musical group Mindless Behavior, "The Price is Right" host Drew Carey, Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin, and PBA stars Jason Belmonte, Pete Weber, Ryan Shafer and Wes Malott.

The Chris Paul special event airs just in front of the Super Bowl Sunday on ESPN, starting at 4 p.m. ET.

 

 

New lane pattern to honor Don Johnson at Xtra Frame Columbus event

A new Don Johnson lane conditioning pattern will be specifically created for the PBA's Xtra Frame Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300, scheduled for Feb. 16-19 at Sequoia Pro Bowl in Columbus, Ohio.

The Don Johnson pattern joins family of lane conditioning patterns the PBA has created in honor of some of its hall of fame superstars, including Earl Anthony, Dick Weber and Carmen Salvino, among others.

"The 45-foot pattern possesses excellent scoring potential if played correctly," said PBA Deputy Commissioner Kirk Von Krueger. "Shot-making combined with choosing the correct angle of attack are both critical to success. Using too much ball surface or playing too deep could inhibit the scoring pace."

The Xtra Frame Ricart Ford Open presented by Columbia 300 is the second of four PBA Tour events that will be webcast live, exclusively on the PBA's online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. Full-year and monthly subscriptions to Xtra Frame are available on pba.com.

 

 

Bower, Tomek team up to win Central Region Over/Under Doubles title

Darryl Bower (r.) of Middletown, Pa. and partner Jim Tomek Jr. (l.) defeated Dick Gran of Hartville, Ohio and Bob Learn Jr. of Macomb, Mich., 2-1, in a best-of three-game match to win the PBA Central Region's Legend Lanes Over/Under Doubles Classic at Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Sunday.

Teams in the event were required to include one bowler age 50 or older, and one bowler under the age of 50. The title was Bower's and Tomek's first of the year in the PBA Central Region. It also was Bower's 16th career PBA Regional title and Tomek's eighth. They also split a $4,000 first prize.

Bower and Tomek won the first game against Gran and Learn, 422-400, lost the second game, 512-456, but claimed the title in the final game, 501-461.

On the Feb. 3-5 calendar are the PBA Southwest Region's Carol "Stormin'" Norman Pro Shop U Can Bowl 2 Del Mar Lanes Open in Houston, Texas; the joint Midwest/Central Region Sparetime Lanes Senior Open presented by Allstate Insurance in Decatur, Ill., and the PBA West Region Jackson Rancheria Classic at Gold Country Lanes in Sutter Creek, Calif.

February's schedule also includes a new Regional Players Doubles Championship presented by Hammer Feb. 10-12 at The Orleans in Las Vegas. The field will be limited to 70 teams on a first-come basis.

For complete Regional tournament schedules and entry information, click here.

 

 

Quick notes:

Veteran announcer Gary Thorne (left) made a successful PBA Tour debut as play-by-play announcer for Sunday's ESPN telecast of the Alka-Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels USBC Masters, which drew the largest audience of the 2011-12 season – more than one million viewers.

Thorne, who covers Major League Baseball and college football for ESPN, also is the television play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles and is a renowned for his National Hockey League broadcast coverage. He replaces Rob Stone, who has taken a new position with the Fox Sports Network.

PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss (pictured right with women's champion Hayley White) won the Columbia 300 Irish Open Tenpin Bowling Championships at Leisureplex Stillorgan in Dublin, Ireland, on Jan. 22, topping a 122-player field with a 27-game total of 6,582 pins, including match play bonus pins.

Scott Salem, better known as "Scott the Engineer" to Howard Stern fans, will return to PBA competition during the 69th U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone-Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J., Feb. 20-26, and Howard TV will be on hand to cover all of Salem's activities.

Salem, an avid scratch league bowler in New Jersey, made his debut in PBA Tour competition during the 2010 PBA World Series of Bowling, generating extensive media coverage on Stern's Sirius Radio broadcasts as well as on Howard TV.

 

 

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