PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber (pictured) of St. Ann, Mo., is ready to join the PBA50 Tour after celebrating his 50th birthday on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Weber, the winner of 35 PBA Tour titles (fourth on the all-time list) and a record 47 PBA Regional titles, is the only player in history to win five U.S. Open titles. He has bowled in 726 PBA Tour tournaments in a career that began at age 17 in 1979 - when he became the youngest player ever to win a PBA Regional title (St. Louis, 1979).

He also is the youngest United States Bowling Congress member to bowl a 300 game in his first game as a certified adult league bowler, a feat he accomplished at age 15 in St. Louis.

Weber, who will begin his 34th season as a PBA Tour competitor when PBA World Series of Bowling IV gets underway Nov. 2-11 in Las Vegas, is expected to make his debut on the newly-renamed PBA50 Tour (formerly PBA Senior Tour) in the spring of 2013.

Next year's PBA50 Tour schedule will be announced later in the fall. The PBA's 50-and-older players have completed their 2012 season.

 

Regional Roundup: Warren wins third "animal pattern" title

Chris Warren (pictured left) of Grants Pass, Ore., posted a 9-3 match play record and a 20-game total of 4,895 pins on Sunday, Aug. 19, to win his 37th career regional title in the PBA Northwest Region Dave Husted Viper Open.

Warren, who earned $2,000, defeated Thomas Ault Jr. of Portland, Ore., by 151 pins for the title and his third victory in the PBA Northwest Region's four animal pattern championship events.

Ault earned a paid entry into the 2012 PBA World Series of Bowling as the highest finisher in the optional animal pattern entry program while Bryon Smith of Roseburg, Ore. won a spot as the region's overall points leader for the four animal pattern events.

Warren had previously won the Chameleon and Cheetah Open titles. Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, won the Northwest Region's Scorpion Open title.

In Coldwater, Ohio, Dick Allen (right) of Columbia, S.C. defeated Joe Ciccone of Buffalo, N.Y., 232-211, to win the PBA Central Region's fifth Annual Lefeld Implement Classic at Pla-Mor Lanes on Sunday. Allen collected $4,000 along with his 13th career PBA Regional title.

In Winston-Salem, N.C., Dennis Lane of Kingsport, Tenn., topped a field of 68 "super seniors", defeating Bob Kelly of Dayton, Ohio, 205-160, in the title match of the second annual PBA South Region Wilson & Sons Termite Pest Control Super Senior Open at Northside Lanes on Sunday. Lane earned $1,600 for the win in an event limited to players ages 60 and older.

The PBA Midwest, South and Southwest Regions will complete their animal pattern championships programs over the Aug. 24-26 weekend.

On tap are the PBA Midwest Cheetah Open presented by Brunswick at Premiere Bowling and Entertainment in Pleasant Hill, Iowa; the PBA South Region Scorpion Open presented by Columbia 300 at Cherokee Lanes in Canton, Ga., and the PBA Southwest Region Scorpion Open presented by DV8 at DB's Sports Grill and Bowling in Greenville, Texas.

Also over the Aug. 24-26 weekend is the PBA East Region Mil-Ray Foods Open presented by Hammer at 30 Strikes in Stratford, N.J.

Labor Day weekend will wrap up the seven-region animal pattern championship program when the PBA West Region hosts its Chameleon Don Johnson Memorial presented by Brunswick at Fourth Street Bowl in San Jose, Calif.

The Don Johnson Memorial, which also will include PBA Northwest players, includes a companion PBA Senior event. Other Labor Day weekend events include the PBA East Region Strike Zone Senior Open in Pottsville, Pa.; the PBA South Region Vero Bowl Classic in Vero Beach, Fla., and the PBA Southwest Region Miller/Coors Open presented by Roto Grip at Golden Bowl in Golden, Colo.

The final PBA regional animal pattern championships of the year each offer an optional entry fee program for the right to win a paid entry into PBA World Series of Bowling IV, Nov. 2-11 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas. All seven regions also will award WSOB entries to the players who accumulate the most competition points in their home region's four animal pattern events. If the points champion has already won an entry, the overall points berth will go to the next highest qualified player.

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

 

Xtra Frame's next stop: Silverado National Open in Reno

Xtra Frame's next stop will be the Reno Tri-Properties' new Silverado National Open tournament Aug. 26-29 at the National Bowling Stadium. Coverage of the special event, which is being conducted in cooperation with the PBA West Region, is being sponsored by the Eldorado Hotel/Casino, Circus Circus and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casino.