BWAA will announce a new name in the coming weeks; Joan Romeo elected 68th President at 2012 BWAA Convention in Reno
Members attending the Bowling Writers Association of America Convention held in conjunction with International Bowl Expo, voted unanimously June 26 that the time has come for the organization, founded in 1934, to go global. In the coming weeks, BWAA will announce a new name, along with a new slogan, vision and mission statements; and a tentative agreement has been reached to encompass the World Bowling Writers group. Elected to become the 68th President of the new organization was Joan Romeo.
Former professional photographer toys with the idea of going around and photographing the old "bowling alleys" before they are gone for good
Kevin Hong has been a bowler for nearly 30 years. During that time, he has bowled tournaments everywhere – from tiny six-lane centers to the (now-closed) 106-lane Showboat in Las Vegas. He was competing in a tournament in early 2012 in a little eight-lane center in central Washington State when his first thought was, "You just don't see places like this anymore." Old "bowling alleys and other "retro" features are the focus of his Vanishing Alleys project.
Parker Bohn III (l.) will speak to the members of the Bowling Writers Association of America at the Brunswick Luncheon on Monday June 25, and Jason Belmonte (r.) of Australia will tell members about his world travels at the Storm Breakfast Tuesday June 26 during this year's BWAA Convention as part of Bowl Expo. Along with other company officials, both pros will answer questions from BWAA members in attendance.
Johnny Petraglia (pictured), Jackson, New Jersey, has been named the May 2012 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Petraglia became the first bowler to win a PBA National Tour or Senior Tour title in six different decades by winning the PBA Senior Dayton Classic. The 65 year-old PBA and USBC Hall of Famer first won as a 19 year-old in the 1966 PBA Fort Smith Open. Petraglia's eighth career PBA Senior Tour win ended a three-year winless streak.
Four divisional finalists win $50,000 each in prize money
The $700,000 AMF National In-League Tournament 2012 started with more than 25,000 AMF league bowlers, After several rounds, 108 players secured their spots in the National Finals which were held at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on April 27 and 28. The finalists were divided into four divisions. After two days of elimination-style competition, the four division winners each walked away with $50,000.
Plaza Lanes in St. Charles, Mo., USA (May 26-27, 2012)
Cassandra Leuthold (center) of Rapid City, S.D., won the WBA/InsideBowling.com St. Louis Open sponsored by Columbia 300 and the $4.000 top prize Sunday, May 27, at Plaza Lanes in St. Charles, Mo. The former collegiate standout, seeded third, defeated No. 2 seed, Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, 467-443, in the semifinal and then fired games of 256 and 265 to fly past top seeded Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, 521-424, to wrap up the title.
19-year-old Mitch Franco has been a professional singer most of his life
When members of the Bowling Writers Association of America, Hall of Famers, and industry VIP guests come to the BWAA's Annual Columbia 300 Dinner, they will be serenaded by one of America's best young singers, Mitch Franco (pictured). The dinner will be held Sunday, June 24, 6:30 pm in the Eldorado Hotel Conference Center in Reno. In his performance, guests will hear a few originals mixed with classics
from crooners and artists like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett,
Nat King Cole, and Bobby Darin.
2012 Canadian National championships declare 2013 Adult and Youth Team Canada players
Caroline Lagrange (l.) and David Simard (r.) won the gold medals at the 2012 Canadian National Championships 150 of the top bowlers in Canada were vying for a place on the Adult and Youth Team Canada for 2013. Three-time defending champion Lagrange won her fourth consecutive women's national title finishing with 6380 30-game total including bonus pins. Simard beat out defending champion Dan MacLelland for the men's title by 189 pins.
Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Henderson, Nev., USA (Aug. 18-26, 2012)
The United States Bowling Congress, host federation of the 2012 PABCON Adults Championships has released the Bulletins No. 1 and 2 as well as a special Bulletin for the championships which will be held from May Aug. 18-26 in Henderson, Nev. The event will be hosted by Sunset Station Strike Zone inside Sunset Station Hotel and Casino. This championships will qualify the countries that will be allowed to bowl in the 2013 WTBA Combined (men and women) World Championships.
150 of the top bowlers in Canada - 97 men and 53 women - will compete for the right to wear Team Canada colors in 2013 at the 2012 National Championships which will take place from May 17-21 at Classic Bowl in Mississauga, Ontario. The entrants include 16 women and 21 men who will be eligible for the 2013 Team Canada youth team. After 30 games the top six men and six women will form
the adult teams. Another two men and two women will be selected by the
National Selection Committee to form the 2013 Adult Team Canada.
Venezuela wins Mixed Doubles Masters gold on final day of the championships
The final day of the 2012 PABCON Champion of Champions belonged to countries from South America. Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli and Karen Marcano (left) defeated Team USA, 493-409, to win the Mixed Doubles Masters. while Colombia's Paola Gomez and her brother, Andres Gomez (right), took the Women's and Men's Masters gold medals.
Oscar Marin of Brazil (Men's Division A/B), Jerry Daniels (Men's Division C) and Christine Srock (Women's Division), United States, ended the 3rd World Seniors Invitational with victory in the Masters finals Saturday at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla., United States. 12 players in each division bowled one best-of-three games round to cut to top 6 who determined the champions in round robin match play. The third World Seniors Invitational drew 37 players - 25 men and 12 women - from seven countries.
Liz Johnson, Steve Smith win Mixed Doubles, National All Events and Women's All Events; Brazil's Marcelo Suartz earns his second individual gold in Men's All Events
Team USA's Liz Johnson and Steve Smith (pictured) claimed three more gold medals Friday at the 2012 Pan American Bowling Confederation Champion of Champions, taking home the Mixed Doubles, National All-Events and Women's All-Events titles.
Johnson and Smith totaled 2,826 for six games to take the top spot in Mixed Doubles at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Brazil's Marcelo Suartz finished on top of the Men's All-Events standings with 4,285 (238.06 avg.)
All but one player advance to Friday's Masters finals
Tom Mariani, United States, averaged 223.05 over 21 games to win the All Events title in the Men's Division A/B at the 3rd World Seniors Invitational at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla. Jacques Brunet of France took the title in Men's Division C, while Christine Srock, United States, captured the women's title. 36 of 37 participants, 12 in each division, advanced to Friday's Masters finals. They bowl one best-of-three games round to cut to top 6 who will determine the champions in round robin match play.
Brazilian, American average 244 and 234 to claim the men's and women's gold medals
Marcelo Suartz (l.) of Brazil and Team USA's Liz Johnson (r.) outaveraged their nearest competitors by more than ten pins to cruise to the men's and women's Singles titles at the PABCON Champion of Champions Thursday at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Suartz and Johnson maintained their round one lead en route to win the first gold medal of the championships with 2928 (244.00 average) and 2809 (234.08), respectively. Action shifts to Mixed Doubles competition on Friday.
Marcelo Suartz (l.) of Brazil and Liz Johnson (r.), United States took the lead in men's and women's Singles after the first block of six games on short oil in the 2012 PABCON Champion of Champions Tournament Wednesday at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Suartz toppled 1,457 pins on the short oil pattern, an average of 242.83 for six games, while Johnson had 1337 (222.83). Singles competition continues on Thursday with round two.
Men Division C bowler Jerry Daniels becomes first multiple winner
Men Division C Singles champion Jerry Daniels teamed with Norbert Buchanan, both United States, to win the Doubles event en route to become the first multiple winner of the 3rd World Seniors Invitational. The duo finished 281 pins ahead of second-place Jaques Lagarde and Jacques Brunet of France. Their compatriots Willie O. Harrell and Tom Mariani captured the title in Men's A and B Division, while Ernestine Canton and Sabrina Hodge took the gold medal in the Women's division.
Felicia Wong (l.), Calgary, Alberta and Dan MacLelland (r.), Montreal, Quebec will represent Canada at the 2012 PABCON Champion of Champions, May 9-12 at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. The top eight teams in the National All-Events will join Colombia in qualifying for next year's World Games. BOWL.com's BowlTV will provide free live streaming of the event from start to finish of the event, which begins Wednesday with singles competition.
Near unanimous selection after Tournament of Champions win
Sean Rash (pictured) of Montogomery, Illinois has been named the BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month for April. Rash won the PBA Tournament of Champions defeating Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, New, York, 239-205 for his fifth career PBA title. With the win, Rash becomes another strong candidate for the PBA Player of the Year race. Although this was his lone win on the 2011-12 PBA Tour, Rash was either first or second in earnings, average, match play appearances, and tournament points.
Carvalho, Daniels, Srock claim first titles at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac
Eugenio Carvalho averaged 239.17 to win the men's scratch division at the 3rd World Seniors Invitational Monday at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla., United States The Brazilian led the 13 players with 1435 six-game total. Jerry Daniels, United States, finished with 1336 including 30 pins handicap to win Men's Division C. Christine Srock, United States, captured the women's Singles winning the 12-player women's division with 1176 total. Competition continued Tuesday with the Doubles event.
Members attending the Bowling Writers Association of America Convention held in conjunction with International Bowl Expo, voted unanimously June 26 that the time has come for the organization, founded in 1934, to go global. In the coming weeks, BWAA will announce a new name, along with a new slogan, vision and mission statements; and a tentative agreement has been reached to encompass the World Bowling Writers group. Elected to become the 68th President of the new organization was Joan Romeo.
Kevin Hong has been a bowler for nearly 30 years. During that time, he has bowled tournaments everywhere – from tiny six-lane centers to the (now-closed) 106-lane Showboat in Las Vegas. He was competing in a tournament in early 2012 in a little eight-lane center in central Washington State when his first thought was, "You just don't see places like this anymore." Old "bowling alleys and other "retro" features are the focus of his Vanishing Alleys project.
Parker Bohn III (l.) will speak to the members of the Bowling Writers Association of America at the Brunswick Luncheon on Monday June 25, and Jason Belmonte (r.) of Australia will tell members about his world travels at the Storm Breakfast Tuesday June 26 during this year's BWAA Convention as part of Bowl Expo. Along with other company officials, both pros will answer questions from BWAA members in attendance. 
The $700,000 AMF National In-League Tournament 2012 started with more than 25,000 AMF league bowlers, After several rounds, 108 players secured their spots in the National Finals which were held at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on April 27 and 28. The finalists were divided into four divisions. After two days of elimination-style competition, the four division winners each walked away with $50,000.
Cassandra Leuthold (center) of Rapid City, S.D., won the WBA/InsideBowling.com St. Louis Open sponsored by Columbia 300 and the $4.000 top prize Sunday, May 27, at Plaza Lanes in St. Charles, Mo. The former collegiate standout, seeded third, defeated No. 2 seed, Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, 467-443, in the semifinal and then fired games of 256 and 265 to fly past top seeded Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, 521-424, to wrap up the title.
When members of the Bowling Writers Association of America, Hall of Famers, and industry VIP guests come to the BWAA's Annual Columbia 300 Dinner, they will be serenaded by one of America's best young singers, Mitch Franco (pictured). The dinner will be held Sunday, June 24, 6:30 pm in the Eldorado Hotel Conference Center in Reno. In his performance, guests will hear a few originals mixed with classics
from crooners and artists like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett,
Nat King Cole, and Bobby Darin.
Caroline Lagrange (l.) and David Simard (r.) won the gold medals at the 2012 Canadian National Championships 150 of the top bowlers in Canada were vying for a place on the Adult and Youth Team Canada for 2013. Three-time defending champion Lagrange won her fourth consecutive women's national title finishing with 6380 30-game total including bonus pins. Simard beat out defending champion Dan MacLelland for the men's title by 189 pins.
The United States Bowling Congress, host federation of the 2012 PABCON Adults Championships has released the Bulletins No. 1 and 2 as well as a special Bulletin for the championships which will be held from May Aug. 18-26 in Henderson, Nev. The event will be hosted by Sunset Station Strike Zone inside Sunset Station Hotel and Casino. This championships will qualify the countries that will be allowed to bowl in the 2013 WTBA Combined (men and women) World Championships. 
150 of the top bowlers in Canada - 97 men and 53 women - will compete for the right to wear Team Canada colors in 2013 at the 2012 National Championships which will take place from May 17-21 at Classic Bowl in Mississauga, Ontario. The entrants include 16 women and 21 men who will be eligible for the 2013 Team Canada youth team. After 30 games the top six men and six women will form
the adult teams. Another two men and two women will be selected by the
National Selection Committee to form the 2013 Adult Team Canada.
The final day of the 2012 PABCON Champion of Champions belonged to countries from South America. Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli and Karen Marcano (left) defeated Team USA, 493-409, to win the Mixed Doubles Masters. while Colombia's Paola Gomez and her brother, Andres Gomez (right), took the Women's and Men's Masters gold medals.
Oscar Marin of Brazil (Men's Division A/B), Jerry Daniels (Men's Division C) and Christine Srock (Women's Division), United States, ended the 3rd World Seniors Invitational with victory in the Masters finals Saturday at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla., United States. 12 players in each division bowled one best-of-three games round to cut to top 6 who determined the champions in round robin match play. The third World Seniors Invitational drew 37 players - 25 men and 12 women - from seven countries.
Team USA's Liz Johnson and Steve Smith (pictured) claimed three more gold medals Friday at the 2012 Pan American Bowling Confederation Champion of Champions, taking home the Mixed Doubles, National All-Events and Women's All-Events titles.
Johnson and Smith totaled 2,826 for six games to take the top spot in Mixed Doubles at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Brazil's Marcelo Suartz finished on top of the Men's All-Events standings with 4,285 (238.06 avg.) 
Marcelo Suartz (l.) of Brazil and Team USA's Liz Johnson (r.) outaveraged their nearest competitors by more than ten pins to cruise to the men's and women's Singles titles at the PABCON Champion of Champions Thursday at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Suartz and Johnson maintained their round one lead en route to win the first gold medal of the championships with 2928 (244.00 average) and 2809 (234.08), respectively. Action shifts to Mixed Doubles competition on Friday.
Marcelo Suartz (l.) of Brazil and Liz Johnson (r.), United States took the lead in men's and women's Singles after the first block of six games on short oil in the 2012 PABCON Champion of Champions Tournament Wednesday at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla. Suartz toppled 1,457 pins on the short oil pattern, an average of 242.83 for six games, while Johnson had 1337 (222.83). Singles competition continues on Thursday with round two. 
Sean Rash (pictured) of Montogomery, Illinois has been named the BWAA Kegel Bowler of the Month for April. Rash won the PBA Tournament of Champions defeating Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, New, York, 239-205 for his fifth career PBA title. With the win, Rash becomes another strong candidate for the PBA Player of the Year race. Although this was his lone win on the 2011-12 PBA Tour, Rash was either first or second in earnings, average, match play appearances, and tournament points.