On April 1, 1967, the PBA’s post-tournament news release reported, “Jack Biondolillo socked the biggest 300 in the history of the game. His came before the American Broadcasting Company’s national colored television cameras for which he collected a cool ten thou ($10,000)…”

L-R Pete McCordic, Parker Bohn III, Jack Biondolillo, Jason Belmonte and Norm Duke.

The first nationally-televised 300 game in PBA history – witnessed by a television audience of 25 million viewers according to PBA’s release – occurred during the Firestone PBA Tournament of Champions at Riviera Lanes in Akron, Ohio, during a first-game 300-216 win over Les Schissler.

Biondolillo then defeated Mike Durbin, 188-181, before losing in the semifinal match to Don Johnson, 228-172. Jim Stefanich then won the TOC, defeating Johnson, 43-36, in a two-frame roll-off after they tied at 227.

As the 50th anniversary of his historic feat closes in, Biondolillo, a Houston native, attended the Main Event Terrell Owens PBA Super Clash on Super Bowl Sunday in Katy, Texas, where he posed with four other PBA members who also bowled nationally-televised 300 games.

Pete McCordic bowled televised 300 no. 4 in Torrance, Calif., on Jan. 31, 1987. Parker Bohn III bowled no. 13 in the USBC Masters in Reno, Nev., on May 9, 1998. Norm Duke bowled no. 16 in Tacoma, Wash., on Jan. 5, 2003. Jason Belmonte recorded no. 21 in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, 2011.

Including Biondolillo’s historic 300, there have been a total of 26 nationally-televised perfect games in PBA competition.

World Bowling announces 2017 World Bowling Tour Schedule

World Bowling, the international governing body for tenpin bowling, has announced the 2017 schedule of World Bowling Tour tournaments that will also award PBA Tour titles to winners (if they are PBA members) and points to players toward the 2018 WBT Finals presented by the PBA.

Points also will be awarded to women bowlers. Women are eligible for PBA Tour titles if they bowl against the men and don’t accept handicap pins.

Tournaments included on the 2017 PBA International-WBT schedule include:

• March 18-26 Brunswick Euro Challenge in Munich, Germany
• June 26-July 2 PBA Oklahoma Open in Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA
• August 14-27 Lucky Larsen Masters in Malmö, Sweden
• Sept. 30-Oct 6 WBT Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand
• Nov. 16-22 10th Kingdom International Open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Nov. 23-28 15th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open in Manama, Bahrain
• Nov. 29-Dec 3 13th Kuwait International Open in Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Dec. 4-18 World Bowling World Championships in Kuwait City, Kuwait
• TBA PBA World Championship in TBA

The World Bowling World Championships, set for Dec. 4-18 in Kuwait City, also is a WBT points event, but will not award a PBA title. For more information about World Bowling, click here.

The 2017 WBT Men’s and Women’s Finals presented by the PBA will be televised live on ESPN on Sunday, Feb. 26 following the finals of the USBC Masters.

The men’s finalists, based on 2016 WBT points, will include top qualifier Martin Larsen of Sweden, Anthony Simonsen of Austin, Texas, and Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash. The women’s finalists will be Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y.; Colombia’s Anggie Ramirez, and Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y.

TOC, HOF next as Xtra Frame continues “Big February” coverage

Following the live ESPN finals of the PBA Players Championship on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 1 p.m. ET, the PBA and Xtra Frame head to Shawnee, Okla., for live coverage of the PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and 2016 PBA Awards presentations on Monday, Feb. 13, at 8 p.m. ET from the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort.

Xtra Frame coverage then moves to FireLake Bowling Center in Shawnee for the preliminary rounds of the FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions, Feb. 14-17. That week is concluded by the live ESPN finals of the TOC from FireLake Arena on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. ET.

Xtra Frame’s Big February coverage continues with qualifying and double-elimination match play coverage of the USBC Masters from The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Feb. 21-25.

The USBC Masters finals, followed by the World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals presented by the PBA will air live, back-to-back, on ESPN on Sunday, Feb. 26, beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

PBA fans also are reminded that Xtra Frame coverage features two channels which means viewers can watch more players in action. The primary XF channel includes commentary; the secondary channel includes video coverage only.

And PBA’s ESPN coverage also will include the Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational, benefitting the Chris Paul Family Foundation, on Friday, Sept. 17, at 9 p.m.

For subscription information, click here.

QubicaAMF PBA Regional Update: Clifford, Byers win South Challenge events

Amateur Charles Clifford Jr. of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., defeated Carlos Tobon of Hollywood, Fla., 230-225, to win the PBA BreakPoint Alley Challenge presented by DV8 Sunday and, in the PBA50 portion of the QubicaAMF PBA South Region doubleheader weekend, Mike Byers of Charleston, S.C., defeated Ralph Brunt of Jensen Beach, Fla., 236-190 for his first PBA title.

Clifford Jr. earned $2,300 for his win, but he doesn’t earn credit for a PBA title because he isn’t a PBA member. Byers pocketed $1,600 and became eligible to compete for a berth in the FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions Feb. 10-11 if he decides to do so.

Both Challenge events were open to players who have not won PBA titles.

Leading into the FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions, FireLake Bowling Center in Shawnee, Okla., will host the PBA Grand Casino Hotel & Resort Southwest Winter Open Feb. 10-12. The tournament, in addition to serving as a standard PBA Regional event, is also a qualifying event for the TOC, with at least 24 eligible PBA title-holders advancing to the TOC.

The PBA South Region will host the PBA50 Dave Edwards Toyota Spartanburg Open, presented by 900 Global, over the Feb. 17-19 weekend at Paradise Lanes in Spartanburg, S.C.

For complete QubicaAMF PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, click here to find the event(s) in your area.

Quick Notes

Just in time for the Mark Roth/Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship in Portland, Maine, the PBA Store (pba.com/store) is offering a new line of Mark Roth signature t-shirts and polos. The Roth/Holman doubles event will include a pro-am and qualifying rounds April 9-12, concluding with live ESPN stepladder finals on Sunday, April 16, at 1 p.m. ET.

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