Tenpin Bowling Australia honors Sporting Greats
10/20/13
In recognition of more than 15 years commitment to the sport of tenpin bowling at the highest level, champion bowler Barbara Richmond from Caboolture and bowler/coach Eric Jang from Sydney were inducted into the Tenpin Bowling Australia Hall of Fame.
The ceremony took place during a gala Presentation Dinner held in conjunction with the sport's National Championships, which continue until Saturday, October 26. The induction included individual tributes by the former editor of PIN ACTION magazine and existing Hall of Famer, Bob Cook, honoring their distinctive achievements.
L-R 2013 TBA Hall of Fame inductees Barbara Richmond and Eric Jang. Click on the image to enlarge it.
"When bowlers from Queensland rarely featured on the national scene at the time, Barbara grabbed everyone's attention when she won the 1977 Australian Open at Sydney's Rockdale Bowl with a devastating display.
"A diligent practicer, Barbara had recently reduced her big-hooking ball to a more manageable level and a new Australian champion was the result," Bob wrote, and then went on to chronicle some of her many career highlights.
Bob Cook's tribute to Eric Jang expressed equal admiration, describing Jang as 'Australian bowling's first superstar'….
"With his flawless bowling approach and perfect timing, his strong rolling and hard-hitting ball, Eric was an inspiration for all the youngsters who hoped to excel at this exciting new sport," Bob wrote.
The tribute also outlined Jang's multi-faceted career as a pro-shop operator and coach, both in Australia and overseas.
A pre-recorded video message of congratulations from fellow TBA Hall of Fame bowler, Jeanette Baker, and entertaining AV presentations recounting the pair's outstanding careers added further excitement to the event which was attended by over 100 bowlers and officials, including previous Hall of Fame inductees, June Voukolos and John Coxon.
Keynote speaker, CEO of Tenpin Bowling Australia and Commonwealth Games triple gold-medalist Cara Honeychurch (pictured right) outlined the process that led to the reinstatement of Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and accolades for the sport's top achievers.
"Recognizing the achievements of our athletes, coaches and administrators is incredibly important. It's not only an opportunity to applaud the inductees' achievements and thank them for their contribution but it inspires the next generation.
"Celebrating and recognizing our heroes through the Hall of Fame ceremony is something that is very important to me and the TBA Board of Directors," Ms. Honeychurch added.
The ceremony marked the 28th anniversary of the creation of the sport's supreme accolade. Tenpin Bowling's Hall of Fame was inaugurated at the sport's National Championship held in Rockhampton in 1984, during which six athletes were initially accorded the sport's highest honor and, coincidentally, the induction of Barbara Richmond and Eric Jang also brings the total number of Hall of Fame members to 28.
Australia
Champion bowler Barbara Richmond, bowler/coach Eric Jang inducted into the Tenpin Bowling Australia Hall of Fame
In recognition of more than 15 years commitment to the sport of tenpin bowling at the highest level, champion bowler Barbara Richmond from Caboolture and bowler/coach Eric Jang from Sydney were inducted into the Tenpin Bowling Australia Hall of Fame.The ceremony took place during a gala Presentation Dinner held in conjunction with the sport's National Championships, which continue until Saturday, October 26. The induction included individual tributes by the former editor of PIN ACTION magazine and existing Hall of Famer, Bob Cook, honoring their distinctive achievements.
L-R 2013 TBA Hall of Fame inductees Barbara Richmond and Eric Jang. Click on the image to enlarge it.
"When bowlers from Queensland rarely featured on the national scene at the time, Barbara grabbed everyone's attention when she won the 1977 Australian Open at Sydney's Rockdale Bowl with a devastating display.
"A diligent practicer, Barbara had recently reduced her big-hooking ball to a more manageable level and a new Australian champion was the result," Bob wrote, and then went on to chronicle some of her many career highlights.
Bob Cook's tribute to Eric Jang expressed equal admiration, describing Jang as 'Australian bowling's first superstar'….
"With his flawless bowling approach and perfect timing, his strong rolling and hard-hitting ball, Eric was an inspiration for all the youngsters who hoped to excel at this exciting new sport," Bob wrote.
The tribute also outlined Jang's multi-faceted career as a pro-shop operator and coach, both in Australia and overseas.
A pre-recorded video message of congratulations from fellow TBA Hall of Fame bowler, Jeanette Baker, and entertaining AV presentations recounting the pair's outstanding careers added further excitement to the event which was attended by over 100 bowlers and officials, including previous Hall of Fame inductees, June Voukolos and John Coxon.Keynote speaker, CEO of Tenpin Bowling Australia and Commonwealth Games triple gold-medalist Cara Honeychurch (pictured right) outlined the process that led to the reinstatement of Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and accolades for the sport's top achievers.
"Recognizing the achievements of our athletes, coaches and administrators is incredibly important. It's not only an opportunity to applaud the inductees' achievements and thank them for their contribution but it inspires the next generation.
"Celebrating and recognizing our heroes through the Hall of Fame ceremony is something that is very important to me and the TBA Board of Directors," Ms. Honeychurch added.
The ceremony marked the 28th anniversary of the creation of the sport's supreme accolade. Tenpin Bowling's Hall of Fame was inaugurated at the sport's National Championship held in Rockhampton in 1984, during which six athletes were initially accorded the sport's highest honor and, coincidentally, the induction of Barbara Richmond and Eric Jang also brings the total number of Hall of Fame members to 28.
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