E-dition No. 1,041 • Friday, February 1, 2019
Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)
‘Phantom’ to Take Spray Gun Out of Moth Balls
By Dennis Bergendorf
A tournament that epitomizes collegiate team bowling in the 21st century will take a page from the past when it makes its Indianapolis run this month.
The Hoosier Classic has invited Len Nicholson to personally condition the lanes in the Round of 8 in both the men’s and women’s divisions. And he’ll use his iconic spray gun to lay down the oil.
“We wanted to do something special for the 50th anniversary of the tournament,” said director Nick Hoagland. “Since 1998, the tournament has always bowled on ‘tough, unique oil patterns.’ This will just add to the legacy and brand of the event.”
Nicholson has long been affiliated with Kegel, whose lane machines will put down the pattern for qualifying and Sunday’s Baker games. During the Round of 8 competition, a Kegel Flex machine will strip the old oil, and “The Phantom” will apply the new coat using the spray gun.
Nicholson was the PBA’s lane maintenance supervisor for years, and is considered an expert in making lanes as fair, and challenging, as possible.
Nicholson, elected to the PBA Hall of Fame in 2011, earned the nickname “Phantom” because many pros found his conditioning regimens mysterious. For decades, he has hosted a podcast called “Phantom Radio,” speaking at length to top bowlers and industry insiders. He’ll “broadcast” the program at the Classic, set for Feb. 15-17 at Indianapolis’s Western Bowl.
For those who want to see how lanes were oiled prior to the introduction of the robotic lane machine, Nicholson will spray the Round of 8 lanes for the men at approximately 11:30 a.m. that Sunday, and for the women at about 3:30 p.m.
One hundred forty-four teams are entered in the tournament, the final Tier 1 event of the 2018-19 United States Bowling Congress Collegiate season. For more on what players and fans can expected when Nicholson takes spray gun in hand, click here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/legendary-phantom-to-condition-lanes-at-50th-anniversary-hoosier-classic/.
Tom Zernia Elected to Second Term as IBPSIA President
Tom Zernia has been elected to his second term as President of the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association.
During its meeting in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 16, the IBPSIA Board of Directors elected Zernia and two other officers to lead the organization through 2019.
Steve Barinque was selected as IBPSIA’s Vice President, and Dwyane DaMode as its Secretary-Treasurer.
Zernia runs a one-man pro shop inside Kingpin Bowl in West Bend, Wis. He has been on the IBPSIA board for six years and served as Vice President for the past two years. During that time, he has been on the education, bylaws and awards committees.
Zernia began his career in bowling in 1959 as a pinchaser. He joined the Marine Corps in 1962 and became an aircraft hydraulics technician. He also worked part-time at the base’s bowling center as a night mechanic, which eventually got him transferred full-time to special services.
Barinque has an even deeper military connection, having retired after 26 years of active duty in the Air Force. He is the general manager of Joint Base San Antonio Bowling, and an IBPSIA Master Instructor, a USBC Silver-level coach, Air Force bowling coach and five-time Bowlers Journal “Top 100 Coaches” honoree. As head coach, he led the Steele High School bowling team to back-to-back Texas state championships in 2016 and 2017.
Serving his first term as an IBPSIA officer, DaMode operates the pro shop at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb., and also serves as the center’s youth director. He is a Silver-certified coach and an IBPSIA HOTS instructor and master technician.
Other 2019 IBPSIA board members are Cliff Barnes, Jason Guest, Daniel Puerto, Peter Somoff and Jackie Wyckoff. Bill Supper remains as Executive Director.
Poelking Named USBC Proprietor of the Year
Patty Patterson of El Paso, Texas; Kay Smith of Bryan, Texas, and Joseph Poelking of Springboro, Ohio, have been selected by the United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors to receive USBC National Recognition Awards.
Patterson is the Joyce Deitch Unity Award winner, Smith is this year’s recipient of the Helen Baker Award for Outstanding Association Service, and Poelking has been selected as the USBC Proprietor of the Year.
The annual awards honor outstanding bowling leaders for their contributions to the sport. Selections were made from submitted applications, and the recipients will receive their awards at the 2019 USBC Convention in Las Vegas.
Poelking is the owner of three centers in the Dayton, Ohio, area: Poelking Lanes South, Poelking Woodman Lanes and Poelking Lanes. His centers are home to 33 adult leagues and 11 youth leagues that support more than 1,800 USBC members.
“I am very honored to receive this award,” Poelking said. “I know this comes from those people that I work with and for, and I’m proud to serve those in the bowling industry and my community. In looking at the list of past recipients, I found I know many of them, and I feel humbled and truly honored to join this elite group of bowling proprietors.”
Named the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America Proprietor of the Year for the state of Ohio in 2013, Poelking has served on the BPAA board, did two separate terms as president of the BPA of Greater Dayton, and currently serves on the Strike Ten Entertainment board. He has been the state president and executive board chairman of the Bowling Centers Association of Ohio.
Poelking was inducted into the Ohio Bowling Council Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 2017, and received the BCAO Hall of Fame Meritorious Service Medal in 2012. His centers have hosted many local and state events, and will host the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships in April.
The National Recognition Awards will be presented during the 2019 USBC Convention and Annual Meeting, set for April 29-May 2 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
To learn about Patterson and Smith, click here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/usbc-board-selects-2019-national-recognition-award-winners/.
CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational Airs Sunday
NBA star Chris Paul will welcome an all-star lineup of athletes, entertainers and PBA stars to his 10th anniversary CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational, presented by Go Bowling!, when it makes its broadcast television debut on FOX this Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern at Bowlero at The Woodlands.
The Super Bowl Sunday special, benefitting the Chris Paul Family Foundation, will feature returning competitors Terrell Owens, recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and reigning American League MVP and World Series champion Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox, along with a guest appearance by Houston Texans superstar defensive end J.J. Watt.
Also participating will be Paul’s Houston Rockets teammate, P.J. Tucker, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver William Jackson III, and NASCAR champion Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Go Bowling! Ford.
Entertainers in the field will include “Big Brother” season 20 star Tyler Crispen, model and “Big Brother” contestant Angela Rummans, and Grammy-nominated rapper/artist Bun B.
“This is totally different than any bowling I do during the summer or with my friends and teammates,” Paul said of his annual event. “The pressure is different, there are a lot of people here, the lights are bright, but I’ll make sure I do enough to win.”
Regarding the 10th anniversary of the event, and its network debut on FOX, Paul added, “It’s crazy. I’m excited. It’s amazing that it’s been 10 years. I’m so grateful to the PBA and the bowlers; I can’t say thank you enough.”
The field of PBA stars will include Hall of Famers Norm Duke, Pete Weber and Chris Barnes; past PBA Players of the Year Jason Belmonte, Tommy Jones, E.J. Tackett, Sean Rash and Andrew Anderson, and PBA Tour champion Kyle Troup.
In the five-frame Baker format single-elimination match game battle for the prestigious Chris Paul trophies, Duke will be paired with Paul as defending champions, trying to help Paul claim the title for a record fifth time. Weber will again bowl with Owens, Barnes will be paired with Jackson, Jones with Betts, Tackett with Tucker, Belmonte with Almirola and Troup with Crispen.
Rash and Anderson will engage in a two-minute “PBA Speed Strike Challenge” to determine who gets to bowl with Rummans. Former NFL player Michael Vick withdrew from the event, creating the imbalance between pros and celebrities.
The featured doubles competition will involve modified five-frame matches in which the PBA partner will bowl the 6th, 8th and 10th frames, while the celebrity bowls the 7th and 9th frames. It’s a fast, fun format, but one that competitors take seriously — especially one as intense as Major League Baseball’s premier player in 2019, Mookie Betts.
“It means a lot,” Betts said. “It’s tough to create friendships with athletes in different sports, but Chris Paul has been a great friend and great guy.”
Despite his growing friendship with Paul, Betts has his eyes on the prize after losing to Paul and his PBA partners in the championship match the last two years.
“I can’t lose again,” Betts said.
Also as part of the telecast, 2018 Teen Masters age-group winners Brandon and Justin Bohn (sons of PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III), Tom Hankey Jr. and Jenna Williams, along with former University of Nebraska All-American Gazmine Mason and PBA Tour champion D.J. Archer will compete in a one-shot, low-count-out “mini clash.” The winner will advance to a similar “super clash” with the celebrity stars.
The CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational will air on FOX for the first time, and for the first time, PBA’s online streaming partner, FloBowling, will make the show available to its international subscribers. For more information, visit FloBowling.com. PBA fans also can watch a series of “red carpet” interviews with celebrity and PBA participants on the PBA’s YouTube channel.
During the 2019 season, viewers can live-stream the PBA shows on the FOX Sports app, through the FOX and FS1 streams. The shows will be available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or on connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs will be available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app. For more information, visit FOX Sports Press Pass.
To view a list of previous CP3 winners, click here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/chris-paul-welcomes-cast-of-stars-to-10th-anniversary-cp3-pba-celebrity-invitational/.
Topgolf Suites Coming to Reno’s Silver Legacy
Lots of bowling executives play golf, and now those numerous bowling-related trips to Reno also can include some golf practice — even in the dead of winter.
Topgolf Swing Suite, coming to the Silver Legacy resort this spring, will feature four golf simulator bays and a variety of virtual games, including the Topgolf target game, Zombie Dodgeball, Hockey Shots, Baseball Pitching, Carnival Classic and more. Guests will have access to ultra-comfortable lounge seating, HDTVs and extensive food-and-beverage options while socializing in an energy-infused environment.
With a massive screen and a selection of virtual games, Topgolf Swing Suite is known for delivering one-of-a-kind simulation that’s fun for golfers and non-golfers alike.
Up to eight people can play, eat, imbibe and engage in each bay. The spaces will be available to rent for business and social gatherings, including birthday and bachelor/bachelorette parties, team-building events, corporate meetings and more.
Topgolf Swing Suite will be located on the mezzanine level of the Silver Legacy, between Rum Bullions Island Bar and El Jefe’s Cantina.
Dangerous Weather Closes Luby Office for First Time
For the first time in the history of Luby Publishing Inc., the company’s downtown Chicago offices closed on Wednesday because of the dangerously cold weather.
Chicago is called “The City That Works,” but on Wednesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel urged workers to stay home, and LPI President Keith Hamilton heeded the advice. For Thursday, he also gave staff members the option of working from home.
“The bottom line is that we do not want to put our staff in an unnecessary, dangerous situation, especially when we can make up the work later,” Hamilton said.
On Wednesday, the record for lowest maximum temperature was broken with minus 10. Previously, it was 3 degrees in 2004. The day’s record for lowest minimum temperature also was broken at 23 degrees below zero. Before it had been minus 15 in 1966.
Thursday’s weather also set a new record for the lowest minimum temperature with minus 21 degrees. Previous records were minus 12 in 1899 and 1985.
Chicago’s wind chill — the temperature it feels like when the wind is factored in — dipped to a very dangerous minus 52 degrees on Wednesday, which prompted the closing of the LPI office.
Business Briefs…
* Paul Pasion has earned a £1,000 prize from QubicaAMF for rolling the first 300 game on the company’s TMS String Pinspotter. Pasion’s perfecto was registered at Airport Bowl, next to London’s Heathrow Airport, on Jan. 15. In July 2018, Martin Webster, the Chairman of the British Tenpin Bowling Association, announced the BTBA would bring string certification in line with “free fall,” and that bowler averages and 300 games bowled on string machines would be recognized equally with those bowled on free-fall pinspotters, providing that all other lane specifications were met. This sanctioning decision was soon thereafter mirrored by the Australian federation. QubicaAMF’s Roger Creamer will present Paul with his £1,000 prize at Airport Bowl in February.
* PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark reported that the PBA Lubbock Sports Open show, which originally aired Sunday and has since seen multiple re-airs, attracted 345,000 viewers for the live broadcast and another 157,000 for that evening’s rerun. That means more than half a million viewers tuned in on Jan. 27 alone to watch one of the most remarkable finales to a PBA telecast in recent memory — 502,000, to be exact. Those numbers beat by 316% the show FS1 ran in the same slot last year. More: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/pba-sees-tv-ratings-momentum-following-lubbock-sports-open-show/.
Other News You Can Use…
* Former QubicaAMF World Cup champion Bong Coo will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association on Feb. 26. Coo was PSA Athlete of the Year in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986. She remains active in bowling as the Secretary General of the Philippine Bowling Federation. More: http://tv5.espn.com/story/_/id/25898132/bowling-legend-coo-cycling-great-rivas-top-psa-awardees.
* PBA legend Carmen Salvino, 85, will compete in his 29th PBA Tournament of Champions, extending his record as the oldest player to compete in a Go Bowling! PBA Tour event. Report: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/pba-legend-carmen-salvino-to-compete-in-toc-at-age-85/.
* The guest this week on Phantom Radio is Lee Sandt of BowlerX.com. To listen to the conversation, go to: https://kegel.squarespace.com/phantomblog/2019/1/30/lee-sandt-phantom-radio.
* CONTACT: Please send business news, event information, etc. to Bob Johnson at bjibob@aol.com. For breaking business news, visit bcmmag.com or bowlersjournal.com, and “Like” Bowling Center Management and Bowlers Journal International on Facebook. BJI Cyber Reports are now archived at bcmmag.com.
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