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The Florida State Bowling Association's annual meeting recently in Sarasota produced a background for much conversation, including one of local interest - the Suncoast Association will stage the 2005 state tournament.
The Suncoast Association serves five Pinellas and four Pasco County centers.
The Clearwater Women's Association, Upper Pinellas Junior Bowling Association, Suncoast Women's Association and the Suncoast Young American Bowling Alliance are included under the Suncoast banner.
Representatives will inspect the Suncoast centers and award the event to probably two of them.
Gary Sergel, president of the FSBA, presided over the meeting, which had 300 participants. Larry Butler, past president of the Sarasota-Manatee Association, was inducted into the state hall of fame for meritorious service.
Jack Mordini, ABC assistant executive director, presented the most important workshop. He updated delegates on continuing efforts to combine the Women's International Bowling Congress, ABC, YABA and USA Bowling into the Single Membership Organization.
ABC and WIBC delegates voted against the SMO at their conventions, while YABA and USA Bowling approved it. A new task force was formed to restructure the measure and present it again next .
Among the proposed changes: The delegations will vote and control bylaws and dues changes, and mergers at the local association levels are not required.
Last year that last point stuck in the craws of delegates, who saw their hold on local power usurped by the SMO.
ABC and WIBC must approve the revised SMO for it to pass. To avoid undue influence, which occurred at last year's conventions, the ABC votes will be sealed until after WIBC delegates vote. The results will be announced simultaneously.
If the SMO passes next year, there will be one 2005 convention.
PIRATES RAID: The Boca Ciega boys handicap team stormed from third to first with a 1,028 team game as the Pinellas County High School League completed the 10th week of a 13-week schedule.
The Pirates bounced Tarpon Springs from first to third and Seminole from second to East Lake held second place.
The Pirates are led by Sean Crosby (207), Chris Ellis (202), Daniel McLaughlin (178), Trenton Hagley (175) and Matthew Rose (168).
Other division leaders remained the same: Northeast in boys scratch; Palm Harbor, girls scratch; Largo, girls handicap and Osceola No.1, junior varsity handicap.
The league is at Twedt's and AMF Kenneth City lanes at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
YOUTH-ADULT LEADERS: Tonya and Danny Bolton had a 1,393 to lead the Bantam Division after the first weekend of the 37th annual Greater Pinellas Young American Bowling Alliance youth-adult tournament Sunday at Twedt's Lanes.
Alex O'Neill and George Brown are the prep leaders at 1,458; Matt and Melissa Hawley (1,489) head the juniors and Jason Custer and Jason Manny (1,527) are the major senior leaders.
Walk-ins are welcome and re-entries are allowed with a $20 per duo entry fee for the final rounds this weekend.
AROUND THE LANES: High scorers - Jeff Kempkens, 300-701, AMF Clearwater; Chris Jennings, 300-790, Jim Larson, 300, Mike Labranche, 300, Mike Mcmahan, 300, and Gary Brunner, 299-792, Sunrise; Doug Rohr, 300, Seminole; Justin Veitch, 300-723, and Jimmy Dilorenzo, 300-802, Sunshine; Nick Gates, 300, Twedt's; and Tom Lange, 299-712, Tarpon. ... The 50th annual St. Petersburg Women's Classic opens Nov.8 and continues the following two weekends with the team event at Ten Pin Lanes and the singles and doubles at Sunshine Bowl. Entries are closed. ... Pinellas Park's Don Keller won the NABI Club title and $280 on Sunday at Seminole Lanes.
- Phil Gulick can be reached at xerxes8@msn.com