Seminole's Kevin Krauss has a good handle on the management of the three Pinellas County centers owned by the Krauss family for nearly 50 years.
Kevin is general manager of Sunshine Bowl and Seminole and Sunrise lanes, which have hosted PBA, state and pro women's events. His father, Jerry, booked most of them.
One of the greatest local fan attractions has been the PBA Senior Tour, which played at Seminole Lanes from 1992-97. Robert Gibbs of Abilene, Texas, outshot the 240-man field for the 1992 title. It was the first PBA event in Pinellas County - senior tour or otherwise.
Tampa, Sarasota and Orlando had landed the national tour, then the Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour made frequent stops in Pinellas.
The 1992 tournament drew the largest pro-am field for a PBA event, 1,194 junior, adult and senior entrants. The seniors were such a draw that the finals were on national TV.
Five more senior tourneys followed at Seminole Lanes, with popular Teata Semiz of New Jersey winning the last show in 1997. There was a respectable 779 pro-am entries.
Jerry Krauss then decided it was time for a sabbatical from the PBA, based on a number of factors, including an ever-increasing escrow deposit needed to book the tournament.
"Then, last year, the PBA approached me and asked if we could hold another tournament, and I said yes," Kevin Krauss said.
"I based that decision on their new financial package (no escrow deposit), which is more in line with what we want," he said.
Kevin outlined the new money package with the PBA, but asked that it remain confidential.
The PBA seniors will return to Seminole Lanes on Aug. 8-11 for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Senior Open.
"I expect a field of about 160-170 pros, and I don't expect we'll see another huge pro-am turnout," Kevin said. "Things have changed a lot since that big pro-am back in 1992, but I'm still looking for a respectable turnout."
The pro-am is scheduled for Aug. 8. The entry fees are $50 for adults, $40 for seniors and $35 for juniors.
Registration forms and payment information can be accessed at www.seminolelanes.com Fliers are available at most local centers.
A sweeper is set for July 10 at Seminole Lanes. The winner receives a spot in the senior field. The first 10 players with a $50 entry fee are eligible.
The pros begin qualifying Aug. 9, with eight-game blocks for each squad. The finals are Aug. 11.
For information, log onto the Seminole Lanes Web site or call the center, (727) 392-2271.
ABC UPDATE: Clearwater's Top of the Line Pool Service continues to lead the Regular Division team all-events with a 9,730 pinfall as the ABC Championships Tournament nears its Monday finish in Reno, Nev.
The squad also remains in second place in the Regular team competition.
Tampa's Don Yoshihara is third in the Regular singles with a 777 series, behind leader John Janawicz of Winter Haven (858). Yoshihara is second to Janawicz in the all-events race.
YOUTH NEWS: Andrew Owens defeated Matt Banta 207-160 to win the Florida Youth Scratch Bowlers Tour event in Lakeland last week.
Ashly Galante beat Justin Foraker 226-184 and Don Stephenson 202-164 before losing to Owens 204-182 in the semifinals. Owens, Galante and Foraker are from the Tampa Bay area.
The tour is at Seminole Lanes on July 24-25. For information, e-mail maree49@aol.com
St. Petersburg's Donovan Nickell rolled a 244-700 over the Sports Shot in the Seminole Lanes YABA.
His 700 is fifth in Florida for high series over the Sports Shot and 11th in the country. The Sports Shot was set up four years ago to test league players against a more difficult shooting condition.
Tampa's Jay Voght recorded a 300-729 in the Florida State YABA Tournament in Fort Lauderdale. The event ends this weekend.
AROUND THE LANES: High scorers - Dennis Slininger, 300-767, at Seminole; Ed O'Gorman, 300-639, AMF Clearwater; and Jeremy Hill, 300-809, and Chris Holly, 300-798, Dunedin. ... Pinellas County High School League officers meet at 4:30 p.m. July 8 at Twedt's Lanes. Coaches and interested parties are urged to attend. ... Dunedin Lanes offer a 100-and-over doubles tournament July 17 with a $40 per duo entry fee and $310 to the winner, based on 36 teams.
