YABA tournament to pay winner $25,000 in scholarship money

By PHIL GULICK

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 12, 2000

Gary and Pamela Beck of Batesville, Va., hope to put $25,000 into a young bowler's college scholarship fund -- in one lump sum.

"For as long as I can remember, a youth pro-am involved youngsters showing up, bowling three games with three different pros and going home," Beck said. "We want to change that to something more substantial for the youngsters."

Through his Killer B Promotions, Beck has established the Youth Masters Tournament for Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA) members from 13 to 19 years old. The winner of the national finals next August in Akron, Ohio, walks away with a $25,000 check.

Youth Masters qualifying events are May 27-28 at Aloma Bowl in Orlando and June 10-11 at Tampa's Crown Lanes. Other centers across the country also are holding qualifiers. Entry fee is $75 in advance, $80 at the door. Boys and girls age groups are 13-15 and 16-19.

At least two bowlers from each qualifier will travel to the national finals. For more information, tap the Web site at www.killerbpromo.com/YM/2000.htm.

"We'll have more than 350 youngsters at our finals next August," said Cindy Wunderlich, tournament coordinator. "This is the fourth year of the Youth Masters and the first we have introduced the qualifiers. The prize fund has increased dramatically with help from our sponsors, the ABC, Brunswick and Dexter Bowling."

Another Beck event, the American Scholarship Tournament (AST), is open to all bowlers 19 or younger and pays winners up to $2,000 based on 100 entries for each event. That money also goes into scholarship funds.

The AST's are two-day affairs that began last weekend at Brandon Crossroads Bowl and will continue every weekend through May, June and July. Entry fee is $40 prepaid, $45 at the door, open to all bowlers 19 or younger. However, only YABA-sanctioned youngsters will receive honor score recognition.

Competition is in four age divisions, five games across five lanes with total pins determining the winners. For more information, hit the Web site at www.killerbpromo.com/AST/main.htm.

DUES APPROVED: Delegates to the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) national convention at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., approved an amended $2 dues increase effective Aug. 1.

The WIBC first proposed a $5 increase in its annual sanctioning fee for members, then backed off after a recount of its books revealed more in the treasury than first noted. The increase was reduced to $2, which means members of the St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Suncoast women's associations may have to pay $13.50 if the increase is ratified by those associations.

Becky Walkowiak of Lake Station, Ind., took the lead in the Classic Singles with a 701 series as the WIBC Championship Tournament continued at the Reno stadium. Carol Damlow of Hutchinson, Minn., is the new Division III singles leader at 591.

The 2004 WIBC national tournament was awarded to Wichita, Kan.

ABC UPDATE: Darrell Battenfield of Claremore, Okla., rolled the 17th perfect game in the ABC Championships Tournament at the Albuquerque (N.M.) Convention Center, but there were no leader changes last week.

Team 8 Ball of Medford, Ore., is the Regular Team leader with a 3,513 pinfall; Scott Word of Oklahoma City is the singles leader with an 800, and Team Superior of Arvada, Colo., is the Classified Team leader at 2,888. Frank Jilek III of Burbank, Calif., is the Classified Singles leader with a 722 series.

LOCAL TOURNAMENTS: St. Petersburg's Todd Epler and Ron Wolfe claimed the title in the first OverUnder Doubles Tournament last month at Tampa's Regal Lanes. The event, created by Clearwater's Nick Francis, features one bowler over 50 years old and his or her partner 49 and under. Epler and Wolfe split $1,000.

St. Petersburg's Drew Beierlein defeated Clearwater's Bill Ferrie 247-237 to win his second Florida Hi-Rollers event at Largo Lanes last month and collect $350. Glenn Francis finished third, Tim Shererer fourth and Cindy Hall fifth. The tournament moves to AMF Clearwater Lanes on Sunday.

AROUND THE LANES: Bob Hafer rolled a 299-834 at Countryside Lanes to lead the week's top scorers. Other honor scores were John Smith's 300 game and Robert Little's and Ray Verrachio's 299 games at Liberty Lanes. ... Emily Snyder, 16, of Perkiomenville, Pa., rolled a YABA record 843 series for girls. ... Tammy Christensen, a 143-average bowler from Sioux Falls, S.D., rolled games of 150 and 149, delivering the ball off the wrong foot and straight down the middle, but her third game was a 300.

-- Phil Gulick can be reached at Xerxes6@aol.com or Xerxes6@earthlink.net

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