My friend Chuck Pezzano is well known and respected for his ability to find the good in almost any situation when it comes to bowling. But when I read his column about the Professional Bowlers Association’s decision to cancel the Tournament of Champions, I could sense the extreme disappointment he must feel—maybe even a little anger that the new regime gave up the event a little too early.
Pezzano is a charter and Hall of Fame member of PBA and perhaps the only person who has attended every “T of C” since 1965—all 36 of them. It always has been the showcase event of the PBA and one very close to Pezzano’s heart. Some of its luster began to dull when Firestone dropped its sponsorship after many years. General Tire took over for one year, and then Brunswick took it on.
When the sponsorship was placed with Brunswick, I was one of the few who saw the writing on the wall. My comment at the time was, “If we can’t find an outside (of the industry) sponsor for this event, pro bowling is really in trouble.”
And it really hasn’t been the same since Brunswick took over. The format was changed, amateurs were allowed to compete, and it’s been moved around to different locations.
All well and good for Brunswick, and it certainly was their right to make changes, but they weren’t good for the event. John Jowdy, another PBA Hall of Famer, voiced his opposition to the changes on more than one occasion.
And now it’s gone, the victim of hard times at Brunswick and the new PBA business philosophy. I, along with Chuck and John, I’m sure, hope that the new PBA people realize the importance of this event and its tradition, and I also hope they make it a priority to bring it back as soon as possible with a new sponsor.
Matt Fiorito, another great writer, suggested Firestone might be a good possibility, citing that the company sure needs some positive publicity these days. Interesting.
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More sad news from Reno: The politicians won, and the National Bowling Stadium is being converted to a convention facility. Word now is that the building will install temporary lanes for the ABC and WIBC through the end of their contracts, but no way will it be the same. I think Reno is in for a rude awakening when bowlers stop going to their city. Only then will they realize the value of the NBS, and they will see what a huge mistake it was to close it.
One of my biggest concerns is that this stupid decision puts our friend Betty Morris out of a job. She put her heart and soul into promoting the NBS in Reno, and she told me before the decision was official that she was sick about it.
Of course, it also means the cancellation of the $1 million Stadium Classic tournament she worked so hard to make a reality. It’s a damn shame, but Betty is a survivor, and I’m sure somebody out there will find a need for her knowledge and experience.
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As long as we’re getting things off our chest, did you notice that ABC and WIBC membership went down another five percent? Is it because of the dues increase or the proprietors’ emphasis on open play?
If my friend Chuck Pezzano was commenting on this, he might point out that it’s nothing to be concerned about because it’s been going on for more than 20 years. He probably also would point out that YABA membership is slightly up. Being optimistic, if youth bowling continues to grow for another 10 or 15 years, then ABC and WIBC membership logically will bottom out about the time those young people graduate from high school.
Probably one of the biggest reasons for the YABA increase is the new promotion of high school bowling by people like PWBA founder John Sommer and many others. BPAA is on the bandwagon, and great progress is being made. The trick—and the treat for bowling—will be finding ways to keep those high school kids involved in bowling throughout their college years and beyond.
Jim Goodwin, a BWAA director and PWBA’s regional program director, is the award-winning editor/publisher of Stars & Strikes, in which the preceding originally appeared. Subscription rates are $20 per year, $32 for two years, and $48 for three years (Pin Point Publishing, 2850 Red Valley Run, Rockwall Texas 75087 … voice/fax: 972/771-0069).