By Jim Goodwin
Regional Players Championship huge success! — All of the hard work by all of our regional directors and many others really paid off in a big way August 1-4, as the 5th Annual RPC was incredible!
Congratulations to our new champions — Missy Bellinder won the open division, and Shirley Levens captured the legends division. Missy is an extremely talented collegiate and Team USA player, and "the Shirley formerly known as Hintz" is a PWBA national and regional champion and a former WIBC Senior Queens champion. Missy took home $5,000 for her efforts, and Shirley earned $2,500.
Bellinder earns first pro title against great players — To win her first PWBA title, Missy had to defeat some great players. Seeded third in the final four stepladder finals, she defeated PWBA Northeast Regional Player of the Year Chele Schirmer 200-188, PWBA and WIBC Hall of Famer Dana Miller-Mackie 237-226, and PWBA Western Region Bowler of the Decade Darris (Street) Ruffner 211-206 for the title.
First amateur to win RPC — Bellinder became the first amateur player to win the RPC in its fifth event. With the level of talent on the amateur side of our sport, it was bound to happen sooner or later ... and more than 60 percent of all PWBA regional event entries are amateurs. She won’t be an amateur for long however: Her plan is to turn pro after she graduates from Cal State Fullerton University in May 2004.
Bellinder has had great coaching — It was no fluke for Missy to win such a big title. She’s been coached by the best—at Cal State Fullerton, on Team USA, and by her “second mom,” Virginia Norton, who finished third in the legends division. Listening to Missy talk to the fans and media after winning made everyone feel very good about the younger generation of top players. She was poised and professional, and PWBA or any future pro group will be proud to call her a member.
Ruffner returns in style — Runner-up Darris Ruffner, who was known as Darris Street when she bowled on tour for several years, came to the RPC with a goal of “just not making a fool out of myself,” and she became the event leader. Ruffner didn’t bowl last year because she didn’t even know about the event until a few days before when she was told she won the PWBA Western Regional Bowler of the Decade award. She came to Las Vegas last year to accept that award at the RPC banquet and promised to bowl in the tournament in 2003. She kept her promise.
Levens injures back while lifting grandchild — A few days before the RPC, Shirley Levens hurt her back lifting her grandchild, and came very close to withdrawing from the event. She had two adjustments at the chiropractor and wore a back brace while she was bowling, and obviously, it worked out okay.
Defending champ runner-up — Levens defeated Hall of Fame bowler Lorrie Nichols to earn the title, and Nichols defeated another Hall of Fame player, Virginia Norton, to advance to the title match. In the first match of the final-four stairstep finals, Norton defeated National Golden Ladies champion Dee Price to advance.
200 percent payback — How many tournaments return 200 percent of entry fees in prize money? Because of great sponsors and added money from the PWBA Regional Program, the 2003 RPC paid $36,300 in prize money to 41 cashers, over 200 percent of entry fees in this event.
Norton and Macpherson win Kegel’s Million Skins Game — Between the two Saturday afternoon pro-am squads, the PWBA Millionaires and Legends competed in a Doubles Skins Game for $4,000, sponsored by the Kegel Company to promote their 2004 Kegel’s Million Tournament. The big winners were Virginia Norton and Wendy Macpherson, with Norton striking in sudden death overtime for $2500. Dana Miller-Mackie and Anne Marie Duggan won a $900 skin, and Robin Romeo and Leanne Barrette earned a $600 skin. Tish Johnson and Jeanette Robinson bowled very well, with Robinson getting a big strike in the 10th frame but didn’t cash. It was a fun match, and the fans saw some great players.
Pro-Am a knockout! — Thanks to the efforts of the Gold Coast bowling center staff and Steve Sanders’ Pinacle Events, the RPC Pro-Am was very successful, drawing over 350 entries. The big winners were Frank Menchaca, Los Angeles, for $1,000 and Luis Boon, Mission Hills, Calif., for $500.
RPC banquet brings tears and laughs — The Saturday evening RPC Millionaires and Legends Banquet was a very big part of the 2003 RPC. The Arizona Ballroom at the Gold Coast was decorated in green, white, and silver for the special dinner, and 166 friends and fans attended. After a very nice sit-down dinner, several special people were recognized as award winners and winners of regional prizes. The 2003 Jeanette Robinson Attitude Award was presented to Robin Romeo. The grand finale of the evening was a very entertaining Q and A session with 13 PWBA Hall of Famers and Millionaires hosted by PWBA Regional Program Director Jim Goodwin and Hall of Famer Susie Reichley. It was a wonderful, positive, uplifting evening shared by all who attended.
Great Media Turnout — Once again the RPC was well covered by many members of the bowling media. On site for the tournament and banquet were Walt Steinsiek from Florida; Jim Wyckoff, Arkansas; Joe Lyou, California; Frenchy LeTourneau, Dick Stoeffler, Bob Corderman, and Marc David, Las Vegas; and Jim Dressel, Chicago. The pre-event publicity was excellent, especially in the California and Las Vegas publications, and we look forward to seeing the results in future issues and stories.
Regional action continues — In just hours, we’ll know the near future of the PWBA national tour, but no matter how it goes, PWBA regional events will roll on. This weekend, August 8-10, three great regional events will be held. In the Northeast, the 6th Annual Aberdeen NE PWBA Open will roll at Harford Lanes in Aberdeen, Md. This 20-lane center has three big pro-am squads. In Houston, the sold out 4th Annual Luci Bonneau Memorial Mixed Doubles will roll at Dynamic Lanes, sponsored by Storm Bowling Products, and a brand new event will be held at Zodo’s Bowl and Beyond in Goleta, Calif. This new event has over $6000 added money.
Regional events will continue through the end of 2003, and next year’s schedule looks very promising for even more great regional tournaments.
Questions? Contact our regional directors:
That’s all for this week. We’ll be back in seven days with more news, results of this week’s events, and comments about the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from the PWBA Rockford Office.