1st Place - Norm Duke - Storm Hy-Road

2nd Place - Chris Barnes - Columbia 300 Momentum, Columbia 300 Momentum Swing, Columbia 300 Pro Loomed Towel

3rd Place - Steve Jaros - AMF 300 The Code

4th Place - Sean Rash - Brunswick Avalanche Slide, Dexter Men's SST 8 , Brunswick Loomed Towel

Norm Duke became the first player in PBA history to win three consecutive Majors as he captured the PBA World Championship at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., which marks the first event of the 50th Anniversary Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. Prior to today’s win over 2007-08 PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Tex. (259-189), Duke had won the 2007-08 Denny’s World Championship and the U.S. Open.

“That (making history) hasn’t hit me,” Duke said. “I was focused on winning the World Championship. When I heard that, it kind of choked me up. It’s a dream and I want to thank my family for standing by me the whole time.”

Pre-order a Cell Pearl today or any day starting on September 18th through October 12th to qualify.

1 lucky winner each day will be selected to receive a phone call from PBA National Champion Wes Malott, who will personally help you with a layout choice of your new Cell Pearl.

Thanks for continuing to support Roto Grip, making us KING OF THEM ALL!

Roto-Grip Cell Pearl

If you miss watching the PBA Tour on ESPN, never fear, the GEICO PBA Team Shootout debuts Sunday, June 22 at 1 p.m. ET.

One of the Denny’s PBA Tour’s most unique events in its 50-year history unfolds over a 5-week series on ESPN. The GEICO PBA Team Shootout hosted by Six Flags Great America, which featured 18 of the greatest bowlers in the world drafted into a rare team event held outdoors June 6-8 on specially-constructed lanes surrounded by the roar of park’s roller coasters, airs its first three of 15 half-hour shows beginning at 1 pm ET Sunday.

The 18 bowlers (16 champions from the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour along with one additional player designated by the PBA, PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber, and another designated by major sponsor USBC, World Bowler of the Year Jason Belmonte from Australia) were divided into three teams with players being selected by three “captains” – PBA Hall of Famers Mark Roth, Carmen Salvino and Brian Voss.

The three legendary captains drafted the players during a ceremony on June 5. Complete coverage of the draft party, a glimpse into the selection process of the teams airs on PBA.com’s Xtra Frame beginning today.

The ESPN audience will be able to follow along with every shot of the groundbreaking made-for-TV format, which found the three teams competing in round robin, Baker style match play with a total of 12 matches taking place. Each team bowled four matches against the other two teams, with each match taking place on a different oil pattern. The only one of the five PBA oil patterns not be used during round robin play was the Cheetah pattern, which was used in the championship round.

With six players on a team, one bowler sat out each game for the five-man Baker style matches. Team captains designated which five players competed during the matches.

After the 12 matches were complete, the top two teams based on match play record advanced to the championship round, which consisted of one singles match, one doubles match and one Baker-style match, with the captains choosing the participants for each match.

The singles and doubles matches were each worth one point while the Baker match was worth two points. In the event of a tie, one player from each team – who will be determined prior to the start of the competition by the team captains – will participate in a one-ball sudden death roll-off. The winning team will split $100,000.

One special feature that will carry over from last year’s doubles summer event held at Six Flags Great America in St. Louis, was the “Endless 10th Frame,” which will only be used in the round robin match play portion of the event. Should a bowler strike with his fill ball in the 10th frame, his team will continue to bowl until they do not strike again, with each additional strike adding 10 pins to the team’s total score.

Additionally, a total of $1,000 in bonus money was up for grabs in each round robin match with $100 on the line in each frame. In every frame, the bowlers on opposite teams competed against each other for the bonus money. The bowler with the most successful frame received $100 for their team. Should the bowlers tie in a given frame, that money was carried over to the next frame. If a tie takes place in the 10th frame, bonus money goes to the team that won the match. Endless 10th frames do not factor into the individual frame bonus money.

Below is a look at the participants:

Name - Qualified
Patrick Allen - 2007 Lumber Liquidators Championship
Chris Barnes - 2008 Bayer Classic/2008 Don Johnson Buckeye State Classic
Jason Belmonte - USBC selection
Parker Bohn III - 2007 Spartanburg Classic
Norm Duke - 2008 Denny’s World Championship/65th Denny’s U.S. Open
Mike Fagan - 2008 PBA Exempt Doubles Classic
Michael Haugen Jr. - 2007 Lake Co. Indiana Classic/2008 Tournament of Champions
Tommy Jones - 2008 ConstructionJob.com Championship/2008 GEICO Classic
Mika Koivuniemi - Dydo Japan Cup 2008
Wes Malott 2008 Lumber Liquidators Earl Anthony Medford Classic
Rhino Page - 2008 Go RVing Classic
Sean Rash - 2007 USBC Masters
Mike Scroggins - 2008 Motel 6 Dick Weber Open/2008 Pepsi Championship
Robert Smith - 2007 CLR Windy City Classic
Pete Weber - PBA selection
Walter Ray Williams Jr. - 2007 Motor City Classic/2007 Great Lakes Classic
Danny Wiseman - 2008 PBA Exempt Doubles Classic
Mike Wolfe - 2007 Etonic Championship

CAPTAINS
Mark Roth - 34-time Denny’s PBA Tour titlist, PBA Hall of Famer
Carmen Salvino - 17-time Denny’s PBA Tour titlist, PBA Hall of Famer
Brian Voss - 24-time Denny’s PBA Tour titlist, PBA Hall of Famer

Below is a complete list of air times. All dates and times are subject to change.

Date Network Times (Shows)
Sun., June 22 ESPN 1 – 2:30 p.m. ET (3)
Sun., June 29 ESPN 1 – 3 p.m. ET (4)
Sun., July 6 ESPN 1 – 2 p.m. ET (2)
Sun., July 13 ESPN 3 – 4 p.m. ET (2)
Sat., July 20 ESPN 1 – 3 p.m. ET (4)

When a sport’s top five players average 40 years of age, it might be time for a fresh wind to blow through. Enter Rhino Page, a 24-year-old bowling phenom who’s taken the PBA Tour by storm. Page, who grew up in San Diego, now calls Kansas home after attending KU in hopes of being a meteorologist. The lefty captured his first PBA Tour title, notched five TV appearances and collected $84,811 last season, all while having to battle through the qualifying rounds as an non-exempt player. Not only did he nab 2007-08 PBA Rookie of the Year honors, but finished ninth in the overall points standings.

“It was a season I could never have dreamed about it was so good,” says Page. “Everything that could have happened, did. It was truly unbelievable. I was just hoping to make the cut every week and get to compete in the top 64 with the best pros in the world. But to have everything happen so quickly, I’m just blown away.”

Right into the eye of the storm.

“WHY I’M NEXT”

“My versatility is a big strength. My versatility and experience on international teams have helped me be successful. I’ve also had great mentors on tour, teaching me things I definitely wouldn’t have figured out on my own, somebody like Patrick Allen—another lefty who’s become a good friend on tour. It’s my goal to be the best lefty ever. Well, actually I want to be the best bowler ever. I have a long way to go but a good start.”
— RHINO PAGE

JUST SO YOU KNOW …

• He got his nickname from his T-Ball coach because of his intensity on the field. His real name is Ryan, but no one, not even his family, calls him that anymore.
• Rhino was conceived after his mother had her tubes tied. Talk about determination!
• He has made it a personal goal to see every state by the time he’s 30. (Only 10 more to go!)
• Rhino is terrified of snakes, spiders and heights.
• He tried to grow a killer bowler’s mustache but, “it just doesn’t work out.”
• Rhino’s favorites:
  • Sports Movie: Major League and Miracle
    (”Kingpin?” It made me laugh but it makes fun of bowling so I’m sort of 50-50 on it.”)
  • Food: Spaghetti
    (”I make sauce from scratch.”)
  • PBA Tour Stop: Medford, Ore.
    (”We look forward to it every year. The hospitality is great.”)

Courtesy of ESPN THE MAGAZINE

The terms Cheetah, Viper, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark may seem more at home at an exotic pet store than a bowling alley. But to professional bowlers, those words can make a world of difference in how they approach their game.

The terms refer to lane conditions used by the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). They describe, in increasing order of difficulty, the length and pattern of oils used to condition the wooden lanes.

Last week, two stars of the PBA stopped by Brunswick Blue Hen Lanes in Newark to teach local bowlers about these different conditions and offer pointers on how to improve their skills.

“We’re trying to educate and give back to league bowlers,” said Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, a top female bowler from Texas, who was recently elected to the U.S. Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.

Those involved with the sport, she said, have been trying to change stereotypes about it, emphasizing its family nature and the athleticism it demands.

On that mission, she and her husband, Del Ballard, have visited bowling centers around the country to share their knowledge and passion about bowling with amateur players.

Del, who entered the PBA Tour as a teenager and won numerous titles since then, said he has no problem with what he calls the “Al Bundy leagues” of bowling - people who play for recreation and camaraderie.

But, he wants to show average bowlers the difference between their game and what the pros face. Only in bowling, he pointed out, can an amateur athlete achieve the same score as a professional (300 is a perfect game).

“People bowl 300 all the time in leagues, but you never hear that in other sports,” he said. “You never see golfers saying they’re as good as Tiger Woods.”

The difference in bowling comes down to lane conditions. A league player bowling in the high 200s on the “house pattern” may lose between 35 and 50 pins when shooting on PBA patterns, he said.

“The reason why we’re here is to make this as enjoyable as possible, so players can learn the game of bowling the way it’s supposed to be played,” he said.

At the workshop, Del and Carolyn demonstrated how they approach different lane conditions and adjust their timing and equipment to get better results. Then, they gave local players a chance to try their hand at it, offering tips along the way.

At one point, Carolyn held up a kitchen scrub pad - a favorite tool of hers. “We’re going to put some teeth on your bowling ball,” she said.

By CHRISTINE NEFF of the Newark Post

Barnes wins Bowling’s Clash of Champions

When she won the 2008 United States Bowling Congress Queens on April 30, Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, proved she was one of the best female bowlers in the world. Now, she can argue she’s one of the best bowlers regardless of gender.

Barnes defeated four-time Denny’s PBA Tour titlist Sean Rash of Wichita, Kan., 258-237 to win Bowling’s Clash of Champions, a USBC event, in front of more than 1,500 fans at Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.

The inaugural event, which aired on CBS Sports, marked the return of bowling to network television for the first time in nearly a decade and was conducted in conjunction the USBC Convention in Kansas City, Mo. The Clash featured a field of 16 champions of USBC events and the U.S.Open competing for a $100,000 prize fund.

“It was an awesome crowd with fantastic energy,” said Barnes, who received $50,000 for the victory. “You could tell it was filled with people who love bowling, and I just fed off that. It was a lot of fun.”

Barnes, whose husband Chris is the reigning PBA Player of the Year, stepped up and threw three strikes in the final frame, just like she did in winning the USBC Queens, and forced Rash to throw two strikes and get nine to take the title. Rash made a solid first shot but the head pin flew across the deck and missed the 10 pin, giving Barnes her second major victory in less than two weeks.

“I just wanted to step up and make good shots, just like I do every time on the approach,” said
Barnes, who earned her spot in the Clash by winning the U.S. Amateur title in 2007. “I really thought Sean was going to strike out and win the title.”

In Denny’s PBA Tour events, Rash has a perfect 7-0 record on television and won the 2007 USBC Masters, but he couldn’t continue his undefeated streak against Barnes.

“She is one of the best bowlers ever, male or female,” said Rash, who got $25,000 for second. “Not only did she bowl great against me, but she also bowled very well in the semifinals and in the shootout round as well.”

Wes Malott signed a long term contract with the fastest growing bowling ball manufacturer in the world, Roto Grip, Inc. The details of the contract were not disclosed, but sources say the agreement was finalized Thursday May 8th, 2008 in what could be Roto Grip’s biggest marketing initiative yet.

“We are very excited to have Wes Malott, a.k.a. “The Big Nasty”, on our team”, said Roger Noordhoek, Vice President of Business Development for Roto Grip, Inc. “Wes is becoming known as one of the most successful players on the PBA Tour and we couldn’t see a better fit for our Brand. We have had an amazing growth during the 1st quarter of 2008 due to our most recent ball release. Hank Boomershine, VP of Sales for Storm Products, Inc. and head of Product Development designed an amazing product, the CELL. It was time to team up with a top name player to represent Roto Grip and Wes is it!”

Malott has been a member of the PBA since 2001 and has nearly $500,000 in career earnings. He has won 9 regional PBA titles and collected over $70,000 in regional winnings. Malott is known as the “The Big Nasty” because he stands 6′5″ and has a “Nasty” high rev rate when he throws the bowling ball.

Malott has won three career PBA National Titles and in the 2007-08 season he earned his 3rd title at the Lumber Liquidators Earl Anthony Medford Classic where he took home the $25,000 first prize. He had 5 other PBA tournaments this season where he qualified for the televised championship round. He also finished 3rd in Total Points and tied for 4th in Player Of The Year rankings.

In 2006-07 Malott led the PBA in Points where he won the Windy City Classic and was runner up in 3 other PBA tournaments. He averaged 226 and won a career high $148,000 during his best year to date on the PBA Tour.

In 2005 Malott shot 299 on a televised Semi Final match on his way to winning the Mile High Classic in Denver, CO earning him is first PBA National Championship.

“I’m extremely honored to be asked to represent the fastest growing brand in the bowling industry,” said 3-time PBA National Champion Wes Malott. “Roto Grip’s release of the CELL really took the spotlight on tour last season for bowling equipment. Now that I’m on board with Roto Grip I’m looking forward to seeing the equipment that will be released in the future to compliment the CELL. I’m excited to begin a long term relationship with Roto Grip that will excel both myself and the company to the top of our competition” Malott added.

Wes, his wife Maryiedth and their two kids Jordan and Camden reside in Argyle, Texas. In his spare time Wes likes to play baseball with his son Jordan, play an occasional round of golf, and enjoys watching College Football and Basketball.

ROTO GRIP JUST GOT NASTY!