onefrombills
01-08-2009, 03:19 AM
Three of the most successful players in professional bowling history have been elected to the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in the Superior Performance category.
Mark Roth, 57, of Fulton, N.Y.; John Petraglia, 61, of Jackson, N.J., and Wendy Macpherson, 40, of Henderson, Nev., will be inducted during the USBC Convention in Reno, Nev., on Friday, May 1.
Roth, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, is widely credited with introducing the high-revolution power game into the sport. Roth's unorthodox style produced 34 Professional Bowlers Association titles including a remarkable 14 victories over a two-year span (1978-79). His eight titles in 1978 stand as the most victories in a single year by a PBA player.
Roth also is a two-time PBA Senior Tour champion and banked more than $1.6 million during his career. He won Bowling Writers Association of America Bowler of the Year honors in 1977, '78, '79 and '84 and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1987.
"I'm surprised. I didn't think I'd ever get in," Roth said. "It's a great honor. I got the call from USBC President Jeff Bojé on New Year's Eve, so it was a great way to bring in the New Year. At least I get to go in before I die so I can enjoy it."
Petraglia, also a Brooklyn native, is a 14-time PBA champion and one of five players in PBA history to complete the Triple Crown. After winning his first PBA title at age 19, Petraglia won the Firestone Tournament of Champions in 1971, U.S. Open in 1977 and the PBA National Championship in 1980. Billy Hardwick, Pete Weber, Mike Aulby and Norm Duke are the only others in the "Triple Crown Club."
Petraglia also was part of two teams that won American Bowling Congress Classic Team titles before the Classic Division was terminated, and he owns six PBA Senior Tour titles. He is the only PBA bowler to win three consecutive televised tournament titles, one of three who have won PBA titles in five different decades, and one of 17 who have bowled nationally-televised 300 games.
"I was very, very surprised. It was a shock, but it was wonderful news," Petraglia said. "I thought it would take two or three years at least. It's pretty special to be recognized alongside guys like Andy Varipapa and Dick Weber and all the great players who are in the hall."
Petraglia and Roth were both pleased to be elected in the same year.
"Mark and I basically grew up together, even though I'm four years older," Petraglia said. "Mark and I won a Paramus league one year, and the Met Classic league another year. We were good bowlers when we were young, but you never know how things are going to turn out. Looking back, it's a big surprise to see what we've accomplished."
Macpherson, a 20-time Professional Women's Bowling Association champion, made her presence known on the women's scene as an 18-year-old amateur when she won the Women's U.S. Open for her first title. Since then she became the youngest woman to win the tour's Triple Crown, captured three USBC Queens titles, was selected Woman Bowler of the Year four times and became the all-time earnings leader in women's professional bowling with $1.2 million in 2003 when the PWBA ceased operations.
"It was a great way to begin the New Year," Macpherson said. "I'm honored. It's very, very exciting."
Macpherson also is the only woman to win a USBC Open Championships title, firing an 812 series to win the 2006 Regular Singles crown in Corpus Christi, Texas.
"I think it's a combination of all the fabulous years and the many years, 20 years, that represents your career," she said. "I did a little bit of reminiscing of how wonderful bowling has been to me over the years, how much I've enjoyed it and been blessed to be able to do it for so many years and am still doing it."
She was the leading vote-getter among the 12 candidates considered by USBC's panel of veteran bowling writers and hall of famers, named on 146 of 158 ballots cast for 92.41 percent to easily exceed the 70 percent majority needed for election. Roth received 130 votes (82.28 percent) while Petraglia received 117 votes (74.05).
Other men's candidates were: Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore., 105 votes (66.46); Del Ballard Jr., Keller, Texas, 59 votes (37.34); Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 27 votes (17.09), and Amleto Monacelli, Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 16 votes (10.13).
Other women's candidates were: Shirley Levens, Titusville, Fla., 79 votes (50); Dede Davidson, Buellton, Calif., 65 votes (41.14); Cheryl Robinson, Oceanside, Calif., 51 votes (32.28); and Jackie Mitskavitch, DuBois, Pa., and Michelle Mullen, Farmington Hills, Mich., each with 20 votes (12.66).
The USBC Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by merging the former ABC and Women's International Bowling Congress Halls of Fame. With the three new inductees selected by the committee, there are now 375 members of the USBC Hall of Fame - 246 in Performance, 110 in Meritorious Service and 19 Pioneers.
Mark Roth, 57, of Fulton, N.Y.; John Petraglia, 61, of Jackson, N.J., and Wendy Macpherson, 40, of Henderson, Nev., will be inducted during the USBC Convention in Reno, Nev., on Friday, May 1.
Roth, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, is widely credited with introducing the high-revolution power game into the sport. Roth's unorthodox style produced 34 Professional Bowlers Association titles including a remarkable 14 victories over a two-year span (1978-79). His eight titles in 1978 stand as the most victories in a single year by a PBA player.
Roth also is a two-time PBA Senior Tour champion and banked more than $1.6 million during his career. He won Bowling Writers Association of America Bowler of the Year honors in 1977, '78, '79 and '84 and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1987.
"I'm surprised. I didn't think I'd ever get in," Roth said. "It's a great honor. I got the call from USBC President Jeff Bojé on New Year's Eve, so it was a great way to bring in the New Year. At least I get to go in before I die so I can enjoy it."
Petraglia, also a Brooklyn native, is a 14-time PBA champion and one of five players in PBA history to complete the Triple Crown. After winning his first PBA title at age 19, Petraglia won the Firestone Tournament of Champions in 1971, U.S. Open in 1977 and the PBA National Championship in 1980. Billy Hardwick, Pete Weber, Mike Aulby and Norm Duke are the only others in the "Triple Crown Club."
Petraglia also was part of two teams that won American Bowling Congress Classic Team titles before the Classic Division was terminated, and he owns six PBA Senior Tour titles. He is the only PBA bowler to win three consecutive televised tournament titles, one of three who have won PBA titles in five different decades, and one of 17 who have bowled nationally-televised 300 games.
"I was very, very surprised. It was a shock, but it was wonderful news," Petraglia said. "I thought it would take two or three years at least. It's pretty special to be recognized alongside guys like Andy Varipapa and Dick Weber and all the great players who are in the hall."
Petraglia and Roth were both pleased to be elected in the same year.
"Mark and I basically grew up together, even though I'm four years older," Petraglia said. "Mark and I won a Paramus league one year, and the Met Classic league another year. We were good bowlers when we were young, but you never know how things are going to turn out. Looking back, it's a big surprise to see what we've accomplished."
Macpherson, a 20-time Professional Women's Bowling Association champion, made her presence known on the women's scene as an 18-year-old amateur when she won the Women's U.S. Open for her first title. Since then she became the youngest woman to win the tour's Triple Crown, captured three USBC Queens titles, was selected Woman Bowler of the Year four times and became the all-time earnings leader in women's professional bowling with $1.2 million in 2003 when the PWBA ceased operations.
"It was a great way to begin the New Year," Macpherson said. "I'm honored. It's very, very exciting."
Macpherson also is the only woman to win a USBC Open Championships title, firing an 812 series to win the 2006 Regular Singles crown in Corpus Christi, Texas.
"I think it's a combination of all the fabulous years and the many years, 20 years, that represents your career," she said. "I did a little bit of reminiscing of how wonderful bowling has been to me over the years, how much I've enjoyed it and been blessed to be able to do it for so many years and am still doing it."
She was the leading vote-getter among the 12 candidates considered by USBC's panel of veteran bowling writers and hall of famers, named on 146 of 158 ballots cast for 92.41 percent to easily exceed the 70 percent majority needed for election. Roth received 130 votes (82.28 percent) while Petraglia received 117 votes (74.05).
Other men's candidates were: Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore., 105 votes (66.46); Del Ballard Jr., Keller, Texas, 59 votes (37.34); Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 27 votes (17.09), and Amleto Monacelli, Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 16 votes (10.13).
Other women's candidates were: Shirley Levens, Titusville, Fla., 79 votes (50); Dede Davidson, Buellton, Calif., 65 votes (41.14); Cheryl Robinson, Oceanside, Calif., 51 votes (32.28); and Jackie Mitskavitch, DuBois, Pa., and Michelle Mullen, Farmington Hills, Mich., each with 20 votes (12.66).
The USBC Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by merging the former ABC and Women's International Bowling Congress Halls of Fame. With the three new inductees selected by the committee, there are now 375 members of the USBC Hall of Fame - 246 in Performance, 110 in Meritorious Service and 19 Pioneers.