onefrombills
02-14-2009, 04:13 PM
There’s no place like home. The USBC Masters has returned home.
For its first 51 years the Masters was held in conjunction with the ABC Tournament, (now USBC Open Championships) which is held on specially-installed lanes in huge convention centers or arena facilities. After the 2001 ABC Tournament at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., the Taj Mahal of Tenpins remained home for the Masters in 2002, 2003 and the 54th Masters in 2004.
Later in 2004, the Masters moved to Milwaukee, Wis. as qualifying rounds and the signature three-game double elimination match play rounds were moved to a traditional bowling center.
This paved the way for the first historic ESPN-televised finals of the Masters in a Major League Baseball park. That occurred on Oct. 31, 2004 at Miller Park – the only time two Masters champions were decided in a single calendar year. I will never forget that day in that spectacular setting as Danny Wiseman as the tournament leader rode into the Championship match in a gleaming red convertible from the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen.
Wiseman collected his thoughts and simply flushed the first eight strikes en route to his first major victory in front of more than 4,400 fans. From there the Masters continued in Milwaukee from 2005-07, qualification and match play rounds in the traditional bowling center with a series of arena settings.
The U.S. Cellular Arena played host in 2005, where Mike Scroggins won in the now infamous “I threw that one like a league bowler” Masters. The Masters finals moved to the Wisconsin Exposition Center in 2006 when Doug Kent took home his second Masters trophy. The triumphant return came to Miller Park in 2007 as Sean Rash captured his first Major in that Masters sprinting down the first base line to victory.
The great arena settings were very befitting of the grandness of the history of Masters competition and a great opportunity to showcase the Masters as a PBA Tour Major. Through absolutely no fault of the venerable AMF Bowlero in suburban Milwaukee, the Masters just never felt right tucked tightly in the traditional bowling center during the qualifying and match play rounds.
The USBC Masters returns to the grandeur of the all-arena setting with the 2009 version in Las Vegas. 2008 marks the first calendar year a Masters champion went uncrowned.
It is a thrill just to walk into the Cashman Center every day, not to mention the thrill the players get striding down center aisle to compete in such grand fashion like the first champion Lee Jouglard did in 1951.
The new spectacular Daktronics scoreboards in place at the Cashman Center dazzle with colorful new graphics. The greats come alive in tribute to the great champions. Fazio, Welu, Strampe, Soutar, Anthony, Aulby, Duke, Williams Jr. and many, many others.
There’s no place like home. Welcome home, USBC Masters!
For its first 51 years the Masters was held in conjunction with the ABC Tournament, (now USBC Open Championships) which is held on specially-installed lanes in huge convention centers or arena facilities. After the 2001 ABC Tournament at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., the Taj Mahal of Tenpins remained home for the Masters in 2002, 2003 and the 54th Masters in 2004.
Later in 2004, the Masters moved to Milwaukee, Wis. as qualifying rounds and the signature three-game double elimination match play rounds were moved to a traditional bowling center.
This paved the way for the first historic ESPN-televised finals of the Masters in a Major League Baseball park. That occurred on Oct. 31, 2004 at Miller Park – the only time two Masters champions were decided in a single calendar year. I will never forget that day in that spectacular setting as Danny Wiseman as the tournament leader rode into the Championship match in a gleaming red convertible from the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen.
Wiseman collected his thoughts and simply flushed the first eight strikes en route to his first major victory in front of more than 4,400 fans. From there the Masters continued in Milwaukee from 2005-07, qualification and match play rounds in the traditional bowling center with a series of arena settings.
The U.S. Cellular Arena played host in 2005, where Mike Scroggins won in the now infamous “I threw that one like a league bowler” Masters. The Masters finals moved to the Wisconsin Exposition Center in 2006 when Doug Kent took home his second Masters trophy. The triumphant return came to Miller Park in 2007 as Sean Rash captured his first Major in that Masters sprinting down the first base line to victory.
The great arena settings were very befitting of the grandness of the history of Masters competition and a great opportunity to showcase the Masters as a PBA Tour Major. Through absolutely no fault of the venerable AMF Bowlero in suburban Milwaukee, the Masters just never felt right tucked tightly in the traditional bowling center during the qualifying and match play rounds.
The USBC Masters returns to the grandeur of the all-arena setting with the 2009 version in Las Vegas. 2008 marks the first calendar year a Masters champion went uncrowned.
It is a thrill just to walk into the Cashman Center every day, not to mention the thrill the players get striding down center aisle to compete in such grand fashion like the first champion Lee Jouglard did in 1951.
The new spectacular Daktronics scoreboards in place at the Cashman Center dazzle with colorful new graphics. The greats come alive in tribute to the great champions. Fazio, Welu, Strampe, Soutar, Anthony, Aulby, Duke, Williams Jr. and many, many others.
There’s no place like home. Welcome home, USBC Masters!