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onefrombills
07-31-2009, 03:03 AM
WSOB PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Norm Duke Bio and Predictions
Seattle, Wash. - 7/30/2009

NORM DUKE OVERVIEW
Norm Duke was recently ranked the 7th greatest player in PBA history, and before he’s through, he may end up even higher on that list. He’s been in the running for PBA Player of the Year in each of the last three seasons, mostly on the strength of his performances in the Majors. Duke won an unprecedented three straight of the coveted events after winning the PBA World Championship to open the 2008-2009 season, and later came back to lead the U.S. Open, where he finished runner-up to Mike Scroggins. He is also a master of controlling his emotions and making timely adjustments, especially on television, where his recent record converting TV appearances into titles is remarkable.

“JASON’S TV RECAP UNCENSORED” WSOB PREDICTION
I always say that if there was a gun to my head and someone had to throw a strike to save my life, my pick to be that guy would be Norm Duke. I imagine that Norm will be loving the format of the WSOB because he is notoriously a guy who only likes to bowl a few weeks at a time, before taking a break to recharge (kind of like Tiger Woods). And also like Tiger, Norm’s focus is geared more so to the Majors than any other tournaments, so he’d be my pick for the favorite in the World Championship, which he’s also happened to win the last two years in a row.


Name: Norm Duke (R)
Hometown: Clermont, Fla.
Birthdate: 3/25/64
Joined PBA: 1982
Height: 5-6
Weight: 128
PBA Tour titles: 32
PBA career earnings: $2,802,044 (third all-time)
2008-09 points rank: 4
Exempt thru: 2010-11
Earned exemption: 2008-09 title winner; won 65th Denny’s U.S. Open for two-year exemption

Personal: Resides in Clermont with wife Karen and son Branden…Hobbies include golf, fishing and billiards…Favorite food is sushi…Favorite music group is Styx.

2008-09: Inducted into PBA Hall of Fame during PBA’s 50th Anniversary Gala in Las Vegas…Won three titles including season-opening PBA World Championship to become first bowler to win three consecutive majors…Took Player of the Year race down to last match of the season, but lost that honor when Mike Scroggins won the season-ending U.S. Open…$199,630 in Tour-leading earnings marked the fifth consecutive season he’s gone over the $100,000 mark…Cashed in 17 of 18 events, making match play 11 times…Averaged 219.44 (13th).

Career: Owns 32 career PBA Tour titles, tied with Parker Bohn III for fifth all-time…Six career majors ranks sixth on the all-time list…He and Mike Aulby are only bowlers to complete the “Grand Slam” (USBC Masters, Tournament of Champions, U.S. Open and PBA National/World Championship)…One of five players to complete the Triple Crown (TOC, U.S. Open, PBA National/World Championship)…Victories in the Denny’s World Championship and Denny’s U.S. Open in 2007-08 made him the sixth bowler to win back-to-back majors and the 10th to win two majors in a season…Has won multiple titles in a season eight times, including a career-best five in 1994…Named PBA Player of the Year in 1994 and 2000…Holds the record as youngest bowler to win a PBA Tour title, winning his first title in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1983 at 18 years and 345 days…Four-time George Young High Average Award winner…Set the PBA single-season average record with 228.47 in 2006-07…Has appeared in multiple televised finals every season since 1990…Had a career-best nine-game TV winning streak which started on March 19, 2006, and ended on March 18, 2007, and included four titles…Rolled a nationally-televised 300 game against Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the semifinal match of the Earl Anthony Classic in Tacoma, Wash., on Jan. 5, 2003…Made a great late-season run after injuries in 2007-08 to retain exemption…Owns six PBA Regional titles.

Career Standard Titles (26): 1983 – Cleveland, Ohio; 1991 – Parma Heights, Ohio; Tucson, Ariz.; 1993 – Taylor, Mich.; 1994 – Lakewood, Calif.; Edmond, Okla.; N. Brunswick, N.J.; Rochester, N.Y.; 1995 – Portland, Ore.; Cleveland, Ohio; 1997 – Mississauga, Canada; Windsor Locks, Conn.; 1998 – Tucson, Ariz.; Rochester, N.Y.; Wichita, Kan.; 2000 – Dallas, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; 2002-03 – Syosset, N.Y.; 2003-04 – Blue Springs, Mo.; 2004-05 – Norcross, Ga.; 2005-06 – Taylor, Mich.; 2006-07 – Hammond, Ind.; West Babylon, N.Y.; Indianapolis, Ind.; 2008-09 – Reno, Nev.; Fountain Valley, Calif.

Career Major Titles (6): 1993 – USBC Masters, Tulsa, Okla.; 1994 – Tournament of Champions, Akron, Ohio; 2000 – PBA National Championship, Toledo, Ohio; 2008 – Denny’s World Championship, Indianapolis, Ind.; 65th Denny’s U.S. Open, North Brunswick, N.J.; PBA World Championship, Wichita, Kan.

Awards: PBA Player of the Year (1994, 2000)… George Young High Average Award (1991, '94, 2005-06, 2006-07)… Harry Smith Point Leader Award (2005-06)…USBC Hall of Fame (2002)…PBA Hall of Fame (2009)…Ranked 7th among 50 Greatest Players in PBA History in 2009.