PBA Mixed Doubles on Super Bowl Sunday & H&R Block Tournament of Champions Notebook

Bowling fans can look forward to the first PBA mixed doubles event on ESPN Sunday Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. ET with the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship from the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. Newly inducted PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke and 2007 U.S. Women’s Open winner Liz Johnson are the No. 1 Qualifiers.

Other mixed doubles teams include No. 2 seeds Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Sean Rash, No. 3 Qualifiers Jennifer Petrick and Steve Harman with No. 4 seeds Tom Hess and Laura Hardeman and No. 5 Shannon Pluhowsky and Brad Angelo.

Norm Duke’s unprecedented streak ended at the H&R Block Tournament of Champions, but winning three consecutive major titles is still impressive, especially in the eyes of the other four members of the elite PBA Triple Crown club (U.S. Open, Tournament of Champions and PBA World Championship):

“It’s extremely special, very tough to do – obviously, no one has ever done it before,” said Johnny Petraglia, who is No. 16 on the PBA’s top 50 list. “Yes, I think it could happen again. I’ve watched enough sports to realize anything’s possible, but it’ll take someone with the talents of a Duke to do it.”

“The best way to look at it is, how many people have ever repeated in a tournament? Not that many,” said Billy Hardwick, the “original” Triple Crown winner and No. 12 on the PBA’s 50 Greatest list. “To win three majors in a row is beyond words and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. How do you rank something that’s never been done before? It’s got to be No. 1. And, no, I don’t think anyone will ever do it again. I didn’t think anyone would do it the first time.”

“Any time you win a major it’s phenomenal, but to win three in a row means you have to keep your physical game intact as well as your mental game, and Norm has demonstrated throughout his career he has the ability to do that,” said Mike Aulby, No. 6 on the list and the only player other than Duke to win the Grand Slam. “But three majors in a row? That’s unbelievable. In most cases, finishing in the top 10 in three majors in a row would be amazing. If it ever happens again, I’m not sure I’ll be around to see it. It’s very, very unlikely.”

“Just to win one is pretty cool. But to win three in a row? I’d love to win three in a row. More power to (Norm),” said Pete Weber, the No. 4 player among the top 50. “Do it again? Against the guys you have to bowl against out here? I don’t like your chances. I’ve been out here 30 years and I’ve got eight majors. I had a streak way back when I made the TV show in five majors in a row, but just to do that is pretty amazing.”


WES MALOTT LEADING CANDIDATE FOR PBA PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Malott’s third place finish in the H&R Block Tournament of Champions earned him eight points for a total of 58 and a 10-point lead over Patrick Allen. Norm Duke is in third place in the POY race with 40 points.

Malott, who said he fulfilled one of his goals in Medford, Ore., by winning a second title this season, is now eyeing a couple of new goals. “I’d like to get a major title under my belt and I’m going to keep chasing the PBA Player of the Year points title,” he said.


HAUGEN DEFENDS, BUT HE’S STILL ON THE MEND
Defending champion Michael Haugen Jr. made his fifth Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour appearance of the 2008-09 season, and first since the Ultimate Scoring Championship in Taylor, Mich., in November while he continues to struggle with a knee injury he sustained in the opening tournament of the season. After a finger injury sustained in charity event prior to the 2008 Super Bowl shut down his 2007-08 season, he got himself well over the summer and was ready for the new season.

But: “My knee swelled up in Wichita (the opening event of the 2008-09 season). I’m still not sure what happened.” His next attempt was the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship, where he was defending champion, and then in Taylor. “I found out that week I had partially torn my ACL, so I’ve been resting and rehabbing since then. I bowled maybe six games coming into Tournament of Champions and it showed. I got my butt kicked (he finished 38th). I need some more time. My concern right now is just getting well. When I’m ready I’ll be back.”

Haugen isn’t worried about an exemption to bowl on Tour next season. He won a three-year exemption as Tournament of Champions winner last year.

25 OF PBA’S TOP 50 COMPETE IN LAS VEGAS
Included in the Tournament of Champions field of 60 were 25 players ranked among the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players. They were No. 2 Walter Ray Williams Jr., No. 4 Pete Weber, No. 5 Mark Roth, No. 6 Mike Aulby, No. 7 Norm Duke, No. 10 Parker Bohn III, No. 13 Brian Voss, No. 15 Nelson Burton Jr., No. 16 Johnny Petraglia, No. 17 Carmen Salvino, No. 18 Wayne Webb, No. 20 Dave Soutar, No. 21 Amleto Monacelli, No. 23 Dave Husted, No. 24 Jason Couch, No. 25 Steve Cook, No. 26 Chris Barnes, No. 29 Del Ballard Jr., No. 30 Tommy Jones, No. 36 Dave Ferraro, No. 37 Larry Laub, No. 41 Tom Baker, No. 42 Danny Wiseman, No. 43 Doug Kent and No. 49 Mika Koivuniemi.

In addition to Top 50 players, former Tournament of Champions winners who advanced to match play were Tommy Jones (2007), Chris Barnes (2006), Steve Jaros (2005), Dave D’Entremont (1996) and Pete Weber (1987).

HALL OF FAMER DAVE DAVIS GOES BACK TO WORK
PBA Hall of Famer Dave Davis, No. 19 on the list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History, was in Las Vegas for the PBA’s 50th Anniversary Gala. The 66-year-old said he has found a new occupation in retirement. He has been working the past six months as a driver for the West Palm Beach, Fla., area transit system. Davis, an 18-time PBA Tour champion and five-time PBA Senior Tour winner, said driving a bus to transport mentally and physically handicapped seniors, adults and kids is “the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. I love it.”

VOSS, FERRARO ABOUT TO JOIN PBA SENIOR TOUR RANKS
Looking for an early favorite for 2009 PBA Senior Tour Rookie of the Year honors? How about 24-time PBA Tour titlist and Hall of Famer Brian Voss, who will make his debut as a PBA Senior this year after turning 50 last August? The Kennesaw, Ga., resident has spent most of the past year competing and coaching in Europe, but is planning to make his PBA Senior Tour debut “soon.” The 11-event 2009 PBA Senior Tour gets underway April 18-21 with the Senior Jackson Open in Jackson, Mich. Voss was the only player among the 50-and-older group to advance to the match play finals in the H&R Block Tournament of Champions, finishing 19th.

Another Senior “rookie” in the offing is Dave Ferraro of Kingston, N.Y., who turns 50 in June. Ferraro, who retired from PBA Tour life in 1994 and has bowled only two tour events since then, bowled in his first Tournament of Champions since 1997 when he just missed making the TV show. Ferraro said he hasn’t bowled since undergoing knee surgery two years ago, except for a week’s worth of practice before coming to Las Vegas where he finished 29th. “I found out I miss it,” he said of the competition. “My knee hurt, my wrist hurt, but I had a great time.” The No. 36 player on the 50 Greatest list said he’s going to make his PBA Senior Tour debut in the USBC Senior Masters and Senior U.S. Open in Las Vegas in June “and maybe I’ll bowl in some other stuff if it’s close to home.”