JANUARY 25, 2018 CALIFORNIA 7502B Florence Ave, OWLINGDowney, CA 90240 • Website: CaliforniaBowlingNews.com • Email: [email protected] N • Office:EWS (562) 807-3600 Fax: (562) 807-2288 SCOTT LARIVIERE Meets Every Challenge Jason Belmonte Races Away with 2017 by Frank Weiler LAKE ELSINORE – Averaging 243 on a chal- GEICO PBA Player of the Year Award lenging lane condition is PBA also honors Indiana rookie Matt Sanders, Ohio’s Chris Loschetter, PBA Hall of Famer Del Ballard Jr. proof of bowling TALENT. CHICAGO – For the all the members who voted It takes SKILL to average fourth time in the past five and also thank the PBA for 243 on a challenging lane seasons, Australia’s Jason giving me the opportunity condition. Scott LaRiviere Belmonte has been selected to bowl on the best tour in has averaged 243 on a chal- by the bowling news media the world. “ lenging lane condition be- Scott Larivie and his fellow competitors The most successful cause he is both a talented the league with a 232 over- as the GEICO Chris Schen- two-handed player in bowl- and skilled bowler. all average. That’s because kel Professional Bowlers ing history led the PBA in During the last month “Scott meets every chal- Association Player of the earnings ($238,912) and Scott rolled scores of lenge” on the lanes. Year. scoring average (a PBA re- 2017 Player of the Year - Jason Belmonte 708, 750, 729 and 738 in What Scott is doing is The PBA’s most prized cord 229.39 for 380 games SCOTT FILIPI’S Scratch more amazing because he individual achievement All four will receive members and veteran bowl- bowled), capped his 2017 trio league. That’s averag- is competing against the award for the 2017 season their awards during the Go ing writers. At age 34 he season with a victory in the ing 243! No other bowler in best bowlers in the south- was announced today by Bowling! PBA 60th Anni- joined Mark Roth as a four- PBA World Championship the 640 Scratch League has ern tier of the Inland Em- PBA CEO and Commis- versary Celebration Dinner time winner of the award. for his ninth career major been able to do what LaRiv- pire and besting them. His sioner Tom Clark, who also and Hall of Fame induction Walter Ray Williams Jr. title after winning the Bar- iere has done - roll 700 four lane exploits have led his announced that Matt Sand- ceremonies on Saturday, is the all-time leader with basol PBA Players Cham- consecutive weeks. That team to two consecutive ers, an Evansville, Ind., Feb. 17, at the Indianapolis seven Player of the Year pionship and an unprece- is why the Frenchman tops block titles so far. native now living in India- Marriott North. The entire Awards, followed by the dented fourth United States napolis, is the 2017 Harry celebration dinner will be late Earl Anthony with six. Bowling Congress Masters Golden PBA Rookie of the live streamed on PBA’s on- “I am absolutely thrilled title earlier in the season. Avid Bowler Ken Seiple Sr. Passes Year; Chris Loschetter of line bowling channel, Xtra to be the PBA’s Player of He also won the inaugu- Kenneth W. Seiple, Sr., Family Stats: Avon, Ohio, is the Steve Frame. the Year,” Belmonte said. ral Storm Lucky Larsen was born August 19, 1937 Preceded in death by Nagy PBA Sportsmanship Belmonte, after becom- “2017 was a really success- Masters in Sweden for his in York, PA. Died January Mother, Miriam Emig & Award winner, and PBA ing the first player in PBA ful year for me and winning fourth title of the year. 13, 2018 in Norwalk, CA. Step Father, Harold Emig Hall of Famer Del Ballard history to win three major these awards just makes It was a great “come- He served in the U.S. Air of York, PA. Jr. of Keller, Texas, is the championships among his those successes even bet- back” after a less-than- Force 21 years and retired Survived by loving recipient of PBA’s Tony four titles in 2017, was a ter. It really motivates me Belmonte-like year in 2016 as TSGT in 1976. Also re- wife of 52 years, Lucy and Reyes Memorial Commu- landslide winner in ballot- to continue to push myself when he didn’t win a PBA tired from the Post Office daughter, Laura Ebel and nity Service Award. ing among his fellow PBA even harder. I want to thank title after winning Player in 2000. Ken was an avid husband Craig Ebel and of the Year honors for three bowler for over 55 years their children, Kaitlyn, consecutive years, but, including his time with the Kyle, & Cole; and son, Another Stellar Season for Jakob Butturff as Belmonte said, “2016 U.S. Air Force. Kenneth W. Seiple, Jr. wasn’t a bad year. It was Titles include So. East Also survived by broth- a bad year on TV because District Bowling Associa- er Ammon Seiple & wife Highlights 2017 PBA Regional Awards I was letting things get to tion President 1995-96 and Wilda of Sarepta, LA; Step CHICAGO – PBA Tour me, like winning a fourth ABTA Champion Pioneer brother Thomas Emig of standout Jakob Butturff straight POY.” Bowl June 1998. He also Oakton, VA; Sister Dollie of Chandler, Ariz., didn’t Belmonte has pledged to his shot 300 at Cal Bowl on Smith & husband Vincent match his record-breaking himself that won’t happen 6/20/02. Smith of York, PA; Sister 2016 season that included a again in 2018. Judy Smith and husband record nine PBA Regional “I don’t want to have Steven Smith of Manches- wins, but he did keep the that conversation, that I ter, PA. Also, numerous momentum going with was too busy thinking about nephews and nieces. four wins in 2017, and that Player of the Year to bowl Services are private and was enough to successfully well,” he said. “That’s not internment is at the River- defend his PBA West and other top-five finishes ments in 2017 were among going to happen; I’m not side National Cemetary. Northwest Region Player which included a second, the highlights of the PBA going to let myself do that. In lieu of flowers, dona- of the Year honors. third and a fifth place while Regional Award winners, If another player has a bet- tions may be made to the Bowling in a combined also leading his fellow re- announced today by Direc- ter year than I do, it’s not Air Force Aid Society, 241 nine tournaments in the gional competitors with a tor of the PBA Regional going to be because I was 18th St. South, Suite 202, West and Northwest, But- 236 average. and PBA50 Tours John thinking about end of year Kenneth W. Seiple, Sr. Arlington, VA 22202. turff also compiled three Butturff’s accomplish- continued on page 5 awards.” PAGE 2 CALIFORNIABOWLINGNEWS.COM JANUARY 25, 2018 2017 PBA Rookie of the 2017 Tony Reyes Memorial 2017 Steve Nagy Year Matt Sanders Community Service Award Sportsmanship Award Matt Sanders, a 23-year-old left-hander and former PBA Hall of Famer Del Ballard Jr.’s life changed im- Chris Loschetter, a 37-year-old two-time PBA Tour two-time All-American with Marion University-Indiana, mediately, and dramatically, in May 2010 when he was champion, won the PBA’s prestigious sportsmanship hon- was the overwhelming choice over one of the strongest diagnosed with tonsil cancer. As Ballard had demonstrated or in voting among his fellow competitors, topping Den- fields of rookies in recent PBA history. over a PBA career that lasted nearly three decades and in- mark’s Thomas Larsen and Canada’s Francois Lavoie. He was the only rookie to win a PBA Tour title (in the cluded 13 titles, he was a fighter. He wasn’t about to suc- Loschetter, a two-time Junior Team USA member, Xtra Frame Billy Hardwick Memorial Open presented cumb to “The Big C” without a battle. completed a nine-year quest for his first PBA Tour title in by Chris Hardwick at Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes in One evening after a treatment, Ballard, wife Carolyn the 2012 Wolf Open in Milwaukee and won his second as Memphis, Tenn., in June). Sanders qualified ninth for the and a handful of friends got together at Ballard’s house a member of the Merica Rooster Illusion team that won match play elimination finals of the “throwback” plastic and laid the groundwork for what would become “Bal- the 2016 PBA Team Challenge title in Las Vegas while ball tournament, eventually defeating PBA50 Player of the lard Vs. The Big C” – or BVBC for short. Within three still in recovery from his personal battle with testicular and Year Brian LeClair, 243-237, for the title. years, their fund-raising bowling tournament raised more abdominal cancer. He concluded his first season with a fifth-place finish than $145,000. As of 2017, Cancer Care Services, Baylor Loschetter has been a member of the PBA League’s in the PBA World Championship, losing a 10-7 sudden- Health Care and the North Texas Laryngectomy Society Philadelphia Hitmen since the program’s inception in death roll-off to Kyle Troup after they tied at 248-248 in have received in excess of $300,000 to carry out research 2013. the opening match of the World Championship finals. on cancer treatments focused on the head, neck and throat. “I mentioned to some of my close friends that it’s nice “It’s an honor just to be in the conversation with the “I’m really kind of shocked; when Tom (Clark) called, to be nominated, but I never expect it,” Loschetter said.