The scoring pace for the traditional PBA “animal pattern” tournaments and the PBA World Championship during GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI has remained within historic average highs and lows for the four previous World Series held at South Point Bowling Center. Here’s a summary of scoring averages over the years:
Cheetah Championship: No. 1 qualifiers have averaged between a high of 254.28 and a low of 251.66. The 2014 high qualifier (Dick Allen of Columbia, S.C.) averaged 252.71 for seven games. The average range to qualify 24th over the span of years has been a high of 240.25 and a low of 234.83. This year, the average for 24th place was 237.71.
Viper Championship: No. 1qualifier range has been from a high of 254.87 to a low of 234.12. This year’s top qualifier (B.J. Moore III of Apex, N.C.) averaged 234.57. The 24th place average range has been between a high of 228.87 and a low of 217.75 (this year: 221.57).
Chameleon Championship: No. 1 qualifier range has been from a high of 246.85 to a low of 234.08. This year’s top qualifier (D.J. Archer of Friendswood, Texas) averaged 242.29. The 24th place average range has been between a high of 227.00 and a low of 218.33 (this year: 222.43)
Scorpion Championship: No. 1 qualifier range has been from a high of 243.14 to a low of 221.08. This year’s top qualifier (B.J. Moore III) averaged 241. The 24th place average range has been between a high of 226.87 and a low of 221.08 (this year: 224).
PBA World Championship (composite averages of all four animal patterns): No. 1 qualifier range has been from a high of 243.03 to a low of 226.76. This year’s top qualifier (defending champion Dom Barrett) averaged 229.64 vs. the 236.67 he averaged as top qualifier a year earlier. The 24th place average range has been between a high of 225.78 and a low of 219.50 (this year: 221.85)
93 DIFFERENT PLAYERS CASH IN WORLD SERIES VI
During WSOB VI, 93 different players in the sold-out field of 240 cashed in one of the four animal pattern events or the PBA World championship. That’s just shy of 39% compared to 2013 when 83 players (almost 35 percent) earned checks. Including the special PBA Challenge events (PBA Regional, PBA50 Tour and PBA Women’s Regional), 103 different players cashed.
Australia’s Jason Belmonte is the only player to cash in all five World Series VI events, despite not making any PBA Tour television shows. Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., is the leader in television finals, qualifying second in the Viper and Chameleon Championships, and third in the PBA World Championship.
Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., qualified for the Chameleon Championship finals, trying Belmonte for most WSOB career TV appearances (14). Rash and Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas (World Championship) are the only players who have made a TV appearance in all six World Series.
Players making their first ESPN television debuts will be Anthony Pepe of Elmhurst, N.Y. (Cheetah), Connor Pickford of Charlotte, N.C. (Viper) and J.R. Raymond of Bay City, Mich. (Chameleon).
EX-MLB ALL-STAR JOHN BURKETT PICKS UP SCORING PACE AT WSOB VI
Former major league baseball all-star pitched John Burkett of Southlake, Texas, picked up his scoring pace during WSOB VI, a “spring training” event for his planned debut on the PBA50 Tour in 2015. Burkett, who announced his plans to bowl with the PBA “seniors” after he turns 50 on Nov. 28, scored at a respectable 205.96 pace in the four WSOB animal pattern events, improving upon his 201.17 average for three animal pattern events (Wolf, Bear and Badger) during the Grand Casino Resort PBA Summer Swing in Oklahoma in May.
At South Point Bowling Center, Burkett averaged 219.43 on the Cheetah pattern (107th in the field of 240 players), 210.43 on the Viper pattern (tied for 82nd), a disappointing 189.86 on the Chameleon (tied for 180th), and 204.14 on the Scorpion pattern (124th). Overall, he ranked 136th, but he could have been substantially higher on the list had he not dropped 100 pins in the final two games of the Scorpion Championship when he was challenging to make the top 24 cut.
“I’m about a third of the way to where I need to be,” Burkett said. “It’s difficult. These are the best bowlers in the world. To me it’s disappointing to be 136th, but I’m getting better.
“The most important thing I need to do is learn to read transition quicker and which ball to go to. You still have to make the right decisions. I need to read ball motions better; I’m learning what I need to do to strike.”
Burkett said he’s planning to return home, bowl a couple of regionals if he has time, and then get ready for the 2015 PBA50 Tour to get underway.
“That’s what I’m doing this for,” he said with a smile. “I believe I can win, but I don’t think I can win, at least right away, if that makes any sense. But it’ll be interesting to get a read on the senior tour. We’ll see what happens.”
QUICK NOTES
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