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With a combined 102 career titles on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour, bowling's "Dream Team" is becoming a reality with Walter Ray Williams Jr., Parker Bohn III, Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen and Sean Rash being named to Team USA 2008 on Tuesday.
In August, the World Tenpin Bowling Association voted to allow members of professional organizations to compete in international events, prompting USBC to change the selection procedures for Team USA in 2008.
A PBA/USBC committee selected the six from the pool of the Denny's PBA Tour exempt players eligible for selection. The National Selection Committee has the option to add up to two more exempt players at a later date based off performance from the first half of the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour season.
"Having been a pro my whole career, I never had the opportunity to be a part of Team USA," said Williams, who owns 42 Denny's PBA Tour titles in his career - the most in tour history. "I feel honored they selected me and hopefully I can contribute in a very positive manner. It should be fun bowling with these great players instead of against them."
More on the Team USA selections from the Denny's PBA Tour:
Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.: Arguably the greatest player in bowling history, Williams has seven career major titles and is a six-time Player of the Year. The PBA and USBC Hall of Famer has earned a tour record $3,896,091 in his career and has won at least one title in 14 consecutive seasons, tying him with Earl Anthony for the record.
Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J.: With more than $2.4 million in career earnings, Bohn owns 30 Denny's PBA Tour titles - including the 2001 USBC Masters - to rank fifth all-time. The lefthander has won a career-best five titles in a season twice (1999 and 2001-02), being named Player of the Year in each.
Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas: The spokesperson for the USBC Sport Bowling program, Barnes has eight career Denny's PBA Tour titles, including two majors (2005 U.S. Open and 2006 Tournament of Champions). In just nine seasons on tour, he has amassed more than $1.3 million in career PBA earnings, becoming the fastest player to earn $1 million. Before his pro career, Barnes was a member of Team USA from 1994-98.
Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C.: Jones owns 10 career Denny's PBA Tour titles, including two majors (2006 U.S. open and 2007 Tournament of Championships) all coming in the last three seasons. Last season, he broke the PBA record for shortest time between first and 10th titles by four days with his victory at the Tournament of Champions.
Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla.: A nine-time winner on the Denny's PBA Tour, Allen was named the 2004-05 Player of the Year after winning back-to-back titles as well as the 2005 Denny's World Championship. That season, the lefthander finished in the top five in all four majors, the first bowler in history to accomplish the feat since the USBC Masters became an official tour event in 1998.
Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan.: A member of Team USA in 2002 and 2004-05, Rash owns three Denny's PBA Tour titles and boasts a 6-0 record on TV. He became the first bowler in Tour history to win a title after qualifying for an event through the Denny's PBA Tour Qualifying Round when he won the 2006 West Virginia Championship as a rookie, earning an exemption for the 2006-07 season.
"It's an honor and privilege to be a part of Team USA," said Bohn, who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2000. "When you hear the National Anthem after someone wins a gold medal, it puts a chill down your spine. Knowing there is a chance that someday I can have that privilege, I thoroughly look forward to it."
The six Denny's PBA Tour players selected will join David Haynes, Bill Hoffman, David O'Sullivan and Rhino Page, all of whom earned spots on Team USA 2008 due to their performance at the 2007 USBC Team USA Trials.
Four additional men will be added at the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials, with the top two finishers earning automatic selections and two more players selected from the field by the National Selection Committee.
"The Team USA program is very excited to have a bigger pool of athletes to select from," said David Garber, USBC Team USA high-performance director. "We welcome the Denny's PBA Tour exempt players who will work together with the best amateurs on Team USA, creating the 'Dream Team.'"
Six men from Team USA 2008 will represent the United States at the 2008 Men's World Championships, scheduled for August in Bangkok, Thailand.
In August, the World Tenpin Bowling Association voted to allow members of professional organizations to compete in international events, prompting USBC to change the selection procedures for Team USA in 2008.
A PBA/USBC committee selected the six from the pool of the Denny's PBA Tour exempt players eligible for selection. The National Selection Committee has the option to add up to two more exempt players at a later date based off performance from the first half of the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour season.
"Having been a pro my whole career, I never had the opportunity to be a part of Team USA," said Williams, who owns 42 Denny's PBA Tour titles in his career - the most in tour history. "I feel honored they selected me and hopefully I can contribute in a very positive manner. It should be fun bowling with these great players instead of against them."
More on the Team USA selections from the Denny's PBA Tour:
Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.: Arguably the greatest player in bowling history, Williams has seven career major titles and is a six-time Player of the Year. The PBA and USBC Hall of Famer has earned a tour record $3,896,091 in his career and has won at least one title in 14 consecutive seasons, tying him with Earl Anthony for the record.
Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J.: With more than $2.4 million in career earnings, Bohn owns 30 Denny's PBA Tour titles - including the 2001 USBC Masters - to rank fifth all-time. The lefthander has won a career-best five titles in a season twice (1999 and 2001-02), being named Player of the Year in each.
Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas: The spokesperson for the USBC Sport Bowling program, Barnes has eight career Denny's PBA Tour titles, including two majors (2005 U.S. Open and 2006 Tournament of Champions). In just nine seasons on tour, he has amassed more than $1.3 million in career PBA earnings, becoming the fastest player to earn $1 million. Before his pro career, Barnes was a member of Team USA from 1994-98.
Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C.: Jones owns 10 career Denny's PBA Tour titles, including two majors (2006 U.S. open and 2007 Tournament of Championships) all coming in the last three seasons. Last season, he broke the PBA record for shortest time between first and 10th titles by four days with his victory at the Tournament of Champions.
Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla.: A nine-time winner on the Denny's PBA Tour, Allen was named the 2004-05 Player of the Year after winning back-to-back titles as well as the 2005 Denny's World Championship. That season, the lefthander finished in the top five in all four majors, the first bowler in history to accomplish the feat since the USBC Masters became an official tour event in 1998.
Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan.: A member of Team USA in 2002 and 2004-05, Rash owns three Denny's PBA Tour titles and boasts a 6-0 record on TV. He became the first bowler in Tour history to win a title after qualifying for an event through the Denny's PBA Tour Qualifying Round when he won the 2006 West Virginia Championship as a rookie, earning an exemption for the 2006-07 season.
"It's an honor and privilege to be a part of Team USA," said Bohn, who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2000. "When you hear the National Anthem after someone wins a gold medal, it puts a chill down your spine. Knowing there is a chance that someday I can have that privilege, I thoroughly look forward to it."
The six Denny's PBA Tour players selected will join David Haynes, Bill Hoffman, David O'Sullivan and Rhino Page, all of whom earned spots on Team USA 2008 due to their performance at the 2007 USBC Team USA Trials.
Four additional men will be added at the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials, with the top two finishers earning automatic selections and two more players selected from the field by the National Selection Committee.
"The Team USA program is very excited to have a bigger pool of athletes to select from," said David Garber, USBC Team USA high-performance director. "We welcome the Denny's PBA Tour exempt players who will work together with the best amateurs on Team USA, creating the 'Dream Team.'"
Six men from Team USA 2008 will represent the United States at the 2008 Men's World Championships, scheduled for August in Bangkok, Thailand.
