Posted Jul 24, 2014 In: Bowling Event | Bowling News | PBA Bowling
By Bowling.com

by Jerry Schneider

After five top-eight finishes, PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber finally broke through to win his first PBA50 Tour title of the season Wednesday by winning the PBA50 Pro Bowl West Fort Wayne Classic presented by Ebonite.

Weber defeated fellow Hall of Famer and PBA Tour telecast color analyst Randy Pedersen of Orlando, Fla., 259-207, in the title match at Pro Bowl West, also notching his third career PBA50 Tour title.

Pedersen, trying for his second career PBA50 Tour title, jumped out to the early lead in the title match with the first three strikes, but ran into trouble in the seventh frame when he missed the 2-10 split. Weber took control by the mid-point of the match striking in seven of the first eight frames.

“We were all leaving a lot of corner pins so I thought it was a good time to change to a different ball for the final match,” said the 51-year-old Weber. “The lane conditions were transitioning pretty quickly and the ball wasn’t driving into the pocket like it should so I went to a ball that hooked more and revved sooner and it was the right choice.”

With his win, Weber, who recently won his fourth ESPY, moved into second in the PBA50 Player of the Year race behind Hall of Famer Norm Duke with three tournaments remaining in the season. Duke did not compete in the Fort Wayne event.

“If you want to be the best, you have to keep at it,” said the 37-time PBA Tour winner and 2013 PBA50 Rookie of the Year. “I still look at guys like Walter Ray (Williams Jr.) and the other great bowlers and that’s what keeps me going. I still love to bowl and love to travel.”

In the all-Hall of Fame semifinals, Weber beat Wayne Webb of Columbus, Ohio, 223-210, and Pedersen defeated Johnny Petraglia of Jackson, N.J., 207-192, to advance to the championship match.

Bill McCorkle of Westerville, Ohio, who won the PBA50 Dick Weber Super Senior Classic presented by Storm on July 20 at Pro Bowl West, made a run at winning back-to-back tournaments but lost to Pedersen in the Round of 8.

Petraglia, trying for his ninth career PBA50 Tour title, finished second to McCorkle in the Super Senior Classic, losing in the championship match 244-173.

Weber’s win marked seven of nine PBA50 Tour tournaments this season which have been won by PBA Hall of Famers. His previous best finishes this season were second in the PBA50 Miller High Life Classic and Suncoast Senior U.S. Open.

The PBA50 Tour moves to Capri Lanes in Kettering, Ohio, July 28-31 for the PBA50 Dayton Classic presented by Roto Grip, the 10th stop of the season. Bowling fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame by clicking on the Xtra Frame logo on the pba.com homepage for subscription and schedule information.

PBA50 PRO BOWL WEST FORT WAYNE CLASSIC PRESENTED BY EBONITE

Wednesday’s Final Results At Pro Bowl West Fort Wayne, Ind.

a-Denotes amateur

Championship Match

Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo. ($7,500) def. Randy Pedersen, Orlando, Fla. ($4,000), 259-207.

Semifinal Round (one-game matches, losers earn $2,300)

Weber def. Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 223-210.

Pedersen def. Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 207-192.

Round of 8 (best-of-three games, losers eliminated, earn $1,600)

Pedersen def. Bill McCorkle, Westerville, Ohio, 2-0.

Petraglia def. Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2-0.

Webb def. Ralph Brunt Jr., Ft. Pierce, Fla., 2-1.

Weber def. a-Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn. 2-1.

Round of 16 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, earn $1,300)

Weber def. Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3-1.

Lantto def. Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 3-2.

Brunt def. Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 3-0.

Webb def. Darron Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 3-1.

Pedersen def. Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 3-2.

McCorkle def. Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla., 3-2.

Petraglia def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 3-0.

Bohn def. Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3-0.

Round of 24 (best-of-five games, losers eliminate, earn $1,100)

Goebel def. a-Jim Starks, San Bernardino, Calif., 3-0.

Lantto def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3-1.

Brunt def. Dale Eagle, Laguna Hills, Calif., 3-0.

Traber def. Lennie Boresch Jr. Kenosha, Wis., 3-1.

McCorkle def. Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 3-1.

Petraglia def. Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 3-1.

Bohn def. Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 3-0.

Peters def. John Chapman, Canada, 3-2.

Round of 32 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, earn $1,000)

Goebel def. Bob Caruso, Dayton, N.J., 3-2.

Lantto def. Chris Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 3-2.

Brunt def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-0.

Peters def. Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3-1.

Boresch def. Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-2.

McCorkle def. Williams Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 3-0.

McDonald def. Marc Lineberry, Comanche, Iowa, 3-2.

Staikoff def. Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 3-1.