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Cream Of The Crop Tourney Offers Area's Largest Purse

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By LEE DIEKEMPER Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 12, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - The annual Cream of the Crop bowling tournament begins Friday at Lane Glo Bowl.

The three-day tournament easily has the highest purse of any bowling tournament in the Tampa Bay area, with $18,000 in first-place prize money awarded in the four categories (women's doubles, men's doubles, mixed doubles and open singles).

Men's and women's doubles begin Friday at 1 and 4 p.m. The open classic starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday while mixed doubles will round out the tournament on Sunday.

As usual, some of the top bowlers both locally and from across the country are scheduled to compete. Among those are Patrick Allen, Chris Loschetter and Tim Mack.

Allen, who lives in Wesley Chapel, is currently seventh on this season's PBA earnings list having pocketed $107,680 in 20 events this season with a 222 average. In his nine-year career bowling on the PBA Tour Allen, a left-hander, has racked up $1,001,972 in prize money.

Allen has 10 career Denny's PBA Tour titles and was named the PBA Player of the Year for the 2004-05 season.

Loschetter, from Olmsted Falls, Ohio, is 14th on the current PBA earnings list, having won $84,776 this season. He carries a 218 average and since joining the PBA Tour in 2003 has won $266,576.

Mack is 94th on the PBA Tour, having collected $4,385 this season. A former walk-on fullback for Joe Paterno at Penn State, Mack once was captain for Team USA.

But it's not just top male bowlers who will compete. Some top women bowlers such as Shannon O'Keefe, who was a semifinalist in the U.S. Women's Open last year; Stefanie Nation, whom O'Keefe beat in the quarterfinals and was the collegiate women's bowler of the year three years ago; and 10-time Team USA member Lucy Sandelin.

For information on the Cream of the Crop, call Lane Glo Bowl manager Judi Moore at (727) 376-1164.

PIN CHASERS' KIDS CAMP: Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills will offer a kids camp beginning this week. Campers can choose the days they want to attend: Tuesdays at 10 a.m., Wednesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 3 p.m. and Saturday's at 10 a.m. The second camp begins the third week of July. Each camp lasts five weeks.

Each day of the camp lasts two hours for $7. Campers receive bowling lessons, complimentary use of bowling balls and shoes, snacks and a party following the completion of the camp. For additional fees the campers can choose to receive a T-shirt and a customized drilled bowling ball. Campers are also eligible for a five-week bowling pass for $19.95.

For information on the Pin Chasers camp, call the center at (813) 782-5511 or by e-mail at camp@pinchasers.net .

FATHER'S DAY TOURNAMENT: Hudson Bowl will offer a Father's Day handicap, eight-pin no-tap tournament. Cost to enter is $18 per bowler. For information call Hudson Bowl at (727) 863-5481.

Lee Diekemper can be reached at pinellascountysports@yahoo.com.

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