Phil Dowling, Chris Gibbons, and Eric Pederson are selected as the 2012 class of the Madison USBC Bowling Association (MBA) Hall of Fame. The ceremonies will take place on August 16, 2012 at the Sheraton Madison. Dowling is entering in the Meritorious Service category in recognition of his years of dedication to youth bowling. Gibbons and Pederson enter the Hall in the Distinguished Performance category.
Dowling has served league bowling in a variety of capacities since 1978, but his primary service has been to youth bowling. He is a long time officer of the Madison Area USBC Youth and the Wisconsin State USBC Youth Associations. Outside the boardroom, he has served more than 20 years as a coach in the Village Lanes youth program and several years coaching the Monona Grove High School girls bowling team. He has also been a key figure in the operation of the local youth Association Tournament and the Badgerland Youth (Scholarship) Bowling Tour.
Gibbons’ path to the Hall began as a youth bowler at the original Bowl-A-Vard Lanes location on East Washington Avenue. His resume is extensive, with championships in youth, local scratch, PBA, tough lanes, and local association tournaments. He is one of two bowlers with a City Tournament title in every category – team, singles, doubles, all-events, and Masters; he has a total of nine. He has five top 10 finishes at USBC Nationals – including two perfect games. Oh, and the guy bowling in the movie Groundhog Day? That’s him.
Pederson is, by far, the most prolific scorer in the history of the MBA with 72 perfect games and 38 800 series to his credit. The LaCrosse native has two association tournament titles in his hometown, and has added eight more in the MBA. He has been named Jim Grady Bowler of the Year three times, has posted the city high average four times, and has rolled the high city series three times. Most notable, though, is Pederson has accomplished most of his feats with a modern technology deficient hard rubber Brunswick Mineralite bowling ball, manufactured circa 1935.
Tickets to the event are $40.00. Download a dinner reservation form here, or call the Association Manager Bill Dennis at 608.770.4328. Please reserve your seats by Friday, August 10, 2012, so that we can properly plan for the event.
Download – MBA Hall of Fame General Reservation form (.pdf)
Rick Thomas will be recognized in three categories this year; MBA High Average, MBA High Composite Average, and Jim Grady Bowler of the Year. Thomas was MBA High Average for the season, with an MBA record setting 252 in the Lions league at Middleton Sport Bowl. He was also MBA High Composite average at 236, by adding a 221 average in the Bullseye Masters league at Ten Pin Alley. He won the City Tournament All Events title with a 2243 total that included a perfect game and an 846 series. He had six 800’s, with a high of 855, four 300’s, and 11 in a row twice. In MAST competition, he made five of nine regular tournament cuts, won one title, and made another final four.
Fosdick earned the Dan Mack Senior Bowler of the Year award and had a stellar season in senior tournament action and in league play. He won Singles (737) and All Events (2141) titles in the Senior City Tournament. He also threw a 300 game in the State Senior Championships, where he finished in 5th place in scratch All Events. In league play, he had five 800’s, six 300’s, and 11 in a row 12 times. He rolled 637 league games at Dream Lanes this season, knocking down over 150,000 pins and posting a 236 composite average. In MAST tournaments, he made four of seven regular tournament cuts including one final four and a seventh place in the Year End Championship.
Dave Lehr posted the high series in the association this year with an 868 in the Sun Prairie Classic league at Prairie Lanes. He recorded games of 268 and back to back 300’s on February 23rd of this season.
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