Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts, in his first appearance in PBA Tour competition since the 2017 PBA World Series of Bowling, continued to impress his fellow competitors with his promise as a bowling talent.

A feature story by Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Jeff Wilson includes high praise for Betts' bowling skills while competing at the highest level of the sport in this week's PBA Hall of Fame Classic in Arlington, Texas. The first tournament of the 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour season gave Betts a chance to bowl at an elite level before reporting to spring training with the Red Sox.

Bowling on a PBA Commissioner's Exemption, Betts had no expectation of winning the tournament against a field of 55 PBA members, 40 of whom are PBA Tour champions.

“The No. 1 thing is don't come in last,” Betts said. “After that, it's still competition and making sure you enjoy yourself. Obviously, I'll do a lot of learning, so when I go back home I can take these things and apply them.”

Bowling on a challenging scoring environment involving different lane conditions applied to the right and left lanes across the bowling center, Betts hoped to finish “even,” which iN bowling parlance means a 200 average for his 12 qualifying games. He just missed, averaging 198.58, but he accomplished goal No. 1, finishing in 48th place in the field of 56 - outscoring six PBA title winners.

Ed's Outlook

Jones Bowls 300

in Fame Tourney

After his induction into the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame Saturday evening, Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, South Carolina, didn't need any further validation of his place in bowling history, but the 41-year-old right-hander effectively put an exclamation point on that honor with a historic title match win in the PBA Hall of Fame Classic Sunday at the International Training and Research Center.

As the No. 2 seed for the stepladder finals televised live on FS1, Jones won the first tournament of the 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour season for his 20th career PBA Tour title by beating top seed Darren Tang of Las Vegas, 300-237, in the championship match.

It was the 27th televised perfect game bowled in PBA Tour history and only the third in a title match. Bob Benoit and Mike Aulby were the others to bowl 300 games in a televised title match. Benoit beat Mark Roth 300-225 to win the 1988 PBA Quaker State Open and Aulby beat David Ozio 300-279 to win the 1993 PBA Wichita Open.

The second stop of the 2020 Go Bowling PBA will be the PBA Oklahoma Open to be televised live on FS1 at 1 p.m. Sunday which will feature the top 5 stepladder finals.

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

It's time you learned about the bowling term RG (which stands for radius of gyration and core torque) in bowling balls.

First to help you understand the RG, a modern weight block in a professional bowling ball is composed of several parts of different densities.

Each of these densities has two characteristics. It is a certain volume and it occupies a certain location. When fused together, all of the different densities (all the weight in the ball) act as if they are a single unit of a single density that is rotating at a single distance from the center of the ball.

This is all the RG is. It is a measurement that tells you how far from the center of the ball the weight acts like it is rotating. As far as core torque, it is a phase we use in the industry to measure the "flip" in the ball. The higher the number, the harder the ball will turn the corner. As with anything else, it is a guide for estimating potential. How flippy a ball really will be is determined by the shape of the core, the bowlers style, the surface of the ball and the lane condition it is thrown on.

A tall skinny core will generally flip harder than a short fat core. Even with all of this, it is important that there is no substitute for a good shot.

Mike Luongo is a Certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events Assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mike.luongo@stormbowling.com.

BOWLING SCORES

PORT JERVIS BOWL

Thursday Ladies

Carol Flynn 226, 161, 155, 542, Josephine Zych 157, 179, 173, 509, Sherri Laird 155, 156, 180, 491, Kim Witkowski 150, 167, 173, 490, Celeste Fitzpatrick 164, 162, 155, 481, Sis Leeper 194, Kim DeGarmo 183.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Men's Independent

Doc Bolduc 274, 253, 707, Andrew Bullis 247, 249, 226, 722, Brian Drumm 202, 203, 208, 613, Pete Green 217, 215, 628, Mitch Persbacker 205, 257, 643.

Thursday Night 3

Ray Cornwell 216, 224, 599, Dan Keesler 200, 234, 246, 680, Ed Milk Jr. 231, 222, 638, Rick Mills 200, 236, 597, Dan Wormuth 204, 590.

Friday Couples

Andy Bullis 233, 214, 642, Scott Ellis 204, 247, 232, 683, Paul Fritz 257, 213, 651, Jen Smith 241, 590, Tia Robinson 208, 540, Dan Wormuth 234, 200, 213, 647.

Sat. Youth Mixed

Ethan Dennis 196, 298, Landon Fuller 125, 320, Carter Wormuth 147, 395, Cooper Wormuth 103, 268.

Sunday Mixed

Mike Bowker 219, 583, Ashley Hanstine 183, Reva Jones 214, 506, Wilbur McAdams 555.

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Serafin Rodriguez III a 188, 216, 247, 651, Tom Belgiovene 215, 224, 212, 651, Ron Totten 245, 235, 169, 649, Vinny Collura 225, 248, 172, 645, Tom Skiff III a 235, 212, 221, 668, Russell Bivins 212, 213, 228, 653, Ryan Lepke 258, 224, 215, 697, Pedro Agapito III a 259, 213, 209, 681.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Kyle Giordano 265, 290, 236, 791, Tom Belgiovene 238, 199, 245, 682, Jonathan Wilhelm 247, 246, 202, 695, Trasey Barres 165, 185, 174, 524, Linda Schaefer 184, 169, 149, 502, Carena Collura 173, 181, 154, 508, Shane Cunningham 160, 230, 234, 624.

Friday Mixed

Pedro Agapito III a 227, 299, 204, 730, AJ Atkins 230, 224, 211, 665, Harry Dennis III a 205, 244, 214, 663, Kevin Stackhouse 257, 215, 222, 694, Dan VanAken 233, 255, 236, 724, Nicole Feller 163, 176, 163, 502, Loretta VanAken 212, 143, 146, 501, Kathy Weiss 175, 182, 144, 501.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or an 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax to 845-205, 4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.