After more than four decades on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, the dynamic and sometimes controversial, Pete Weber is calling it a career.

The 58-year-old bowling legend announced his retirement from the PBA Tour recently, but he plans to continue competing on the PBA50 Tour and the PBA Regional Tour. 

“It’s hard to grasp that I’m done on the National Tour,” Weber told his fellow competitors.

“In 41 years out here, it’s been awesome. I can still hit the pocket with you guys, but I can’t strike like you guys. It’s been an honor and a privilege to bowl with each and every one of you out here,” Weber noted.

Weber made sure to go out with a bang, dropping an F-bomb and recounting his memorable “Who do you think you are? I am!” speech in an interview.

Pete owns 10 major championships, the second-most in PBA history, and is the only player to have won the U.S. Open five times and the Triple Crown (PBA World Championship, Tournament of Champions, and U.S. Open) twice.

Weber often explained, “That none other than a heckling 9-year-old was the reason behind his famous statement.” 

Pete said in an interview with Storm Bowling that what he was trying to say was, “who do you think you are rooting against me? I’m the man of this tournament.” Thankfully for his legacy and his internet posterity, the shout didn’t come out that way.

Weber ended his career with the bravado that only he could provide. During the buildup, with his voice shaking and tears building in his eyes, he thanked the league he’s been a part of for over four decades, the fans, and even his detractors. “Hate me or love me, you watched. That’s all you could do,” Pete added. 

While there are divided opinions on Pete Weber’s PBA legacy, the majority conclude that he had a positive impact on resurrecting the sport’s popularity. PBA Commissioner Tom Clark stated that when Weber made the finals telecast ratings went up.

Hall of Famer Norm Duke, who also started on Tour while in his teens, was quoted in 2021 saying, “Pete can reach out through a television, grab you by the neck, turn your head toward him and say, ‘Oh no, no, no. You might want to watch this.’ And people do.”

“It speaks to his entertainment value,” Mike Fagan said who once noted that Pete, “was alienating the very fans the sport wanted to attract,” and then stated years later, “he has been the most noteworthy person in the sport for 40 years. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but he made bowling fun again.”

Bowling Tip by Mike Luongo

For everyone to enjoy the bowling experience, it’s common courtesy to follow a few simple guidelines. Here are some of the unwritten rules of bowling etiquette.

  1. Always wear bowling shoes. Street shoes will ruin the approaches.

  2. Keep nasty language and outbursts in your head. Nobody wants to hear it.

  3. Keep any food or drinks away from the lanes. Spilling anything can damage the equipment and is dangerous for others. 

  4. Be ready to take your turn. Don’t make everyone wait. 

  5. Don’t step over the foul line because it is against the rules and can result in you tracking oil all over the approach. 

  6. Don’t use someone else’s ball unless given permission.

  7. Yield to the bowler to your right if you’re both up at the same time.

  8. Stand off the approach and out of the line of sight of the other bowler until that bowler finishes.

  9. Do not intrude on the adjacent lanes in any way. That includes throwing your ball onto the wrong lane, standing or playing on another lane’s approach, or doing anything that infringes on the adjacent bowlers’ lane.

Local Highlights

Memory Lanes

(Formerly Port Jervis Bowl)

Monday Night Mixed

Jason Csencsits 242, 659, Kyle Mathews 225, 663, Wences Acevedo 256, 653, Carena Collura 199, 536, Jaryl Scott 258, 688, Vinnie Collura 225, 663, Marianna Monaco 289, 752, Shane Taggart 235, 625, Bill Schubert 256, 656, Kevin Stackhouse 277, 732, Keith Smith 268, 730, Liz Stubits 180, Chris Morgan Jr. 257, 713, Lincoln Ranich 225, 647, George VanAken 235, 639, Vinnie Degraw 225, 643, Dan VanAken 263, 717, Richard Winters 234, 659, Dean Shattuck 225, Jo Jo Van Keuren 246, 646, Serafin Rodriguez III a 226, 612. 

Tuesday Mixed

Anka Scott 244, Victor Claisse 217, 623, Pedro Agapito 268, 715, Marisa Waehler181, 534, Richard Gaglione 217, 638, Wayne Sniffen 258, 655, Jordan Mongrella 234, 633, Fran Luzzi 229, 561, Kyle Felter 246, 696, Josephine Zych 197, 573, Karin Willis 204, 565.

P.J. City League

Matthew Terwilliger 223, 645, Shrek 266, 698, Francis Luzzi 257, 649, Derek Delaney 279, 792, Kyle Stevens 279, 722, John Dietz 226, 615, John Jashembowski 245, 692, Justin Traynor 245, 718, Steven Fairweather 243, 650, Pat Morgan 241, 684, Chris Morgan Sr. 235, 642, Billy Van Wie 215, 613, Jason Maino 258, 693, Pedro Agapito III a 226, 624, Will Townsend 266, 655, Greg Robinson 242, 645, Rich O’Neill 234, 604, Victor Claisse Jr. 235, 650, Brittney Morgan 213, 621, Gregory Conklin 254, 640, Shelly Morgan 204, 556, Chris Morgan Jr. 246, 654, Brian Pastor 220, 626, Gary Kinne 233, 615, Kevin Miedema 216, 600, Joe Kaufman 242, 614, Marcus Guzman 238, 629, Mike Holt 233, 654, Tommy Palmer 247, 694.

Ray Willis Sr. Memorial League

Doug Romer Jr. 259, 687, Brigette Willis 175, 501, Brett Romer 260, 720, Jacob Loske 249, 700, Josephine Zych 206, 586, Paul Tuttle 247, 628, Wayne Sniffen Jr. 237, 647, Justin Drew 233, 664, Jordan Drew 234, 622, Steve Hess 206, 601, Brooke Csencsits 222, 596, Kyle Matthews 224, 622, Jason Csencsits 214, 603, Jaryl Scott 224, 633, Nick Eyth 257, Michele Bensley 209, 574, Ray Willis Jr. 255, 680, Neal Bensley 213, 604, Greg Robinson 245, 616, Sherri Laird 204, 535, Bryan Shauger 245, 644, Victor Claisse Jr. 235, 661, Heidi Willis 184, 545, Jason Markle 259, 680.

Fox Bowling Center

Wednesday Independent

Andrew Bullis 215, 618, Brian Drumm 248, 617, Bill Gleim 279, 669, Paul Gordon 235, 602, Rob Johnson 276, 756, Jerry Kulakosky 235, 645, Donnie Marino 242, 634, Mitch Persbacker 215, 609, Aaron Phillips 244, 652, Zuke Wormuth 270, 711, Jay Wormuth 233, 618.

Thursday Night 3

Shane Dirig 235, 674, Bill Gleim 257, 618, Anthony Seely 231, 633, Fred Shakelton 225, 650, Jay Wormuth 224, 643.

Sunday Mixed Fun

Don Marino 269, 690, Brody Moore (youth) 139, 400, Fred Shakelton 228, 624.

Sunday Fox Youth Mixed

Owen Drake 111, 286, Landon Fuller 152, 406, Ashbee Gately 112, 304, Preston Johnston 112, 254, Bentley Kille 114, 286, Talan Kille 166, 413, Landyn Robinson 162, 433, Livian Robinson 128, 295, Blake Stanton 103, 289, Carter Wormuth 188, 461, Cooper Wormuth 194, 503.

Quinnz Pinz Middletown

Wednesday 3 Person

J.J. Wilhelm 233, 576, Jon Wilhelm 234, 597, Tom Belgiovene 211, 581, Larry Whipple 269, 629, Bill Schubert 254, 665, Keith Smith 223, 631, Kevin Stackhouse 226, 657.