Who is the bowler in your area that you admire there game?  I'm pretty sure most of you heavy hitters will say yourself.  So besides yourself, whose game do like and respect?
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My DAD!   Last year at age 68 he had 4 300's and an 800.  He has shot 300 already once this year.  All this after 6 heart attacks and a stroke.  He had the stroke last year.  Truly amazing.  He bowls consistently in SASBA tournaments and keeps active.  He is a constant student of the game and works hard at his sport.  He's not always a thing of beauty but effective.

Smash49
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Smash49
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there's a couple guys around here that got game,..I could sit and watch Paul Fleming bowl all day,...great techniques,balance,release..total package. The other is Chris Johnson...he makes throwing strikes look too easy, not fair.
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je

Oh man. Huge list. So many good bowlers. I live in the Virginia area, and heres mine(the few of them): (i hope they don't mind me mentioning their names)

Ed Pictavige(Not spelt right, at least i don't think it is)
Joey Dineen
Trey Cummings
Gil(Gilbert) Salang
Todd Allred(highest average bowler in the southern area of va)
John Confalone
And theres one more guy, I don't remember his name.

For those who bowl in the pba south region, you might of heard of some of these guys.

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Edited on 2/4/2004 3:33 PM

Brian Kretzer is the most well known. Another is George Gohagen III, a phenominal young lefty. Both of them are doing well so far this week in the Open. Kretzer is listed in 17th and Gohagen 50th after 17 games C squad. By the way, that's Dayton Ohio.
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kendog
avoids spare shooting at all costs
just throw strikes

A guy here named Anthony Judd, and of course, Ron Bahr . .  Anthony is 24, has 18 300's and 8 800's, and that's over a span of maybe 5 or 6 years.  Ron, of course, won ABC Nats last year, and shot the first ever back to back 300's in the tournament's 100 year history.  There are a few more I could name, but nobody would probably recognize the names.  Aside from Rhino Page . .
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When you live in a city like Dallas, well it is easy to find someone to cheer for. Paul Fleming has to come to mind, CJ is the young gun making a name, Chris Barnes moved here, then Del is still hanging around. My favorite of all, doesn't live here anymore, but grew up here. That is Norm Duke. The guy has such a versatile game. I will be glad when he gets over what ever physical situation that he has been dealing with. His ability to change approach, play all angles and change hand positions to fit the angle to get entry is amazing. I have been surprised in recent years to not see him on TV more. He also is great with the fans. Actually have seen him giving bowling tips to fans more than once.

I got a couple in my area.

1. Joe Firpo- He bowled on Tour for 17 years before he stopped back in 97.  He bowls in just one league, and usually misses a week a month.  The league bowls in a old wood house (approx 40 years old), and still able a low 230s average.  Even being completely out of the game, you watch him and the rest of the guys around, and he still looks like he is in a completely class all by himself.  I believe in 2000 it was, he bowled in a Local regional, the first time he had bowled a PBA event in 2 years and finished 3rd in it.  It just makes us wonder how he only came up with 1 title.

2. Bernie Mainland- He is in his late 50s, maybe early 60s, and still able to compete with anyone in this area.  HE has a really bad set of knees and a bad back.  The guy has knowledge that most of us can't comprehend.  The most telling moment i remember was in 96-97ish, in a really competitive ABC league (Men/Women), he was bowling for my team one night.  Well the center stripped and oiled the lanes just one problem..... they forgot to add oil in the machine, literally.  A league that featured probably a dozen 215+ bowlers, only 2 people thatn ight broke 600.  I was fortunate to shoot 607 throw a plastic ball over the capping and left as hard as I can.  Meanwhile, Bernie was taking a fairly new 3D Offset (Was one of the new "hookers" at the time) playing 10-5 and shot 749. Absolutely Mindboggling.  

3. Tom Clark- He bowled some senior pba events, and other major senior events for a little while, eventhough he has had shoulder problems.  A Basic suitcase style, but accurate as can be.  Never misses a spare. Bowled with him 2 years ago, and the team kept up with stats like that.  He had a total in the low 20s of Opens, which included big splits in that total.  I only recalled him missing 1 10 pin in the 36 week season.