I had the pleasure of being very close with Dick. I found out first thing this morning and i have been in tears since. I spoke with Pete and Tracy before they left for the airport and understandably neither is doing very well. This is a very sad day for the entire sport of bowling, but it is going to be extremely difficult for the Midwest Region. Things will never be the same without Dick. My condolences go out to Juanita, Pete & Tracy, Rich and John

Also lets try to refrain from the "Pete is a disgrace to his father" comments on this thread. You are entitled to you opinion but this is hardly the place to voice it.
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Bowl up a Storm,
Jeff Carter

Lefty, thank you very much for your comments. It is people like you that make this the sport the greatest in the world.

As far as Pete goes i would like to make a few comments. Now i am very biased because of my relationship with Pete, but i also know that Pete is a tremendous person. Most people dont get to see Pete the way some of us do. The Pete you get to see is on TV, during a pro-am or while he is bowling in competition. Pete is very focused and competitive. Most of the time that i have seen Pete be "non-fan friendly", it is because it is provoked. I cant believe some of the things people say to him. Sometimes i think people do this just to piss him off so they can talk about how big of a jerk he is. Pete is also living in the shadow of a legend. I dont know how many of you are the child of one of the greatest bowlers ( insert any occupation ) in the world, but to live with that can be unbearable. I know first hand how it is to be wrong about somebody. When i joined the PBA i had opinions on 2 guys in particular, Steve Jaros & Dave Traber. My opinions werent favorable based on what i had seen on TV and just the short time i had been around them. In my first year i ended up going to dinner with Dave at a regional and we quickly became good friends and out friendship has grown since. As for Steve, he is one of my closest friends now. We have traveled together, roomed together and our families have vactationed together. I guess what im trying to say is dont be so quick to judge the players out here based off of what you see on TV or on a chance meeting. I was very wrong about Dave & Steve and i gained 2 very good friends when i realized that.

I apologize about my ramblings but i just hate to see Pete continually get bashed, especially today. He really deserves much more. Thanks for your time
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Bowl up a Storm,
Jeff Carter

Edited on 2/14/2005 5:59 PM

I hope all the Weber family stay together, remember Mr. Weber and the good things he brought them and to the sport they and we love.  And my heart goes out to PDW, a man who has gone through a number of personal trials over the years.  May he remember his Dad with a smile.
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"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

All I can say is this................
 Dick is probably at the Pearly Gates lacing them up and saying.........
 St Peter,this is what you do when you run across carrydown...............
   
                  RIP
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Chris
 "Face it,Flounder---you threw up ON Dean Wormer!!"