101st ABC Tournament Surpasses Last Year’s Team Total

August 27, 2003

The 101st American Bowling Congress Championships Tournament is on its way to potentially being the biggest ABC Tournament in history.

The ABC Tournament entries department recently processed team entry 12,204 for the 101st ABC, which gets underway Feb. 14 at Reno’s National Bowling Stadium. The total surpasses the 100th Tournament’s 12,203 entries and places it as the fourth largest in the history of the event.

Warren Cook, a 37-year-old warehouse manager from Cupertino, Calif., submitted entry 12,204. The first-time team captain competed in his first ABC Tournament in Knoxville as a last-minute sub. He liked the experience so much, he decided to enter his own team for 2004.

“The atmosphere of the ABC Tournament is great,” Cook said. “The way the Tournament is organized it was so easy to just go and enjoy yourself and not have to worry about anything. After I went and bowled in Knoxville, I knew I had to put together my own team.”

Reno’s National Bowling Stadium has attracted the three largest ABC Tournaments -- in 1995 (17,285), 2001 (16,104) and 1998 (15,925).

The ABC Tournament is the largest participatory sporting event in the world. More than 80,000 bowlers are expected to compete from all 50 states and several foreign countries.

“We expect to break the 16,000-team barrier yet again in Reno,” said Ed Baur, ABC Group Executive – Tournaments, Communications and Marketing. “Reno is always a popular destination for bowlers. We’ll be concentrating our promotional efforts in California, where our ‘numbers’ seem to have dropped off. If we are successful, perhaps we’ll top the 1995 mark.”

Entries are open until early January and those interested in entering should call 800/514-2695, ext. 3320 or visit abctournament.com to enter online.

Presenting sponsors of the 2004 ABC Tournament are Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev.