Sponsored by QubicaAMF
Bill Lillard Selected for SBWA
Dick Weber Distinguished Service Award
Bill Lillard, Houston, was the overwhelming choice to win the inaugural SBWA QubicaAMF Dick Weber Distinguished Service Award presented by the Southern Bowling Writers Association. In voting by SBWA members, he received more than 80% of the total votes cast for six candidates.
A true Texas gentleman, Lillard has distinguished himself through performance, service, promotion, and dedication to the sport for more than a half century.
As a bowling center owner for more than four decades, he has been very active in local and state proprietors and association projects and promotions throughout his career. He currently owns Copperfield and Palace Lanes in Houston.
Lillard made bowling history in 1956 when he became the first man to win four titles in one American Bowling Congress tournament. Lillard also won the 1955 and 1956 Bowling Proprietors Association of America All-Star tournament. He was voted the Bowling Writers Association of America’s Bowler of the Year in 1956, and he earned Bowling Magazine’s recognition for first-team All-American in 1956 and 1957. Lillard was a charter member of the Professional Bowlers Association that was formed in 1958. During his career, Lillard has won eight ABC Championship Tournament titles between 1955 and 1971.
Now 78, Lillard continues to prove he can still roll with the best of them. This year, he rolled an 1810 for the 9 game event and passed his friend and former teammate Dick Weber to claim second place on the career pinfall leaderboard with 110,106 pins for 59 events. His ABC/USBC Championship 59 year tournament average is 201.
Lillard was the first bowler inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. That same year, he was also inducted into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. In 1979, he was inducted into the Texas State Bowling Association Hall of Fame.
This prestigious award is made possible by the generosity of QubicaAMF, the company it’s namesake Dick Weber represented for almost 50 years as a bowling athlete, spokesman, and ambassador for the sport. A true legend of the game, Weber passed away on February 14, 2005 at 75. For more information about QubicaAMF visit www.qubicaamf.com.
SBWA Chooses Barnes Bowler of the Year
The Southern Bowling Writers Association has chosen Lynda Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas as its 2005 Southern Region Bowler of the Year.
Barnes, wife of PBA star Chris Barnes, had a remarkable year in 2005. She began by winning the women’s side of the United States Amateur Championship. It was her first U.S. Amateur title and put her on Team USA for the 8th time in her career, and back on the team for the first time since 1998.
Later in 2005, she won four medals (two silver and two bronze) at the WTBA Women’s World Championships in Denmark, and then went on to win three gold medals in the American Zone Championships in Costa Rica.
In November, she completed her phenomenal year by winning the QubicaAMF World Cup in Slovenia. Early this year, she qualified for Team USA again by finishing 4th in the 2006 U.S. Amateur event, and was awarded a two-year exemption to be on the team through 2007.
Grace Wins Pinacle Events SBWA
Steinsiek Cartoonist Award
Las Vegas (June 25, 2006) Bud Grace, who draws "The Piranha Club" strip has been selected the winner of the Pinacle Events SBWA Steinsiek Cartoonist Award for 2005 by a select panel of judges from the Bowling Writers Association of America. Jim Goodwin, SBWA President made the announcement at the Las Vegas Hilton during the 72nd annual convention.
The award honors individuals for meritorious service,devotion, and contributions to the humorous side of the sport of bowling.
Grace, 62, was born in Chester, Pa., moved to Florida with his family when he was five years old. He "cheated his way through" Florida State and received his doctorate in physics 1971.
In 1979, Grace with no previous experience, decided to draw. He worked as a free-lance cartoonist and sold his work to major magazines before approaching King Features with his ideas for The Piranha Club(Ernie), which was launched in 1987.
Grace, currently lives in Virginia with his wife, Lorraine and his son Allen.
Previous Winners of this award:
1994-Walt Ditzen, Denver, Col.
1995-Maurice "Moe" LaRochelle, Alexandria, La.
1996-Bill Finch, Grants Pass, Ore.
1997-Charles M. Schulz, Santa Rosa, Calif.
1998-William "Bubba" Flint, Dallas, Texas
1999-Matt Moore, Rochester, N.Y.
2000-Dean Young, Clearwater, Fla.
2001-Lola Yoakem, Los Angeles, Calif.
2001-Walt Steinsiek, Micco, Fla.
2002-Ted Drake, Elkhart, Ind.
2003-Jim Davis, Marion, Ind.
2004-Justin R. Edgerton, Lakewood, Calif.
2005-Bud Grace, Virginia.
Judges: John Archibald, Pat Clayton, Bob Cosgrove, Jim Dressel, Jim Goodwin, Jerry Levine, Dan McDonough, Martin Michael, Virgil Quattrocchi, Jerry Remig, Don Wright and Jim Wyckoff.
Walt Steinsiek, chairman, SBWA Cartoonist Award Committee, ztlaw98@hotmail.com
SBWA Picks Nation and Valenta as
Collegiate Bowlers of the Year
Stefanie Nation of Central Florida University and Brian Valenta of Lindenwood University have been named 2005-06 Southern Bowling Writers Association Collegiate Bowlers of the Year.
CFU senior Stefanie Nation, a Miami native, led the Knights to the Allentown, Pa. Sectional title and their fourth consecutive Intercollegiate Team Championships appearance. Nation has been a Team USA member for the past three years and is the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion. Her 2005-2006 season included the Colgate Invitational and Hoosier Classic all-events titles and all-tournament team finishes at the National Collegiate Team Match Games and the Keystone Quaker Classic.
Two-hand throwing Lindenwood (St. Charles, Mo.) junior Brian Valenta, a native of Lockport, Ill., has now clinched two consecutive IBC national titles. His team won the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships in 2005, and this year he added the 2006 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships to his resume. His 2005-2006 season also included the Mid-States all-events crown and all-tournament team finishes at the Illinois BPA Classic, the National Collegiate Team Match Games, and the Bearcat Hoinke tournament. | 
