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The inaugural MBA Senior Masters is slated for this Saturday, October 31, 12:00 p.m. at Ten Pin Alley, depending on entries. This tournament will be scratch and is for bowlers aged 55 or better.

The event will be contested on the Kegel "Middle Road" lane condition. This pattern is not a PBA or Sport Bowling condition, but does offer a bit more challenge than the typical house shot. Senior bowlers averaging 190 or higher are invited to test their skills in this contest.

Looking for incentive to compete?

Phoenix Pro Shops proprietor and MBA Senior Tournament sponsor Bob Holzbauer is offering a free Senior Masters entry with purchase, details here.

Entries have been trickling in, there are eight in the office. Another half dozen bowlers have verbally committed. We need 24 entries to get this tournament off and running.

If you are interested in competing, please call the MBA office at 221.0300 or MBA Association Manager Bill Dennis at 770.4328.

Entry Form

Ten Pin Alley is the host of the 2009-10 Senior Association Championships. There will be two shifts on each of five weekends starting November 1. Shift times are 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The tournament is open exclusively to MBA members ages 55 and beyond.

Champions will be crowned in the Team Event, Doubles Event, and in each of the four age divisions of Singles and All- Events. The high scratch totals in Team, Doubles, Singles, and All-Events will also earn titles.

Additionally, the tournament champions will be invited to the annual Dinner with the Champions at the Prime Quarter Steak House.

The tournament is fully handicapped, 100% to 230. Each event is only $15.00. Entry forms are available at each center, or download one from the link below.

This tournament is sponsored by MBA Hall of Famers Jerry Hermanson of Capital City Coins & Jewelry (a jewel of a store on Monona Drive) and Bob Holzbauer of Phoenix Pro Shops.

Entry Form

Bowl for the Cure® is a year-round fund-raising and breast cancer awareness initiative sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, a foundation that has raised over $1 billion as the world's largest grassroots organization of breast cancer survivors and activists.

The Madison USBC Bowling Association is proud to join in the effort and will conduct the first annual "Strike Back Against Cancer" event on February 27, 2010 at Bowl-A-Vard Lanes, Madison, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Our goal is to fill the 40 lane host center with 40 teams and up to 200 bowlers. If necessary, we will run a second shift - possibly attracting up to 400 participants.

We hope that you will join our effort with your support and perhaps sponsor a team to participate in the event as well.

Participation packets are in the process of being distributed to MBA member centers and leagues, so look for yours soon. Stay tuned with our progess by subscribing to our newsletter on the special Bowl for the Cure® webpage on the MBA website.

Team Entry Form

Pledge Form

There is a calendar feature on the Bowlweb.com Discussion Forum that is free to use. Post your bowling related tournament, fundraiser, or other event. Hundreds of bowlers view the forum and calendar every day. You must be a registered member of the board to post.

Also, a "wiki" style section of Bowlweb.com is under development. The first goal is to provide a place for nightly scores to be posted by MBA member centers and/or league secretaries.

Bowlweb.com Event Calendar

As no smoking bans continue across the various communities in Dane County (and eventually the entire state), some bowling leagues are wrestling with rules regarding delays of game - typically an issue when a smoker takes a break from a game to go outside for a puff.

The problem is what may seem a perfectly acceptable and logical "rule" for your league may not be perfectly acceptable at all.

USBC Rule 100a says that leagues may add rules, but they must not conflict with USBC rules.

To combat unnecessary delays, some leagues have enacted a "zero frame" rule penalizing bowlers with zero for frame(s) missed if a bowler is deemed to be delaying the game. This rule is NOT acceptable as it conflicts with existing USBC Rule 11, Delay of Game.

USBC Rule 108b has been suggested as the governing legislation in this case, but 108b is not applicable here. 108b involves a bowlers refusal to complete a game (i.e. quits).

The applicable rule is USBC Rule 11: USBC Rule 11 is more toothy than the proposed "zero frame" rule, but it is the rule. If a league enacts a "zero frame" rule, a bowler would easily win a protest since it is contrary to USBC Rules and therefore non-enforceable.

The USBC provided this statement: The USBC went on to say: So take the time to address this issue as a league, if you need to, but remember to refer to the USBC rule book when adding rules to your league. Or, contact the MBA for assistance - we are here to serve you.

Did you know a team can win a series point - after losing EVERY game!

Interestingly, this situation happened this year. A team lost the first two games of a series. During game three, the scores were lost and irretrievable. The winning team chose to forfeit the third game.

Per USBC Rule 110c, the remaining team had to make up game three - which they did - and bowl within 40 pins of their team average in order to earn the point - which they did not.

As of this point, the remaining team has lost all three games.

But, according to the same rule, to calculate for the total pins point the forfeiting team is given zero for game three - meaning the remaining team easily won the series without winning a game.

Entry Form

Stories may include bowling tournament, fundraiser, or other event information, human interest bowling stories, or bowling success stories or first time accomplishments.

The MBA E-News is available for use by everyone involved with bowling in our jurisdiction - proprietors, league officers, tournament directors, and members. Promote your tournament, league, or bowling fundraiser, congratulate your bowlers, recognize their accomplishments - this newsletter is for you.

Please send your completed story to the Madison USBC BA. Be sure to include important details - dates, times, game scores, pictures, or links to more information.

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