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54 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, December 13, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 5, 2004 What can fans expect to see? PBA event has a different format and feel from years past By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Fans familiar with the Earl Anthony Medford Classic at Lava Lanes will see lots of changes next week. To wit: The excitement of match play, replete with the early release of the schedule of who’s facing whom. An enhanced experience for pro-am bowlers. Improved and expanded seating for the television finals. Advertisement And, as a bonus, the opportunity to view the final taping of the skills competition that has been a popular feature of Professional Bowlers Association telecasts. The PBA is making its fourth stop in Medford, but this one is different — and, perhaps, more riveting. Gone are the hours of qualifying to whittle the field. In it’s place is a format of best-of-seven matches. "Qualifying can get a little mundane sometimes," says Ric Donnelly, owner of Lava Lanes. "Now, it’s all match play, and to me, that’s very exciting. There are marquee matchups all the time." The week will begin quietly, with no tournament activity Monday and Tuesday. In the past, pro-ams and entertainment kept the bowling center abuzz from the beginning of the week. That doesn’t mean there won’t be interest in what’s going on. The brackets will be filled on Monday, based on point standings over the previous 20 tournaments. Matchups and times will be posted on the PBA Web site ( www.pba.com ) Monday. "You know exactly who’s bowling when," says Donnelly. Of the 64 slots for the best-of-seven matches, 59 will be determined early. The 58 exempt players will occupy the Nos. 1 through 58 places. Medford Hall of Famer Marshall Holman, the commissioner’s choice, will fill the 59th place. The other five places will be determined through nine qualifying games Wednesday. Four spots will go to pros, and the final place will go to an amateur. A handful of local PBA members and amateurs will be among those vying for the bracket spot. "If you get in, you’re guaranteed $2,000," says Donnelly, noting the cost is $300 to qualify. "The amateur last week, who works in a steel mill, took out Walter Ray Williams Jr., the No. 1 bowler in the world. So there are still dreams out there." After qualifying, the exempt pros take the lanes for the first time Wednesday night with a practice session from 7 to 9. It’s also a time for fans to watch and get autographs. Matches will be staged Thursday and Friday, ultimately trimming the field to the final four. In a departure from the past, there won’t be competition Saturday. "Saturday is basically fan day," says Donnelly. "That’s when all the pro-ams are, and all the pros will be there. Sometimes in the pro-ams, there are two or three marquee bowlers there, and you just hope they get near your pair. Now there are 58 pros, and they’ll all be here Saturday. So the chances of bowling with some of them are much greater." Pro-am times, for which there are still some openings, are 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. The popular Calcutta pro-am, in which amateurs buy a pro at auction, then compete for prize money, is at 6 p.m. The live ESPN telecast is from 10-11:30 a.m. Sunday. There is more good seating, says Donnelly, because the broadcast crew is situated behind the pins. Tickets, ranging from $15 to $60, remain available for the TV show. Afterward, segments will be shot for the skills competition and aired on later telecasts. "You’ll be in the know," Donnelly says of the fans who watch the challenge. "You can see it all, then make a bet with a friend." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities