2006 PBA Senior Tour season-ending awards announced
11/09/06
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced today its season-ending awards for the 2006 PBA Senior Tour season, voted on by PBA membership and national media. Tom Baker (left) was named the PBA Senior Player of the Year while Bob Kelly was named PBA Senior Rookie of the Year.
Baker was named Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, compiling one of the greatest seasons in PBA Senior Tour history. He captured four titles, including both Majors, and won three consecutive events during one stretch – the PBA Senior Chillicothe Open, PBA Senior Tucson Open and PBA Senior U.S. Open – which established a new Senior Tour record.
Baker's four titles tied the single-season Tour record held by Pete Couture and Dale Eagle, who won their three titles in 14 and 15 events, respectively, while Baker bowled in just nine events. He also became the first bowler in PBA Senior Tour history to win two Majors in a season, capturing the USBC Senior Masters in addition to his second U.S. Open title in as many seasons.
"It's a great honor to win the award two years in a row. I didn't expect to do as well as I did this year. I thought last year was good and I really topped it," said Baker (King, N.C.), who has five PBA Senior Tour titles in his first two seasons. "It's a great honor to get to play with those guys out there."
In 2005, Baker became the first in history to be named both PBA Senior Player and Rookie of the Year. He is now the fourth bowler in PBA Senior Tour history to win back-to-back Player of the Year awards, joining Gary Dickinson, Bob Glass and John Handegard.
The 52-year-old led the Tour in every statistical category, leading the points race by nearly 100,000 over second-place Henry Gonzalez. He earned an even $66,000 in nine events, which surpassed his earnings over 21 events in the 2005-06 Denny's PBA Tour season. Baker, still exempt on the Denny's PBA Tour from his 2004 PBA World Championship title, is the only exempt bowler eligible for the Senior Tour.
In addition, Baker nearly broke his own single-season average record, as his 226.32 average was just shy of his 226.97 mark last season, and was 12 pins higher than the second-best average on Tour, put up by Dickinson.
Baker's greatest accomplishment may have been his performance in the Senior USBC Masters. After winning his first match in double elimination match play, Baker lost to Eagle to fall into the losers' bracket. He then won a record 13 consecutive matches to win the title.
David Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) finished second to Baker on the Player of the Year ballot. In just four events, Ozio racked up three championship round appearances including one second-place finish. He finished 10th in the PBA Senior Tour Point Rankings, and earned $15,600, fourth on Tour.
Kelly, meanwhile, led all rookies in points and earnings, finishing 11th in points and earning $15,352, good for fifth on Tour. He cashed in six of nine events, making match play twice. Kelly's best finish of the season came in the 2006 Senior USBC Masters, where he finished second, falling to Baker in the title match.
"I am extremely honored just to have my name on the list of guys who have won the award," Kelly said. "I had two goals coming into the season. One was to win Rookie of the Year and the other was to win a title. Now I've got to work on winning a tournament, but I'm thrilled to death."
The 53-year-old became a PBA member a little over a year ago, then retired from his job June 1 and began bowling full-time on the PBA Senior Tour. His wife, Linda, is a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Hall of Famer. She bowled on the PBA Senior Tour this summer as well, finishing ninth in the 2006 Senior Decatur Open.
Kevin Croucher (Grants Pass, Ore.) finished second to Kelly in the Rookie of the Year voting. Croucher made match play in five of his six events, finishing 14th in points.
PBA Senior Tour Awards
Baker wins second PBA Senior Player of the Year Award, Kelly named Rookie of the Year
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced today its season-ending awards for the 2006 PBA Senior Tour season, voted on by PBA membership and national media. Tom Baker (left) was named the PBA Senior Player of the Year while Bob Kelly was named PBA Senior Rookie of the Year. Baker was named Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, compiling one of the greatest seasons in PBA Senior Tour history. He captured four titles, including both Majors, and won three consecutive events during one stretch – the PBA Senior Chillicothe Open, PBA Senior Tucson Open and PBA Senior U.S. Open – which established a new Senior Tour record.
Baker's four titles tied the single-season Tour record held by Pete Couture and Dale Eagle, who won their three titles in 14 and 15 events, respectively, while Baker bowled in just nine events. He also became the first bowler in PBA Senior Tour history to win two Majors in a season, capturing the USBC Senior Masters in addition to his second U.S. Open title in as many seasons.
"It's a great honor to win the award two years in a row. I didn't expect to do as well as I did this year. I thought last year was good and I really topped it," said Baker (King, N.C.), who has five PBA Senior Tour titles in his first two seasons. "It's a great honor to get to play with those guys out there."
In 2005, Baker became the first in history to be named both PBA Senior Player and Rookie of the Year. He is now the fourth bowler in PBA Senior Tour history to win back-to-back Player of the Year awards, joining Gary Dickinson, Bob Glass and John Handegard.
The 52-year-old led the Tour in every statistical category, leading the points race by nearly 100,000 over second-place Henry Gonzalez. He earned an even $66,000 in nine events, which surpassed his earnings over 21 events in the 2005-06 Denny's PBA Tour season. Baker, still exempt on the Denny's PBA Tour from his 2004 PBA World Championship title, is the only exempt bowler eligible for the Senior Tour.
In addition, Baker nearly broke his own single-season average record, as his 226.32 average was just shy of his 226.97 mark last season, and was 12 pins higher than the second-best average on Tour, put up by Dickinson.
Baker's greatest accomplishment may have been his performance in the Senior USBC Masters. After winning his first match in double elimination match play, Baker lost to Eagle to fall into the losers' bracket. He then won a record 13 consecutive matches to win the title.
David Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) finished second to Baker on the Player of the Year ballot. In just four events, Ozio racked up three championship round appearances including one second-place finish. He finished 10th in the PBA Senior Tour Point Rankings, and earned $15,600, fourth on Tour.
Kelly, meanwhile, led all rookies in points and earnings, finishing 11th in points and earning $15,352, good for fifth on Tour. He cashed in six of nine events, making match play twice. Kelly's best finish of the season came in the 2006 Senior USBC Masters, where he finished second, falling to Baker in the title match.
"I am extremely honored just to have my name on the list of guys who have won the award," Kelly said. "I had two goals coming into the season. One was to win Rookie of the Year and the other was to win a title. Now I've got to work on winning a tournament, but I'm thrilled to death."
The 53-year-old became a PBA member a little over a year ago, then retired from his job June 1 and began bowling full-time on the PBA Senior Tour. His wife, Linda, is a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Hall of Famer. She bowled on the PBA Senior Tour this summer as well, finishing ninth in the 2006 Senior Decatur Open.
Kevin Croucher (Grants Pass, Ore.) finished second to Kelly in the Rookie of the Year voting. Croucher made match play in five of his six events, finishing 14th in points.