Bluffton, Indiana’s EJ Tackett hoists the champion’s trophy, winner of the last year’s Kremer Roofing Classic at Community Lanes. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
If you’re a bowler, or just a ‘roller’ of the ball, this week’s PBA lineup in Minster and Coldwater promises the most up-close-and-personal professional sports opportunity you’ll ever have.
Since I first attended the Coldwater PBA tournament at PlaMor Lanes a decade ago (now call the Bowlerstore.com Classic), I was hooked.
The best bowlers in the world, and many of the luminaries on the PBA tour, come to Mercer County annually to compete for $10,000 first place money, but more…to give fans of the sport a chance to get a close and personal look at the same guys you see on Fox Sports on Sunday afternoons. It literally is the best of two worlds.
But before Coldwater…Minster’s Community Lanes hosts its own event starting Tuesday with the fourth annual Kremer Roofing Classic (Aug 6-8), with Versailles’ own Michael Davidson headlining that same all-star cast of bowlers.
“When we looked at buying a bowling center it was in our minds to someday host a tournament,” says Community Lanes’ Doug Davidson. “Because, we thought it would be cool to have one or two kids get excited enough about bowling to want to compete as a professional, or impress a few adults to just come out and watch.”
They’ve done that. Good crowds showed up last season to see one of the PBA’s best, E.J. Tackett, take the title in Minster, followed by little-known Frank Snodgrass winning the Coldwater tournament just five days later.
“I was just twelve when the Coldwater event first started and the guy that I got to meet and talk to back then was Parker Bohn (a PBA hall of famer),” says fourth-year pro Michael Davidson. “He was great to spend some time with me, give me some advice, and motivated me to become a professional. Now, he’s a good friend on the tour.”
“We thought it would be cool to have one or two kids get excited enough about bowling to want to compete as a professional, or impress a few adults to just come out and watch.” – Community Lanes’ Doug Davidson
Tournament lead sponsor Jeff Kremer, of Kremer Roofing in Versailles, gladly lends his name and support to the Minster event this week.
“I think it’s a good thing for area bowling,” says Kremer. “I’m a bowler myself, and I think it’s a good thing for kids just starting out in bowling, as an incentive to practice, become competitive at the sport they like.”
A few miles west, Minster’s Michael Davidson, who owns the popular Bowlerstore.com facility in Versailles, will be the lead sponsor at Coldwater’s tournament, starting Friday and continuing through Sunday. This year will mark the 16th annual, hosted by the Hartings family, in Coldwater.
“I think it’s an event that many of the pros look forward to,” says PlaMor’s Rick Hartings. “It has the reputation for being a tough house to score in, players like that challenge, and they love the kind of warm reception they receive from the people who show up to watch. We’ve enjoyed the association we’ve had with them over the years.”
As will you if you show up to watch these two events this week. Check online for more information on dates and times, then be prepared to experience the most up-close-and-personal opportunity to watch professional athletes you’ll ever have.
“I’ve bowled horribly in Minster over the years,” say last year’s winner, E.J. Tackett, who featured a 300 game during his three-day series. “But this is close to home (Bluffton, Indiana), I can drive back and forth, and the people here make it a special event.”
The mix, bowlers and fans, you might say. And don’t miss seeing it.
So much more than bowling…Community Lanes sponsors your favorite area sports on Press Pros.