Happy Pete Weber Crotch Chop Day, everyone!

Who do you think you are? I am.

?

And 175 people go wild.

 

I met Pete Weber back in ‘87 when I was in Hilton Head for the Heritage. I was hanging out at the Marriott bar when I was introduced to him. I said, “that ain’t Pete Weber” thinking it was a prank. He replied, “the hell I ain’t!”

Then he included me in his entourage of about a dozen people for the evening. He paid for everything - food and drinks - for the whole group. I asked him about Marshall Holman. He said Holman was an asshole.

Weber was wound up right that night. A definite party animal.

 

You mean this guy was an asshole?

 

I think I'd rather watch The Bad Boy of Badmitton. At least those guys are athletes...

 

Where's Mark Roth??

 

Fuck that shit!

Earl. Fucking. Anthony!!!

 

Still dead.

Earl Anthony, 63, Bowling's First $1 Million Man, Dies

 

People forget that in the pre-cable, three-channels-and-maybe-a-fourth-with-rabbit-ears, pre-college football and basketball on all day day's of the 1970s and 1980s the Pro Bowlers Tour did some pretty damn good numbers and had some decent sponsorship deals back then.

 

I took the bus after school to the bowling alley in 5th grade with my bowling team shirt on with my patches (3 gms/500 and 200 game) with my own bowling ball to eat french fries and a coke and thought I was having the time of my life. It was even more fun than the flag football team (but not Little League all-stars). I looked forward to Sat to see the PBA tour with Earl Anthony, Mark Roth, and the godfather Dick Weber. Good times. Don't know why it fizzled so fast.

 

"Hah! He never won a U.S. Open either" -- Phil Mickelson

 

I don't know if it fizzled as much as it was just shoved aside for college sports. Back in the day I remember there being a fall tour and spring, with ABC getting the bulk of the coverage and NBC having the rest. As college football and hoops gained popularity in the 90s it started to make sense to have more than just one game on in the afternoon before Wide World of Sports (which is the umbrella bowling fell under). As college continued its ascension it ultimately made sense to kill off WWOS altogether, leaving bowling reduced to ESPN and other cable networks.