Many parents have asked how all this got started, and how I got into the JBT. This page is designed to give you some of the history and background of the JBT, from its very beginnings on the east coast, to how and why the Southwestern branch got started. Lots of stuff you never knew here, so soak up some trivia!
1973
June- JBT creator Chuck Pezzano Jr. runs his first "JBT-like" event at Bowla Bowla in New Jersey.
1975
November 1- The first event under the name "JBT" is held at Lodi Lanes in Lodi, New Jersey. The concept of of a traveling singles Tour modeled after the PBA Tour is the first of its kind in the world. Several excellent JBT-like Tours have since developed, and most areas of the country now have a program resembling the JBT, but there's something to be said for being first.
1980
April 26- The first 300 in JBT competition is shot, by John Schnupp at Leisure Lanes in Lancaster PA.
November 15- After a few charter bus trips outside the New York City area, the idea of multiple conferences begins with the first New England Conference event, at Bradley Bowl in Windsor Locks, CT.
1981
September 19- The second 300 game in JBT history is bowled, by some guy named Parker Bohn III. Parker wins three JBT titles in his career. Other national Titlists with JBT experience include Danny Wiseman, Don Genalo, Mike Jasnau, and Tommy DeLutz, and PWBA star Jennifer Swanson.
1989
May 13- I bowl my first JBT event, at Four Seasons Rec in Union NJ. Foreshadowing Scott Carnahan, I manage to win it. I'm hooked.
1993
August 14- Current FSU Women's Coach Amy Harris becomes the only girl to win the JBT Tournament of Champions (a scratch event back east).
1995
February 24- I win a JBT title at Country Club Bowl in Northvale NJ, which now holds the honor of being the bowling alley in the current NBC series "Ed" (they call it Stuckeybowl). Ironically, I grew up in Westfield NJ, which is the setting for the opening credits and some of the series' action. I'm really hooked.
1996
May 11- I win my 12th and last JBT title at Holiday Lanes in Claymont DE. with an uncharacteristically clutch double in the tenth. I threw my first adult ball in Chuck's King of the Hill event a few months later, and did so well in east coast adult bowling that I packed up my bags and headed for Arizona (actually, it was for school). Still hooked though.
1997
February 22- A meeting with Metro bowlers leads to the first JBT event in the Southwest, at Kyrene Bowl. Shawn Wood and Kari Johnson are the first winners. 41 bowlers gave us a shot the first time, and 5 of them have still bowled a JBT event this season: Mike Seitz, Rob Patterson, Mathew Jones, Kim Douglas, and Robert Brewster.
May 24- Brandon Lopez rolls the first 300 in the Southwest, at AMF Mesa. He rolls his next "300", sort of, 3 1/2 years later, reverting to the handicap division during a slump for a 279+21 hcp = 300.
1999
November 20- The Tucson Bowl JBT draws a record (and unexpected) 112 entrants, causing the final ball to be thrown at about 10:30 pm. Mike Moyer, Las Cruces NM, becomes the first non-Arizonan to win in Arizona. Zach Taylor, Silver City, won the first event held in New Mexico, the month before.
2000
April 15- Andrew Cain shoots 300 for a $500 bonus, but Matt Burley wins the scratch event, becoming the first bowler with a title in the Southwest and the East Coast JBT versions.
June 17- Cain wins his 20th and final title at the Invitational, and shoots his 3rd JBT 300 for good measure. Few bowlers have ever shot three 300s in JBT competition in the east, and they have considerably more chances. Similarly, though about a dozen bowlers from the east have more than Andrew's 20 titles (31 is the record), Andrew won his 20 in only 50 total events! Clearly, the most dominant bowler in any JBT Conference, perhaps any Junior Tour, in history.
September 9- After a few trials the last season, the first event in the separate New Mexico Conference is held at Sun Lanes. Ironically, an Arizona bowler who hadn't yet won a title, Philip Schwartz, picked up his first of two NM wins there.
Oh, those Optionals!
Through our brief history in the Southwest, the 'optional scholarship programs' have changed in format and cost. Extras that caught on have been added, and ill-advised experiments disappeared quickly. To my game-show based mind, the optionals have sort of felt like my own version of 'The Price is Right' with their rotating games. Below is a history of the optional programs, good and bad, and their changes through the years.
1997 season
A press release sent to the Desert Bowler in January advertises the upcoming JBT Tour, with a basic entry fee of $20. Three optionals were listed:
The Position Scholarship ($5) was only guaranteed to pay at least the top two bowlers (we had no idea how many entries would be typical) and a free entry in each division.
A $5 High Game / Series sidepot paid the high scratch game every game of the qualifying round, and the high 5 game scratch series. Handicap bowlers could compete, but would have to use their scratch scores, so only a few ever did.
The Superbracket ($3) was one large bracket, scratch scores only. It paid the top 4 finishers in a 4:3:2:1 ratio.
The High Scratch Female prize was awarded to the highest finishing girl bowler; there was no additional entry charge.
Thus, the total entry fee if you entered all the optionals was $33 in scratch, and $25 in handicap
1997-98 season
The Position Scholarship remained the same in price, but now paid at least 1 out of every 8 entrants in each division.
The High Game / Series optional was given separate scratch and handicap divisions, and remained at $5.
The Superbracket was replaced with conventional 16-person Brackets, paying $20 for first and $12 for second. Brackets also now contained separate scratch and handicap divisions. You could enter up to three brackets at $2 each. So, the max entry fee was $36 for both divisions.
The High Scratch Female prize was discontinued, because it became, with rare exception, the Amy Rocco-Shannon Pluhowsky battle, two girls who beat ALL the boys regularly enough to make the award unnecessary.
Mystery Scores were introduced. When a randomly drawn, concealed score was first rolled, that player would win a $15 scholarship. Some events offered multiple mystery scores. There was no cost to enter. A few bowlers were too tempted and would 'peek' at the mystery score, usually bowlers with the last name Colucci, and eventually they were discontinued due to over-Colucci-ing (and I often forgot to look for the winner during the event).
Mystery Shots were also introduced. If a colored head pin appeared, a player could roll a strike for $50. There was no charge, and this fun addition has been continued from time to time.
High Game / Series was replaced for the last 3 events of the season with the Eliminator. Eliminators cut to the top half of the entered field after each game, until the 2 or 3 remaining bowlers in game 4 receive prizes. This didn't catch on like we thought it might- perhaps if we used the east coast's name for it- 'Scholar Dollar', it would have fared better. High Games were returned for next season.
1998-99 season
The Position Scholarship remained the same.
The High Game / Series sidepot was reduced to $4, mainly to make the entry fee an even $35.
Brackets became 8 person brackets instead of 16, paying $15 for first only. More brackets reduced the chance of one hot player making a 'clean sweep' of all the day's brackets, and greatly increased their popularity.
On October 3, the shortest-lived optional so far was introduced: Break the Bank. Modeled after adult league bowler 'strikepots', if a bowler rolled strikes in ten designated frames, they'd win a building jackpot that started at $50. The cost was 50 cents to enter. The extra slips of paper, following the strikes on different pairs, and the confusion of the total entry fee now being $35.50 (making change became LOTS harder), made it not much fun to run OR play in. It was discontinued hastily after its maiden voyage.
1999-2000 season
Position Scholarship remained at $5, but the payoff rule was changed to 'at least 5 spots paid'.
High Game / Series stayed at $4, but was reduced to just High Games. The high series winner always won scholarship money elsewhere in the event, and this boosted individual game prizes, which were often won by a bowler who won nothing else.
Brackets remained the same, and were computerized for the first time on December 10 at Country Club.
The High Scratch Female prize was revived, paying a separate 1:5 prize list to the female in EITHER division with the high 5 game total. The idea was to give girls who wanted to remain in the handicap division a chance to play for a scratch prize against each other, but there was little effect on the entries, and so it was discontinued.
This optional is perhaps the only one ever to specifically EXCLUDE one bowler. The rules said that any female with a scratch title could not enter, and Shannon was the only active bowler in that category at the time. We asked Shannon ahead of time if this would be okay with her, and she graciously agreed. A greater tribute I cannot think of!
Basic Entry Fee was still $20, unchanged from the beginning. Maximum entry fee was still $35.
2000-2001 Season
Position Scholarship stayed at $5, and now paid 1 out of 6 spots per division. The handicap division was broken down into over 150 and under 150 average categories though. Thus, you could lose to a higher average bowler and still receive the highest scholarship prize in your category. This has allowed bowlers finishing as low as 24th in the event to grab a position scholarship prize!
High Games remained $4, but now paid the 3 highest games of the qualifying round. Previously, if a 300 and a 299 were rolled in the same game, the 300 would win that game's award, and the 299 would get nothing. This eliminated that loophole, and boosted prizes by paying 3 games instead of 5.
Brackets remained unchanged.
The Superbracket was re-introduced (in Arizona only so far), with major changes. The $1 entry fee got you into a 64 person bracket that was all handicap (scratch bowlers entered received a handicap for it like other bowlers). In the fifth round, the remaining 4 bowlers would shoot out for the prizes, paying out $40 and $15. The big bonus is that all 4 finalists qualify for the Invitational. At the Invitational, all Superbracket finalists will play in a Megabracket for big scholarship money. Unlike Break the Bank, this one may not be fun to run but it IS fun to play, so it might stick around a few seasons.
With the Basic Entry Fee still at $20, the max entry fee was now $36, but with discounts for wearing JBT shirts, many still only pay $35.
Well, there you have it so far, I hope that was an entertaining and informative trip. Excuse the awkward past tense of this season's optional recap, but it'll be the past eventually!
If you have any moments, tidbits, or trivia to share, please email us at the site and we'll be happy to post them!