Kulick makes the show

Today was the final day of the Professional Bowlers' Association Tour Trials -- the PBA's tour qualifying tournament -- and in what should be, but is unfortunately not likely to be, front-page news on every sports section in the country, a woman was among the 10 bowlers earning full-time exempt status for next season's tour schedule. The bowler in question, Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, won the 2003 US Women's Open and was a rising star on the PWBA women's tour before it folded that year.

I used to be a big fan of the PWBA, when they were televised every week. The PBA tour is dominated by power players who have the strength and technique to put a million revolutions on the ball, hook it out of the house, and bludgeon the pins into submission. With today's equipment, men's bowling has become such a power game that it doesn't make a very good spectator sport, as far as I'm concerned. The women, by contrast, are mostly finesse players, who play a game that bears more resemblance to that of mortals like me, except that they're a lot better at it. Kelly Kulick, however, has the versatility to play whatever game the lane conditions require -- she can go fairly straight up the boards, or she can stand left and crank it with the big boys. As for whether she can compete on the PBA tour week in and week out, well, we'll find out next season. I wouldn't bet against her!

Urb's Blog