Notes & Quotes from the 2003 ABC Senior Masters

From: Bowl.com - May 29, 2003

ABC/PBA Hall of Famer Dick Weber, 73, was asked by an interested fan if he is considering retirement: ìWhen Iím 98 or 99. Iím not sure which.î

Frank Ellenburg, winner of the 1978 ABC Masters, made his debut as a ìseniorî in the 2003 ABC Senior Masters: ìI rolled a 140 in my first game. Pretty impressive debut, eh?î Ellenburg missed the 12-game cut to the top 127 semifinalists by two pins.

Steve Neff of Homosassa Springs, Fla., one of the hottest players on the PBA Senior Tour, struggled through the first round with a badly swollen ankle that he couldnít explain: ìI have no idea what happened. I went to bed and when I woke up, my ankle was the size of a softball. I almost withdrew after the first game, but Dale Eagle helped me tape it up real tight and I was able to keep going.î Neff qualified for match play in 48th place and won a pair of matches before being eliminated by former Team USA member Vinnie Atria of Louisville, 584-582.

PBA Senior Tour veteran Darrel Curtis of Las Vegas was sweating out the possibility heíd be involved in a one-game roll-off at the end of the second round of qualifying: ìIf we have a roll-off, I vote we do it right after bowling tonight, providing whoever Iím tied with doesnít show up.î

Frank Gallo Jr. of Lanham, Md., had the highest finish in ABC Masters or Senior Masters history by a deaf bowler. Gallo, a PBA member since 1973, qualified for match play in 55th place and defeated ABC Hall of Famer Bob Hart of Suwanee, Ga., in his first match, 614-585. After a loss to Roger Workman, Gallo eliminated ABC Hall of Famer Don Scudder of Cincinnati and Ted Staikoff of Black Hawk, S.D., before a 725-706 loss to a third ABC Hall of Famer, Ernie Schlegel, knocked him out of the tournament. During his 31-year PBA career, he has $21,855 in career earnings. His 17th place finish in Tucson paid him $1,700.

Rickey Kendrick of Castle Rock, Colo., rolled the tournamentís only 300 game during Mondayís first round of qualifying.

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