by Jerry Schneider

After a three-week break, the PBA50 Tour returns to action July 18-23 for a landmark PBA50 Tour doubleheader at Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Ind., which will be covered live in its entirety on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For the first time, PBA will conduct the PBA50 Dick Weber Super Senior Classic presented by Storm for super seniors (players 60 years of age and older) July 18-20 followed immediately by the regular PBA50 Tour Pro Bowl West Classic presented by Ebonite July 21-23 which is for players 50 and older including the super seniors who wish to enter.

A field of approximately 120 players is expected for the inaugural Super Senior Classic which includes PBA50 Super Senior Player of the Year frontrunners Johnny Petraglia and Dale Eagle, both PBA Hall of Famers.

The Pro Bowl West Classic is the eighth stop of the PBA50 Tour this season and will include several PBA Hall of Famers who will resume the stretch run for 2014 PBA50 Player of the Year honors.

Leading the list of PBA50 Player of the Year contenders entered are two-time defending PBA50 Player of the Year and PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. and fellow Hall of Famer and 2013 PBA50 Rookie of the Year Pete Weber.

Williams, who is second in POY points 13 points behind Norm Duke, owns eight PBA50 Tour titles including the United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters which he won in June for his first PBA50 major. Weber, who is third in POY points, will be trying for his third career PBA50 Tour win and first of the season in Fort Wayne.

Tied with Weber for third in POY points is Tom Baker followed by Parker Bohn III and Amleto Monacelli who are tied for fourth. Baker, Bohn and Monacelli have all won titles this season on the PBA50 Tour.

Duke, who currently leads the PBA50 POY points list, is not expected to compete because of a prior commitment but is expected to bowl in the final three tournaments of the season.

All of the remaining 2014 PBA50 Tour tournaments will be carried live via PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. Subscription and schedule information is available by visiting www.xtraframetv.com.

The Dick Weber Super Senior Classic will begin with a six-game qualifying round at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 18. All players will return for second-round qualifying Saturday, July 19 at 11 a.m. which will determine the top 32 players for the first round of match play beginning at 5 p.m. Match play continues on Sunday, July 20 at 8:30 a.m. with the five-player stepladder scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Competition for the Pro Bowl West Classic begins Monday July 21 with an eight-game qualifying round at 10 a.m. ET. All players will return for the second qualifying round at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22 which will determine the top 40 who will advance to match play elimination rounds on Wednesday, July 23 at 10 a.m. The championship rounds begin at 7 p.m.

Admission for both tournaments is $8 per day or a $25 pass is available which is good for all days of both tournaments. Bowling fans can also compete in a pro-am that enables them to bowl with the pros which is scheduled for July 20 at 7 p.m. Entry fee is $50 which includes the bowling fee, T-shirt, tournament program and a buffet dinner. Tickets may be purchased at Pro Bowl West Lanes and additional information is available by calling (260) 482-4889.