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Ritchie Allen, Stuart Williams Round Out 2010-11 PBA Exempt Tour Field

Five PBA Hall of Famers, 11 “top 50 players of all-time” are ready to roll

SEATTLE, Wash. (July 13, 2010) – Professional Bowlers Association veteran Ritchie Allen of Columbia, S.C., and 2009-10 rookie Stuart Williams of England will join five PBA Hall of Famers and 11 players selected among the “50 best players in PBA history,” rounding out the 52-player exempt field for the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season.

Allen, a 31-year-old two-time PBA Tour winner, and Williams, who earned his first exemption through the 2009 PBA Tour Trials, have gained exemptions for the coming season because of the retirement from full-time PBA Tour competition by Doug Kent, a 10-time PBA Tour champion from Newark, N.Y., and a decision by seven-time titlist Robert Smith of Columbus, Ohio, to pursue new business opportunities in Southeast Asia. Allen and Williams were the next eligible players based on the 2009-10 PBA World Points Ranking list.

The 2010-11 exempt group includes PBA Hall of Famers Walter Ray Williams of Ocala, Fla., the reigning PBA Player of the Year; Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo.; Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla.; Brian Voss of Alpharetta, Ga., and Parker Bohn III. Those five are among the “50 greatest players in PBA history,” honored during the PBA’s 50th anniversary season in 2008-09, along with Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas; Jason Couch of Clermont, Fla.; Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C.; Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, Mich.; Danny Wiseman of Baltimore, and Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Also exempt for the second time in her career is Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., the only woman ever to own a PBA Tour exemption. Kulick, who earned an exemption for the 2006-07 season through the PBA Tour Trials, earned a two-year exemption beginning this fall with her historic victory over an otherwise all-male field in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas.

Kent, 43, had announced during the 2009-10 season that he was going to retire from full-time Tour competition to devote more time to his bowling center operation and his family. Smith, 36, has battled injuries the past few seasons and has announced he intends to open the Robert Smith Bowling Academy in Hong Kong. Both players plan to bowl in some open-field major championships.

The 52 Exempt Tour players for 2010-11 are:

Major title winners: Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.; Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa.; Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich.; John Nolen, Grand Blanc, Mich.; Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J.

Standard title winners: Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas; Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., Norm  Duke, Clermont, Fla.; Mike DeVaney, San Diego; Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y.; Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y.; Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio; Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga.; Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill.; Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo.

2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour points qualifiers: Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas; Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas; Jason Belmonte, Australia; Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C.; Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan.; Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla.; Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y.; Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio; Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla.; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich.; Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa.; Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y.; Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind.; Andres Gomez, Colombia; Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La.; Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind.; Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill.; Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz.; Steve Harman, Indianapolis; Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill.; Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J.; Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla.; Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y.; Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind.; Lonnie  Waliczek, Wichita, Kan.; Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C.: Stuart Williams, England.

Regional Players Invitational qualifiers: Scott Norton, Costa  Mesa, Calif.; Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md.; Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y.; Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis.; Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore.; Dave Beres, Greenfield, Wis.; Jeff Zaffino Warren, Pa.

Other exemptions: Danny Wiseman, Baltimore (returning from hardship deferment); Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif. (returning from medical deferment); Dave D’Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio (top 2009-10 non-exempt points qualifier).

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