Pete McCordic celebrates 50 years at USBC Open Championships
March 27, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Pete McCordic of Katy, Texas, added another impressive accolade to his well-earned collection Saturday at the National Bowling Stadium as he made his 50th appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer celebrated the milestone alongside his wife, Paula, sons, Patrick and Michael, and twin brother, Paul. He was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
“I know it’s a big milestone – it really is – but it didn’t really hit me until I got here,” McCordic said. “When Chip (Aki) asked me who I wanted to march out with – my wife, my two sons and my brother – that’s when I got emotional and started thinking about it. They’re a big part of the reason for doing it. It was a big deal coming here for 50.”
Pete had been on the other side of the presentation in 2023, when he joined Paul for his 50th – also at the NBS. Paul made his 53rd consecutive appearance in 2026.
The journey for both brothers at the Open Championships started during the 1973 event in Syracuse, New York. They kept good company, too.
They joined Bill Lillard Sr., Don Ellis Sr. and Jim Paine, and the team quickly went to work.
Pete and Paul finished tied for second in Regular Doubles with a 1,319 combined score, as Paine and Jamie Brooks captured the win with 1,337. The group also finished second for Team All-Events, and Pete placed 20th in Regular All-Events at 1,905.
Lillard, Ellis and Brooks are members of the USBC Hall of Fame.
“Don Ellis asked my brother and I to bowl with him and Bill Lillard and the rest of these guys, and a lot of them are in the hall of fame – it was a great start,” Pete McCordic said. “Bill Lillard was a proprietor back home. He and Don Ellis were partners at the time, and they bought the center that I practiced and bowled junior leagues at.
“Bill was always a great guy, and Don actually helped me a lot as far as instruction. If I was having a tough time or needed someone to say what’s wrong, he’d be there. He helped my brother a lot, too. Bowling with them was a big help, and both of them did a lot for us throughout our careers.”
McCordic made his way to the PBA Tour a couple years after his debut at the Open Championships and returned the tournament venue with his annual appearance at the USBC Masters from 1980-1993.
He collected a pair of wins in 1988 and rolled the fourth televised 300 game in tour history at the 1987 Greater Los Angeles Open. After his touring days, he served as the manager of the PBA’s Southwest Region for 25 years. His dedication to the Southwest Region helped him earn his induction to the PBA Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 2023.
McCordic made his return to the Open Championships in 1995, and the big scores quickly continued from year to year.
“I printed out my scores today from throughout the years, and I was amazed,” said McCordic, who’s also part of the Texas State USBC Hall of Fame. “I had some really good years. But, I think you remember who you bowled with even more. I bowled with Don and Bill for a while, and then joined the tour right after that and lost my eligibility to bowl this as a touring pro. Now, I bowl with my brother, two sons and Steve Wright, who has been a friend of ours for probably 50 years.”
In his trips to the Open Championships, McCordic has surpassed an all-events score of 1,800 for nine games on 28 occasions – including in his 50th appearance.
He had sets of 679 in singles, 653 in doubles and 615 in team for an overall score of 1,947 in 2026. His singles set also included a run at perfection, as he started his first game with nine strikes.
His top overall performance at the Open Championships took place during the 2006 event in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he finished with 2,065.
Pete now has a career pinfall at the tournament of 95,334 (205.4 average). Paul now sits at 96,669 (202.6 average).
“I wasn’t sure what my pinfall was until I got here, but both my brother and I can reach 100,000 pins in the next couple of years,” Pete McCordic said. “It’s something to think about as we get on with our careers, but that would be another honor to have.
“When I look at all the names for 50 years, there aren’t many that have a higher average than I do, and that’s something I take a lot of pride in. I didn’t bowl well every year, but overall, it’s been really good.”
Taking home the crystal pin awarded for reaching 100,000 pins also would place both brothers alongside Lillard (124,087), Ellis (115,122) and Brooks (106,203) in the exclusive club. Lillard broke the tournament’s pinfall record during his final appearance in 2015, with both Pete and Paul having front-row seats for the moment.
While folks like Lillard and Ellis certainly had a big impact for both brothers, Pete also noted a special connection to their parents, too.
“My parents did everything they could for us,” McCordic said. “In fact, they had a bowling center for a while. They started bowling in the late ‘50s when there was a bowling boom. My brother and I were just kids, but we would go to the center with them. They loved bowling and got us into bowling. Fortunately, we both did pretty well for our ages in the junior leagues. My parents helped immensely. They sacrificed a lot for my brother and I to get where we are, and when you have some success, it’s easy to love the game. So, I give all the credit to them.”
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer celebrated the milestone alongside his wife, Paula, sons, Patrick and Michael, and twin brother, Paul. He was presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the achievement.
“I know it’s a big milestone – it really is – but it didn’t really hit me until I got here,” McCordic said. “When Chip (Aki) asked me who I wanted to march out with – my wife, my two sons and my brother – that’s when I got emotional and started thinking about it. They’re a big part of the reason for doing it. It was a big deal coming here for 50.”
Pete had been on the other side of the presentation in 2023, when he joined Paul for his 50th – also at the NBS. Paul made his 53rd consecutive appearance in 2026.
The journey for both brothers at the Open Championships started during the 1973 event in Syracuse, New York. They kept good company, too.
They joined Bill Lillard Sr., Don Ellis Sr. and Jim Paine, and the team quickly went to work.
Pete and Paul finished tied for second in Regular Doubles with a 1,319 combined score, as Paine and Jamie Brooks captured the win with 1,337. The group also finished second for Team All-Events, and Pete placed 20th in Regular All-Events at 1,905.
Lillard, Ellis and Brooks are members of the USBC Hall of Fame.
“Don Ellis asked my brother and I to bowl with him and Bill Lillard and the rest of these guys, and a lot of them are in the hall of fame – it was a great start,” Pete McCordic said. “Bill Lillard was a proprietor back home. He and Don Ellis were partners at the time, and they bought the center that I practiced and bowled junior leagues at.
“Bill was always a great guy, and Don actually helped me a lot as far as instruction. If I was having a tough time or needed someone to say what’s wrong, he’d be there. He helped my brother a lot, too. Bowling with them was a big help, and both of them did a lot for us throughout our careers.”
McCordic made his way to the PBA Tour a couple years after his debut at the Open Championships and returned the tournament venue with his annual appearance at the USBC Masters from 1980-1993.
He collected a pair of wins in 1988 and rolled the fourth televised 300 game in tour history at the 1987 Greater Los Angeles Open. After his touring days, he served as the manager of the PBA’s Southwest Region for 25 years. His dedication to the Southwest Region helped him earn his induction to the PBA Hall of Fame for meritorious service in 2023.
McCordic made his return to the Open Championships in 1995, and the big scores quickly continued from year to year.
“I printed out my scores today from throughout the years, and I was amazed,” said McCordic, who’s also part of the Texas State USBC Hall of Fame. “I had some really good years. But, I think you remember who you bowled with even more. I bowled with Don and Bill for a while, and then joined the tour right after that and lost my eligibility to bowl this as a touring pro. Now, I bowl with my brother, two sons and Steve Wright, who has been a friend of ours for probably 50 years.”
In his trips to the Open Championships, McCordic has surpassed an all-events score of 1,800 for nine games on 28 occasions – including in his 50th appearance.
He had sets of 679 in singles, 653 in doubles and 615 in team for an overall score of 1,947 in 2026. His singles set also included a run at perfection, as he started his first game with nine strikes.
His top overall performance at the Open Championships took place during the 2006 event in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he finished with 2,065.
Pete now has a career pinfall at the tournament of 95,334 (205.4 average). Paul now sits at 96,669 (202.6 average).
“I wasn’t sure what my pinfall was until I got here, but both my brother and I can reach 100,000 pins in the next couple of years,” Pete McCordic said. “It’s something to think about as we get on with our careers, but that would be another honor to have.
“When I look at all the names for 50 years, there aren’t many that have a higher average than I do, and that’s something I take a lot of pride in. I didn’t bowl well every year, but overall, it’s been really good.”
Taking home the crystal pin awarded for reaching 100,000 pins also would place both brothers alongside Lillard (124,087), Ellis (115,122) and Brooks (106,203) in the exclusive club. Lillard broke the tournament’s pinfall record during his final appearance in 2015, with both Pete and Paul having front-row seats for the moment.
While folks like Lillard and Ellis certainly had a big impact for both brothers, Pete also noted a special connection to their parents, too.
“My parents did everything they could for us,” McCordic said. “In fact, they had a bowling center for a while. They started bowling in the late ‘50s when there was a bowling boom. My brother and I were just kids, but we would go to the center with them. They loved bowling and got us into bowling. Fortunately, we both did pretty well for our ages in the junior leagues. My parents helped immensely. They sacrificed a lot for my brother and I to get where we are, and when you have some success, it’s easy to love the game. So, I give all the credit to them.”
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.