Riccardi claims two titles at 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships
July 14, 2016
RENO, Nev. - Sean Riccardi of St. Petersburg, Florida, has bowled nearly 100 United States Bowling Congress-certified perfect games, but none were more memorable or profitable than the one he rolled May 20 at the 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by USBC.
The 41-year-old right-hander tossed the first of two 300s this year at the Bowlers Journal Championships and added games of 248 and 219 for a 767 series, which was enough to earn him the 2016 Open Singles and Open Doubles titles at the National Bowling Stadium.
Riccardi's singles performance earned him the $10,000 top prize, while he and Professional Bowlers Association Tour standout Brad Angelo of Lockport, New York, will share $7,500 for the doubles win. Angelo rolled games of 259, 209 and 224 for a 692 set to give the duo a 1,459 winning total.
This year is a return to the winner's circle for Riccardi, who won Open Doubles with Paul Stolp of Edison, New Jersey, at the 2011 Bowlers Journal Championships.
"It has always been a dream of mine to win singles at the Bowlers Journal because it's definitely a prestigious title," Riccardi said. "And to win doubles with Brad means a lot, too. We ended up bowling together at the last minute when one of the guys he was supposed to bowl with couldn't bowl with him. We both bowled fantastic, and I'm excited we were able to hold on for the win."
As the only one of the 300 shooters entered in the High Game Jackpot, Riccardi's perfect game at the NBS netted him $8,000, the top prize in the High Game Jackpot, while competing in doubles and singles during the same set made him eligible for the Dual Entry prize list and earned him an additional $1,000 for his 767 series.
Angelo added to his success as the only competitor with all nine strikes in the Strike Jackpot, worth $8,000, along with two shares of the 30-Clean Jackpot, worth $500 each. A total of 21 players, including Riccardi, joined Angelo in collecting a share of the 30-Clean Jackpot.
This year, the three jackpots featured prize-fund-style payouts for the first time.
"It's funny, even though I've had a lot of 300s, I was really nervous when I got up for that 10th frame," said Riccardi, who rolled a perfect game during singles at the 2009 USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas. "I felt like I was up there much longer than usual, especially on the last shot. I knew if I got it, it probably would be worth a lot of money. Then, after you bowl 300, there's sometimes a letdown, but I'm glad I was able to keep things going. I'm so excited right now."
Three other bowlers also claimed singles titles at the 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships as Gregory Turner of Lanham, Maryland (Senior Singles), 1994 Open Championships Regular Singles winner John Weltzien of Wellington, Florida (Super Senior Singles), and Ken Leivonen of Bedminster, New Jersey (199 & Under Singles), found their way to the top of the standings.
Turner shot 759 at the NBS to claim the $4,000 top prize in Senior Singles, Weltzien's 705 set earned him $2,000 and Leivonen gets $1,000 for his 688 series.
The Senior Doubles title and $2,000 top prize went to USBC Hall of Famers Ron Pollard Sr. of Versailles, Indiana, and Don Scudder of Cincinnati for their 1,311 effort, while Scudder and fellow hall of famer Bill Spigner of Vernon Hills, Illinois, finished second with 1,310.
Eric Douglass of Goldfield, Iowa, and Troy Schultz of Clarion, Iowa, both Classified Team winners at the 2006 Open Championships, teamed up again this year to win Handicap Doubles at the Bowlers Journal Championships with a 1,235 effort. The win earned them $1,000 to share.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Bowlers Journal was held under the same roof as the Open Championships and featured the same lane condition used during doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
The 41-year-old right-hander tossed the first of two 300s this year at the Bowlers Journal Championships and added games of 248 and 219 for a 767 series, which was enough to earn him the 2016 Open Singles and Open Doubles titles at the National Bowling Stadium.
Riccardi's singles performance earned him the $10,000 top prize, while he and Professional Bowlers Association Tour standout Brad Angelo of Lockport, New York, will share $7,500 for the doubles win. Angelo rolled games of 259, 209 and 224 for a 692 set to give the duo a 1,459 winning total.
This year is a return to the winner's circle for Riccardi, who won Open Doubles with Paul Stolp of Edison, New Jersey, at the 2011 Bowlers Journal Championships.
"It has always been a dream of mine to win singles at the Bowlers Journal because it's definitely a prestigious title," Riccardi said. "And to win doubles with Brad means a lot, too. We ended up bowling together at the last minute when one of the guys he was supposed to bowl with couldn't bowl with him. We both bowled fantastic, and I'm excited we were able to hold on for the win."
As the only one of the 300 shooters entered in the High Game Jackpot, Riccardi's perfect game at the NBS netted him $8,000, the top prize in the High Game Jackpot, while competing in doubles and singles during the same set made him eligible for the Dual Entry prize list and earned him an additional $1,000 for his 767 series.
Angelo added to his success as the only competitor with all nine strikes in the Strike Jackpot, worth $8,000, along with two shares of the 30-Clean Jackpot, worth $500 each. A total of 21 players, including Riccardi, joined Angelo in collecting a share of the 30-Clean Jackpot. This year, the three jackpots featured prize-fund-style payouts for the first time.
"It's funny, even though I've had a lot of 300s, I was really nervous when I got up for that 10th frame," said Riccardi, who rolled a perfect game during singles at the 2009 USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas. "I felt like I was up there much longer than usual, especially on the last shot. I knew if I got it, it probably would be worth a lot of money. Then, after you bowl 300, there's sometimes a letdown, but I'm glad I was able to keep things going. I'm so excited right now."
Three other bowlers also claimed singles titles at the 2016 Bowlers Journal Championships as Gregory Turner of Lanham, Maryland (Senior Singles), 1994 Open Championships Regular Singles winner John Weltzien of Wellington, Florida (Super Senior Singles), and Ken Leivonen of Bedminster, New Jersey (199 & Under Singles), found their way to the top of the standings.
Turner shot 759 at the NBS to claim the $4,000 top prize in Senior Singles, Weltzien's 705 set earned him $2,000 and Leivonen gets $1,000 for his 688 series.
The Senior Doubles title and $2,000 top prize went to USBC Hall of Famers Ron Pollard Sr. of Versailles, Indiana, and Don Scudder of Cincinnati for their 1,311 effort, while Scudder and fellow hall of famer Bill Spigner of Vernon Hills, Illinois, finished second with 1,310.
Eric Douglass of Goldfield, Iowa, and Troy Schultz of Clarion, Iowa, both Classified Team winners at the 2006 Open Championships, teamed up again this year to win Handicap Doubles at the Bowlers Journal Championships with a 1,235 effort. The win earned them $1,000 to share.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Bowlers Journal was held under the same roof as the Open Championships and featured the same lane condition used during doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.