A ten-time PBA title winner as well as a former President of the PBA, Steve Hoskins is one of just 18 bowlers in the PBA's 50-year history to bowl a televised 300 game, defeating Walter Ray Williams Jr. 300-234 at the 1997 PBA Ebonite Classic in Rochester, NY. Steve now operates his own business in Hudson, Fla., a car lot by the name of Carzone where he specializes in offering a wide variety of financing options to people with credit issues. Here, he recalls some of the greatest memories of his previous career as a full-time professional bowler, including the day he bowled 300 on TV and the time he broke his hand when he punched a door in fury after leaving a stone 8-pin to lose a title match against Brian Himmler, and discusses the happiness he has found in his life since leaving the pro tour.

You say that you are much happier now in your post-PBA-Tour life than you were when you were on tour. Some people might find that hard to believe because you enjoyed a lot of success on tour, shooting 300 on TV, winning ten titles and making many telecasts over your career. Why is life happier for you now than it was then?

SH: It's an overall answer, basically. I have a lot more balance with my home life and my business life. And I don't have to travel like I used to, though occasionally I do miss the travel because you get to experience so many great things. But as a general rule, I like being home.

You also say that you sometimes look back on those days and smile in disbelief at the life you were able to live-traveling the world as a pro bowler, getting paid to go places like Japan-when you look back on those days now, what are you most grateful for?

SH: The opportunity. I have met so many incredibly nice people across the globe. The experiences that I had, you know, some people live their entire lives and never get that opportunity.

Fans see the bowlers on TV making money and living the life, but they don't see the grind behind the scenes, how tough it can be to live out of a suitcase for years on end, how stressful that lifestyle can become. Can you talk about the part of touring life that fans don't see and how difficult it can get after a while?

SH: You know, I never really thought of it as "difficult." I always believed that I was playing a game for a living, and I really did enjoy it. Even the last year when I was dealing with some personal problems here at home, I still did enjoy bowling, it was just no longer something I wanted to do on a day-to-day basis.

What was behind your decision to leave the tour at that time, Steve?

SH: Well, quite frankly I was going through a divorce my entire last year on tour. That was difficult for me to deal with-that was a life I had known for the previous ten years. And quite frankly it was difficult for me to adapt to it. And that's part of the reason that I-I'll allude back to what I was saying before about how happy I am-because of that, I met my current wife, I have an extended family now, I have two more children that are in my family, and it's superb. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Does it surprise you that guys that you toured with back in the day are still doing it, like Steve Jaros, Tom Baker, or Walter Ray?

SH: No. I mean, all the guys you mention are extremely good. Quite frankly, Walter Ray is the best ever. No, it's not shocking at all. It's a lifestyle that you choose. Some guys have adapted to it very well-that's what they love, they don't want to do anything else. Me? I'm pretty OK with it. I decided I wanted to move on and I am one of those people who when I make up my mind, I make up my mind.

So that's a decision you made for yourself, it wasn't something that was forced on you by external circumstances?

SH: Oh, God no! No, not in any way shape or form.

I think a lot of people are under the impression that they don't see people like Steve Hoskins on tour anymore because of the exempt-field format that came into existence when you were the President of the PBA.

SH: Well, that's part of it. I mean, I don't particularly care for it, I think the number is too low. But the bottom line is now the way things are structured I don't necessarily think I would enjoy it the way I used to I am not a big proponent of match play-never have been, never will be. I don't think it showcases who the best person is.

Why not?

SH: Because bowling is a sport that evolves. You have to be able to learn how to read lane conditions, learn how to adjust when the lanes break down, and when they do the match play stuff it's a sprint.

What about some of the longer match play formats, like a best three out of five match?

SH: Three out of five is still ridiculously short. I don't ever really care to watch some of my friends bowl a 7-game match, beat somebody by 150 pins and lose four to three. This is not tennis. You should not get rewarded for shooting 150, 250. You should get rewarded for shooting 220, 220.

Would you consider the 300 you bowled on TV to be the most cherished memory of your tour days?

SH: Gosh, that's a hard one. It's up there, I don't know if it's the single best. You know, winning the major five or six weeks later when they had the first telecast when everybody made all the noise in Pittsburgh, that was pretty electric. And that was pretty much the culmination of a fall I will never forget. That's probably the section of time, in the fall of '97, when I was coming back from the broken hand that I think ultimately made my career.

What made that fall such an unforgettable moment in your life?

SH: Well, I won twice, finished second once, and bowled 300 on TV. I won a major, and I really solidified myself at that point in time as one of the best. And quite frankly, for the next six years that's pretty much how it was. Not only did I believe it and get affirmation from it but I think most of the fans and players thought that as well.

Was the approval of fans and players important to you?

SH: Oh, absolutely. Anybody who says it isn't is full of BS. Anybody who plays a sport or puts themselves out in the public eye like that is looking for positive affirmation. No doubt about it, it's an ego thing. Nothing more.

Like Norm Duke and Johnny Petraglia, you shot that 300 against Walter Ray. Why do you think several televised 300s have been bowled against Walter Ray?

SH: I think a number of things could lead to that. You know you have to bring your A-game when you're bowling Walter. It's pretty easy to start off with the front five or six and have a guy who is struggling against you and get lazy. With Walter, you can't do that. If he can do it with a pencil, he can do it. In other words, if you can screw up and he can add it up and beat you, you just have to assume he's going to. He is that good, and was for 15-odd years.

One thing that made that 300 game especially significant was that it was your second telecast since breaking your hand-can you tell me that story?

SH: Sure, I had the solid 8 in Tucson, which was my first show back in 1997 after I took a half a year off. My second child was born. I basically didn't bowl from June until January of 1996. So of course I came back had gotten another semester of college out of the way. I think Tucson was the third tournament. I make the telecast and leave the solid 8 to lose to Brian Himmler on the show, went back to the paddock, and there were people in line waiting for autographs. Not to be rude, I stopped and signed them and each of them had a comment to make-you know, just trying to be nice, "bad break" and all that stuff. Well eventually the last person to say something really set me off, so I hauled off and punched the door. The problem was, the door was steel, and it was bolted shut. And I remember looking at Steve Wilson and he says 'Wow, that looked like it hurt.' And I said 'Yeah, you could say that.' I didn't know it was broken for two days until I tried to bowl again.

Well, I guess you knew loud and clear at that point!

SH: Oh yeah, so I went to the doctor and they did X-Rays and hey, guess what, I broke my bone in a couple spots.

What was your reaction to the X-Ray news?

SH: You talk about despair-I think is the best word for it. I had just taken six months off and now I had to call all the companies I worked for and tell them, 'Hey, guys, guess what? I'm taking another 8 weeks off.' It's funny, because it was kind of a blessing, now that I look back. Because I focused better after that and I kind of quit taking for granted what I was doing for a living. I was just at the tail-end of a four-year contract, so obviously they weren't sure if they were going to re-sign me. I tried to get re-signed in the summer again just to get myself some security with my family and I go out and bowl, win two tournaments, win a major, shoot 300 and all of a sudden my stock went up to the moon. So, invariably I ended up signing a contract that was probably worth twice as much money because they wanted to wait. So, it worked out pretty well for me.

You mentioned taking some time off because you had a kid, and I am wondering how hard you think it is for guys like Chris Barnes or Mika who have children now to still be touring full time?

SH: Well, it is what it is. You know what you're doing when you get into it. I mean, shoot, I've had children since 1992. When I went back on tour full time again in January of 1993, you know, I basically travelled for 11 years having children. I flew home every week or every other weekend at all times depending on whether I was east of the Mississippi or west of the Mississippi.

Have any of your children gotten into bowling?

SH: Actually, we all bowl the generation gap league on Sunday nights. I bowl with my kids in the summer every year.

Have any of them gotten good?

SH: Yeah, they enjoy it. But none of them take it seriously.

You are one of the few to actually win a title in the same telecast in which you bowled a 300. Why do you think most players have not gone on to win titles after shooting 300 games?

SH: It's the absolute adrenaline rush, and then whether you like it or not you're going to have a letdown the next game. For me, I was very fortunate-there was a 7-minute commercial break and a little bit they had put together for the show-so I had 7 minutes between games rather than 3 ½. I had a little extra time. I stood by the ball return and did a lot of breathing and composed myself again. Because ultimately, I was there to win the tournament. And I was very fortunate that I had the chance to step up in the tenth and shoot two strikes for the win.

Who was the toughest competitor you ever faced on tour?

SH: Without a doubt, it's Walter. I mean, you have to say Walter, but Norm Duke is a close second. If I had to make a list of people that you were just in amazement at how good they are, you've got Norm Duke, you've got Voss, you've got Weber, Amleto, and Parker. My good friend Jason Couch, he's another one-if I am going to pick a team, he's another one that I would want on my team. You look back at the guys that were superb in the early '90s and played through the beginning part of this decade-those are the guys who were all my friends.

With the news that Brian Voss and Amleto will be rejoining the tour this year, do you think those guys still can pose a threat to the younger players?

SH: Without a doubt. Amleto is in top physical shape, and Voss is in great shape. But their games are what matter and you know they are going to call on thirty years of experience and they're great for the game. Unfortunately, that's what happened when they went to the exempt field. They've lost of a lot of name players-and not even so much just the names, but they lost as lot of the characters. You know, the people with personalities, the people that the fans have endeared themselves to, the people that caused people to come in and pay 20 bucks just to watch them bowl. Now, most of the characters quite frankly are contrived. It's this gimmicky garbage that you have and I am not a proponent of it. You know, that's the kind of stuff you do in an exhibition, throwing the ball between people's legs, throwing a ball over chairs-that's not stuff you do on TV. We're not the X-Games. Sorry, it's an opinion, and I may be wrong.

This is still many years away for you, Steve, but I'm wondering if you will have any interest in bowling the senior tour when you become eligible to do so?

SH: If the money was good, but of course that's still ten years away. You know, I'm just forty. Everybody thinks I'm older. There's actually people that I bowled with on tour for fifteen years that did not realize how old I was. It's kind of shocking. But I started when I was 19. But to answer your question-if the money was right, would I consider it? Absolutely.

And in the meantime, you have no interest in bowling any PBA events?

SH: I get the inkling. I'm getting it again, more so than I did a year ago. But it is what it is. I actually bowled my first tournament in years, a local state tournament with all my buddies that I bowl in league with, you know, just for fun because it's thirty minutes away from the house. But that's all it was. It was strictly fun, we were there to party and have a good time just like everybody else does when they bowl. That's the part that I am actually enjoying.

Since you've moved on in your life, Steve, how do you deal with that itch to do it again when it comes every once in a while?

SH: I apply it to my business.

Explain what you're doing for a living these days.

SH: Well, my wife and I own a car lot up in Hudson, Fla. called Carzone. Basically, I specialize in cars that are $8,000 and under and I do all types of financing. I do some in-house financing-buy here pay here-I love credit issues, I mean, I understand, hey, bad things happen to good people every day. Most of them just need a hand. Literally, for me, it's all about respect. I treat my customers exactly the way that I would want to be treated if I walked out on a car lot, which is not like a number. It is very individualized at my car lot.

You seem pretty passionate about this new career and the business is doing pretty well, correct?

SH: Oh, absolutely. I'm loving it because I get to interact with people every day, which is one thing I did enjoy about the tour. I love talking to people. I love hearing their stories and deciphering, quite frankly, whether or not they're BS-ing me or telling me the truth. And for the people that I think are telling me the truth, I'll bend over backwards to get them some help.

Are there any ways in which the rewards of what you're doing now compare to the rewards you experienced as a pro bowler?

SH: In a way, yeah, but on a much smaller level. You know, you don't get that instantaneous gratification of winning a tournament or anything like that, but you do get the gratification of helping someone achieve a goal, which is to procure transportation, and making them feel like they got exactly what they wanted instead of what somebody is telling them they have to get. So it's individual successes on a day to day basis as opposed to the culmination of three or four years worth of work of, you know, hey, you just won a tournament. The highs aren't quite as high but the lows aren't quite as bad either.

Well, lastly, Steve, what are the odds that we will see Steve Hoskins's name on a PBA leader board within, say, the next ten years?

SH: I would give it a fifty-fifty chance. If the opportunity presented itself and, you know, the sponsorship deal was correct and it was a good fit for me, yeah, I would not rule that out in any shape or form.

Well, I think a lot of people will be encouraged to hear that, Steve.

SH: Yeah, because it's probably different than what I said four years ago.

And four years from now it will be different then, right?

SH: It will. I still do absolutely love the game. It has afforded me an experience of a lifetime, and I will never forget that.