USBC Hall of Famer Bill Beach dies at 80
March 24, 2010
William "Bill" Beach, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame member, died March 22 in Hermitage, Pa., after a brief illness. He was 80.
Beach was inducted into the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Hall of Fame in 1991. He won five ABC titles, including the 1972 ABC Masters.
Following his service in the U.S. Air Force, Beach worked as a barber in Sharon, Pa., before joining the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in 1966. In 1972, he provided one of the most exciting moments in Masters' history when he came through the losers' bracket of the double-elimination tournament to defeat defending Masters' champion Jim Godman. Beach (on left in photo with Godman) rolled clutch shots in the finals frames of each match, winning the first match, 889-876, before edging Godman 919-914 for the title.
Also in 1972, Beach won the Don Carter Ebonite Open in Arcadia, Calif., for his only PBA Tour title, and picked up his third and fourth ABC (now USBC Open) titles by winning the Classic singles and all-events. He was selected to the Bowlers Journal All-American Team that year.
He had numerous top-five finishes on the PBA Tour, including the Detroit Open, the Syracuse Open, the Houston Open, and the Winston-Salem Classic. When the PBA started its senior tour in 1981, Beach captured the first championship of the new tour.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, the former Dolores Olshavsky, son William "Bill" Beach Jr., daughters Lorraine McGlone and Elaine Haskins, brother Ray Beach, sister Louise Beach, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25, 2010, at St. Joseph Church in Sharon. Entombment will be at St. Rose Cemetery Mausoleum in Hermitage, with military honors rendered by the Sharon Honor Guard.
Beach was inducted into the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Hall of Fame in 1991. He won five ABC titles, including the 1972 ABC Masters.
Following his service in the U.S. Air Force, Beach worked as a barber in Sharon, Pa., before joining the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in 1966. In 1972, he provided one of the most exciting moments in Masters' history when he came through the losers' bracket of the double-elimination tournament to defeat defending Masters' champion Jim Godman. Beach (on left in photo with Godman) rolled clutch shots in the finals frames of each match, winning the first match, 889-876, before edging Godman 919-914 for the title.
Also in 1972, Beach won the Don Carter Ebonite Open in Arcadia, Calif., for his only PBA Tour title, and picked up his third and fourth ABC (now USBC Open) titles by winning the Classic singles and all-events. He was selected to the Bowlers Journal All-American Team that year.
He had numerous top-five finishes on the PBA Tour, including the Detroit Open, the Syracuse Open, the Houston Open, and the Winston-Salem Classic. When the PBA started its senior tour in 1981, Beach captured the first championship of the new tour.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, the former Dolores Olshavsky, son William "Bill" Beach Jr., daughters Lorraine McGlone and Elaine Haskins, brother Ray Beach, sister Louise Beach, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25, 2010, at St. Joseph Church in Sharon. Entombment will be at St. Rose Cemetery Mausoleum in Hermitage, with military honors rendered by the Sharon Honor Guard.