#USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 6
May 17, 2017
By Brian Hirsch
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - During the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, we will have the opportunity to meet and speak with more than 50,000 bowlers from all over the world.
Some are well-known, and some are yet-to-be-known, but all of them have personal stories to tell and memories to share about their time at the USBC Open Championships.
In the past, we've caught up with some of the bowlers for an online feature called On The Lanes, where we asked them all the same 12 questions to see how the answers might vary based on different generations, skill levels and experience.
On The Lanes deviates from our traditional news-sharing format, but it offers different insight into the competitors at the Open Championships.
We're adding yet another option in 2017 and introducing a question-and-answer format for some of our most interesting bowlers to see how they got started, where they came from and what their Las Vegas experience was like.
This 83-year-old right-hander, who needs no introduction, was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1991 in the Superior Performance category and the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame in 1998 in the Veterans/Senior category.
If the clues above have not given it a way yet, please meet USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Anthony "Teata" Semiz of Hopatcong, New Jersey.
This year, Semiz returned to the Open Championships for the first time since 2008, and his recent visit to the South Point Bowling Plaza marked his 33rd appearance on the championship lanes.
His career at the Open Championships includes wins in Classic Singles and Classic All-Events at the 1972 tournament in Long Beach, California.
Semiz's performance at the Bowling Plaza in 2017 included sets of 446 in doubles and 443 in team, while an injury during singles forced him to bow out after just one game. He has knocked down 62,002 pins in his tournament career for a lifetime average of 196.8.
As a member of the PBA, he claimed 10 PBA Tour titles and went on to collect eight victories on the PBA50 Tour.
*The Classic Division at the Open Championships began in 1961 to separate the professional and non-professional entrants in the tournament. It was discontinued after 1979.
USBC - What are some of your bowling-related achievements and career highlights?
TS - I am the 1972 Classic Singles and Classic All-Events champion at the Open Championships, I had some success on the PBA and PBA50 Tours.
USBC - What balls are in your bowling bag?
TS - I am a big fan of the products from Roto Grip.
USBC - What players would join you on your Open Championships dream team?
TS - No team would be complete without Dick Weber, Pete Weber and Johnny Petraglia.
USBC - Who is your favorite bowler of all-time?
TS - Hands down, it is Dick Weber.
USBC - What do you believe are the keys to success at the Open Championships?
TS - Practice, practice and more practice.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 5 with Martina Beckel of Frankfurt, Germany.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 4 with Mitzi and Doug Forde, who got married on the lanes at the 2017 Open Championships.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 3 with Peggy Walden of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 2 with the OC's Brian Hirsch.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 1 with Sweden's Pontus Andersson and Markus Jansson.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - During the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, we will have the opportunity to meet and speak with more than 50,000 bowlers from all over the world.
Some are well-known, and some are yet-to-be-known, but all of them have personal stories to tell and memories to share about their time at the USBC Open Championships.
In the past, we've caught up with some of the bowlers for an online feature called On The Lanes, where we asked them all the same 12 questions to see how the answers might vary based on different generations, skill levels and experience.
On The Lanes deviates from our traditional news-sharing format, but it offers different insight into the competitors at the Open Championships.
We're adding yet another option in 2017 and introducing a question-and-answer format for some of our most interesting bowlers to see how they got started, where they came from and what their Las Vegas experience was like.
This 83-year-old right-hander, who needs no introduction, was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1991 in the Superior Performance category and the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame in 1998 in the Veterans/Senior category.
If the clues above have not given it a way yet, please meet USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Anthony "Teata" Semiz of Hopatcong, New Jersey.
This year, Semiz returned to the Open Championships for the first time since 2008, and his recent visit to the South Point Bowling Plaza marked his 33rd appearance on the championship lanes.
His career at the Open Championships includes wins in Classic Singles and Classic All-Events at the 1972 tournament in Long Beach, California.
Semiz's performance at the Bowling Plaza in 2017 included sets of 446 in doubles and 443 in team, while an injury during singles forced him to bow out after just one game. He has knocked down 62,002 pins in his tournament career for a lifetime average of 196.8.
As a member of the PBA, he claimed 10 PBA Tour titles and went on to collect eight victories on the PBA50 Tour.
*The Classic Division at the Open Championships began in 1961 to separate the professional and non-professional entrants in the tournament. It was discontinued after 1979.
USBC - What are some of your bowling-related achievements and career highlights?
TS - I am the 1972 Classic Singles and Classic All-Events champion at the Open Championships, I had some success on the PBA and PBA50 Tours.
USBC - What balls are in your bowling bag?
TS - I am a big fan of the products from Roto Grip.
USBC - What players would join you on your Open Championships dream team?
TS - No team would be complete without Dick Weber, Pete Weber and Johnny Petraglia.
USBC - Who is your favorite bowler of all-time?
TS - Hands down, it is Dick Weber.
USBC - What do you believe are the keys to success at the Open Championships?
TS - Practice, practice and more practice.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 5 with Martina Beckel of Frankfurt, Germany.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 4 with Mitzi and Doug Forde, who got married on the lanes at the 2017 Open Championships.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 3 with Peggy Walden of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 2 with the OC's Brian Hirsch.
Click here to see the 2017 #USBCOpen Spotlight - Volume 1 with Sweden's Pontus Andersson and Markus Jansson.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.