Rolling Back To Spokane Semiz Leads Pba Back For First Time Since ‘64

Teata Semiz stands motionless on the lane, his right hand supporting a bowling ball, his eyes frozen on the 14-inch targets 60 feet away.

Semiz rhythmically moves to the approach, releases the ball and watches as the 10 pins topple to the synthetic-coated surface.

It is a routine Semiz can do in his sleep and surely has many times during his lifetime. It is noisy, the scenery is dull and the game remains the same. Yet, Semiz never gets tired of the activity that ranks up there with billiards and horseshoes as the Rodney Dangerfields of sports.

“I love it,” said Semiz, taking a drag on his cigarette. “I never get tired of this.”

Semiz, a fit, silver-haired 65-year-old, is in town this week to compete in the Spokane Senior Open at Lilac Lanes. It is the first of a six-leg West Coast swing and the first time Spokane will be the site of a Professional Bowlers Association Senior event.

The last time Spokane played host to professional bowling was three years after the PBA was formed. The tour made a three-year run here from 1962-64.

Semiz is one of 90 pros entered. He’s one of the tour’s regulars who makes just about every stop. He first got involved on the PBA tour 37 years ago and was a three-time winner.

He calls the PBA tour “the kids tour.” He calls the Senior PBA tour his life.

Semiz, who is from Haskall, N.J., is twice divorced and a father of five. He has bowled on the Senior PBA tour since he became eligible at age 50. It is here where he’s gained the most success, winning eight titles and bringing his career earnings to $738,841. He’s most proud of his 1997 Senior win in St. Petersburg, Fla., making him the oldest winner on the Senior tour.

In 1998 he was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame. Eight years earlier he was inducted into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.

A success in a job he loves, indeed. But Semiz admitted if he knew what he knows today, he wouldn’t do it over again. He would have gone into another sport that he was good at.

“Golf. I would have played golf,” Semiz said. “But I was making money at the time. There was no money in golf. Then came Arnold Palmer - and boom - golf took over. Arnold Palmer made golf.”

But Semiz and his comrades continue to plug away at the game they love. Semiz has earned $5,455 on tour this year. If he gets hot this week, he could take home the estimated $6,000 first-place prize. The total purse will be approximately $60,000.

The Spokane stop will feature several of the hot bowlers. Among those competing are:

Dave Eagle of Lewisville, Texas, frontrunner for senior player of the year with two wins. Eagle is this season’s leading money winner with $62,025.

Gary Dickinson of Edmond, Okla., a Hall of Famer who has 10 senior titles and has career earnings of more than $1.2 million.

Pete Couture of Titusville, Fla., the reigning player of the year winning four titles last year.

Mike Durbin of Boulder City, Nev., a 14-time winner on the PBA tour who is looking for his first Senior win.

John Handegard of Nacogdoches, Texas, the all-time senior title winner with 14.

Dave Soutar of Bradenton, Fla., a member of five different halls of fame.

The Washington competitors are PBA and ABC hall of famer Ernie Schlegel of Vancouver; Lilac Lanes proprietor Dan Kukuk, Mel Foster, Gary Friberg, Bob Hanson of Spokane; Darrell Storkson and Leon Loucks of Everett; Dave Blevins of Colbert, Tim Bowers of East Wenatchee; David Prunty of Long Beach, Dick McInroy and Terry Johnson of Seattle, Dave Tuell of Tacoma; and Jerry Williams and Gary Mage of Vancouver.