Parker Bohn III
Encyclopedia
Parker Morse Bohn III is a left-handed American
professional bowler
and has been a member of the Professional Bowlers Association
since 1984. He currently ranks sixth all-time with 32 career PBA
titles, and has earned over $2.7 million in PBA events—good for fourth on the all-time list. Bohn also won the $150,000 winner-take-all prize in the 2008 Motel 6
Roll to Riches event, but the earnings in this event do not count toward PBA career totals. Through the end of the 2010-11 season, he has thrown 86 career perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including one of the PBA's 19 nationally-televised 300 games at the 1998 ABC (USBC) Masters in Reno, Nevada
.
Bohn's best career stretch was from 1997 through 2001-02, during which he won 18 titles overall and at least one title each season. His best single season came in 1999, when he won five titles and earned PBA Player of the Year honors. The '99 season featured a streak in which Parker won eight consecutive televised matches. His 1999 single-season average record of 228.03 ranks third all-time (topped only by Norm Duke
's 228.47 in 2006-07 and Walter Ray Williams
' 228.34 in 2007-08). He would also be named Player of the Year in the 2001-02 season, a year highlighted by his only major championship title (2001 ABC Masters). Considered one of the "nice guys" on tour, Bohn is a four-time winner of the PBA's Steve Nagy Sportsmanship award. He is a member of both the PBA and USBC
Halls of Fame.
Highly active in promoting youth bowling, Bohn has established an annual Parker Bohn III Youth Scholarship Tournament. Since its inception in 1999, the tournament has awarded over $33,000 to junior bowlers in the form of college scholarships.
. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, Leslie, and three children, Justin, Brandon, and Sydney. He has two sons from his first marriage, Parker IV and Evan. He is the brother-in-law of fellow PBA bowler, Doug Kent
(Doug's wife Chrissie and Parker's wife Leslie are sisters). Parker Bohn (the first), PBIII's grandfather, was a five-time stock car (Modifieds and Sportsmen) racing champion at Wall (NJ) Stadium near his home at the Jersey Shore.
A bowling arcade game also bears his name: Parker Bohn III Pro Bowler. The full-motion video game features audio voice-over by Parker himself.
Bohn appeared in the movie Kingpin
with Woody Harrelson
for a brief scene. He also appeared as Frank Cache in episode 10 of the Japanese television drama
Golden Bowl, bowling against Shu Akutagawa (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro
.) He even bowled right-handed, deliberately throwing the game to show his disdain for his opponent.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional bowler
Bowler (ten-pin)
A bowler is someone participating in the sport of bowling, either as an amateur or professional. In American ten-pin bowling, a bowler is most commonly a member of a team of three to six people...
and has been a member of the Professional Bowlers Association
Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
since 1984. He currently ranks sixth all-time with 32 career PBA
Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
titles, and has earned over $2.7 million in PBA events—good for fourth on the all-time list. Bohn also won the $150,000 winner-take-all prize in the 2008 Motel 6
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a major chain of budget motels with more than 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada, and is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America. It is owned and operated by Accor Hotels.-History:...
Roll to Riches event, but the earnings in this event do not count toward PBA career totals. Through the end of the 2010-11 season, he has thrown 86 career perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including one of the PBA's 19 nationally-televised 300 games at the 1998 ABC (USBC) Masters in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
.
Bohn's best career stretch was from 1997 through 2001-02, during which he won 18 titles overall and at least one title each season. His best single season came in 1999, when he won five titles and earned PBA Player of the Year honors. The '99 season featured a streak in which Parker won eight consecutive televised matches. His 1999 single-season average record of 228.03 ranks third all-time (topped only by Norm Duke
Norm Duke
Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....
's 228.47 in 2006-07 and Walter Ray Williams
Walter Ray Williams
Walter Ray Williams, Jr. is one of the top-ranking professional ten-pin bowlers in history. He currently holds the record for all-time standard PBA Tour career titles and total PBA earnings...
' 228.34 in 2007-08). He would also be named Player of the Year in the 2001-02 season, a year highlighted by his only major championship title (2001 ABC Masters). Considered one of the "nice guys" on tour, Bohn is a four-time winner of the PBA's Steve Nagy Sportsmanship award. He is a member of both the PBA and USBC
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress is a sports membership organization dedicated to ten-pin bowling in the United States. It was formed in 2005 by a merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling...
Halls of Fame.
Highly active in promoting youth bowling, Bohn has established an annual Parker Bohn III Youth Scholarship Tournament. Since its inception in 1999, the tournament has awarded over $33,000 to junior bowlers in the form of college scholarships.
Personal
Bohn was born in Jackson Township, New JerseyJackson Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,816 people, 14,176 households, and 11,269 families residing in the township. The population density was 427.9 people per square mile . There were 14,640 housing units at an average density of 146.3 per square mile...
. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, Leslie, and three children, Justin, Brandon, and Sydney. He has two sons from his first marriage, Parker IV and Evan. He is the brother-in-law of fellow PBA bowler, Doug Kent
Doug Kent
Doug Kent is a right-handed American professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association . In the 2006-07 season, Kent became just the sixth bowler in PBA history to win two major championships in one tour year as he captured titles in the USBC Masters and Denny's PBA...
(Doug's wife Chrissie and Parker's wife Leslie are sisters). Parker Bohn (the first), PBIII's grandfather, was a five-time stock car (Modifieds and Sportsmen) racing champion at Wall (NJ) Stadium near his home at the Jersey Shore.
In the media
Besides making regular appearances on ABC-TV, CBS-TV and ESPN during his years on the PBA tour, Bohn has authored a book (with text by Dan Herbst) called Bowling: How to Master the Game (Universe Publishing).A bowling arcade game also bears his name: Parker Bohn III Pro Bowler. The full-motion video game features audio voice-over by Parker himself.
Bohn appeared in the movie Kingpin
Kingpin (film)
Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
with Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
for a brief scene. He also appeared as Frank Cache in episode 10 of the Japanese television drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Golden Bowl, bowling against Shu Akutagawa (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
.) He even bowled right-handed, deliberately throwing the game to show his disdain for his opponent.
Awards and recognition
- Inducted into PBA Hall of Fame, 2000
- Inducted into USBC Hall of Fame, 2007
- PBA Player of the Year (1999, 2001-02)
- Harry Smith PBA Points Leader award (1999, 2001-02)
- George Young PBA High Average award (1999, 2001-02)
- Steve Nagy Sportsmanship award (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
- Ranked #10 in the PBA's 2008 list of "50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years"
- Won the 2011 BPAA Dick Weber Bowling Ambassador award