The 2005-06 PBA Tour schedule was released later than expected and doesn't have any less stops, just less overall sponsors. Several have signed on since its release in early August, but the cycle seems to be repeating itself. Banquet Foods, Days Inn and others will sign for a year or two then take their marketing dollars elsewhere. Why this is happening is unclear or at best a topic of hushed discussion right now that many in the PBA and their hired marketing firm, Winnercom, are hard at work trying to figure a solution without making the PBA look not like a slowly sinking ship, but instead a ship constantly having trouble getting its engines throttling up more often for longer periods of time. As "Ball Four" author Jim Bouton pointed out at this summer's Bowl Expo trade show, it is overcoming an on-site attendance handicap. Using pro golf and NASCAR as examples, he pointed to a realistic cause to which outside marketing folk may look upon. The PBA is basically a TV sport with a limited on site spectators, while the other two can attract thousands to its events. Two prime examples are right in our backyard, the PGA Western Open in Lemont and the NASCAR stop at Chicagoland Motor Speedway. Both events attract close to 100,000 for the four day stop at Cog Hill Golf Club and on race day Sunday at the Speedway. But if for example Joliet Town and Country hosted a national PBA event, the spectator count might be 2,000 tops. Do those hospitality tents and booths at either event get mentioned on broadcasts? Of course not. They are for the thousands in attendance, not for the TV audience. That alone may sway some to keep marketing money away.

     It might be, it could be, don't tell me. OK, then. Brace yourself for the latest version one of the most Googled TV bowling lists last year. It really has been two years since the version #5, although it was an extremely condensed version. Let's see if I can remember how to do this.

     25.  1995    Randy Pedersen needed the strike in the tenth to win the Touring Players Championship. He leaves what many consider the most cruel solid 8-pins seen on TV. Pedersen in disbelieve falls to his side with his face in hands. Instant winner 52-year-old Ernie Schlegel bolts from his chair in disbelieve.

     24.  1994    Dick Weber make the final of three appearances on fellow Hooiser David Letterman's late night TV show. After bowling on a portable full-size lane outside knocking over various objects (and quite accurately, too), Letterman ran out to 53rd Street and planted a kiss of appreciation on Weber's forehead. Predicably, Weber flashed that trademark smile and chuckle.

     23.  1978    Randy Lightfoot wins the Burger King Open and becomes part of bowling's urban legend by on-air comments made during the tourney wrap up. When asked what he would do he said, "I'm not going to buy any Whoppers, I'm going to put the money in the bank." Numerous stories have surfaced over the years as to what he actually said, but the quote what was actually said. Two things that happened afterwards was the PBA tried to blame Lightfoot for Burger King's decision to end sponsorship after that tourney. BK decided not to renew its deal before the '78 tourney. Second was the start of a new members' school in 1982 to help all new and existing members with all aspects of professional bowling, including dealing with media interviews.

     22.  1997    Jason Queen wins the ABC Masters while thrilling viewers with a 300 game in the semi-final match, becoming the second amateur throw a perfect game on national television.

     21.  1999    In only her third tournament as a professional, Cara Honeychurch rolls a TV 300 game against Hall of Famers Aleta Sill and Wendy Macpherson.

     20.  1991    The David Ozio-Amleto Monacelli title match of the Tournament of Champions is not aired because of a 20-minute delay due to a bomb scare at the start of the TV finals. This is refered to years later as the PBA's "Heidi Game."

     19.  1991    Pete Weber wins the U.S. Open and holds the trophy aloft at the end of the telecast only to see the unattached ceramic eagle crash to the approach.

     18.  1995    A crowd of 7,000 pack Detroit's Joe Louis Arena to watch Dave Husted win a second U.S. Open. PBA staffers were overheard saying this was the future of TV finals, doing it arena style verses in a bowling center.

     17.  2004    Danny Wiseman captures the ABC Masters in the first arena finals not held in a basketball/hockey arena. Milwaukee's Miller Park hosted 4,700 fans, many of whom were tailgating before the TV show.

     16.  1999    A technical snafu kept fans from seeing Steve Jaros throw the 13th TV PBA 300 and his third career title for two months. The show was finally aired from 2:00 to 3:30 am Central time.

     15.  1980    In what has easily become the most-seen replay in PBA history, Mark Roth picks up the 7-10 split.

     14.  2001    Pete Weber rolls a quarter final 299 game enroute to his first tour win in several years. Why is this show this important ? Two reason, actually. This was the beginning of the sunglass-wearing "PDW" persona Weber adopted for TV shows. From this point forward, ESPN showed PBA highlights on that night's SportsCenter, something that was previously reserved for TV 300 games.

     13.  1987    The LPBT Metroplex Open featured two separate games featuring the first eleven strikes. Paula Drake opened the show with a 299 game while tourney winner Barbara Leicht finished with a 297 game.

     12.  1980    Needing a strike on the first ball in the tenth frame of the Touring Pro Doubles, Marshall Holman left the 2-4-5-8. In frustration, he kicked a foul light capping from its mooring and leaving the CBS announcers speechless.

     11.  1996    Bob Learn had a daydream come true while shooting a three-game TV record 850 and four-game mark of 1129. And yes, he did win the tournament and both records still stand today.

     I'll save spots 10 through 1for October.

      As far as I know, he never threw a ball, but we best knew him by his voice. Golf, football, Olympics, racing, figure skating, and skiing were his assignments, but his signature for 35 years was something you may have heard before in this column; ABC's Pro Bowlers Tour. With Billy Welu, then Nelson Burton, Jr. by his side, the voice of Chris Schenkel filled numerous winter and spring Saturday afternoons, 90 minutes at a time. The folksy broadcast approach came from his Indiana roots; tell us what happened and stay out of the way. His style was never flip or flashy, induction into 16 separate Halls of Fame was flashy enough. Failing health the last few years kept him at home and off the air, his last effort was voice-only work for TBS during the '98 Winter Olympics. But his last on-air work was seen June 21, 1997, the final Pro Bowlers' Tour telecast. His health was not the best even then, but the unmistakable voice was still there. Maybe Bo Burton did say it best on that last ABC show. The two most memorable voices in the first 50 years of television were Walter Cronkite and Chris Schenkel.