Zips Student Leads the Pro's

[Captain Kangaroo]

Amateur Bailey shocks field in Fairlawn

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Burt Graeff

Plain Dealer Reporter

Joe Bailey has a real tough act to follow. His own.

Bailey of Doylestown, Ohio, became the first amateur to lead the qualifying round of a Professional Bowling Association event Wednesday, averaging 248.89 for nine games at Fairlawn's AMF Riviera Lanes.

Bailey, 23, joined five others who advanced to the field of 64 in the $232,000 Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Open.

Bailey's 2,240 pinfall nosed out Sandusky's Jeff Lizzi, who averaged 248.56 in wiping out 2,237 pins.

It was Bailey's first attempt at qualifying for a PBA event. "I am amazed," he said. "I came here just wanting to do as well as I could, but I never thought I would do this well."

Bailey, who graduated from Chippewa High School, attends the University of Akron and works for UPS. He grabbed the top spot by rolling a 279 final game, striking out in the 10th frame to do it.

Bailey didn't waste any time showing he was not intimidated by anyone in the field of 80 shooting for the six available spots. He opened with a 233.

Bailey's 279 finale topped the nine-game set. He had other games of 278 and 269. A fifth-game 213 was his low.

Lizzi, an non-exempt player with past PBA Tour experience, made it out of the qualifying tournament for the second time this year.

Lizzi's high game was 280. One game later, he bowled his low - 209.

Rudy Kasimakis (Tupelo, Miss.) averaged 237 to take third place (2,133 pins). Fourth went to Ken Adner (Cincinnati), who averaged 236.56. Doug Wilcox (Sacramento, Calif.) and Ronnie Horton (Chrisitiansburg, Va.), grabbed the last two spots, averaging 235.89 and 234, respectively.

Liz Johnson, the first woman to qualify for a PBA event when she made the field of 64 for the Uniroyal Tire Classic at Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe in November, averaged 206.99 Wednesday to finish 41st.

There were two other women in the field. Lizzi's wife, Cathy Dorin-Lizzi bowled well - averaging 225.67 to finish 13th. Jen Petrick, an amateur from Canton, averaged 204.78. It was good for 43rd.

The field of 64 bowls two seven-game blocks today, with the top 32 - based on total pinfall - advancing to the round of 32 and head-to-head match play.

Match play begins Friday, with the field trimmed to four. Sunday, the four finalists will bowl for the $40,000 top prize.

[Z.I.P.]

While we're on the subject, did anyone see Drew Carey at the USA soccer match in Trinidad? It's hard to imagine him in dreadlocks! :blink: But still, I liked the look.