"You're a champion. Be a champion..." -- PBA League owner Kevin Hart, Philadelphia Hitmen.
For those skeptics including me who cringe at watching celebrity sports matches, the PBA League All-Stars final demonstrated what the San Francisco 49ers were unable to do against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl 47. While the match was far from we'll remember as a classic battle 50 years from now, it showed why league bowlers like me can't wait to get to the lanes. To compete AND have fun.
With a final score 270-267, the Chris duo of Barnes and Hardwick of the Silver Lake Atom Splitters trailed by as much as 28 pins to come from behind to defeat Bill O'Neill and Kevin Hart of the Philadelphia Hitmen.
Hart and Hardwick both held their own bowling with their pro partners, O'Neill and Barnes. The 5 frames Hart bowled were ALL strikes. In 2 of his 5 frames, Hardwick left the 10 pin standing and with ease converted them successfully for spares. What brought the Atom Splitters to victory was to punch out (finish with all strikes) in the 9th (Hardwick) and 10th frames (Barnes).
Best part of this, Kevin Hart and Chris Hardwick are comedians. Not former/current NFL or NBA pros they bowled against. Although this may reinforce to some that bowling isn't a sport, at least concede that it requires skills. Bowling is a lot more than throwing a heavy ball down the middle of an oiled lane.
