List of Professional Bowlers Association awards
Wikimedia list article
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) hands out four awards to honor tour competitors for their accomplishments both on and off the lanes after each PBA Tour season.
No awards were given in 2001, as the PBA transitioned from a calendar year format to a "seasonal" (September to March) format, one of the league's many changes as a result of the PBA's sale in March 2000. In 2014, the PBA returned to a calendar year format for each tour season.
Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year
This award was voted by writers of The Sporting News from 1963 to 1970. Since 1971 (with the exception of 2008 to 2010, when the winner was determined by season points only), the award has been voted on by the players and media. In 1999, the PBA named the award after the long-time play-by-play television announcer for the Professional Bowlers Tour, Chris Schenkel of ABC Sports.
Billy Hardwick was the first to win the PBA Player of the Year ("POY") award in 1963, and is still the youngest ever (age 22) to win the award. Hardwick was also the first to win it a second time (1963, 69). Earl Anthony was the first to win POY a 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th time (1974–76 & 81–83), while Walter Ray Williams Jr was the first to win a 7th POY award (1986, '93, '96–98, 2003, '10). His award at age 50 in 2010 made him the oldest ever to win the award.
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