Photo By Airman 1st Class Joseph Luther Callaway-Jones | Patrick "Packy" Hanrahan signs a bowling pin for a young fan during the southwest...... read more read more
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TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — A hush fell over Tinker Lanes Nov. 9 as the final two bowlers lined up for their last six frames, the silence was broken by faint whispers from the crowd.
The moment marked the ending of a two-day Professional Bowlers Association Southwest Regional tournament that brought 62 professional bowlers to Tinker Air Force Base to compete for the PBA Regional title.
The event marked the PBA’s first regional tournament at Tinker and the first at an Air Force installation to feature United States Bowling Congress-certified string-pin technology. Tinker Lanes is the only bowling center in the Oklahoma City metro with a USBC-sanctioned string-pin setup.
Bruce Pierce, Tinker Lanes manager, said the PBA approached him early this year to explore hosting the event.
“To be able to do this tournament justifies string pins as the future of bowling equipment,” Pierce said. “The financials of string-pin bowling are too overwhelming not to look at.”
String-pin systems reduce maintenance, downtime and costs to run a bowling center. The Air Force Academy was the first in the Air Force to install a string pin setup.
Mike Alexander, director of the PBA Southwest Regional Tour, said Tinker was selected because of this technology.
“We tested string pins in 2024 and we’re continuing to explore centers with certified setups,” Alexander said. “We were excited to come to Tinker Air Force Base and bring the PBA here for competition.”
Oklahoma native Eric Jones claimed the southwest regional title for his 10th career PBA win. Jones said the victory was a return to form after recovering from a meniscus injury to his knee.
“I haven’t had any success the last four months, so today I focused on what I could control,” Jones said. “I don’t feel like I’m out of the slump yet, but I know if I can make a shot once, I can make it twice.”
He added, adapting to string pins requires strategy because the added weight can change strike and spare percentages.
72nd Force Support Squadron Director Thomas Cox emphasized the importance of morale, welfare and recreation facilities such as Tinker Lanes.
“It’s not just about bowling,” Cox said. “It’s a place to come during lunch for one of the best burgers in the Air Force, a place to hold meetings, and a place to relax and unwind from the demands of daily operations.”
He added that MWR facilities including the bowling center, golf course and Outdoor Recreation are vital for mission readiness.
“Without MWR, many Airmen would struggle. These facilities give our people a chance to decompress so they can continue to perform at the highest level,” he said.
As the PBA evaluates future events, Jones said many bowlers are already hoping to return to Tinker.
“Out of the last two years, this has been one of the smoothest-run regionals we’ve bowled,” he said. “If we didn’t come back here, a lot of bowlers would complain. The host reminds me of a small church family.”
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2025 12:29 |
| Story ID: | 551914 |
| Location: | TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Ten-pin bowling
