The AWBA membership is made up of young, old and everything in between.  We are simply a snapshot of America with the exception that when bowling, we do it from a wheelchair.  Here are just a few of examples of our makeup:

• 60% of our membership are United States military veterans

• We are made up of both men and women

• All volunteer organization-no paid staff

• Our disabilities are varied, some are:
• Paraplegics
• Quadriplegics
• Amputees
• Spinabifida
• Ms
• Polio
• Stroke victims

• Ages from mid 20’s to mid 70’s

• $15.00 annual donation that brings thousands of dollars of help with your game and friends forever.

We are a membership of amateurs, separated by our bowling handicap for competition purposes, brought together by our competitive spirit and camaraderie of our members.

If you need to be in a wheelchair to bowl, you will fit right in!!!!!

We Want YOU!

AWBA CHARTER MEMBERS

Organized in 1962 with 33 Charter Members

 Richard F. Carlson, Founder

Richard Alspach John Banks George Bertram Norbert Blake Ray Bowser Joe Brown Joe Ciccone Doyce Etheridge

Paul Fisher  Wally Gordon  Everett Hackman Forrest Hays Jack Hogue      Monroe Jackson    Doug Keaton Andrew Kellerman

Al Lehman Bud Lebarsky Jack McFerron Bob Montague Dean Naden   George Nye Mike O’Donnell Paul O’Hora

Leon Pierce Henry Rice Ron Ritcherson Ken Seaquist Larry Seymour Angelo Stark Robert Smith Nelson Welker

AWBA Hall OF Fame

In 1974, the American Wheelchair Bowling Association established the AWBA Hall of Fame.  This prestigious honor is given to those individuals who have exhibited their love and support of wheelchair bowling along with their individual achievements and long service, dedication, and promotion at a local and national level of the sport itself.  The individuals that have been inducted in the AWBA’s Hall of Fame are as follows:

Richard Carlson (Posthumously)	1974	James “Sonny” Steward	1987
Douglas Keaton	1976	Donald Bunn	1988
Paul O’Hora	1976	Leroy Mitchell	1990
Kenneth Seaquist	1976	Van Schneider	1990
Norbert Blake	1977	James “Sully” Sullivan	1991
Wally Gordon	1977	Larry Seymour	1992
Stuart Kah	1977	Bob Murdock	1994
William Roberts	1978	George Snyder	1994
Clyde “Buddy” Cole (Posthumously)	1979	Dave Roberts	1995
Donald Pinault	1980	Walt Roy	1998
Richard Schumacher	1980	Paul “Triple Quad” Cook	1999
Gene Ramus	1982	Wayne Webber	2003
James “Woody” Woodruff	1982	William H. Boyd	2007
Daryl Pfister	1983	Donald Bruns	2008
Nelson Welker (Posthumously)	1983	Roger Templar	2009
Al Uttecht	1985	Don Popora	2009
Mike Schneider	1986

                                                         
Symbolic of a member passing, however, each is remembered in the hearts of their families and friends. Should you have information that would help keep the record updated, please inform the association regarding those individuals.  Thank you.

Honorary Life Members

Over the years, the AWBA Board of Directors has granted Honorary Life Memberships to individuals who, in the opinion of the Board have made outstanding contributions of time, effort or other unselfish support on behalf of this association.  Accordingly, we hereby recognize those individuals.

Hill Carlson Guy Wilson Francis O’Hora  Edie Keaton Janet Harvey

Linda Mills Helena Roy Linda Schneider Jim Smith

Janet Kendall Bonnie Pfister Ray Korchak Gene Moore

AWBA EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

WALT ROY CHAIRMAN 2008-2011

Walt took over the reins of the AWBA in the summer of 2008.  He and his lovely wife Helena live in Redding, California.  Walt has been bowling for many years and bowls in the scratch division of the AWBA.  He has been awarded and achieved many honors not only in bowling but in his life as well.  Inducted into the American Wheelchair Bowling Hall of Fame in 1998.  Other accomplishments:

Served as Sec/Treas. of the AWBA 1993-1995
Served as Tournament Director for numerous AWBA tournaments
North Carolina Scratch Champion (2004).
4 Time National Scratch Champion (1988, 1996, 2003 & 2007).
Highest Average Ever Booked for a Wheelchair Bowler (207 in 2002).
Only ABC Sanctioned Honor Score for a Wheelchair Bowler (299 in 1995).
Charter Member of the Northern California Wheelchair Athlete Foundation.
High Average in the Nation for a Wheelchair Bowler for 11 of the past 14 years (198 in 2006).
High Series in the Nation for a Wheelchair Bowler 8 times (770 in 2006).
High Game in the Nation for a Wheelchair Bowler 4 times (289 in 2006).
36- 700 Series Games 19- 4 game 900 Series- highest 985 4- 4 game 1000 Series- highest 1034

Walt will serve a 3 year term as Chairman of the AWBA.

JOSEPH L. FOX, Sr. VICE CHAIRMAN 2008-2011

Joe served from 1968-69 in the USMC serving in Vietnam where he received his injury.  He was discharged in 1970 at the rank of Sgt. Joe has been paralyzed and in a wheelchair almost 40 years. Joe and his wife Hilda live in California. He joined the Paralyzed Veterans of America in 1980, the California Paralyzed Veterans Chapter 1981 and served as Board member/chapter Secretary/Vice President/PVA National Director and President until 1990. He was elected to PVA National Executive Committee in 1990 as Vice President for 4 Years and served as PVA Senior Vice President for 4 years and served as PVA President for 4 years.  He is now serving as the Immediate Past President for past 5 years. And Joe did not stop there.  Now he is serving as President of the PVA/Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund. He started bowling in 1985 left bowling in 1988 until 2005 and then got the passion back and rejoined AWBA.

DAVE ROBERTS SEC/TREAS. 2008-2011

Dave Roberts is a Viet Nam Veteran losing both legs while serving our country.  He and his wife Nancy life in Virginia just outside Richmond.  He began his bowling career in 1978 and attended his first national in 1983 in Alexandria, LA. He has not missed a National Tournament since that time, bowling in the scratch division.  Dave’s finished in 2nd place in 1993 in Houston, Texas.  His personal best was a 277 game in addition to having a 681 series as well as amassing 24 titles in various other AWBA tournaments. Dave was elected to the board in 1985 and it has been his honor to serve on the board in one capacity or another since that time.  Dave served as Chairman from 1993-95, the first person elected to successive terms.  Dave has been secretary-treasurer since 2003, first appointed to fill out the remaining term of Earle Annis, then elected and now serving my second term. In 1995 Dave received the high honor of induction into the AWBA Hall of Fame for meritorious service. In addition, he is a member of the Greater Richmond Hall of Fame as well, being selected in 1988.

            AWBA Auxiliary “Outstanding Service Award”

In every organization there are those that are called the backbone of the organization.  The AWBA is no different.  The AWBA Auxiliary, those significant others that range from wives, sons, daughter, husbands, family and friends that support the efforts of the members of the AWBA, take on tasks that the members themselves either cannot perform due to their particular challenge or simply do not have the time or patience for.  Without the Auxiliary, each tournament director would have major challenges in many areas that the Auxiliary handles without a hitch.  They are truly a gracious and non demanding organization.

AWBA National Tournament Sites

            The following cities and individuals have served our National Tournament and we acknowledge them for the hard work on behalf of the membership throughout the years.