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Born to Bowl - Season 1 - Episode 05: Is This The End?
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00:17In the early days of TV, the most viewed sport wasn't baseball, basketball, or even football.
00:24It was professional bowling.
00:26Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Johnny Johnston. Welcome to the show.
00:30I know. It's hard to believe.
00:32And he really throws a speedball. Here he goes to the line. It's good. He's in it. He carries it.
00:36Even the first athlete with a million-dollar endorsement was a bowler.
00:41The pros depend on the ebonite gyro.
00:44And many more followed.
00:46Now is the time to get a set of heavy-duty, neuromatic chocolate burgers.
00:49So, yes, all athletes have bowling to thank for TV endorsement deals.
00:55You know, I'm always teaching bowlers how to put fingers in the shot.
00:58But over generations, while other sports stars have signed countless deals with companies like Nike and Rolex,
01:06pro bowlers are lucky to get paid promoting hardwood floors, stretchy jeans, and flushable wipes.
01:14Two hands cleans up the back pretty well.
01:17Though these deals might supplement their winnings, it's important to remember they don't bowl for fame or riches, but rather
01:25for a love of the game.
01:28Fuck yourself. Fucking cunt. Bag of a fucking lane.
01:39The Detroit area is famous for a lot of things.
01:43Cars, Motown Music, and Eminem.
01:46Detroit, what?
01:47Okay, thank you, sir.
01:48Detroit, baby!
01:49But Detroit is also the unofficial bowling capital of the world, with over 50,000 regular league bowlers and 80
01:58bowling centers,
01:59one of which is the host of the USBC Masters, Thunder Bowl Lanes.
02:05The Masters is the one major where amateurs and professionals bowl side by side.
02:11It follows a double elimination format, so if you lose once, you're still in the game.
02:17But you lose twice, you go home.
02:22Hey, don't try to flex on my mom right now, okay?
02:25I'm not, bro.
02:26You said it to the right.
02:27Nah, I already know what's about to happen, bro.
02:28You're about to strike the beat.
02:29Just be like, it's for you, Kim.
02:30And I'm going to be pissed.
02:32And then we're going to have to box.
02:33I love you, Mama Cruz.
02:34I love you.
02:34It's for Mama Cruz.
02:35Nah, you know what my mom said last week?
02:38She was like, I think you can beat everybody else, except that Anthony Simons guy.
02:41He's so good.
02:42I'm pissed.
02:45Fresh off the grueling marathon of the World Series of Bowling, Cam and Belmo miss making the cut.
02:51But Kyle makes 15th place.
02:54EJ finishes in ninth, just short of the TV show.
02:58Simo, however, heads to the show in second place, with a great shot of winning his fourth Masters,
03:03which would tie Belmo's record for the most USB-C Masters titles.
03:10Well, that man there in the background hoist that trophy in the foreground for a record-tying fourth time.
03:17But to win that fourth Masters, now Simo has to beat this guy, Gary Haynes.
03:23Gary isn't a household name in bowling circles because this is actually his first show.
03:29Gary works full-time at a power plant on Long Island.
03:33And he has dominated this week, remaining undefeated in the double elimination tournament.
03:40And that means that even though the power plant worker is a huge underdog,
03:44because Simo has one loss, he has to beat Gary two times in a row to win.
03:57Correction, Simo has to beat him just one more time to win.
04:01One game left for the USB-C Masters Championship.
04:08Go ahead and come on how important it is.
04:14He never missed.
04:16He hasn't missed on this left leg.
04:18Oh, this thing is FFO.
04:21Far from over.
04:24This might be the shot of the match here.
04:28And through the face a little bit from extra work.
04:31The nerves are obviously pouring out at this point.
04:33Take a look at his wife and his father.
04:36They look nervous too.
04:38Let's get comfortable.
04:39Yeah, I think he's trying to talk himself into it.
04:41Oh, 100%.
04:45Uh-oh.
04:46Oh, wow.
04:47That is a big mess, guys.
04:50You're panicking.
04:51Go to your wife.
04:53Give her a kiss.
04:54I don't care what you do.
04:55You've got to change something in your head.
04:58I think all the time favors Anthony Simonson here, given his experience.
05:03But he needs to strike out the 10th frame and put all the pressure back on Gary Haynes.
05:15Shouts.
05:16Oh, my.
05:18Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
05:21Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
05:26Unbelievable.
05:27Four through the middle.
05:31Come here.
05:32Come here.
05:33Come here.
05:33Let's go.
05:37Did he make it 10-pin?
05:39Gary has never shot one for a major.
05:42And for $100,000.
05:43It is a long, long way away right now.
05:46The kiss from Lauren make the difference.
05:55With a kiss.
05:56The USBC Masters champion for his first professional title.
06:00And it's just a grace.
06:02I'm not going to do it.
06:03Are you kidding me?
06:05Are you kidding me?
06:06Come on.
06:08Come on, Scott.
06:10Gary!
06:11Gary!
06:13Gary!
06:14Gary!
06:15Gary!
06:16Gary!
06:16Gary!
06:17Gary!
06:18Gary!
06:19Gary!
06:19Gary!
06:19Gary!
06:22I'm going to apologize now, OK?
06:25Oh, fuck!
06:26Fuck!
06:35With the season nearing its end, the standings are starting to lock in place.
06:41The next major and chance at $100,000 for a winner
06:45is the Tournament of Champions in Akron, Ohio.
06:51Good morning, I'm Phil Ferguson, WNIR News,
06:54and we've got the bowlers in town at Riviera Lanes.
07:04A couple of qualifying sessions today, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
07:08The Tournament of Champions is by far Pro Bowling's most iconic tournament
07:13because it's where the PBA began,
07:15and you're only allowed to participate if you've won a PBA event before.
07:19That means Cam doesn't qualify.
07:22Don't need to be here. Absolutely don't need to be here.
07:25The Tournament of Champions, it's like the Super Bowl of bowling.
07:29It really is.
07:30These bowlers don't get enough credit.
07:32They're very accessible, so many of them trying to just make a living.
07:35And if making a living wasn't hard enough already for the bowlers,
07:39the tournament will also be the final major broadcast on Fox.
07:46After a seven-year partnership that included airing the PBA show,
07:51Fox Sports and the league were unable to reach terms on a new contract.
07:56If there's no TV deal, there's no season.
07:59And if there's no season, there is no prize money.
08:04In 2026, there's still some uncertainties
08:06and hopefully not much financial change
08:09of how much money is out there to be made for bowlers.
08:13Who knows?
08:14Like, obviously, that's out of the players' control,
08:16but, you know, all we can do is, when we do get to TV, entertain.
08:24Uncertainties aside for what the future might look like for the PBA,
08:29all of the bowlers have to narrow their focus
08:31to the tournament of champions.
08:33Good shot.
08:35Tomo.
08:36Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy.
08:38Oh, oh, oh.
08:39Rackett tries to continue the perfect start.
08:41Does so.
08:42Lee straight.
08:44Simonson.
08:52Katsuru.
09:03I actually started off well, but, you know,
09:05after six games, we're in the same position we've been every week,
09:08out of the cut.
09:10Patience is very thin.
09:11I bowl good at the beginning.
09:12I don't bowl well at the end.
09:13When I make good shots, they split.
09:15So, not sure what ball to throw.
09:19It's just getting more and more frustrating every day,
09:22every week, out here on tour.
09:23So, if we don't make the cut, season will be over.
09:29Where's the cut?
09:33Is he already drinking?
09:34Is he already fucking drinking?
09:39I don't know.
09:41I ask you not to fucking drink while we're bowling.
09:44You can't even wait till noon?
09:46I'm going to be fucking having to walk you out again.
09:48Shove your camera up your ass.
09:49This is my fucking father I'm talking to right now,
09:51so I ain't got to fucking babysit him again.
09:53If you keep this up,
09:54you can just take your car back to North Carolina.
09:56Fucking embarrassing.
09:57It's 1130.
09:59I don't give a shit if he wants to buy you a drink.
10:02Ridiculous.
10:05I get frustrated with my dad when he's watching me
10:07just because most of the time he's rather just hang out in the bar.
10:12I watched five games yesterday.
10:16I wanted to see how he bowls,
10:18but I just get bored.
10:20I was bored.
10:23I can't wait till y'all are done with this stuff, man.
10:27You don't have to watch me fucking suck every fucking week.
10:31I'm going to fucking watch EJ win another title.
10:37So going into the Tournament of Champions,
10:39I had an opportunity to do something
10:42I believe no one's ever done before in a single season,
10:45and that's win the Triple Crown.
10:48Yes, the Triple Crown is exactly like horse racing's Triple Crown,
10:53just without the horses or fancy hats
10:56or about 95% of the total prize money.
11:00But the part about winning three different main events
11:03to get the crown, that's the same.
11:06With two majors this season under his belt,
11:09if EJ wins the Tournament of Champions,
11:11he'll make history as the first bowler ever
11:14to win a Triple Crown in a single season.
11:18Meanwhile, not qualifying means Cam's season is over,
11:22giving him time to reflect on coming up short.
11:26Oh, really?
11:29Interesting.
11:30I've never been the guy to really, like,
11:34fry out until I got out here.
11:37It was not the season I hoped it would be.
11:40Disappointed in myself.
11:42If I was bowling bad,
11:43there was no way to get myself out of it.
11:45The more and more of the weeks went by,
11:46I think I was losing a little bit of confidence,
11:48but I got to go back to square one
11:50and realize why I'm here.
11:54It's very lonely out here on tour.
11:57Usually it's you and your thoughts.
12:00When you bowl bad, you're a little bitch about it.
12:02That's not true.
12:03Well, 100% you are.
12:04No, I'm not.
12:05That's the 100% truth.
12:06No, I'm not.
12:06What the fuck do I have to do to win a game?
12:08Come on, Cameron.
12:09This is why I don't win tournaments.
12:11Fucking damn it.
12:14If you only rely on how good or bad you bowl,
12:16you will drown because this game is fucking cutthroat.
12:19It's so cutthroat,
12:21and it's easy to get into a bad spot mentally.
12:24Yeah.
12:25It's like that for everybody, though.
12:26It's like that for everybody.
12:29Akron, Ohio, does offer Cam something different,
12:32a chance to go with Kevin to the LeBron James Museum
12:35and find a little inspiration.
12:45Being the only African-American most of the time,
12:47especially out here on tour,
12:48that was one of the reasons
12:49why I did want to become a professional,
12:51show all these African-American boys
12:53that there's another route
12:55than just basketball, baseball, football.
12:57There's other routes,
12:58and you can start making scholarship money
12:59at the age of five as a bowler.
13:01I mean, I knew we did a lot off the court,
13:03but just seeing all this in, like, one spot
13:06just makes you realize the impact
13:07that especially you had on the city.
13:09The bigger picture.
13:10Always look at the bigger picture.
13:11It's not just the bowling.
13:11There's more to it than the one part of the job.
13:14There's different aspects of the job.
13:16This is the bigger picture.
13:17Yeah.
13:18Keeps you around longer in your sport
13:19or your profession, whatever it is, you know?
13:21You don't want to just do your time as an athlete
13:24and then bounce out.
13:25You want to stick around to make changes
13:27when you're done competing.
13:28Yeah.
13:29I know.
13:30I like coaching.
13:32I give back to the children a lot.
13:33What do you tell yourself
13:35when you're getting down on yourself
13:37when you might not be bowling as well as you like?
13:42So what I tell myself is
13:43most people are, like,
13:46like, either get really angry.
13:48Hold on, hold on.
13:49Let's drop it a little bit.
13:50Uh, boop.
13:51All right, there we go.
13:51The children, but you are a children.
13:54All right.
13:55How do you give back to...
13:56Those are just your friends.
13:57Those are just your friends.
13:59I know.
13:59You got to go to the retirement room to see yours.
14:02Come on.
14:03Oh!
14:03Let's go.
14:06Cam isn't the only bowler lamenting a lost season.
14:10Last year's U.S. Open champ hasn't made the show
14:13in a single tournament.
14:16As we're going through qualifying,
14:18I definitely feel everything just kind of closing in on me
14:21a little bit.
14:22The pressure of making the cut to save the season.
14:27It's time to step up for once this year.
14:42It should be.
14:45God damn.
14:48If he'd have had 280 the last game,
14:51which started to strike spare turkey,
14:53then he never got it going again.
15:19season's over.
15:21It was close every week.
15:25Close, close.
15:26I don't fucking do me any good.
15:30So...
15:31Lots of disappointment.
15:34Long negative season.
15:36Tried to fake it till I make it,
15:38but guess what?
15:39Didn't make it,
15:40and now the season's over.
15:41So...
15:44I gotta live with that.
15:47See if we're gonna bounce back,
15:49or who's gonna keep doing it.
15:59I don't think I can take too many more years of this.
16:02I just, like...
16:05But...
16:05Yeah.
16:10I'm gonna probably go back in,
16:11sign a few autographs.
16:12I just needed a minute out here
16:14before I started talking to people.
16:27Yay!
16:28It's gonna make my mom jealous.
16:32Man bun here.
16:34Yeah.
16:35Awesome.
16:36Thanks so much.
16:36Mr. Tucher, can I play you,
16:38and Rockfish just like,
16:38you shoot for a ball?
16:39Yeah, sure.
16:40Okay.
16:41Rockfish, you should be.
16:43Oh!
16:44I told him all he needs is
16:46one night in here with me.
16:48After that, he won't care anything.
16:50He'll come back,
16:51and I guarantee you,
16:52make a TV show.
16:56Thank you, sir.
16:57Appreciate it.
16:57What's up?
17:00The final day of the Tournament of Champions is here.
17:03Belmo makes it to the top 25,
17:06but ultimately finishes 23rd.
17:08God damn it.
17:11God damn it.
17:13And Simo finishes in 13th place,
17:15just not quite good enough to make the show.
17:18Get the fuck out of here.
17:20EJ, though, is still on track
17:22to win the Triple Crown
17:23and make history.
17:25Then there's also another storyline
17:27playing out alongside the lanes,
17:29with the Fox broadcast team
17:31facing the reality
17:32that this may be the last big tournament
17:35they take part in.
17:39It's another end of an era.
17:41This is the last major that'll be on Fox,
17:43and it's sad to see it go.
17:46I think I started with this production team
17:48in about 2004.
17:51How long have I been on the show?
17:54For almost 22 years?
17:57I'm pretty certain
17:58that this is my 15th season,
17:59and that kind of shocks me.
18:03I am genuinely sad.
18:06It's like a big family on the road,
18:09and I will miss working with them.
18:12Today's going to be tough.
18:14I told myself I wouldn't cry.
18:22Heading to the TSC show,
18:23we all had to have, like,
18:25security badges and everything.
18:27I'm like, damn,
18:27is the president coming today?
18:29Next best thing, I guess,
18:30that's Ben Stiller.
18:32Big-time sports draw big-time sports fans,
18:36so it should be no surprise
18:38to see Ben Stiller
18:39leave his courtside Knicks seats
18:41at Madison Square Garden
18:42to come laneside in Akron
18:44to see if EJ can make history.
18:49After today,
18:50there might not be another chance
18:53to win the Triple Crown again.
18:56Am I the one
18:58in the dream?
19:00Do you love me?
19:05Do you love me?
19:07Say yes.
19:09Do you love me?
19:12Nice bounce back shot.
19:16Do you love me?
19:20Say yes.
19:23Say yes, please.
19:33Oh, EJ.
19:46This is not the tacket we've grown
19:47accustomed to seeing this season.
19:49This is a struggle.
19:57Needs five.
20:02Butcher moves on.
20:03What an integer.
20:04Wow.
20:05It happens quickly.
20:07Just like that,
20:09EJ loses his chance
20:10at the Triple Crown,
20:11ultimately finishing fourth.
20:20And with the future of the PBA in doubt,
20:23this might be one dream
20:24that stays out of reach.
20:33The opportunity to do something
20:35that's never been done before,
20:37opportunities like that
20:40typically don't come around very often
20:42or at all.
20:44Yeah, yeah, it sucks.
20:46Sucks for sure.
20:50And our number one seed
20:52is a 12-time champion
20:54on the PBA Tour
20:55who will be looking for
20:55his second tournament
20:57of Champions title,
20:58representing Sweden,
20:59Jesper Stenson.
21:01To see him make the show,
21:03that made the week
21:04much better for me.
21:05And, you know,
21:06if I can't win,
21:06that's the next person
21:07I want to win.
21:14Messenger!
21:16Get in the hole!
21:22Stenson in the ninth.
21:24One more for the win.
21:27Hey!
21:28The Iceman is back!
21:32Come on!
21:34Yes!
21:35Tour title number 13
21:38major number two
21:40pumps it out.
21:46Congratulations, Jesper.
21:48It's been a long road.
21:49Raise that trophy, brother.
21:51Ah, happy tears this time.
21:53Let's go.
21:55You know,
21:56bowling brought me
21:56so many great things,
21:57great memories,
21:59great friends.
22:00I would have never known him
22:01if I didn't bowl.
22:01I don't know where my life
22:02would be without bowling,
22:03but I wouldn't have any
22:04of these amazing people in it,
22:05that's for sure.
22:12The end of the tournament
22:13of champions
22:14feels a little different
22:15this year.
22:17Uncertain.
22:19Though if you're looking
22:20for a silver lining,
22:21you might find it
22:22in the notion
22:22that bowlers are a particularly
22:24resilient breed of athlete.
22:27They aren't prone
22:28to giving up,
22:30despite how bad the odds
22:31or the pay might be.
22:44I was kind of born
22:46into bowling.
22:47I'm 41,
22:48and I started when I was
22:5018 months bowling by myself.
22:52I think I just like the idea
22:53of throwing something
22:54down the lane,
22:55watching it,
22:55and then having it
22:56come back to you
22:57and just doing that
22:58over and over,
22:58and I fell in love with it,
23:00and I can't imagine
23:01my life now without it.
23:03For the title.
23:04Got it!
23:07You are one of the best
23:08I've ever seen, man.
23:13So bowling is not
23:14going to be easy.
23:15You actually have to work
23:16for everything
23:17that you're going to get,
23:18trying to achieve
23:19that perfect week,
23:21which we know
23:22will never happen.
23:24This one's for the title.
23:25He got it!
23:37This year,
23:38it wasn't even
23:39about the money.
23:39Like, I love winning.
23:41I just want to feel
23:42that thrill
23:43that all that hard work
23:44paid off.
23:45I hate losing.
23:46So I probably picked
23:47the wrong sport.
23:49But...
23:49It's a rising time
23:53Like an hourglass
23:57Running out of time
24:00Everybody's parents
24:01wants their kid
24:02to be successful
24:02in whatever walk
24:03of life it is.
24:04You know,
24:04even if we were
24:05struggling financially,
24:06my parents always did
24:07whatever they needed
24:08to do so I could
24:09at least bowl.
24:10So it's easy
24:11to take a look back
24:12to where you are frustrated
24:13and really appreciate
24:15what I have
24:16because of the sport of bowling.
24:28I love bowling.
24:29Love it down to the core.
24:31I remember when
24:32I went from kind of
24:33doing bowling for fun
24:34to, you know,
24:35I want to become
24:35a professional at this.
24:37It's very exciting.
24:38You know,
24:38we get to travel
24:39to all these different cities.
24:40You know,
24:41we're bowling
24:41in all the different bowling alleys,
24:42going to places
24:43that we've been to
24:44in previous years,
24:45getting to see
24:45all the fans
24:46and, you know,
24:47friends that I made
24:48at those stops
24:49and that experience
24:50and that journey
24:51has kind of built me
24:52into the bowler I am today.
24:54So these are just
24:55trading cards I make.
24:57I give one to a player
24:59and then have them sign one
25:00and then there's a poem
25:01on the back of all of them
25:02that's the same on all of them.
25:04Bowling is a sport
25:05enjoyed by many
25:06but being the best
25:06is a rare penny.
25:08So let us celebrate
25:09the bowlers who dare
25:10to aim for the top
25:12with precision and care,
25:14their dedication and skill
25:16a marvel to behold
25:18and the best in the world
25:19is a very niche thing,
25:20a story to be told.
25:22Get that, Sophie Kyle!
25:30Kyle, Cam, Belmo, EJ, and Simo
25:34are just five
25:35of the 100-plus
25:36professional bowlers
25:37dedicating their lives
25:38to the sport.
25:45And whether they win
25:46hundreds of thousands
25:47of dollars
25:47or just enough
25:49to pay for the travel
25:50and lodging,
25:51they're all in it together,
25:53playing a sport
25:54they grew up loving,
25:56not merely for the pins
25:57but for the people.
25:59Good start, everybody.
26:00We're off to a flyer.
26:10The journey down the lanes
26:12of life for a pro bowler
26:13might be about
26:14making a living
26:15but it's also just about
26:17living,
26:19celebrating the wins
26:21and pushing through
26:22the setbacks
26:24knowing tomorrow
26:25is just another re-rack.
26:30Another chance to strike
26:31and show the world
26:33you've got the balls
26:34for success.
26:36One more time to get there
26:40You don't want to get there
26:52A strike!
26:54Rolling down the alley
26:56With pretty playful Sally
26:58Rolling down the alley
27:01Bowling Sally and me
27:03We pretend that every pit
27:06is someone we dislike
27:08We aim right at the knucklehead
27:11And come up with a lucky strike
27:13Rolling down the alley
27:17выход
27:17And be Judson
27:18And be lost
27:19me
27:20And be watched
27:31This春
27:31he fought
27:31They were
27:31what
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