Bowlers Threaten Suit Over Loss of Prize Money

Claiming they are being cheated out of $25,000 in prize money in a high-stakes Granada Hills league, 88 bowlers are threatening a class-action suit against the Brunswick Corp.

League president Gary Lotto said a Brunswick official notified bowlers that it had lost a sponsor that had pledged $25,000 in bonus prize money for its 790 Scratch League at Brunswick Granada Lanes, and therefore the money will not be awarded.

If Brunswick does not include the $25,000 in its total purse on the league’s May 18 payoff day, the bowlers say they will sue for fraud.

“We were told the money was secured in a bank account before the league started last September,” said Rick Herrmann of Valencia, a leader in the player revolt. “It is our contention that Granada Lanes and Brunswick must accept full responsibility. We’re convinced they won’t honor the contract.”

Brunswick advertised the 790 Scratch League for 13 consecutive weeks last year in California Bowling News, featuring the $25,000 bonus in the ad. A rules packet given to each player also provided an outline of income, expenses and disbursement of $87,425 in prize money. It included the words “$25,000 added” under the heading of income.

Twenty-two teams consisting of many of the area’s best bowlers are competing in the 36-week league, which ends Tuesday. The players pay $25 per week for three games, and each will have invested at least $900 by season’s end.

As compensation for the loss, Warren Flanigan, Brunswick regional vice president, met with the players Tuesday and offered to waive their $7.10-per-week lanes fees when the league starts again in September. He told the players a season’s worth of lane fees would equal $25,000.

The players say they won’t accept those terms and will boycott the 1993-94 league if $25,000 in cash is not awarded May 18.

“We’ve lost a lot of faith, hope and goodwill,” said Lotto, a member of a three-man players’ committee that will meet with an attorney Monday. “Given the circumstances, this league absolutely will not go off this year.”

Flanigan, contacted Friday, had no comment and would not reveal the sponsor.

If they sue, the players likely will seek compensation beyond $25,000 for gas and mileage (some players commute as many as 100 miles round trip), and meals and beverages bought at the bowling alley. The players believe Brunswick lost its sponsor in January but chose not to tell them at the time. Had the players known then, said Herrmann, they would have “walked out.” The players learned that the money would not be available April 13.

“We basically held up our end of the deal,” Herrmann said. “We came and played every week--and paid.”

Lotto said the $25,000 bonus is what attracted the players and made this league--sanctioned by Professional Bowlers Assn.--unique.

The league advertised $25,000 in prize money to the first-place team. With the total purse trimmed to $62,425, not only will cash payouts be reduced, the money won’t be a penny more than what the players paid the league in fees.

“This is the worst situation I’ve seen in bowling,” Lotto said. “We needed a big league in the Valley. Finally, we got one. And this happens.”