A Strike Force With an Attitude

Despite his lofty status among professional bowlers, Pete Weber isn’t above acting like a wild man on occasion.

His antics in recent years have included wearing sunglasses during televised matches, using profanity, and pointing to his shoulders while arrogantly proclaiming “I’m P.D.W.” -- Peter David Weber -- for the benefit of spectators and opponents.

But even the bad boy of bowling has his limits. After last season he officially retired the “crotch chop,” a crude, suggestive maneuver -- borrowed from pro wrestling -- he performed after throwing strikes.

Negative e-mails and reports that kids were getting kicked out of junior tournaments for copying the move prompted Weber to bury the chop.

“Instead of having all the hassles, I just decided not to do it anymore,” he said. “Then people won’t talk about it.”

They’re still talking about Weber, though. The son of legendary bowler Dick Weber may have toned down his act, but he’s still a force to be reckoned with in his 25th season on the Professional Bowlers Assn. tour.

Weber, 41, was sixth on the season’s PBA money list with $96,466 heading into the U.S. Open this week in Orange County. The tournament continues today and Saturday at Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley before moving Sunday to the Anaheim Convention Center for the ESPN-televised finals.

“Bowling-wise, this is probably the best year I’ve ever had,” said Weber, who has reached three TV finals in 15 events, including last week’s Reno Open.

After a rough start in the first three tournaments, Weber found a high level of consistency after getting a tip from his older brother, Rich, who used to bowl on the tour. Since making a change that freed his arm swing, Weber has had seven top-eight finishes and won the Medford (Ore.) Open on Jan. 18.

Getting advice from a family member is nothing new for Weber. As a boy he sought out the expertise of his father, a charter member of the PBA who had strict guidelines pertaining to bowling and his four children.

“I always told my kids they had to come to me for their instructions,” Dick Weber said. “I would never try to force myself on them. I saw too many parents in junior leagues who would try to make their kids do things. I told myself I would never do that.”

Pete had the advantage of learning the game from a master. Dick Weber, 74, won two titles in the PBA’s inaugural three-tournament season in 1959 and finished his career with 26 titles. Along the way he became an ambassador for the sport and took part in promotional stunts that included bowling in an airplane in mid-flight and on the sidewalks of New York City.

Growing up in St. Louis, Pete would bowl free at his dad’s 32-lane alley and test his skills against touring pros when they came to town.

“When Pete was about 11 or 12, he would try to hustle the pros out of bowling balls, or bet them a nickel or a quarter [a game],” Dick said. “They chided him and all that stuff. They’d say, ‘This kid has got something.’ It was good for him.”

Pete bowled his first 300 game when he was 12 and started competing in men’s leagues at 15. Since turning pro in 1979, he has surpassed his father with 30 career titles -- fourth best all-time -- and $2,466,417 in earnings.

One of only four men to win the PBA triple crown -- World Championship, Tournament of Champions and U.S. Open -- Pete has six major titles and joined his father in the Hall of Fame in 1998, making them the only father-son inductees.

But when it comes to showboating antics, Pete is in a league of his own.

Actually, he just followed the encouragement of PBA management. After the struggling tour was purchased by three former Microsoft executives in 2000, PBA President Steve Miller got together with some of the tour’s top bowlers and told them it would be good for the tour’s image and TV ratings if they showed more emotion.

Pete’s reaction was, “Do you realize who you’re talking to?”

Given a green light, he was off to the races.

“I’ve never been afraid to show my emotions on TV,” he said. “It’s just that before, I felt if I did something like that I would have been suspended or gotten in trouble. But these [owners] seem to think whether it’s good attention or bad attention, it still draws publicity to the PBA. I have no problem giving them that. People don’t want to see you throw the ball, turn around, come back and sit down.”

Weber’s antics have contributed to improved TV ratings for the PBA’s weekly Sunday morning show, particularly among the 18-34 male demographic coveted by advertisers.

But after retiring the crotch chop, Weber acknowledged that he’s having trouble coming up with a new signature move.

“I’m still trying to figure something out,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything in wrestling that I enjoy and would be appropriate to do on TV. I’m just kind of winging it now. One of these days something will pop up.”

When it does, you know the PBA bosses will be smiling.

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U.S. Open Facts

* What: 61st PBA U.S. Open.

* Schedule: Today, final qualifying, 10 a.m.; first-round of match play, 5 p.m. Saturday: second round, 11 a.m.; third round, 5 p.m. Sunday: finals.

* Where: Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley; finals at Anaheim Convention Center.

* TV: Final, ESPN, 9:30 a.m.