“Any time you win player of the year it means a lot, but especially as you get older,” Kretzer said. “I’ve got a lot of trophies and a lot of titles but, when you get to be my age, you don’t know when you’re going to win another one.”
The 51-year-old won three PBA50 Regional events — the Victory Lanes Midwest/Central open in Kankakee, Illinois; the Mel Westrich Memorial Central/Midwest Open in Delphos; and the Baldo Campana Memorial Open, in Lorain. All three tournaments were combined Central/Midwest regional events, which gave him points in both regions.
But his tournament wins weren’t limited to those regions as Kretzer also won a tournament in the South Region and placed second in five tournaments in four regions. In all, Kretzer competed in events in five different regions, averaging 222.81 for 307 games in 21 events.
Add in a pair of tournament wins in 50-and-older events in Phoenix and Las Vegas, and it was a banner year.
“I bowled a lot last year, so it’s nice to bring home titles,” he said. “There are probably only about eight or 10 guys who bowl as many tournaments as I do, but there are probably 20 guys in any given tournament with a good chance to win.”
While it is an honor, the Central title was not a surprise to Kretzer.
“I’m a little bit of a number counter, and you know who’s bowling in what tournaments, so I knew I was up there in the standings,” he said. “I wasn’t as certain in the Midwest.”
Kretzer is not one to rest on his laurels as he is back on the tournament trail competing in the PBA/PBA50 Doubles/Don Vay Memorial Central Classic in Cuyahoga Falls this weekend. He will be bowling with four-time PBA champion Ronnie Russell.
Brian Kretzer by the numbers
2: Regions (Central and Midwest) in which he earned bowler of the year
3: PBA50 2017 regional wins
5: Regional runner-up finishes
21: Number of PBA50 regional events bowled
222: Averaged 222.81 for 307 games
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