Around Iredell Sports

2007 Dec-14

Duke, PBA , NASCAR gather for cause

By Larry Sullivan
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Followers and friends alike kept beckoning throughout the introductions for diminutive master of ceremonies Norm Duke to stand up. The multi-time honored Professional Bowlers Association Tour member kept reminding them that he was.
He wasn’t the only one.
In addition to talk-a-mile-a-minute Duke, a 24-time PBA champion among his numerous accomplishments in bowling, fellow pros in his sport as well as personalities within the various realms of NASCAR were on hand in person during a gala gathering held at Mooresville’s George Pappas’ Victory Lanes modern bowling facility.

The celebrities along with a host of fans and followers were all on hand to do their part to form fun and fellowship and compete on the lanes as well as part of a combination PBA/NASCAR Pro-Am designed primarily to raise welcome funds for a worthwhile cause.

Beneficiary of the outing was one Chuckie Gardner, well known along with his family in the bowling circle. Gardner fell while at work, shattering an arm, breaking a hand and wrist in several places and also suffering a fractured lower back and pelvis. Without any workers compensation insurance coverage, the family has had to cover the cost of medical treatment including four surgeries and close to a year in rehabilitation, on their own.

The Pro-Am held here was staged in large part to help generate funds to be contributed to Gardner’s cause. Although it took him two days to make the trip, Gardner was also on hand personally to witness the event and offer his and his family’s sincere and heartfelt appreciation to all involved.

In addition to the bowling competition that was held at the still relatively new bowling facility, a silent auction of a host of items along with a raffle were also conducted as part of the afternoon-long process.

With the flamboyant Duke in his role as emcee, he was perhaps the one among those bringing with him the most impressive of a slew of credentials.

Well known by bowling’s fans, he was twice named the PBA’s Player of the Year and is a member of the United States Bowling Congress’ Hall of Fame. He is a multiple event winner on the PBA Tour, counting two Majors Championships among his wins. He has also been featured on ESPN as a two-time winner of that sports network’s ESPY Award.

Small in stature, Duke loomed large in his duties as the one introducing all of the personalities in attendance from both the professional bowling and pro car racing societies.

Among the pro bowlers in the field, many are current exempt members of the Denny’s PBA Tour, the ones making the appearance doing so while traveling from one site of a scheduled tournament to another. Others were past Tour members, some of them previous tournament winners, as well as those still trying to secure their playing privileges on the pro bowling circuit.

As for NASCAR, it was represented by those hailing from various lines of work in the Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. Some filled roles as drivers, while others served as crew chiefs and other team service areas.

In addition to the celebs, private citizens from all walks anteed up the entry fee to take a turn serving as a team member that included a personality from the pro bowling and racing realms on their respective teams. In addition to receiving the right to bowl alongside a personality, all in the field were also presented with a new bowling ball valued at $225.

“We’re delighted with such a tremendous turn-out,’’ offered Ed Conklin, manager of Victory Lanes, “that is for such a great cause. We’re glad they chose our place to have an event like this.”

In order to try and allow as many of those average fans taking part in the event to take as many turns as possible serving as a teammate of the special invited guests, the PBA and NASCAR pros alternated lanes throughout the course of the event.

Prior to the bowling itself, many of the celebrities in the field also took the time to sign autographs and pose for pictures with attending fans.

The attraction was co-hosted by The Firm Real Estate and Colonial Mortgage. Refreshments for the event were provided by Beef O’Bradys.

All of the proceeds realized from the PBA/NASCAR Pro-Am were presented to the Gardner family to assist with medical costs.

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