102nd ABC Championship Tournament

The 2005 ABC Championships Tournament is going to make an impact with over 13,000 teams and more than 65,000 bowlers as Baton Rouge , Louisiana hosts the event at the newly built River Center from February 12 thru July 3, 2005 .

In October, the 2005 Tournament became the largest tournament outside of the Reno , Nevada events when it surpassed the 12,203 mark set by the 2003 ABC Championship Tournament in Knoxville , Tennessee . Because of the amount of team entering into the tournament, the event has been extended three times to accommodate the bowlers wishing to participate.

One of the highest participatory tournaments in the world, the estimated prize fund for the 2005 tournament will be over $4.5 millions dollars and spread out among the team, doubles, singles, and all-events under two divisions: Regular (181 and above average) and Classified (180 and below average).

Starting in the 2005 Tournament, Brunswick will be the Official Equipment Supplier. They will supply the tournament with GS-X pinsetter, Pro Lane Landscape masking units, and furniture. They will also supply and provided bowling pins, lane maintenance products and on-site lane maintenance support during the entire event. Brunswick has been a huge part of the Tournament's history since 1901 when they supplied equipment from the 1901 through 1956 tournaments. In 1957, Brunswick alternated with AMF for building and equipment Tournament installations.

Also starting in the 2005 Tournament, The Scale Room will have a new look. Five state-of-the-art Jayhawk scales by Precision Analytical Instruments will be used during the Tournament to ensure compliance of all ABC specifications for every bowling ball used in the competition. With more than 60,000 bowlers participating in the Tournament, each bowler brings, on average, three bowling balls to the event. That will be over 180,000 bowling balls that will go through the Scale Room during the 145-day run of the Tournament.

Last year, John Janawicz from Winter Haven , Florida shattered a sitting record at the 101 st ABC Championship Tournament by rolling the lone 800 series, 858, onto becoming the Singles and All-Events Champion.

Other Interesting stats from the computers at the 2004 ABC Championship Tournament in Reno , Nevada include a staggering total pinfall of 123,008,137 over the 735,981 games bowled. Of the spare shooting capabilities, 2,889,233 spares were converted over the 5,429,252 spares attempted. Honor scores for the tournament include 19-300 games, five 299 games, and two 298 games.