Bill Beach’s career recalled after death

The April issue of the electronic Stars & Stripes magazine had an article noting the passing of William “Bill” Beach of Sharon, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame member, who died March 22.

He was 80.

Beach was inducted into the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Hall of Fame in 1991. He won five ABC titles, including the 1972 ABC Masters.

Following his service in the U.S. Air Force, Beach worked as a barber in Sharon, Pa., before joining the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in 1966.

In 1972, Stars & Stripes said, Beach provided one of the most exciting moments in Masters’ history when he came through the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination tournament to defeat defending Masters champion Jim Godman. Beach threw clutch strikes in the 10th frame twice, winning the first match, 889-876, before edging Godman, 919-914, for the title.

Also in 1972, Beach won the PBA Don Carter Ebonite Open in Arcadia, Calif., for his only PBA Tour title, and picked up his third and fourth ABC (now USBC Open) titles by winning Classic singles and all-events titles. He was selected to the Bowlers Journal All-American Team that year.

Stars & Stripes said that Beach had numerous top-five finishes on the PBA Tour, including the Detroit Open, the Syracuse Open, the Houston Open, and the Winston-Salem Classic. When the PBA started its senior tour in 1981, Beach captured the first championship of the new tour in New Orleans.

A graduate of Girard High School who moved to Sharon in 1956, Beach was inducted into six state and local halls of fame in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Noble has 300

Rich Noble Jr. had a 300 en route to a 713 in Sanko Photography/ITAM at Holiday on April 3.

Tom “Cat” Barron’s 300-795 led Belchyk/Action Plumbing Classic at Holiday.

At Boardman, Pete Katsaras had the top set of 745 in Businessmen, followed by Brian Umstead’s 300-723 and Ronald Ilich’s 299-781 led Youngstown Steel/Mopar.

Julie Tufaro’s 737 and Tammy Haefke’s 270 led Hively’s Doubles at Amron on March 30, while Marla Chicase’s 723 and Fran Miller’s 703 topped Thursday Matchplay Ladies at Amron on April 1.

Fran Taylor’s 259-708 paced both men and women in Bob’s Bail Bonding on March 15 at Wedgewood, where former Austintown Fitch bowler Brianna Ozias led Woodchoppers with 279-726 on March 5.

Morris Construction was the fourth-quarter winner of the DePizzo Sausage/Champion Men’s League at West Side with members Bill Steiner, Bob Toman, Kevin Vanoverbeke Sr., Ron Steiner Sr., Joe Steiner and Guy DePizzo Jr.

Recyl Cashwell and Alma Stanley comprised Bowling Nanas’ second-half champ Team #1 at Mahoning Valley.

Seesters Catering of Christine Simon, Karen Tobin and Patty Schuley won C&G Pro Shop/Wedgewood Ladies Trio’s 3rd quarter.

At Boardman, winner of Fiber Clean Seniors’ third 3rd was the Nitros of Jim Waring, Carl Pasternack and John Larson. The wild-card winner was the Untouchables of John Wire, Jim Buck and Connie Joseph.

C&G Pro Shop won the Armando Saab Classic championship at West Side with Don Bagdassarian Jr., Robert Kincaid, Carl Hurd, Jeff Patterson, Jesse Hodge and John Dohar. The team will be honored at the Regency House on April 23.