Showboat Invitational: Webb makes move in tourney

James Yodice

Thursday, March 13, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The post office must hate Wayne Webb. The man has filled out more address-change cards at 39 than most people do their whole lives.

Born in Massachusetts, Webb has bounced around the U.S. during his 22-year profes sional bowling career.

For now, he calls Las Vegas home. He works for a bowling company called Dynothane, which designs balls.

"What it is," said Webb, "is it's time to settle down. My company is out here, and I needed to be a lot closer to it."

Webb started with Dynothane 14 months ago; primarily, he is a research-and-development guy, toiling with ball designs.

"Nothing that we make ever hits the market until it has my approval," Webb said. "After the first test ball, I start tweaking it until it gets where it needs to be."

However, Webb warned about the dangers of breaking into this tenuous market.

"We can't afford a flop," he said. "We're too small."

Webb, at 5-5 one of the PBA Tour's smallest players, was quite large Wednesday at the 38th annual Showboat Invitational. He was in danger of missing the cut Tuesday, but rebounded Wednesday. He averaged 238 in eight games and vaulted from 65th to 23rd.

Fifty-three bowlers advanced to today's final eight games of qualifying, after which 29 players will be cut to bring the field down to 24 for 24 games of match play starting tonight.

Webb wasn't the only Las Vegan on the move Wednesday. Rick Benard, mostly a regional pro with little experience at the national level, went from 25th to eighth on Wednesday. Provided he doesn't collapse this afternoon in qualifying, Benard should be a lock to reach match play.

Benard bowls in leagues at the Showboat, Gold Coast and Sam's Town.

Bits and pieces

* SHOOTING POOL: Don't think the Showboat's $200,000 purse won't keep many of the players away from the casino's sports book today and Friday. A large contingent of bowlers have a vested interest -- either financially or emotionally, or both -- in the NCAA Tournament.

Bryan Goebel is a Kansas University grad; his roomate on tour, Kelly Coffman, attended KU for one year. Both are fervent Jayhawk fans. First-round leader Rick Steelsmith attended Wichita State, but confessed to being a Kansas State fan.

Albuquerque's Mike Miller, in 11th place as of this morning, isn't sure about the University of New Mexico's chances. "I am very much a diehard," Miller said.

Austin, Texas' Robert Lawrence, the 1992 U.S. Open champion, is running the NCAA pool sheets this week. His Texas Longhorns are dancing this week, the 10th seed in the East Region.

And tournament leader Walter Ray Williams, Jr., who opened up a commanding 138-pin lead after Wednesday, lives with his wife, Paige, in Stockton, Calif. That is the home to the University of Pacific, which this week is making its first NCAA appearance in 18 years. Paige is taking classes at Pacific this semester, but Williams apparently doesn't have basketball on the brain. "We didn't even know (Pacific was in the field)," said Williams.

* ON WEDNESDAY: Williams led Bob Benoit through three rounds. Williams had knocked down 5,769 pins (averaging 240.4) with Benoit at 5,631. The top five is rounded out by Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli, Tucson's Eric Forkel and Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J.

* MERIT POINT LEADERS: Pete Weber, in 15th place after Wednesday, leads the PBA Merit Points list. He has 7,320 points. Tim Criss is second at 6,300, followed by Williams at 6,240, Rick Steelsmith at 6,150 and Steve Jaros at 6,040.

Webb