Ron Kantowski tells why senior bowlers will be making a lot of noise in Vegas and how they’ve earned their fanfare

Monday, June 18, 2007 | 7:05 a.m.

It'll be all quiet at the local Water Buffalo lodge this week - but all-out cacophony at the Suncoast Bowling Center - as the world's best senior bowlers return to Las Vegas for the PBA Senior U.S. Open.

The Open is one of two major Senior Tour events. So this is the one week you don't want to leave the king pin standing with a light pocket hit, or you just might be leaving Las Vegas with lighter pockets.

Halfway home

The PBA Senior U.S. Open is round six of the 13-stop PBA Senior Tour, which has added four events this year. Tom Baker, whose hometown pretty much describes his status among the seniors - he hails from King, N.C. - won four of last year's nine tournaments but stands just fourth this year. Talented newcomers and the return of other top players (such as PBA Hall of Famer David Ozio, who leads the point standings) have provided Baker, the winner here last year, with a new challenge.

Easy as ABC

The presence of three more PBA Hall of Famers may rekindle memories of Chris Schenkel and Nelson Burton Jr., and the pro bowlers tour on ABC for veteran Las Vegas bowling fans. Hard-cranking Mark Roth, smooth lefty Johnny Petraglia and Dave Soutar are entered here , and among them have accounted for 65 PBA Tour titles (Roth 34, Soutar 17, Petraglia 14). Petraglia made it to the finals of the season-opening event in Manassas, Va., where he lost to Ozio.

Wrestling with notoriety

Petraglia once was asked why pro bowling, which has its share of colorful personalities - Pete Weber, son of the legendary Dick Weber, immediately comes to mind - isn't as popular as say, pro wrestling among younger sports fans. "All I would say is I guess it has to do with what The Rock looks like with his shirt off compared to what Pete Weber looks like with his shirt off," he said. We'll take his word for it.

Tragedy strikes

This week's entry list features more than 300 players but, sadly, is lacking the name of Jan Kravcheno, who was killed when his motor home was involved in an accident en route to last week's senior tour event in Tucson, Ariz. Kravcheno, 64, finished 15th in this year's PBA Senior Dayton Classic and was a popular player in pro-am events, where he was known to take photographs of the participants.

Well-oiled plans

At last week's stop in Tucson, Ross Packard defeated Bob Chamberlain by the modest score of 190-168 and the first thing the hotshot in the Thursday night mixed doubles league probably thinks is "Heck, I can roll a 190." But he probably doesn't take into account the oil patterns used on tour, which can make the lanes slicker than Jerry Lewis' hair and the pocket difficult to locate. This week, the players will roll with what is know as the Senior U.S. Open condition, an oil pattern allowing them to play multiple angles that places a premium on shot making and keeping the ball in play.

WHAT: PBA Senior U.S. Open, presented by the Suncoast.

WHERE: Suncoast Bowling Center.

WHEN: Today-Friday. Stepladder finals begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

PURSE: First place pays $20,000.

LAST YEAR: In a battle of Fabulous Baker Boys, Hall of Famer Tom Baker defeated Dick Baker, 215-176, in the championship match, becoming the first bowler in PBA Senior Tour history to win three consecutive titles.