Part-time pro not floored by chance to claim PBA World Championship
Todd Book doesn’t mind being average. Especially when his average is high.
The 43-year-old from Russells Point, Ohio, has a chance to win his first PBA Tour title when he competes with four others in the PBA World Championship Finals at 10 a.m. today on ESPN at the South Point’s recently opened $35 million Bowling Plaza.
Book, who has been bowling professionally since 2006, reached the finals after averaging 224 pins over 52 games during the World Series of Bowling qualifying rounds in late October. He managed to post the big numbers despite little preparation.
“I only bowled six games to get ready for the World Series,” said Book, who owns a successful floor business. “That’s all I did. But I was mentally prepared, and I didn’t mind the grind.”
The ambidextrous Book, the No. 4 seed, will bowl right-handed against No. 5 Stuart Williams of England in the stepladder format. His left wrist has been bothering him, but he said he isn’t worried, even though he’ll have to win four matches to claim the event and the first-place check of $50,000.
“I’m very excited,” said Book, who is nicknamed “The Magician” for his ability to navigate his ball on any lane pattern and knock down pins. “I’m not chasing the (PBA) Hall of Fame like these other guys. I’m a part-timer on the tour, and I don’t think there’s any pressure on me.”
Rounding out the field for the PBA major tournament are No. 1-seeded Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, No. 2 Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, and No. 3 Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind.
Book has been bowling since he was 4. After taking time off in high school, he reconnected with the sport while in the Navy. After completing his stint in the service, he moved to Pensacola, Fla., and devoted more time to the sport.
“I had done well in those old high-roller tournaments they used to have in Vegas, and I won a $50,000 amateur event in Cincinnati and I joined the tour,” he said. “I was always an athlete. I always played sports — football, baseball, golf, tennis — so I thought I owed it to myself to try.”
He has won $169,884 in eight years as a pro. In five events this year, Book has averaged 221 pins, the second-best average in his career.
Throughout it all, he has always kept a good perspective.
“I try to have fun when I’m out there,” he said. “Financially, I’m fine. I’ve always been smart with my money, and the (floor) business has been very good. So it’s about going out there and just performing and doing the best you can.”
He learned to build floors while working in a tile store in Florida and started his own business in 1999. Through word-of-mouth advertising and some sound marketing, Book quickly built a steady stream of clients.
He grew his business and has enjoyed delivering a quality product and seeing the look of satisfaction on his customers’ faces when they see the final result.
“It’s a great feeling knowing you made someone happy and made their lives better by making their home nicer,” he said.
But he knows there’s a special opportunity today at the South Point, and it’s up to him to take advantage of it. His strategy?
“Pretty simple,” Book said. “Throw more strikes than Stuart.”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.
