Gary Mage Works Overtime, To Make Sure PBA Events Get Completed Without A Glitch.
As Director Of The West/Northwest Regions, He Has Got It Down To A Science.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor the tenpinexpress.com- Director Mesa Metro Association
Mesa - - - Gary Mage admits he was never a CEO of a company in real life. Nor, has he ever played one as an actor on television.
But, as the regional director of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Northwest and West regions. He is somewhat a CEO to the 400 members he takes care of. You see, it is his responsibility to make sure his bowlers always have a tournament to bowl in during the course of a year, and secure a sponsor to lend its support to it.
He must be doing something right. He first took on the Northwest region in 1979. And, eventually both regions in 2004.
"I was still actively bowling on the PBA tour in 1979, and there were never any tournaments in the northwest," he remembers. "The PBA told me that if I could get a couple of tournaments in the northwest, that I should go for it. I was successful in getting those couple of tournaments, and they hired me."
"I don't feel like I am a CEO," he added. "More like a management control person, between the bowlers and the centers. That is what its all about."
It takes a lot of work to run a PBA event. That was evident when FlipSide Lanes in Gilbert, hosted the FlipSide Flippin Awesome Bowling Classic on July 1-3. And Mesa East hosted the Aquimo Open on Aug 26-28. As the regional director, he has to make sure all of the bowlers who are entered into an event, show up and bowl.
All of the bowlers know what pair to go to for their next game during the course of the tournament. make sure the host center is putting down the correct oil pattern he chooses. And, hopes a host center does not have any major mechanical issues with its pinsetters during the course of a tournament.
"We give the host center the oil pattern we want to use, and make sure the code is correctly put in the lane machine," he said. The PBA 43 foot Chemeleon pattern was used at FlipSide. And, the Shark pattern at Mesa East. "We use a PBA pattern for all of our events. I like to use most of the patterns that are available during the course of the year."
The west and northwest regions of the PBA, do not get the big tile sponsors like Budweiser or Ford. Its the little guy, like Aquimo, that generally comes through to sponsor a regional tournament.
"Locally, its not hard to get a sponsor," he says. "Most of our successful events are sponsored by small businesses. It has a mushroom effect. The business that sponsors one of our tournaments, do get notariety from sponsoring it."
Gary's wife, Toni, is the other person who you will see helping him run an event. He is hoping that people will continue to look at bowling as a sport and recreation that everybody can participate in. The fun atmospehere that bowling creates, is what makes the game enjoyable.
"I would like to see bigger fields at the many different locations we go to in the west and northwest," he says, of one of his goals. 51 bowlers bowled in the event at FlipSide. And, 77 at Mesa East. "I would like to see 100 entries in a tournament again. That would be great. There are good young bowlers that are coming up through the collegiate ranks."
Gary was on the regular tour himself, for 11 years. He got his first tour win in 1972, at the Western Open in Seattle, where he defeated Earl Anthony in the championship match. He also won twice on the senior tour, before it became the PBA 50, as it is known today.
"It was hard at first to be competitive on the PBA tour, but once I got settled into the routine, I was fine," he said, of his beginning on the tour. "I was not one of the best bowlers, when it came to bowling on television. My TV record, was 3-18. I can honestly say, though, that I bowled on all of the networks."
His other television victories came against John Handagard, and Pete Coture.
He can also say that he has bowled a 300 game and an 800 series in six different decades. Those coming in: 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000. He has logged 25 appearances in the ABC/USBC National Tournament as well. He has three top 10 finishes at the Nationals. That included two runner-up finishes in the all-events and singles divisions.
"I was fortunate enough to bowl a 300 game, and an 800 series in six different decades," he said, of his accomplishments. "The game is a lot different today, then when I first started bowling. Collegiate bowling and youth bowling are both on the upswing, which is great for the sport. The technical advances that have taken place, have also changed the game of bowling. But, the game is still exciting."
Mr. Mage was also a former proprietor in the Seattle and Spokane areas of Washington. He was elected into the Clark County Washington Hall of Fame in 1975. Greater Seattle Hall of Fame in 1976. And Northwest Bowling Association in 1978. All for bowling ability.
Arizona State Bowling News- August 29, 2016