Pictured Is: Shawna Strause: Photo Courtey Of Tucson Metro USBC
TUCSON METRO USBC SELECTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026
By Mark Kerr
TUCSON - The Tucson Metro USBC is proud to announce that four individuals are to be inducted into the Tucson Metro USBC Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
The Tucson Metro USBC Board and the Hall of Fame Subcommittee, Chaired by Tucson Metro USBC Vice President Stuart Duncan and including Hall of Fame members Keith Dommer, Ed Vegas and Dave Hyatt, reviewed all the nomination applications submitted. Tucson Metro USBC thanks everyone who submitted nominations for individuals and those who assisted the Hall of Fame Subcommittee with their work on this effort.
After discussions of the nomination applications, the Tucson Metro USBC Board selected Shawna Strause and Richard Curtis to be inducted for Superior Performance, and Joe Salgado and Cory Knop to be inducted for Meritorious Service.
SHAWNA STRAUSE
Shawna Strause is a supportive and fun person in the bowling community. Her personal introduction to bowling was a little unusual. She actually started bowling after a summer spent picking up cigarette butts in a bowling alley parking lot.
When Shawna was 12 years old, her family didn’t have much money, and she really wanted a neat shirt a friend had. Her mom told her, half-jokingly, “Money doesn’t grow on trees—if you want it, go get a job.” Shawna took her seriously. Her dad had a friend, Rich Murphy, who owned a bowling alley about a mile from their house. Shawna rode her bike there and asked him for a job. Murphy called Shawna’s dad and said, “Hey, your kid’s here and wants to work—what am I supposed to do with her?” Her dad laughed and told him Shawna just wanted some T-shirt his wife wouldn’t buy, and to give her something random to do until she got bored.
So Rich Murphy handed Shawna a coffee can and said, “Here’s the deal, kid. You can pick up cigarette butts in my parking lot every Saturday and Sunday morning before we open. At the end of the summer, I’ll pay you a penny per piece.” Everyone thought that would be the end of it—but Shawna loves a challenge. But this went on for weekends. Rich handed me a $100 bill, drilled Shawna her first bowling ball, and said, “Now I’ll teach you how to bowl.”
From that moment, Shawna was hooked. Every day she could, she would ride her bike to the alley and bowl as many games as Mr. Murphy would let her. When she was 13, Shawna started keeping score for Friday night leagues. By 15, she was working behind the desk and in other bowling jobs, learning every part of how a bowling alley ran.
Rich Murphy became a huge influence on Shawna's life. He not only taught her how to bowl, but also paid for her leagues and eventually for tournaments. He even drove her all the way to Reno for her first nationals. When she placed second in national singles years later, he was the first person Shawna wanted to call. Shawna became the first person from Montana to come that close to winning nationals.
In Arizona, Shawna Strause has won more than 20 titles, including sweeping all four Scratch Awards (Singles, Doubles, Team and All Events), for the 75th Annual Tucson Metro USBC Women’s Open Championships, as well as wins in Singles, Doubles, Team and All Events, as well as the 2023 Tucson Metro USBC Queens Champion, the Mesa Metro Women’s for three consecutive years and the Strike Force Tour Title in 2023. Shawna has five 300 games. In 2019 While bowling Team USA Trials, Shawna was the only person, male or female, to bowl a 300 during the entire week.
Shawna has also served on the staff of Logo Infusion Inc., bowling brands, and has served as an amateur staff member for Storm Bowling. She has also been very involved in the Bowl for the Cure foundations throughout Phoenix and Tucson. She gives her time and support to many youth bowling programs, and Shawna has been a big supporter of Tucson Metro USBC and their efforts.
Bowling has been a part of Shawna’s life for almost as long as she can remember. It’s given her lifelong friends, countless memories, and even brought her closer to her husband, who now shares Shawna’s love for the game.
RICHARD CURTIS
Richard Curtis has been an exceptional bowler for decades.
During his storied bowling career, he has thrown nine sanctioned 300 games and three 800 series. Curtis has won six team titles for the Tucson Metro USBC Open Championships in 1990, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2019, as well as Tucson Metro USBC All Events title in 2001. In addition, Richard won two Professional Bowling Association Sweeper Tournaments, as well as two Amateur Bowler Tour Titles and two Strike Force Tour Titles. These accomplishments alone place him among the most decorated and consistent competitors in our area, with titles spanning across multiple decades.
Beyond his achievements on the lanes, Richard has always been a respected and supportive figure within the bowling community. He is known for helping other bowlers improve their game, always willing to share advice, encouragement, and experience. Richard’s presence has elevated not only the level of competition but also the spirit of camaraderie in every league and tournament he has been a part of.
Richard’s reputation as a bowler was so strong that at one time, simply entering a tournament side pot against him would make others hesitate — a true testament to his skill and consistency on the lanes. Yet despite his success, he has remained approachable, generous, and committed to the growth of the sport.
CORY KNOP
Cory’s lifelong dedication to the sport of bowling and his unwavering commitment to the youth of Tucson, as well as his service, generosity, and leadership have left a lasting imprint on the Tucson bowling community.
Through the Annual Pay-It-Forward Tournaments, held each September, Cory has raised over $30,000 in support of Tucson Youth Bowling Organizations. His generosity goes beyond financial contributions—he has personally donated bowling balls for raffles, giving local youth the opportunity to participate in the prestigious USBC Gold Tournament. His charitable spirit has also extended to the Tucson Metro USBC, where he has provided valuable support for numerous fundraising raffles.
As a coach, Cory’s impact has been nothing short of transformative. Over his 26 years of coaching in Tucson, he has mentored hundreds of young athletes, guiding five bowlers to collegiate scholarships at respected programs such as Wichita State, SCAD, Delaware State, and Sam Houston State. Recognized nationally as a USBC Silver Level Coach and honored by Bowlers Journal as a Top 100 Coach six times, Cory has earned a reputation for excellence that reflects both his technical expertise and his ability to inspire.
Cory has also contributed at the highest levels of the sport. He has participated in elite clinics with Team USA, John Jowdy, and Dick Ritger, and collaborated with PBA Champions Norm Duke, Wes Malott, and Bob Learn Jr. to bring invaluable training opportunities to Tucson bowlers. His leadership extended off the lanes as well—recognizing the need for local resources, Cory stepped up to operate the pro shop at Bowlero Tucson, ensuring bowlers on Tucson’s Eastside had access to essential equipment and services.
Cory has also given countless hours to high school bowling, coaching Santa Rita High School girls to a state championship, leading Sahuaro High School girls to a championship, and guiding the Sahuaro High School boys to back-to-back state titles. Beyond that, he has coached a bowler recognized by Bowlers Journal as one of the Top 100 Youth in the Nation. Cory’s devotion to Tucson’s youth is tireless. Through countless volunteer hours and equipment donations, he has ensured that young bowlers have the support, encouragement, and opportunities needed to succeed both on and off the lanes.
Cory’s record of service, leadership, and passion for growing the sport is a testament to his character and his commitment. His extraordinary contributions have strengthened the Tucson bowling community for generations to come.
JOE SALGADO
Joe Salgado has been many things to our bowling community for seven decades.
Joe became a sanctioned bowler in 1969 and has served as an officer (President, Vice President, Treasurer) for many bowling leagues. In 2000, Salgado served as a Director for the then Tucson Bowling Association as well as Tucson Metro USBC, as 3rd Vice President, 2nd Vice President and President in 2012.
Joe loves the bowling community and puts much of his life into it. He worked to develop and enhance the youth scholarship awards. In 2005, he received his lane inspector certification and used it for the Tucson, Green Valley and Nogales bowling centers.
After finishing his term, Joe continued to serve on the Board as well as the Arizona State USBC on the Audit and Hall of Fame committees, respectively. Salgado also represented the Old Pueblo at state and national bowling conventions and was recently honored for his participation in Tucson Metro USBC tournaments for 50 consecutive years.
Joe has been bowling with the same five-man team on Monday nights for many years, and we still love to hear “BREWSKI’S” at the tournaments when they strike and supports bowlers in league and tournament to this day.
The induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 1, after the last team competition squad for the 82nd Annual Tucson Metro Open Championships and the 76th Annual Women’s Championships at Bowlero Tucson, 114 S. Camino Seco.