WBW Awards to SBF President
3rd February, Singapore: World Bowling Writers Association announced that the Mort Luby Jr, WBW Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Mrs Jessie Phua, FIQ and SBF President and the Gosta Zellen Golden Quill Award to Mr Bill Vint, ABC journalist.
Mrs Jessie Phua has done sterling work as president of FIQ since 2007 and has also been president of the Singapore Bowling Federation for many years. She recently accomplished what seemed to have been a very difficult task in getting the 54-nation Commonwealth Games committee to reinstate tenpin bowling as a recognised sport.
It is planned for the presentation to take place during the V Commonwealth Tenpin Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next month.
Bill Vint has been an exceptional journalist with the American Bowling Congress, Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour and is now serving the Professional Bowlers Tour with his expertise from his company Sleeping Dogs Communications, which he started in 1999.
In 2005, he served as president of the Bowling Writers Association of America and led a successful effort to merge BWAA with the National Women Bowling Writers.
Thanks to the cooperation of PBA, Bowlers Journal’s Mr Bob Johnson was able to make a surprise presentation to Mr Bill Vint during the celebrations after the PBA Tournament of Champions dinner in Las Vegas on January 24.
Bill responded: “Please convey to the World Bowling Writers my heartfelt thanks for being honored with the Gosta Zellen Golden Quill Award. I was utterly shocked and, at the same time, overwhelmed.
“Recognition of this nature is beyond my ability to comprehend. I’ve always done what I felt was in the best interests of bowling, whether as a journalist working with the American Bowling Congress, United States Bowling Congress and Windy City Bowling News, or as a public relations representative working with the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour and Professional Bowlers Association.
Source: World Bowling Writers Wordletter Plus (January 2011 edition).