Billy Hardwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Hardwick
|
|
|---|---|
Hardwick in 1972
|
|
| Born |
William Bruce Hardwick
July 25, 1941 |
| Died | November 16, 2013 (aged 72) |
| Years active | 1961–1977 |
| Bowling Information | |
| Affiliation | PBA |
| Rookie year | 1963 |
| Dominant hand | Right (full roller delivery) |
| Wins | 18 PBA Tour (3 majors) |
William Bruce Hardwick (born July 25, 1941 – died November 16, 2013) was an amazing American ten-pin bowler. He was known for his unique style and incredible accuracy. Billy was a member of the PBA and won many championships during his career. He was one of the best bowlers of his time.
Billy Hardwick's Bowling Career
Billy Hardwick joined the PBA Tour in 1961. He won 18 PBA titles in his career. He was the first bowler to win the PBA "Triple Crown." This means he won the three biggest PBA tournaments: the U.S. Open, the PBA National Championship, and the Tournament of Champions. Billy won all three between 1963 and 1969. Only six other bowlers have achieved this since.
Billy was named PBA Player of the Year twice. He won this award in 1963 and again in 1969. In 1963, he was only 22 years old. This made him the youngest bowler ever to win the PBA Player of the Year award. In 1969, he won seven titles in one season. This matched a record set by Dick Weber in 1961. This record stood until 1978. Billy was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1977. He also owned a bowling alley in Memphis.
When Billy was in high school, he hurt his third finger. Because of this, he could not bend that finger. This meant he could not use a normal bowling ball grip. Instead, he used his thumb and his first two fingers.
Billy was famous for his "full roller" bowling style. A full roller makes the ball spin over its entire middle. The ball track goes through the middle of the ball. Billy was special because he rolled the ball very straight. He did not make it hook much. He also rolled the ball slower than most other bowlers.
With his straight, slow, and accurate style, Billy could hit the pocket perfectly. He rarely missed spares. He often made difficult "splits" (when pins are left far apart). This allowed him to get strikes again and again.
Because he could roll straight and still get strikes, people called him "The Magician." This nickname came about when he was on a TV show in 1965. During a big tournament in 1976, a TV announcer said, "How does he do it, Chris?! Everyone wonders how Hardwick does it." After Billy got three strikes in a row, the announcer added, "It is almost unbelievable the control and accuracy of Hardwick."
PBA Tour Titles
Major championships are shown in bold letters.
- 1963 Mobile Sertoma PBA Open (Mobile, Alabama)
- 1963 Phoenix PBA Open (Mesa, Arizona)
- 1963 Los Angeles PBA Open (Gardena, California)
- 1963 PBA National Championship (Garden City, New York)
- 1964 Birmingham Coca-Cola Open (Birmingham, Alabama)
- 1964 North American Van Lines Open (Pontiac, Michigan)
- 1964 Southern California PBA Open (Costa Mesa, California)
- 1965 Firestone Tournament of Champions (Akron, Ohio)
- 1967 Kokomo Open (Kokomo, Indiana)
- 1968 Seattle Open (Seattle, Washington)
- 1969 Denver Open (Denver, Colorado)
- 1969 Miller High Life Open (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- 1969 Smallcomb Enterprises Classic (Redwood City, California)
- 1969 BPAA All-Star (U.S. Open) (Hialeah, Florida)
- 1969 Fort Worth Open (Fort Worth, Texas)
- 1969 Grand Rapids Open (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- 1969 Joliet Open (Joliet, Illinois)
- 1976 Monro-Matic Open (Toledo, Ohio)
Personal Life
Billy Hardwick had four children. One of his children is Chris Hardwick, who is a well-known comedian and TV personality.
Death
Billy Hardwick passed away on November 16, 2013. He was 72 years old. He was getting ready to travel from Sarasota, Florida to Memphis, Tennessee, when he had a heart attack.
