Top 10 PBA Left-Handed Bowlers Biography

Do you write with your left or right hand? Writers can be right-handed or left-handed. Similarly, bowlers can also use either their right hand or their left hand to bowl. Some even use both of their hands to bowl. But anyways, bowlers usually use their dominating hand to bowl. Which had do you use for bowling?

Don’t worry if you use your left hand. There are many pro bowlers like you. You will be surprised to know that there are so many left-handed bowlers who are honorable PBA members. Let’s take a look at their brief biographies, shall we?

Top 10 Left-handed Bowlers’ Biography

Andy Varipapa

Andy Varipapa (March 31, 1891 – August 25, 1984) was a professional left-handed bowler who is famously recognized for his trick shots. Although he was a right-hander at first, later at the age of 78, he taught himself to become a lefty. Within two years Varipapa had an average score of 180. This is clearly a testament to his longevity and skills. Throughout his life, he was known for his amazing array of trick shots. He dazzled the crowd with his impeccable bowling skills, no doubt there.

Patrick Allen

Patrick Allen (born September 23, 1970) is a ten-pin bowler who is famously known for his great skill in left-hand bowling. He has been on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tours and is also a member of the PBA Hall of Fame. With the help of his spectacular bowler strategy, he has bagged 13 PBA titles. Two of them are majors— the Denny’s PBA World Championship (2005) and other one is the H&R Block Tournament of Champions (2009).

Earl Anthony

Earl Roderick Anthony (April 27, 1938 – August 14, 2001) was an American professional bowler who was widely popular for his top-class career in bowling. He was also a left-handed bowler and a respectable member of the PBA Hall of Fame. He even has an oil pattern named after him (PBA Earl Anthony 43). Throughout his career, he has won 43 titles and 6 “Player of the Year” awards on the PBA Tour. He is largely credited (like Dick Weber) for having great popularity in the USA. Everyone knew him and Dick Weber equally. Interestingly, as a bowler Earl Anthony was the first to earn over $100,000 in a single season (that happened in 1975). Moreover, he is also the first bowler to reach One Million Dollars in lifetime PBA earnings. He hit that earning by 1982 which is significant because that would be worth more than 3 Million in today’s value.

Dave Davis

Dave Davis (born April 28, 1942) is an American professional ten-pin bowler who has recently retired and used to be a member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). He bowled with his left hand and throughout his career, Dave Davis has won 18 PBA Tour titles, which includes four majors. He got his name on the PBA Hall of Fame back in 1978 for his unbeatable bowling performance. In the year 1965, while Davis was only 23, successfully took the title in the PBA National Championship and became the first left-handed bowler to win such a major.

Johnny Petraglia

John Petraglia Sr. (born March 3, 1947) is an American left-handed professional bowler who is famous for winning 14 PBA Tour titles. He has been a member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) for a long time. He even has an oil pattern named after him which is the PBA Johnny Petraglia 37. Besides those PBA titles, Petraglia has also won 8 PBA Senior Tour titles. He has successfully earned his place in both the PBA and USBC Hall of Fame.

Patty Costello

Patty Costello (May 8, 1947 – April 16, 2009) was an American professional ten-pin bowler who was left-handed. She is also a former member of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA). During the ’70s and ’80s, she was one of the top female bowlers. Over her bowling career, Costello has proudly earned 25 professional titles, which includes 7 majors. Five of her major championships include the PWBA Players Championship (year— 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976) and one remarkable victory at the U.S. Women’s Open (1976). 1976 was definitely her year because she won 7 events which is a record for the “most titles earned in a year”.

Steve Cook

Steve Cook (born January 13, 1957) is an American retired ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) who is also widely known for his left-handed bowling style. Steve cook is one of the tallest (6′ 7″) and strongest bowlers of his time. In 1993, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of PBA. In 2008, he got his name enlisted on the list of “50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years” and he ranked #25 there. Later in 2014, Steve Cook also became a member of the USBC Hall of Fame for his superior performance.

Mike Aulby

Mike Aulby (born March 25, 1960) is a former member of the PBA who is well-recognized for his left-handed bowling. Did you know there are only 5 bowlers who ever won both a Rookie and Player of the Year award? Well, Mike Aulby is one of them. The other 4 bowlers are— Jason Belmonte, Tommy Jones, E. J. Tackett, and Chris Barnes. Throughout his career, Aulby has won 29 Career PBA Tour titles. At present, he has earned 9th place (all-time). Like Johnny Petraglia, Mike Aulby is a also member of both the PBA and USBC Hall of Fame. He also has an oil pattern named after him which is the PBA Mike Aulby 38.

Tish Johnson

Tish Johnson (born June 8, 1962) is a left-handed bowler who is famously known for her exception ball delivery method and extraordinary talent. She is one of the most popular women in female professional bowling. She has earned the name “Iron Woman” for her great reputation in the bowling industry. She has a record of competing in a record 236 consecutive women’s tournaments. She was named “Player of the Year” twice by PWBA. On a more interesting note, she was the third professional bowler ever to earn more than $1 million in her career in bowling. Tish is a member of the PWBA and WIBC Hall of Fame.

Cara Honeychurch

Cara Honeychurch (born February 13, 1972) is a left-handed Australian female bowler widely known for her World Championship in ten-pin bowling. In 1998, Cara Honeychurch was inducted into the World Bowling Writers’ International Hall of Fame. As a professional left-hander, she is admired for her finesse and pinpoint accuracy. Her precision and speed control are out of the world and that helped her win numerous titles, especially in open events. She is now considered one of the most successful Australian bowlers in history.

Conclusion

There you go, my fellas! Now, you know about some of the popular PBA left-handed bowlers who ruled despite being left-handers. With their left-hand bowling, they managed to win unlimited competitions and several championships. So you are a lefty bowler, don’t feel down! You can make the best out of the advantages of left-handers. So appreciate the advantages you will get. Till then, keep on working on your left-handed bowling, and good luck!