Warren Dominates Senior Masters, 50 New Alleys Join BAiO

What a week for senior bowling! While Chris Warren was busy setting himself up for another major title run in Vegas, we were adding 50 new alleys to BAiO's directory. Plus, the industry said goodbye to a journalism legend who shaped bowling coverage for decades.

🎳 On the Lanes

Chris Warren earned the #1 seed for the USBC Senior Masters stepladder finals after going undefeated through Saturday's double-elimination match play in Las Vegas. The Texas native averaged 236.3 over 12 games and opened his battle for the top seed with a perfect 300 against Dan Knowlton. Warren's looking for his second PBA50 title and has the advantage of needing to be beaten twice in the true double-elimination format.

Joining Warren in Sunday's stepladder finals are Dan Knowlton, Brian Hoffman, Kevin Jenkins, and USBC Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli. The week also saw Anthony Crews post one of the most dominant qualifying performances in bowling history, setting a new Senior Masters record with 1,414 over five games (282.8 average) while striking on 56 of 60 shots.

📣 Industry News

The bowling world lost a giant this week with the passing of Mort Luby Jr. at age 94. Luby led Bowlers Journal magazine for decades and transformed it into a trusted source of bowling journalism. He introduced the Bowling Center Architecture and Design Awards (now in its 42nd year) and founded the World Bowling Writers organization. Beyond his 42 national writing awards, Luby earned the respect of an entire industry through his elegant features and colorful editorials.

On a brighter note, Maple Family Centers hit a major milestone by surpassing $1 million in donations to veterans' charities through their partnership with Bowlers to Veterans Link. The LaSpina family's five bowling centers reached this goal during their 65th anniversary year, several months ahead of their "Race to the Million" campaign schedule.

📍 New on BAiO

We added 50 new bowling alleys this week, with major additions across Florida and Missouri. Florida highlights include Southwest Florida Bowling Association in Fort Myers, Hurricane Lanes in Destin, and Orange Bowl Lanes in Kissimmee. Missouri saw a big expansion too, with spots like Gladstone Bowl in Kansas City and Thunder Alley in Owensville joining the directory.

We also launched our newest city guide: Best Bowling in Charlotte, NC, giving Queen City bowlers a comprehensive look at their local options.

🏆 New League Spots

Bowlers hunting for league night just got 33 new options this week. Missouri dominated the league-friendly additions with spots like Bigfoot Lanes in Stockton, Pin-Up Bowl in St. Louis, and Bearcat Lanes & Lounge in Maryville. Check out the full bowling leagues directory to find your next home base.

📊 Stat of the Week

The standout new addition this week is Bigfoot Lanes in Stockton, Missouri, sporting an impressive 4.9/5 Google rating backed by 59 reviews. When you're pulling near-perfect ratings with that many reviews, you're doing something seriously right — this isn't just honeymoon period hype, it's sustained excellence that keeps bowlers coming back.

📰 Sources

• Chris Warren earns No. 1 seed for USBC Senior Masters stepladder finals — PBA

• BOWLING JOURNALISM LEGEND MORT LUBY JR. PASSES AWAY — Bowling Center Management

• MAPLE FAMILY CENTERS GOES OVER $1 MILLION IN BVL SUPPORT — Bowling Center Management