Mookie Betts preparing to compete in World Series ... of bowling
Pro baseball has seen its fair share of two-sport stars ... but not quite like this.
Mookie Betts returned home to Nashville the day after the 2015 season concluded and got a start on his other passion.
Bowling.
“I’ve been bowling for a long time and the opportunity to bowl against the guys I’ve watched on TV on Sundays for all these years is going to be an amazing experience,” the Boston Red Sox outfielder said via the PBA's site. “I’ve been practicing every other day and I’m subbing in a couple of leagues. I’m going to try to make a cut.”
Make the cut?
Yup ... the 23-year-old is preparing to compete alongside more than 200 professional bowlers in the sport’s upcoming World Series. Betts will take part in nine-game qualifying rounds December 8-11. If he makes the cut, he’ll move on to single-elimination match play.
“I think he has potential. He’s a young athlete in his physical prime. He’s very humble. He’s working very hard to learn,” pro bowler Rob Gotchall said. “The key to the World Series is versatility. (Former major-league All-Star pitcher) John Burkett is a perfect example. He was a good bowler, but he’s worked very hard to learn and now he’s competitive on the PBA50 Tour. Mookie will learn, too. He’ll learn to play different parts of the lane. He’s taking it seriously. He doesn’t want to be embarrassed.”
Red Sox fans (and bowling fans, for that matter) can follow Betts’ progress by watching live coverage of all the preliminary rounds online. Just visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link.
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