Friday, April 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
The Ladies Pro Bowling Tour returns home to Las Vegas Sunday for the $80,000 Storm Doubles at Sam's Town.
Defending champions Kim Adler and Nancy Fehr will try to repeat in the event, which concludes with championship match play on Wednesday. The duo won last year's title in a two-frame roll-off against Ann Marie Duggan and Stacy Rider.
Sam's Town is the title sponsor of the LPBT, an arrangement which recently was renewed through 1997.
"We are to ladies bowling what Virginia Slims is to women's tennis and Cadillac is to golf," said Mike Kaufman, director of bowling at Sam's Town.
The tournament opens Sunday with practice from 8:30-10 a.m., followed by nine games of qualifying at 1 p.m. All competing teams will bowl nine final qualifying games at 9 a.m. Monday before the field is cut to 18 teams.
Match play will continue Tuesday through Wednesday morning, with the top five teams advancing to the championship round at 7:30 p.m. The finals will be televised on the Prime Network. There is no admission charge.
In addition to the defending champions and the runners-up, the list of LPBT stars scheduled to compete includes Las Vegan Wendy MacPherson, Sandra Jo Shiery, Kathy Zeilke, Carolyn Dorin, Julie Gardner and Kim Canady.
Spare parts
* LAS VEGAN HONORED: John Handegard of Las Vegas recently was named Bowler of the Month for March by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Handegard captured the Greater Albany (N.Y.) Open for his 12th career senior win, then defeated PBA Comfort Inn Classic champion Steve Hoskins in the $25,000 "Winning Never Gets Old" challenge match.
* BRUNSWICK TEAMS WITH HIGH ROLLER: Brunswick Bowling Equipment again is serving as corporate sponsor for the 1996 High Roller series at the Showboat Lanes. The next event is the 15th Annual July High Roller, scheduled July 2-10. The anticipated purse is $2.5 million, with the July 10 finals slated to be televised. The entry fee is $75. Further information is available by calling 1-800-257-6179.
* TWO-SPORT STAR? Move over Deion Sanders -- bowling may boast the next two-sport professional athlete. Leroy Hoard, a running back for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, recently participated in the PBA's Comfort Inn Classic in Sunrise, Fla. Hoard, who received a special exemption from the PBA, averaged 168 for 18 games and finished 192nd in the field of 198. Hoard was not the first pro of another sport to try his hand in a PBA event: Florida Marlins pitcher John Burkett has bowled in tournaments in Phoenix and here.
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