Randy Pedersen

Randy Pedersen (born May 28, 1962) is an American sportscaster and former professional bowler. He is currently a color analyst for Fox Sports' coverage of the PBA Tour, formerly filling that same role on ESPN and CBS Sports Network telecasts of the PBA Tour in previous seasons. During the present season, he works alongside play-by-play announcer Rob Stone, having previously worked with Dave Lamont, Lon McEachern, Mike Jakubowski, and Dave Ryan. Pedersen grew up in Southern California, but relocated to Clermont, Florida in the early 1990s, where he has resided ever since. He and his ex-wife Becky have two children: a son, Chad and a daughter, Savannah.

Randy Pedersen
Pedersen in 2017
Born (1962-05-28) May 28, 1962
Shallotte, North Carolina
Years active1980-2006 (PBA Tour)
2000-present (broadcasting)
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Bowling Information
AffiliationPBA
Rookie year1985
Dominant handRight
Wins13 PBA Tour (1 major)
1 PBA50 Tour
SponsorsStorm Products

Bowling career

As a bowler, Pedersen has won 13 PBA Tour titles, with his last coming at age 40 in the 2002 Pepsi Open. That title pushed him over the $1 million career earnings mark, making him the 24th millionaire in PBA history at the time. Most dominant from the mid-1980s to early 1990s, Pedersen captured the prestigious PBA National Championship crown in 1987 for his first and only major title. He won three titles in the 1989 season, but was beaten out for PBA Player of the Year honors by Amleto Monacelli, who won four titles that year.

Pedersen is also known for having suffered from two of the worst breaks in PBA Tour history. Both came in major tournaments, and both times he lost by one pin. He lost the 1995 Bayer-Brunswick Touring Players Championship to veteran Ernie Schlegel by a 237–236 score. Needing a strike on the first ball of the tenth frame to win, Pedersen left the 8 pin standing on what appeared to be a perfect shot.[1] That match is also remembered for Schlegel's joyful-spirited but largely unprofessional and unsportsmanlike reaction while Pedersen fell down onto the approach, covering his face in disappointment in a thrill-of-victory/agony-of-defeat moment. Pedersen was also knocked out of the 2005 Tournament of Champions after he left the 7 pin on the tenth frame fill shot during the semifinal against Norm Duke, losing 256–255.

Pedersen was ranked #35 on the PBA's 2008 list of "50 Greatest Players of the last 50 years". He was elected to the PBA Hall of Fame in October, 2010, and was inducted with the 2011 class on January 22, 2011.[2]

Pedersen joined the PBA50 Tour (formerly PBA Senior Tour) in 2013, and on May 16 of that year he won the very first tournament he entered: the PBA50 Dayton Classic.[3]

PBA Tour titles

Major titles in bold type.

  1. 1986 AC-Delco Classic (Union City, California)
  2. 1987 Toledo Trust PBA National Championship (Toledo, Ohio)
  3. 1987 Fair Lanes Open (Washington, D.C.)
  4. 1988 Senior/Touring Pro Doubles Championship w/Carmen Salvino (Cheektowaga, New York)
  5. 1989 AC-Delco Classic (Torrance, California)
  6. 1989 Budweiser Classic (Miami, Florida)
  7. 1989 Oranamin C Japan Cup (Tokyo, Japan)
  8. 1990 Quaker State Open (Grand Prairie, Texas)
  9. 1993 Billy Vuckovich III Memorial Fresno Open (Fresno, California)
  10. 1994 Greater Harrisburg Open (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania)
  11. 1995 Ebonite Kentucky Classic (Louisville, Kentucky)
  12. 1999 Indianapolis Open (Indianapolis, Indiana)
  13. 2002 Pepsi Open (Springfield Twp., Pennsylvania)

Television and film

Off the lanes, Pedersen joined ESPN in 2001 as a TV analyst has had great success behind the microphone; Pedersen earned the position after getting his start in broadcasting as a lane-level reporter on ABC's Pro Bowlers Tour, in addition to working on Fox Sports Net for a brief time in 2000. Pedersen remained as the bowling analyst on ESPN through the termination of their PBA contract in 2018. He began working for Fox Sports in 2019 when the PBA Tour moved its TV broadcasts to Fox Sports networks.

Pedersen has been lauded for his extensive knowledge of the game, associated bowling lingo and catch phrases (see below) as well as his sense of humor. He had a small part in the 1996 comedy movie Kingpin (he was placed right next to Woody Harrelson) along with several other professional bowlers, and has a cameo appearance in the 2006 bowling documentary A League of Ordinary Gentlemen.

Famous phrases

Pedersen is notable for using various phrases used to describe different occurrences during PBA events. They include:

  • "Dead flush perfect!"
  • "He absolutely pure'd it." (above two describing a perfectly-rolled strike, with all 10 pins going into the pit)
  • "Bartender, make it a double!"
    (sometimes shouted when a player throws back-to-back strikes)
  • "Bad mammal!"
    (Pedersen uses this term either to describe a bowler on a hot streak, or serious pin carry when a less-than-perfect shot takes out all ten pins)
  • "Nothin' left but pin shrapnel!"
  • "Shreds the rack!"
  • "That was filthier than a truck stop restroom!"
    (above three have been used to describe a powerful strike)
  • "Winner winner, Chicken dinner!"
    (referring to the winner of a match)
  • "Give me some coffee to go with that sweet roll!"
    (referring to a nicely rolled strike shot)
  • "That one went out for a burger and fries, and came back with steak and a baked potato."
    (referring to a shot that rolls out close to the gutter and hooks back for a pocket strike)

Pedersen once commented on his role as PBA Analyst on ESPN telecasts. He said, "I want to convey to the viewing public that they are watching the best bowlers in the world. It's my job to explain what makes them that good, as well as provide other information that 'Johnny 150 average' doesn't already know. One thing I learned is if you can bring enthusiasm to the table, sometimes it doesn't really matter what is coming out of your mouth. The viewing audience senses the enthusiasm." [4]

gollark: `e4jhu-`
gollark: Again, they'll mostly be `asiopv` and the like.
gollark: There are a lot of possibilities, but most are gibberish.
gollark: `d-r-a-g-o-n-5-0-0-0`
gollark: `B-O-B-T-H-E-D-R-A-G-O-N`

References
  1. The worst break in PBA history! - 1995 TPC - Randy Pedersen www.youtube.com, retrieved 23 October 2014.
  2. Schneider, Jerry. "Randy Pedersen, Dale Eagle and Len Nicholson Elected to PBA Hall of Fame." Article at www.pba.com on October 20, 2010.
  3. Randy Pedersen is Unlikely Winner in PBA50 Dayton Classic Schneider, Jerry at pba.com, May 16, 2013.
  4. Zikes, Lyle. "Sizing up the lanes: Randy Pedersen has brought color to the PBA as an analyst." Article in Bowling Digest, June, 2002.
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