Randy says, "Tommy was another one of my favorites to watch. Great feel throughout the swing and always had a 'soft' hand."
TOM BAKER (King, N.C.)
Age 60 - 9/12/1954
| Bowls | Joined | Titles* | Tour Earnings | Total Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 1976 | 10 | $1,849,972.00 | $2,030,154.00 |
2007-08 Rank: 43
Exempt Thru: 2008-09
Career PBA 300 Games: 47
Earned Exemption: Won the 2004 PBA World Championship
Career PBA 300 Games: 47
Earned Exemption: Won the 2004 PBA World Championship
Tom Baker - USBC Hall of Fame Class of 2012 Video
Personal: Tom Baker… Resides in King, N.C… Enjoys watching horse racing and working out… Was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1999 in the Veterans/Senior Category… His win in the 1997 Harrisburg Open in Harrisburg, Pa., made him the PBA's 18th millionaire… He was involved in a 300-300 match play tie with Pete Weber in the 1981 Denver Open, one of four 300-300 games in PBA Tour history.2007-08: In the fourth year of a five-year exemption, Baker finished 43rd in the PBA World Point Rankings… Made match play in nine of 20 events… Fared well in Major events, placing 37th in the season-opening USBC Masters, 23rd in the H&R Block Tournament of Champions, 48th in the Denny’s World Championship and 22nd in the season-ending 65th Denny’s U.S. Open… Following the USBC Masters, Baker missed match play in nine of the next 11 events… Came on strong at the end of the season, posting his only top-10 finish of the season in the Bayer Classic in El Paso, Texas, finishing fifth; fell to Tommy Jones, 4-3, in a tough Round of 8 match… Made match play in each of the final four events capped by the 22nd place showing the U.S. Open.
Career: Owns 10 career PBA Tour titles including one Major title… Won the 2004 PBA World Championship at the age of 49 to earn a five-season exemption… The victory made him the oldest bowler to win the World Championship and the third-oldest to win a Major… Prior to his World Championship victory, his last win came in the 1997 PBA Harrisburg Open… Is 15 events shy of tying Ernie Schlegel for most career PBA Tour events bowled (824)… Had a career year in 1981, winning three titles… Is 45-46 in 55 career TV singles appearances, with a 214.22 average… Became eligible for the PBA Senior Tour prior to the summer of 2005, and went on to win both PBA Senior Player and Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the first bowler in history to take home both awards in the same season…Won his second consecutive PBA Senior Player of the Year award in 2006 with a record-breaking season in which he won a record-tying four titles in just nine events including both Majors… Won three consecutive titles during one stretch, a Tour record… Won his unprecedented third consecutive PBA Senior Player of the Year award in 2007, adding three more victories including his record fourth Major in the 2007 USBC Senior Masters… Now owns eight PBA Senior Tour titles in three seasons and $162,815 in PBA Senior Tour earnings... Owns nine PBA Regional Tour titles, and has earned $107,451 in regional winnings and also owns two PBA Senior Regional Tour titles… His total career PBA earnings of $1,738,163 ranks eighth all-time.
Baker had his best pro season in 1981, winning three titles and over $100,000 that season. By 1986, he had won 7 PBA titles before going on a 10-year winless streak, partially due to recurring wrist injuries. In 1996, he returned to the winner's circle at the AC-Delco Classic, and won again in 1997 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After another 7-year drought, he shocked the bowling world by winning the 2004 PBA World Championship at age 49.
Career Standard Titles (9): 1980 – Fremont, Calif.; 1981 – Torrance, Calif.; Doubles with Joe Hutchison, Las Vegas, Nev.; Denver, Colo.; 1982 – Paris, France; 1985 – Columbus, Ohio; 1986 – Rochester, N.Y.; 1996 – Lakewood, Calif.; 1997 – Harrisburg, Pa.
Career Major Titles (1): 2004 PBA World Championship, Taylor, Mich.
Career Senior Standard Titles (4): 2006 – Chillicothe, Ohio; Tucson, Ariz.; 2007 – Brentwood, Calif.; Ballwin, Mo.
Career Senior Major Titles (4): 2005 Senior U.S. Open, Sterling Heights, Mich.; 2006 Senior U.S. Open, Las Vegas, Nev.; 2006 USBC Senior Masters, Reno, Nev.; 2007 USBC Senior Masters, Reno, Nev.
Awards: Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award (1980, '81)… PBA Hall of Fame (1999)… PBA Senior Player of the Year (2005, ’06, ‘07)… PBA Senior Rookie of the Year (2005).
Career Standard Titles (9): 1980 – Fremont, Calif.; 1981 – Torrance, Calif.; Doubles with Joe Hutchison, Las Vegas, Nev.; Denver, Colo.; 1982 – Paris, France; 1985 – Columbus, Ohio; 1986 – Rochester, N.Y.; 1996 – Lakewood, Calif.; 1997 – Harrisburg, Pa.
Career Major Titles (1): 2004 PBA World Championship, Taylor, Mich.
Career Senior Standard Titles (4): 2006 – Chillicothe, Ohio; Tucson, Ariz.; 2007 – Brentwood, Calif.; Ballwin, Mo.
Career Senior Major Titles (4): 2005 Senior U.S. Open, Sterling Heights, Mich.; 2006 Senior U.S. Open, Las Vegas, Nev.; 2006 USBC Senior Masters, Reno, Nev.; 2007 USBC Senior Masters, Reno, Nev.
Awards: Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award (1980, '81)… PBA Hall of Fame (1999)… PBA Senior Player of the Year (2005, ’06, ‘07)… PBA Senior Rookie of the Year (2005).