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Welu's suicide by an intentional
Pentobarbital overdose (widely reported as a heart attack) at age 41 in 1974 took a major toll on his close friend Schenkel, prompted ABC to find a new color commentator to join Schenkel in the booth. This was during a time when bowling was wildly popular and garnered
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Welu was born to Frank Joseph Welu (1895–1983) and
Gertrude Mary Welu (1896–1964); he had a sister Patricia. He graduated from St. Thomas University and later received a master's degree in education from
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Known for his folksy
Midwestern speech pattern and easygoing personality, Welu spent several years as an analyst alongside broadcaster
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103:(then known as the American Bowling Congress) championships. He was only the second bowler in history to successfully defend a
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was selected as a permanent replacement for Welu. Nelson and Chris spent nearly 23 years together calling the action for
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Masters title, winning the event in 1964 and 1965 to join Dick Hoover (1956–57). The feat was not matched again until
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127:), four ABC championships, and two other PBA titles. He was named an All-American seven times. A 1999 edition of
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123:(NBL) in 1961–1962. Aside from his two Masters titles, Welu won the 1959 BPAA All-Star (predecessor to the
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Jason
Belmonte Becomes First Player in Nearly 50 Years to Successfully Defend USBC Masters Title
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for the sport. A founding member of the PBA in 1958, he won four PBA titles, including two
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Randy
Pedersen on ESPN broadcast of the USBC Masters final, February 15, 2009
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148:. He was posthumously inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1975.
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offers the Billy Welu
Memorial Scholarship for college bowlers.
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ranked him No. 22 among the greatest bowlers of 20th century.
87:(July 3, 1932 – May 16, 1974) was an American professional
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209:Billy Welu, Bowler, Dies; On ABC‐TV Sports Staff
167:alternated telecasts for a brief period until
111:won back-to-back Masters titles in 2013–14.
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142:'s Saturday afternoon telecasts of the
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16:American professional ten-pin bowler
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157:very high ratings on television.
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185:Professional Bowlers Association
119:. He played for the short-lived
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93:Professional Bowlers Association
319:Drug-related suicides in Texas
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105:United States Bowling Congress
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258:, pba.com, February 23, 2014.
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309:Barbiturates-related deaths
228:William Joseph “Billy” Welu
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145:Professional Bowlers Tour
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269:"Billy Welu Scholarship"
179:PBA Memorial Scholarship
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121:National Bowling League
254:March 3, 2014, at the
117:Saint Louis University
61:May 16, 1974 (aged 41)
314:Bowling broadcasters
91:, executive for the
85:William Joseph Welu
169:Nelson Burton Jr.
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50:City of St. Louis
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215:(May 18, 1974)
213:New York Times
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136:Chris Schenkel
109:Jason Belmonte
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101:USBC Masters
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46:July 3, 1932
37:Welu in 1955
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294:1974 deaths
289:1932 births
283:Categories
191:References
173:ABC Sports
165:Dave Davis
161:Dick Weber
97:ambassador
73:Occupation
25:Billy Welu
125:U.S. Open
252:Archived
65:Houston
89:bowler
67:, U.S.
52:, U.S.
152:Death
183:The
163:and
58:Died
43:Born
140:ABC
138:on
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