Famous Sports Person Memorial:
McGrath, Michael (Mike) John, age 71, of Petaluma, California, passed away on Sunday evening, July 30, 2017 at his home, after a battle with cancer. Born May 13, 1946, in Berkeley, California, he was the son of the late Louis H. McGrath and the late Vivian L. (Coffman) McGrath.
Mike graduated from El Cerrito High School in 1964 and Chico State College in 1968 with a degree in business. As a left-handed professional bowler he would win 10 PBA Tour titles and was ranked 39th on the 2009 list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1983, and the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988. In addition to many 300 games, Mike, an avid golfer, stroked a hole-in-one on the 8th, at Simi Hills Golf Club, in December 1989.
Mike won the first of his three Classic Team titles at the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Open Championships at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. The 1970 event in Knoxville, Tennessee, saw the first Classic Team rolloff series at the Open Championships, and Mike converted a 1-3-6-9 spare to give his team the title by eight pins. That year he also took home his second consecutive PBA National Championship, made four consecutive PBA television finals and led the tour in money won. He teamed with fellow left-handers for his third Classic Team title at the 1972 Open Championships in Long Beach, California. In 1973, he became the first left-hander to win the U.S. Open when he beat fellow Hall of Famers Dick Ritger, Dave Davis, and in the title match, Earl Anthony, in Madison Square Garden in New York.
After retiring from bowling Mike had a long and successful career as a columnist for Bowlers Journal, answering bowlers questions as "The Coach" and writing about the history and techniques of bowling and detailing the lives of interesting and unique bowlers. In addition, Mike traveled the western United States as an equipment salesperson for AMF, Brunswick, and Western Bowling for many decades. He retired in 2005 to care for his mother.
Mike is survived by his wife, Nickola Frye-McGrath; his children, Jennifer McGrath, Kerry McGrath Crooks (Matthew) and Donovan McGrath (Stacy); his step-children, Tracy Haseltine (Mike) and Jen Mendes (Eric); his grandchildren, Paul, Halen, Treyton, Ethan, Riley and Tommy; and his step-grandchildren Erick, Leni, Porfirio and Maria. He is also survived by his many cousins and friends, including Barry Asher, who was there for Mike for over 50 years.
Saturday August 26 will soon be upon us. This is the day we, friends and family, will be celebrating the life of Mike McGrath. We hope all, who are available, will join us at the residence of Barry & Cristy Asher. Bring memories and an empty stomach because all who knew MIKE, know that he loved to eat and share good times.
PBA Link
https://www.pba.com/articles/PBA-Mourns-the-Losses-of-Hall-of-Famer-Mike-McGrath-Founding-Member-Bill-Lillard
McGrath, Michael (Mike) John, age 71, of Petaluma, California, passed away on Sunday evening, July 30, 2017 at his home, after a battle with cancer. Born May 13, 1946, in Berkeley, California, he was the son of the late Louis H. McGrath and the late Vivian L. (Coffman) McGrath.
Mike graduated from El Cerrito High School in 1964 and Chico State College in 1968 with a degree in business. As a left-handed professional bowler he would win 10 PBA Tour titles and was ranked 39th on the 2009 list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1983, and the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988. In addition to many 300 games, Mike, an avid golfer, stroked a hole-in-one on the 8th, at Simi Hills Golf Club, in December 1989.
Mike won the first of his three Classic Team titles at the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Open Championships at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. The 1970 event in Knoxville, Tennessee, saw the first Classic Team rolloff series at the Open Championships, and Mike converted a 1-3-6-9 spare to give his team the title by eight pins. That year he also took home his second consecutive PBA National Championship, made four consecutive PBA television finals and led the tour in money won. He teamed with fellow left-handers for his third Classic Team title at the 1972 Open Championships in Long Beach, California. In 1973, he became the first left-hander to win the U.S. Open when he beat fellow Hall of Famers Dick Ritger, Dave Davis, and in the title match, Earl Anthony, in Madison Square Garden in New York.
After retiring from bowling Mike had a long and successful career as a columnist for Bowlers Journal, answering bowlers questions as "The Coach" and writing about the history and techniques of bowling and detailing the lives of interesting and unique bowlers. In addition, Mike traveled the western United States as an equipment salesperson for AMF, Brunswick, and Western Bowling for many decades. He retired in 2005 to care for his mother.
Mike is survived by his wife, Nickola Frye-McGrath; his children, Jennifer McGrath, Kerry McGrath Crooks (Matthew) and Donovan McGrath (Stacy); his step-children, Tracy Haseltine (Mike) and Jen Mendes (Eric); his grandchildren, Paul, Halen, Treyton, Ethan, Riley and Tommy; and his step-grandchildren Erick, Leni, Porfirio and Maria. He is also survived by his many cousins and friends, including Barry Asher, who was there for Mike for over 50 years.
Saturday August 26 will soon be upon us. This is the day we, friends and family, will be celebrating the life of Mike McGrath. We hope all, who are available, will join us at the residence of Barry & Cristy Asher. Bring memories and an empty stomach because all who knew MIKE, know that he loved to eat and share good times.
PBA Link
https://www.pba.com/articles/PBA-Mourns-the-Losses-of-Hall-of-Famer-Mike-McGrath-Founding-Member-Bill-Lillard
Famous Sports Person Memorial:
McGrath, Michael (Mike) John, age 71, of Petaluma, California, passed away on Sunday evening, July 30, 2017 at his home, after a battle with cancer. Born May 13, 1946, in Berkeley, California, he was the son of the late Louis H. McGrath and the late Vivian L. (Coffman) McGrath.
Mike graduated from El Cerrito High School in 1964 and Chico State College in 1968 with a degree in business. As a left-handed professional bowler he would win 10 PBA Tour titles and was ranked 39th on the 2009 list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1983, and the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988. In addition to many 300 games, Mike, an avid golfer, stroked a hole-in-one on the 8th, at Simi Hills Golf Club, in December 1989.
Mike won the first of his three Classic Team titles at the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Open Championships at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. The 1970 event in Knoxville, Tennessee, saw the first Classic Team rolloff series at the Open Championships, and Mike converted a 1-3-6-9 spare to give his team the title by eight pins. That year he also took home his second consecutive PBA National Championship, made four consecutive PBA television finals and led the tour in money won. He teamed with fellow left-handers for his third Classic Team title at the 1972 Open Championships in Long Beach, California. In 1973, he became the first left-hander to win the U.S. Open when he beat fellow Hall of Famers Dick Ritger, Dave Davis, and in the title match, Earl Anthony, in Madison Square Garden in New York.
After retiring from bowling Mike had a long and successful career as a columnist for Bowlers Journal, answering bowlers questions as "The Coach" and writing about the history and techniques of bowling and detailing the lives of interesting and unique bowlers. In addition, Mike traveled the western United States as an equipment salesperson for AMF, Brunswick, and Western Bowling for many decades. He retired in 2005 to care for his mother.
Mike is survived by his wife, Nickola Frye-McGrath; his children, Jennifer McGrath, Kerry McGrath Crooks (Matthew) and Donovan McGrath (Stacy); his step-children, Tracy Haseltine (Mike) and Jen Mendes (Eric); his grandchildren, Paul, Halen, Treyton, Ethan, Riley and Tommy; and his step-grandchildren Erick, Leni, Porfirio and Maria. He is also survived by his many cousins and friends, including Barry Asher, who was there for Mike for over 50 years.
Saturday August 26 will soon be upon us. This is the day we, friends and family, will be celebrating the life of Mike McGrath. We hope all, who are available, will join us at the residence of Barry & Cristy Asher. Bring memories and an empty stomach because all who knew MIKE, know that he loved to eat and share good times.
PBA Link
https://www.pba.com/articles/PBA-Mourns-the-Losses-of-Hall-of-Famer-Mike-McGrath-Founding-Member-Bill-Lillard
McGrath, Michael (Mike) John, age 71, of Petaluma, California, passed away on Sunday evening, July 30, 2017 at his home, after a battle with cancer. Born May 13, 1946, in Berkeley, California, he was the son of the late Louis H. McGrath and the late Vivian L. (Coffman) McGrath.
Mike graduated from El Cerrito High School in 1964 and Chico State College in 1968 with a degree in business. As a left-handed professional bowler he would win 10 PBA Tour titles and was ranked 39th on the 2009 list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History. He was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1983, and the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988. In addition to many 300 games, Mike, an avid golfer, stroked a hole-in-one on the 8th, at Simi Hills Golf Club, in December 1989.
Mike won the first of his three Classic Team titles at the American Bowling Congress (now USBC) Open Championships at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. The 1970 event in Knoxville, Tennessee, saw the first Classic Team rolloff series at the Open Championships, and Mike converted a 1-3-6-9 spare to give his team the title by eight pins. That year he also took home his second consecutive PBA National Championship, made four consecutive PBA television finals and led the tour in money won. He teamed with fellow left-handers for his third Classic Team title at the 1972 Open Championships in Long Beach, California. In 1973, he became the first left-hander to win the U.S. Open when he beat fellow Hall of Famers Dick Ritger, Dave Davis, and in the title match, Earl Anthony, in Madison Square Garden in New York.
After retiring from bowling Mike had a long and successful career as a columnist for Bowlers Journal, answering bowlers questions as "The Coach" and writing about the history and techniques of bowling and detailing the lives of interesting and unique bowlers. In addition, Mike traveled the western United States as an equipment salesperson for AMF, Brunswick, and Western Bowling for many decades. He retired in 2005 to care for his mother.
Mike is survived by his wife, Nickola Frye-McGrath; his children, Jennifer McGrath, Kerry McGrath Crooks (Matthew) and Donovan McGrath (Stacy); his step-children, Tracy Haseltine (Mike) and Jen Mendes (Eric); his grandchildren, Paul, Halen, Treyton, Ethan, Riley and Tommy; and his step-grandchildren Erick, Leni, Porfirio and Maria. He is also survived by his many cousins and friends, including Barry Asher, who was there for Mike for over 50 years.
Saturday August 26 will soon be upon us. This is the day we, friends and family, will be celebrating the life of Mike McGrath. We hope all, who are available, will join us at the residence of Barry & Cristy Asher. Bring memories and an empty stomach because all who knew MIKE, know that he loved to eat and share good times.
PBA Link
https://www.pba.com/articles/PBA-Mourns-the-Losses-of-Hall-of-Famer-Mike-McGrath-Founding-Member-Bill-Lillard
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