April 19, 2025 Nolan Hughes

The PBA Hall of Fame welcomed its four newest members last night in Fairlawn, Ohio.

In their first year on the ballot, PBA Tour stars Bill O’Neill and Sean Rash were elected for superior performance.

George Branham III, the first Black player to win a PBA Tour title, became the first Black player to enter the PBA Hall of Fame. Branham was elected through the new Pioneer category.

Dave Schroeder, who spent nearly three decades leading the PBA’s television production team, was elected for meritorious services.

The ceremony was livestreamed on BowlTV and is available to rewatch in the BowlTV archives.

BILL O’NEILL

O’Neill began his professional career following one of the most dominant collegiate careers ever. He earned first-team All American honors in each of his four seasons at Saginaw Valley State University, thrice capturing the Bowling Writers Association of America's Collegiate Bowler of the Year award.

“I truly never thought that I would be here,” O’Neill said of entering the PBA Hall of Fame. “Some guys that are out here, it's like preordained that they're going to end up here. I never felt like that was me.

“I've gotten the chance to be around the greatest people that this game has ever seen,” O’Neill continued. “When you're around those types of people, you can feel less than. You can feel like whatever it is that you're doing it's never going to be enough, because the people that you're around are that great. But ironically, it's those very same people that got me to this point.”

O’Neill was named the PBA Rookie of the Year in 2005-06, though it would be almost four more years before he captured his first career title in the 2009-10 PBA Chameleon Championship.

Later that season, O’Neill won the U.S. Open and his first career major title. He said that title changed his life during the 2025 U.S. Open prelims round, shortly before learned of his Hall of Fame election.

“That title put me on the map and solidified what I was doing out here. For me, that title meant everything. The trophy has its own special place at my house.”

For years, O’Neill said he didn’t care for the nickname bestowed upon him early in his career. He didn’t feel that he had earned it.

Fifteen PBA Tour titles, three major championships and a first-ballot PBA Hall of Fame induction later, there’s no denying O’Neill is anything but the Real Deal.

SEAN RASH

The Alaskan-born Sean Rash, a man whose career has been defined by intensity and emotion, has won 17 PBA Tour titles in his 20-year career thus far, including two majors in the 2007 USBC Masters and 2011-12 PBA Tournament of Champions.

Rash became the first player to win a PBA Tour title after advancing from the pre-tournament qualifier in the 2006 PBA West Virginia Championship. He went on to win his first seven televised matches — one shy of the record held by Branham — en route to notching his first four career titles.

In 2011-12 during the PBA World Series of Bowling III, Rash advanced to the championship round in every title event, a feat that was not matched until EJ Tackett this season.

Entering the 2011-12 season’s final tournament, the PBA Tournament of Champions, the Player of the Year race was tightly contested between a host of PBA stars, including Rash, Ryan Ciminelli, Mike Fagan and Jason Belmonte.

All four made the TOC finals. Rash, the top seed, defeated Ciminelli in the title match to secure the tour lead in points, earnings and average and ultimately the Player of the Year award.

No player has been involved in more televised perfect games than Rash. In 2014, Rash fired his first televised 300 game; a year later, he became the first player to throw multiple 300 games on TV in 2015.

Back injuries, which he defined as a degenerative disc disease, have hampered the past few years of Rash’s career. Nonetheless, he always brought his A-game in team events.

Rash and Matt Ogle have become annual contenders in the PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship since winning the 2019 event. Last season, Rash helped the Las Vegas High Rollers capture the PBA League Elias Cup title.

For 20 years, Rash has been among the PBA’s most famous and polarizing figures. His unrelenting passion demanded attention, sparked rivalries and defined his first-ballot Hall of Fame career.

“I didn't know a damn thing about the PBA in high school in Alaska. I bowled just to bowl with my family,” Rash said. “When I got to Wichita State, I found out that we had some good bowlers that went on tour, guys like Chris Barnes, Justin Hromek, Lonnie Waliczek, Rick Steelsmith, and there's been a few more. Then I started to learn about the sport and where it could take you.”

Bowling took Rash from Anchorage, Alaska to Fairlawn, Ohio and the PBA Hall of Fame.

GEORGE BRANHAM III

In 1986, Branham became the first Black player to win a PBA Tour title. He ultimately won five titles, including becoming the first Black player to win a major championship in the 1993 PBA Tournament of Champions at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio.

Last night, Branham became the first Black member of the PBA Hall of Fame.

“This is unbelievable. When they told me that I was going to be in the Hall of Fame, I spent the last two months in this fog. ‘Is this really going to happen? Am I alive?’” Branham said. “The one guy I really want to thank is my dad. He’s the reason why I’m standing here. He made me who I am today. I just can’t thank that man enough.”

DAVE SCHROEDER

Though he spent his 27 years with the PBA working behind the scenes, Dave Schroeder’s legacy and impact on the sport was nothing short of monumental. He wore many hats during his tenure, notably serving as the vice president of media and head of production.

Schroeder spearheaded the transition of television production from an outsourced entity to an internal production that became one of the PBA’s strongest assets. Schroeder also oversaw the PBA’s live-streaming service, Xtra Frame, which grew to become another of the PBA’s strongest assets, attracting the sale of the digital rights in 2018.

“From the PBA’s inception in 1958 to the launch of Xtra Frame in the mid-2000s, the only portion of the tournament that people at home could watch were the TV finals,” said Damon Sarrocco, who introduced Schroeder. “A viable, affordable technology really didn't exist to broadcast any of the earlier runs, which meant that the TV portion of the event was one of the most important and critical pieces to the success of the tour, making Dave's job even more pressure-packed and critical. It had to be executed flawlessly and showcased the competition In a manner that glued viewers to their television sets. Dave's passion was undeniable. His talent, combined with an unwavering work ethic and commitment to excellence set him apart as one of the most respectful figures in the field. Whether on the set or behind the scenes, Dave was a driving force in shaping the broadcast and inspiring all of those around.”