Bowling Mourns Randy Pedersen: The Laughs, Friendship and Calls That Will Be Missed

It has been a painful year for bowling. The bowling community was still grieving the losses of Jakob Butturff, Zachary Barton and Katie Barton when more devastating news arrived. On September 16, Randy Pedersen’s passing left the sport mourning another bowling's legend.

The tributes to Pedersen that have been flowing across social media show just how deeply he touched people’s lives. For many, the 13-time PBA Tour champion was much more than a champion or a bowling commentator.

“I’ll miss his random calls asking funny questions,” Jason Belmonte, a seven-time PBA Player of the Year, wrote. "The funniest part though was he always made sure to tell me it was him... as if his accent was that good I wouldn’t be able to tell. <...> Sad to think his name won’t ever be on my screen again calling again.”

Sports broadcaster John Fanta, who called PBA events alongside Pedersen for FOX, recalled feeling nervous before his first assignment in May 2023. Pedersen reassured him that they were there to enjoy themselves and tell viewers about the sport.

“Thank you for helping me and millions others learn about bowling. And thank you for making us laugh every step of the way. You were truly an extraordinary partner in the booth & a great friend.”

BowlTV broadcaster Mike Flanagan wrote that Pedersen had been a hero of his since he first fell in love with bowling.

“He understood the sport, but more importantly, he understood how to make people care about it. There are countless people who fell in love with bowling because Randy Pedersen made it exciting, entertaining and fun to watch,” Flanagan said. “I'm heartbroken that he's gone, but incredibly grateful that my childhood hero eventually became my friend.”

MOTIV PBA Tour Rep Brett Spangler described growing up watching Pedersen compete, then finding him a constant presence throughout his own working life on tour.

“For most of us, Randy is and will continue to be the voice of bowling," Spangler wrote.

“We all laughed with Randy. We all remember great calls, quips, goofy accents, and catchphrases. Every week we knew Randy was in our living room. Because he cared so deeply about what he did, we all felt connected to him before we met him or even if we didn’t ever get to.”

Three-time PBA Tour champion Jason Sterner remembered meeting Pedersen while bowling at Shore Lanes in Florida. What stayed with him was Pedersen stopping to watch and offer advice.

“He never sugarcoated things, even when the truth was hard to hear, but I’m grateful for every lesson, every honest conversation, and every bit of wisdom he shared.”

USBC Hall of Famer Tim Mack, an international champion and longtime friend of Pedersen, shared a photograph of them together and wrote about losing someone he had known for decades.

“I loved him and my heart is sad and I will miss him terribly. It’s a massive loss for all of bowling.”