Death sucks, but it is an unavoidable part of life. In a bowling community as large and as aging as ours, news about bowlers whose lives have sadly ended reaches us often. We say goodbye to former Hall of Famers, coaches and local bowlers who gave years of their lives to the sport.
But not every message stops the entire bowling world in its tracks.
The one that reached us last Friday did.
Jakob Butturff died unexpectedly on July 31 at the age of just 32. Even a week later, those words still do not feel real, and are no easier to write.
The shock comes not only from how hard it was to believe that he's gone, but from everything the bowling world has lost with him.
Jakob was not simply a major champion or a future HOF'er. He, above all, was an incredibly warm human being.
Yes, his release did not look like something taken from a traditional coaching manual. And let’s be honest: many people found his style strange because it looked so different from what "conventional" bowling technique was supposed to be. Even commentators during PBA Tour telecasts were always quick to point it out.
But Jakob never needed to look conventional. He was simply a hell of a bowler.
Over his career, Butters won eight PBA Tour titles, including a major at the 2019 USBC Masters, and collected 27 PBA Regional Tour titles. He represented Team USA seven times, won the 2017 QubicaAMF World Cup and rolled a televised 300 game in PBA history.
A player with that much success could easily have become distant. Years on TV, major championships and a million dollars in earnings on Tour can sometimes change how a person sees himself and the people around him.
But anyone who knew Jakob, even a little, will tell you that he was the opposite.
It was as if he carried a master key that could open the door to anyone’s heart. Butters found his way in through warmth, love and true care for the people who surrounded him.
That is why the messages shared after his passing were not about his trophies, which are now just gathering dust on a shelf, but about the lasting memories he created with everyone he met - memories that will live on in the hearts of those who remember him.
Last Friday, Jason Belmonte probably wrote the best sentence to describe Butturff's legacy better than any list of his achievements on the lanes ever could.
“The PBA has lost one of its kindest.”
Jakob was incredibly kind to others, even when he was going through difficult times of his own.
Even while his mother was living with terminal lung cancer, Jakob not only did everything in his power to help her, but also used part of his tournament winnings to support organizations helping people affected by cancer and rare diseases.
He always wanted to help, but he did not make those actions the center of his public image. He simply helped because that was the kind of person he was.
The PBA Tour has lost a major champion. Team USA has lost one of its own. Many people have lost a teammate and a friend, but all of us have lost someone whose presence made this sport, with all its problems, feel a little warmer.
Let’s always remember Jakob for what he gave to the sport and, most
importantly, look after the people you love. Call them. Check on them. Tell
them what they mean to you, because you never know when it might be the last
time.
Jakob’s family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral
expenses and his Celebration of Life. Any remaining funds will go toward a
scholarship in his name, while Ripic’s Carousel Lanes also plans to hold an
annual memorial scholarship tournament. Those wishing to support the family
can do so
through the official GoFundMe campaign.
Rest in peace, Jakob.
