Dick Ritger


Dick Ritger, of River Falls, Wisconsin, was a right-handed ten-pin bowler in the Professional Bowlers Association, who spent his later years as a bowling coach and proprietor of Dick Ritger's Bowling Camp. He is one of only 16 players in history to have won at least 20 career PBA Tour titles.

PBA career

Ritger joined the PBA Tour in 1964, won his first PBA Tour title in 1966, and won his 20th and final PBA title in 1979. The 20 titles put him in a 13th-place tie with Wayne Webb and Amleto Monacelli on the all-time list. He won multiple titles in five different seasons on tour.
A gentleman on the lanes and off, Ritger won the PBA's Steve Nagy Sportsmanship award on two occasions. His status among the all-time greats was solidified with his election to the PBA Hall of Fame in 1978.
Ritger's best chance at a major title came in 1970, when he made the televised final of the Tournament of Champions and shot 268 in the final match. But he was on the wrong end of 26-time titlist Don Johnson's legendary 299 game. He also finished runner-up in the 1972 PBA National Championship and 1979 Tournament of Champions.

Bowling Instructor Career

In the 1980s, Ritger started a bowling pro shop business and went into the instructional field. Still active today with his Dick Ritger's Bowling Camps, he is recognized as one of the most effective bowling instructors in the world. He has taught professionals and amateurs in 24 countries covering five continents. He also developed a three-part video series called Dick Ritger's "Feelings of Bowling".
Already a member of the USBC Hall of Fame in the Performance category, Ritger was the first person inducted into the USBC's new Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame in June, 2008.

Personal

Ritger graduated from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse with a double major in Physical Education and Recreation.

Awards and recognition