Veteran PBA50 Tour player Chris Keane of Cape Coral, Fla., has been selected as the 2018 PBA50 Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award winner in voting by his fellow competitors, becoming the second two-time winner of the award.

The 60-year-old Keane, who won his first sportsmanship award in 2014, has been competing on the PBA50 Tour for eight seasons. He took the opportunity to bowl full-time on the PBA50 Tour after selling his car wash and auto repair business.

“It was very special to win it the first time and especially so the second time,” Keane said. “You become such a family out here (on tour) that you want to see everyone succeed. I try to reach out and help guys whenever I can and many of them do the same for me.

“It’s interesting to see the evolution of meeting someone on tour for the first time and then you become good friends. It has become such a part of our lives that we’re not just bowling people; many of us also are motorhome people.”

Keane has a career-high PBA50 Tour finish of fourth in the 2015 PBA/PBA50 Tour South Shore Doubles with partner Tommy Jones. He had a 2018 season-best finish of ninth in the South Shore Open and a fifth-place finish in the season-ending PBA60 Dick Weber Championship.

“I’m happy to say that I’m getting better each year,” Keane added. “Sooner or later you accept the fact that you need to do something different to get better and thankfully I’ve learned that lesson.”

The only other player to previously earn the Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award twice was Robert Harvey in 2010 and 2013.

Other 2018 PBA50 Tour award winners were Michael Haugen Jr., who earned PBA50 Tour Player of the Year; Rolando Sebelen, Rookie of the Year, and Ron Mohr who earned his third consecutive PBA60 Player of the Year.  Player and Rookie of the Year awards were based on competition points. Recipients will receive their awards during a presentation at the 2019 Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open in Las Vegas.

The Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award is named in honor of the PBA legend who won 30 PBA Tour and six PBA50 Tour titles during his Hall of Fame career, and was considered one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors.

Release courtesy of Jerry Schneider, PBA Media Relations