Billy Welu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Billy Welu (b. July 3, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri, d. May 1974) was a famous professional bowler, executive for the Professional Bowlers Association, and a great ambassador for the sport. Known for his heavy southern accent and easygoing personality, Welu also spent several years alongside legendary broadcaster Chris Schenkel on ABC's Saturday afternoon telecasts of the Pro Bowlers Tour. He was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1975.
Welu's untimely death of a heart attack in 1974, which took a major toll on his close friend Schenkel, prompted ABC to find a new color commentator to join Schenkel in the booth. This was during a time when bowling was wildly popular and garnered very high ratings on television. Nelson Burton Jr. was selected, and he and Chris spent 23 years together calling the action for ABC Sports.
