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January 8, 2007 Out to make a name for himself Billy Oatman is the PBA's first black exempt bowler; now he wants to do something with it By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Billy Oatman is getting his share of publicity.   But so far, it has little to do with his accomplishments on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour and much to do with the color of his skin.

Billy Oatman has made it to match play four times in his rookie season but is still looking for his first head-to-head victory on the PBA Tour. (PBA)

Oatman is the first black exempt bowler on the PBA Tour. As such, he's pitched as a story idea at nearly every stop, much like Kelly Kulick, the only woman to have earned exempt status.

"Do I get sick and tired of hearing it," says Oatman, a 42-year-old left-hander who last year at this time delivered food for downtown eateries in his hometown of Chicago. "No, it makes me feel good. It inspires. God put me in a situation to not just be here, but to be here for a reason."

He'll be in Medford this week when the Earl Anthony Medford Classic returns for the sixth season at Lava Lanes.

Oatman isn't the tour's first black bowler. The most notable one before him was George Branham, who won five titles before retiring.

The difference between Oatman and Branham is simply that the former is guaranteed a check each time he enters a tournament.

While there is significance to that, it's not enough for the outgoing Oatman, who finished one spot out of qualifying for the tour last summer, but got in when Ritchie Allen deferred his exemption this season because of an injury.

Just as Tiger Woods' impact in golf would be negligible if he never won, Oatman understands the task before him.

"There would be no significance to this if Billy Oatman does nothing with it," he says. "If I remained where I am, in the 40s or 50s, and do nothing with it, or if I was to make it and was to win, there would be no significance if I didn't give back to the African-American community. Then there wouldn't be any significance except for marketing to the PBA.

"That's smart marketing for them, but for it to benefit me or even my community, first of all, I have to win. I have to at least stay exempt. Then I have to make a TV show, but most importantly, I have to win. That would allow me to move forward to my agenda, which is to give back to my community."

Through eight first-half tournaments, Oatman was 45th in points (29,784) and 49th in earnings ($13,900).

He made it to the top 32 three times and once led in qualifying, but he has yet to win a match.

That pattern continued as the tour resumed last week in Reno, Nev., following the holiday break. Oatman was ninth in qualifying but lost his first match in the round of 32, 4-2 to Steve Rogers.

Oatman hasn't been able to be a role model through week-to-week success, but he's taken it upon himself to visit junior bowlers at centers at various PBA stops — particularly those frequented by black kids. He recalls doing so in the Detroit area.

"They need role models," says Oatman. "They don't understand there is opportunity out there because they don't see it. A couple of houses I went to, they didn't even understand there was a black exempt bowler. They knew about Walter Ray Williams, they knew about Pete Weber. When they found out there was a black bowler, they went, 'Oh, wow.'"

Branham became a role model for Oatman by just being on tour and winning.

"He brought it to reality," says Oatman. "When I saw someone who actually reached the mountaintop, not once, not twice, not three times, but five times, with one of those being the Tournament of Champions, he became my role model whether he knew it or not."

That Oatman made it to the tour was good fortune.

In the tour trials, at which the top 10 players earn their way to the tour, he bowled well over the five days and 45 games. He led on Day 3 with a 250.22 average and a 300 game to his credit on the Scorpion oil pattern, which will be used this week at Lava Lanes.

But on the final day, he went head-to-head for the final exempt position with veteran Del Ballard Jr. and came up 34 pins shy. In the last game, Oatman was on a 190 pace and Ballard a 180 pace when the tide turned. Oatman missed a 7-pin spare in the 10th frame, and Ballard, bowling several lanes away and a couple of frames behind, got a Brooklyn strike and rolled out the 2 pin for a strike and a double to take the lead.

"That sealed it," says Oatman, who was devastated over the outcome.

"I had to get over that," he says. "I was upset for a couple of weeks. I didn't even talk to anybody for a week."

However, when Allen stepped aside, the door was opened for Oatman.

He admits to being awestruck when the season began. Crossing the lanes with the likes of Norm Duke, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Parker Bohn III, etc., was both a thrill and "very intimidating," says Oatman.

And he realized if he remained in awe, he probably wouldn't be back next year.

It's difficult enough to adjust to the lane conditions and oil changes without spotting a talented field a mental advantage.

Oatman spent the holiday break working on his game. He visited a mental coach in North Carolina, then returned to Chicago to work with his physical coach.

He's not disappointed with his first-half performance, having never bowled a squad under a 200 average and improving as the season moved along.

Most aggravating is that he hasn't yet won a match.

"I haven't gone backwards," says Oatman, "but that's not good enough. I have to step it up."

He doesn't want this to be a one-year experience.

"I'm making more money than I was, I'm traveling, I'm doing what I wanted to do as a youth," he says. "So what if it took me 40 years to get here? I feel like one of the kids. I'm excited, for real. The whole purpose for working on my game in the off-season is so that I can come out and do what I enjoy doing for more than just one year. Period."

And make a name for himself with his game.

Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail ttrower@mailtribune.com