September 29, 2025 Nolan Hughes

The Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award is given to the player who best represented Dick Weber’s class and character. The recipient is determined by a vote among touring players who competed in at least half of the season’s events.

This year, PBA50 Tour players determined the man who best exemplified the class of Dick Weber to be Brian Dennis.

Dennis, who died unexpectedly on July 7, will receive the award posthumously. He was 52.

“I burst into tears,” said Reneé Dennis, his wife, upon hearing the news from PBA50 tournament director Tony Lanning. “Brian was such a humble, quiet person. He was so soft spoken. For him to receive something like this was very, very emotional and heartwarming to me. It means a lot to see him be recognized after all of these years.”

The news of Dennis’ death sent shockwaves across the bowling world, particularly to his fellow PBA50 Tour friends and competitors.

Three weeks prior to his passing, Dennis led the PBA50 Senior U.S. Open. He earned the top seed for the major championship round, but fell in the title match of what would be his final PBA50 Tour event to Andres Gomez.

When the PBA50 Tour resumed its season with the World Series of Bowling, Mark Clark, Dennis’ best friend, threw out a ceremonial first ball to honor Dennis. Competing together on the PBA50 Tour was their dream.

In a story almost too spectacular for Disney, Clark made their ultimate dream — to win a title — come to fruition.

 

Clark bowled the best he had all season in the WSOB, advancing to match play in four of five title events and earning the top seed in the PBA50 World Championship. Clark faced Chris Barnes in the title match of the major.

Needing three strikes in the final frames to clinch the title, Clark said he told himself to “throw it like Brian.” Clark aced all three shots to claim the title, this first of his career.

Barnes hurried through his own 10th frame to ensure the last shot of the tournament, just like the first shot, would belong to Clark and Dennis.

“This is the storybook ending,” Clark said after his win. “This is made-for-TV stuff. This is what the movie is supposed to be. I wanted to do something so bad for (Dennis), for Reneé, for my wife, and everyone who is hurting.”

“I had never met Mark, but because Brian had been traveling with him for so long, I felt like I knew Mark better than somebody I had met,” Reneé said. “I wish I was there. To watch that was one of the most emotional things I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Clark’s banner will hang in Dennis’ favorite colors: Carolina blue and white. His achievement will forever symbolize their friendship.

Dennis’ spirit, strong enough to propel his friend to his crowning achievement, will not soon leave the hearts and minds of the PBA community. 

Receiving the Dick Weber Sportsmanship award ensures Dennis will have an eternal home in PBA history.

Parker Bohn III, Sammy Ventura, Tom Adcock, Jeff Johnson and Donald Hogue were also nominated for Dick Weber Sportsmanship Award consideration.

The three additional PBA50 Tour season awards are determined on the lanes by competition points.

John Janawicz won his second consecutive PBA50 Player of the Year award, Tom Daugherty brought home Rookie of the Year honors, and Parker Bohn III added a PBA60 Player of the Year trophy to his Hall of Fame résumé.

More information about their award-winning seasons is available here.