Fran Deken
Age: 80
Hometown: Coweta, Oklahoma
Style: Right
I began bowling tournaments at age 10 and even then I found myself looking around for ways the event could be improved. Above all, I like to make sure the tournament is fair and that all the bowlers have to do is bowl. I try to be open to the bowlers' ideas and look for ways to incorporate those ideas into the tournaments. I've worked pro tournaments, pro-ams, city tournaments, state tournaments, youth tournaments and special events. Each event has certain needs that I tried to fulfill to make it competitive, fair, exciting, and fun. I believe that no tournament is perfect - it can always be improved.
In my spare time I love reading, word games, writing and chocolate(it's the Dutch in me).
Served on the Board of Directors of the PWBA starting in 1974. Represented the players to help formulate the LPBT in 1981. Became tournament director for LPBT in 1982. Worked for the Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center in the 90s as group and tournament coordinator and made arrangements for the PBA, NABI, ABT, Collegiate tournaments, West Coast Seniors Tour, Delta Airlines, High Roller and Vegas leagues. Returned to the PWBA in 2001 until 2003. Also coached and captained the first USA women's team to compete in the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2001, the Pan American men's and women's teams in Chile in 2003, and the women's team again in Israel in 2005.
Career Highlights
PWBA Hall of Fame 1997 – Builder Category
Yetty Bennett Sportsmanship Award – Maccabi Games 2001
BWAA(now IBMA) Senior Bowler of the Year 2001
USBC Hall of Fame 2006
BWAA Presidents Award 2007
Remo Pichietti Humanitarian Award (BWAA awarded by Columbia 300) 2010
IBMA Hennessey Award of Merit 2016
Tulsa Hall of Fame 2014
Oklahoma Hall of Fame 2015
Greater Kansas City Hall of Fame 2015
Kansas State Hall of Fame 2019