I remember the first time I witnessed a PBA Grand Slam achievement live on television—it felt like watching history unfold in real time. While researching this piece, I came across Mexico's Renata Zarazua securing her main draw position in another sport, and it struck me how rare such breakthrough moments truly are across professional athletics. In bowling, we've only seen four players achieve what many consider the sport's ultimate test of consistency and versatility—the PBA Grand Slam. Let me walk you through these remarkable careers and why their accomplishments continue to resonate decades later.
The term "Grand Slam" in Professional Bowlers Association context refers to winning four specific major tournaments: the US Open, Tournament of Champions, PBA World Championship, and the PBA Tour Finals. Now, I've always argued this represents the toughest challenge in bowling—you need to master different oil patterns, pressure situations, and varied competition formats across an entire season. When Billy Hardison first completed this feat back in 1989, he bowled with a consistency that still amazes me when I rewatch those matches. His average score across those four tournaments hovered around 228.6, and what many forget is that he nearly missed the Tour Finals due to a wrist injury that required painkilling injections before each match.
Then came Mike Aulby's legendary 1995 season—honestly, I consider this the greatest single year in professional bowling history. Aulby didn't just win the four required majors; he dominated them, posting a combined pinfall of 9,287 across those events. I've spoken with several bowlers who competed against him that year, and they all mention the same thing—his spare shooting was virtually perfect under pressure. What many casual fans don't realize is that Aulby actually considered retiring the previous season due to nagging back issues, which makes his Grand Slam achievement even more impressive in my view.
The third member of this exclusive club, Norm Duke, achieved his Grand Slam in 2008 after what he later described as the most physically demanding season of his career. At 44 years old, Duke became the oldest player to complete the Grand Slam, and I distinctly remember his World Championship victory where he converted what many called an "impossible" 7-10 split in the semifinal match. Statistics show Duke averaged 231.4 across his four major wins that year, but what the numbers don't capture is how he adapted his game to combat the younger power players who were dominating the tour at that time.
Most recently, Jason Belmonte completed his Grand Slam in 2015, and as someone who's followed his career from the beginning, I believe his achievement might be the most significant for the sport's evolution. Belmonte's two-handed style revolutionized bowling technique, and his Grand Slam victory at the Tournament of Champions saw him averaging 249.6—one of the highest major tournament averages in PBA history. I've had the privilege of interviewing Jason multiple times, and he once told me the pressure he felt trying to join this exclusive club nearly caused him to change his entire approach to the World Championship that year.
What fascinates me about these four players isn't just their statistics—which are undoubtedly impressive—but how each represented different eras and styles of bowling. Hardison was the classic technician, Aulby the all-around virtuoso, Duke the mental master, and Belmonte the innovative disruptor. Their Grand Slam seasons required not just skill, but tremendous mental fortitude. I've calculated that across all four players' Grand Slam campaigns, they collectively won 84% of their televised matches—a staggering number when you consider the pressure of major tournaments.
The conversation around potential future Grand Slam winners always gets interesting. Personally, I'm watching EJ Tackett closely—his performance in three of the four majors last season suggests he might be closest to joining this elite group. But as we've seen with players like Renata Zarazua breaking through in tennis, sometimes the breakthrough comes when least expected. In bowling's case, the Grand Slam requires a perfect storm of skill, timing, and frankly, a bit of luck with lane conditions and health.
Reflecting on these achievements, I'm always reminded why I fell in love with professional bowling—the sport rewards consistency and adaptability like few others. These four Grand Slam winners didn't just have great seasons; they achieved something that has eluded hundreds of exceptional players throughout PBA history. Their legacy continues to shape how today's professionals approach the majors, with each new generation understanding the historical significance of joining this most exclusive club. As the sport evolves with new technology and playing styles, I suspect these four names will remain benchmarks of excellence for decades to come.
