 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 16, 1974 Simi Valley, California |
| Years active | 1991-present |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Bowling Information | |
| Affiliation | PBA |
| Dominant hand | Right |
| Wins | 7 PBA Tour (1 major) 10 PBA Regional Tour 1 international |
| 300-games | 31 |
| Sponsors | Hammer Bowling |
Robert Smith (born January 16, 1974), is an American professional bowler known for his years on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. A native of Simi Valley, California, Smith has also held residence in Captain Cook, Hawaii, Columbus, Ohio, and Hong Kong. [1] Currently, he resides and works near his home town in Ventura, California.
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Smith's career on the PBA tour was marred by numerous injuries, resulting in many withdrawals from high-profile tournaments. Despite this, he amassed seven tour titles during his career, with his first being his lone major victory at the 2000 U.S. Open. He won a second title later in the 2000 season. His only other season with multiple Tour wins was 2003–04.
In his prime, Smith was considered the world's most powerful one-handed bowler. Smith's ball roll has been tracked as high as 27 revolutions per shot and traveling at up to 34 miles per hour (55 km/h) - the average professional achieves about 16 revolutions per shot, traveling at 18 miles per hour (29 km/h). [2] This high rev-rate (from about 550-600 RPM on average and up to 720 RPM tops) is more than most bowlers have been able to produce. Based on this characteristic, he was known on tour as "Maximum Bob."
Smith joined the PBA50 Tour (for players 50 and over) in 2024. He is currently sponsored by Hammer Bowling. [3]