1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: This is gem Nation with Jones. Look. 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 2: Last week, when I was on have You Been Paying Attention? 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,559 Speaker 2: I met a woman called Kara Honey Church. She was 4 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 2: inducted into Sport Australia's Hall of Fame for tenpin bowling. 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 2: She was a fabulous character. She has a resin bowling 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 2: ball with a skull in it. Amazing timpin bowling is 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: something I don't know much about, but she was telling 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 2: me about the king of the sport, Jason Belmonte. He's 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: best known as one of the first bowlers to use 10 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 2: a two handed approach style to deliver his shot. 11 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: He is the king of the world. 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 2: He's known all over the world, but in Australia not 13 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 2: many of us know his name. 14 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: I thought it was time we changed that. 15 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 2: Jason Belmonte helloody. 16 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 3: Hello, Jason, Just roll the goddamn ball man. 17 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: What's that from? 18 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 3: He knows, that's from the Big Lebowski. 19 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 4: Ah, the Big Lebowski. That's the dude. Yeah, complaining that 20 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 4: no one's taking their turn. I'm the same way when 21 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 4: it's George Sawn. Just roll the goddamn. 22 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: Ball, Jason. 23 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 2: You are extraordinary For people who don't know much about you, 24 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 2: you are one of only two bowlers in PBA history 25 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: who've won the Super Slam, meaning you've won all five 26 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 2: major titles, You've been named Player of the Year six times, 27 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 2: you have millions of dollars. I hope you don't mind 28 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: me saying that people don't know that you're an Australian hero. 29 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 1: Is that weird? 30 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 4: Well, that's kind of you to say that I'm an 31 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 4: Australian hero. Honestly, I don't really think about it. I 32 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 4: think the part of me semi enjoy the fact that, 33 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 4: you know, maybe I'm not as recognizable here in Australia 34 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 4: as I might be in the US. So I get 35 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 4: to I get to come home and kind of, you know, 36 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 4: disappear a little bit. In the US, it's a little 37 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 4: bit more hectic for me, and it's you know, definitely 38 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 4: not like a Lebron James walking down the street. But 39 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 4: I definitely feel like I'm approached pretty regularly. So it's 40 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 4: not the end of the world. But what I do 41 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 4: wish is that if it weren't me with a little 42 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 4: bit more recognizable recognizability is that a word recognizing? No, 43 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 4: it is now, I'd rather be the sport of bowling, 44 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 4: and that people here in ourz understood it a little 45 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 4: better because it's such a beautiful game. It's very complicated 46 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 4: when you get down to the knit and gritty, and 47 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 4: it's a very different experience at the highest level than 48 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 4: it is when you go on a Friday night with 49 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 4: your friends or family like that is a beautiful part 50 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 4: of our game, but the other side of the coin 51 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 4: is really competitive. 52 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 3: I can imagine you have the double handed technique and 53 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 3: that has given you a lot of controversy. How did 54 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 3: you get to the double handed technique? 55 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 4: Yes, well I started that way. I rolled my first 56 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 4: ball when I was eighteen months old. 57 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: Wow. 58 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 4: Mum and Dad built the bowling center here in Orange, 59 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 4: New South Wales, and either of them were bowler. They 60 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 4: never rote a ball until they built the place, and 61 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 4: so as I was getting older. Because they weren't bowlers 62 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 4: and weren't coaches, they never instructed me how to bowl. Traditionally, 63 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 4: they just saw their little boy having fun and kind 64 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 4: of out of their hair while they were and I 65 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 4: was just doing whatever came naturally to me to be 66 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 4: able to pick up these heavy bowling balls. And as 67 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 4: the years went on, I was just striking so much 68 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 4: more than everyone else my age or a little older 69 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 4: than me bowling traditional, and so I just kept with it. 70 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 4: And thank goodness because if you ever watched me bowl traditionally, 71 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 4: we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I'd probably 72 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 4: be working for that rather than in the world bowling. 73 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: Do you have a favorite ball? Kara bought the balland 74 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: have you been paying attention? And then they said it 75 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: was a resin ball with a skull in it. Do 76 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: you have something like that? 77 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 4: I have a few. Yeah, there's like more for center 78 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 4: mental reasons, like bowling balls that you know I've won 79 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 4: major championships with because of a clutch shot in the 80 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 4: final moment, or you know, something that has a little 81 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,839 Speaker 4: meaning to me. But over the years, I mean, we 82 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 4: go through so many bowling bowling balls kind of like 83 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 4: a golf club in a bag, you know, where you 84 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 4: have so many different options and variations and they all 85 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 4: do something a little different. So you know, you might 86 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 4: love your driver on a golf course, but you don't 87 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 4: really love your driver from one hundred meters out. You 88 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 4: kind of want, you know, a pitching wedge and then 89 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 4: that would come to your favorite club from that distance 90 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 4: and it's the same thing with bowling ball. So when 91 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 4: I really want to cook the ball up, I've got 92 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 4: a favorite ball. And when I want to play a 93 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 4: little straighter, I've got a favorite ball. So there isn't 94 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 4: really one kind of hat that fits all in the 95 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 4: bowling ball, but there are some that I really do cherish. 96 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 3: What's it like bowling, Cyber, I'm actually a non drink 97 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 3: I've never I've never bowld drunk. 98 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 4: So I can't I can't answer that for it, but 99 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 4: I will say plenty of my mates that I go 100 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 4: bowling with on a Friday or Saturday night, they challenged 101 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 4: me after having a few, and I don't know if 102 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 4: it hurts their score or makes them better. I'm still 103 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 4: undetermined which way it goes for them. 104 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: And have you ever got planned to waltz from the 105 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:24,679 Speaker 1: rental shoes? 106 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: Have I ever, sorry, what got planned to wet show. 107 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 4: Shoes or rental shoes? Maybe? Ever? In my life? 108 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: I love the ideas our one at. 109 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 4: The Orange temp In Bowl. We look after them, We 110 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 4: look up them like you can't believe. So yeah, don't 111 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 4: don't anyone nick them because we bowling shoes? 112 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 3: Yes, was the hipsters were stealing them wearing them that's right. 113 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: My first boyfriend used to wear them. 114 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 4: I went out in Sydney one night and I saw 115 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 4: there are a bunch of people wearing bowling shoes, like 116 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 4: at the nightclub, and for a second there I thought, 117 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 4: I don't know if it was good or about. I mean, 118 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 4: they've stolen property from someone, which is not good, but 119 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 4: I liked that they were wearing bowling shoes when they 120 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 4: went out. That was kind of cool. 121 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 3: Double ed short. It's getting like a bit of publicity 122 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 3: for the sport. 123 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, but they might have stolen from your fan. 124 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 3: Theft as well well. Jason, It's so great. It's so 125 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 3: great to meet you and keep doing what you're doing. 126 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 3: When's your next big tournament. 127 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, I've got two events of the rest of this year. 128 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 4: I've got the Tenpin Premier League in Keon Park in Melbourne, 129 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 4: which is on the weekend actually, and then the biggest 130 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 4: event left on the calendar is the IBF World Cup, 131 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 4: which actually is held on the Sunshine Coat here in Australia, 132 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 4: so it'll be the first time I get to compete 133 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 4: for Australia in Australia and for arguably the biggest event 134 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 4: of the season. So I'm really excited to head down 135 00:06:58,160 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 4: to the Sunshine Coast and bowl in front of all 136 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 4: the Aussie fans and actually have a little hometown support. Normally, 137 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 4: I'm traveling all around the world, so it's nice to 138 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 4: be able to come back home and wear the Aussie 139 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 4: shirt and you know, try and throw a bunch of 140 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 4: strikes for the yussy crowd. 141 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: We'll be cheering you on, Jason to be Jim bull Man. 142 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 4: I appreciate it, guys, I appreciate it very much. Thanks 143 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 4: for your time as well. 144 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: Thank you, Jason, Jason Bellmonte. There