Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift Head-to-Head in Bowling Hall of Fame Fan Vote Showdown

ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in bowling history, the industry has opened up the Hall of Fame celebrity induction process to the fans – and the votes are pouring in.  Since the fan polls opened on July 12, more than 1.2 million votes have been cast at www.gobowling.com in a roller-coaster competition that has seen the front-runner position shift from early vote leader Jeff Bridges (aka "The Dude" from the Big Lebowski) to a neck-in-neck competition between pop culture sensations Justin Bieber (600,738 votes) and Taylor Swift (599,459 votes).  National Bowling Week (July 31 to August 7) marks the final week of the online vote with the inductee to be announced exclusively in the August 23 issue of OK! Magazine.

As released today by the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA), below are the official vote tallies among the nine Celebrity Hall of Fame nominees (as of 11pm ET on Sunday, August 1st):

1. Justin Bieber…………………………………………………………600,738 votes
2. Taylor Swift…………………………………………………………...599,459 votes
3. Jeff Bridges………………………………………………………….....14,464 votes
4. Pauley Perrette..…………………………………………………….......9,366 votes
5. Kim Kardashian……………………………………………………........3,596 votes
6. Bill Murray………………………………………………………….............823 votes
7. Dwight Howard…………………………………………………………….745 votes
8. Jimmy Fallon………………………………………………………………588 votes
9. Chris Paul………………………………………………………….............577 votes

Underscoring the global popularity of bowling, the BPAA reported that votes were cast by individuals in all 50 states and across 113 countries.

"This year marks the first time that we opened the Celebrity Hall of Fame voting to the public and, across all corners of the globe, the fan response has been absolutely tremendous," said Steve Johnson, executive director of the BPAA.  "While Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift have both raced far ahead of the pack, anything can happen as the votes continue to roll in during National Bowling Week."

The final votes will be tallied on World Record Day, August 7th, a day on which more than 3,000 centers across the United States will join forces to try to set a new world record for the most bowling games played in a 24 hour period.  Until then, consumers will be empowered to vote online at www.gobowling.com for the candidate who they would most like to see forever enshrined in bowling history for their bowling contributions.   OK! Magazine will be the first to officially announce the 2010 inductee in its August 23 issue.

"Like OK! Magazine, this vote is about celebrating celebrities with the fans, and we look forward to exclusively revealing the winner," said Mark Pasetsky, OK!'s Managing Editor.

As an added incentive to urge consumers to cast votes for their favorite stars, thousands of bowling centers across the United States are teaming together to provide a free game of bowling to everyone who casts a vote.  Simply by voting at www.gobowling.com, consumers can download a coupon for a free game of bowling on World Record Day.

Below is bowling background information on the celebrity nominees:

• Justin Bieber – Teenage heart throb Justin Bieber demonstrated his love of bowling in the music video for his smash hit single "Baby," that has garnered nearly 232 million views on YouTube.  Bieber also hosted a bowling-themed release party in New York City for his album "My World 2.0," where he defeated R&B star and New York radio personality Nick Cannon in a bowling showdown.
• Taylor Swift – Since country music star Taylor Swift's rise to fame, she has been frequently spotted and photographed hitting the lanes with celebrity friends like Selena Gomez and Cory Monteith.
• Jeff Bridges – Oscar award winning actor Jeff Bridges starred as "The Dude" in the 1998 critically acclaimed bowling film "The Big Lebowski."  In Bridges' role he reinvented "cool" and the movie has since become a cult classic.
• Pauley Perrette – Perrette is best known for her portrayal as the lovable and upbeat gothic forensic scientist Abbey Sciuto who regularly enjoys bowling with nuns in the hit CBS series NCIS.
• Kim Kardashian – Photographs of reality star Kim Kardashian at bowling centers and charity bowling events have graced the covers of celebrity magazines and tabloids nationwide.  Kardashian also showed her skills on the lanes with sister Khloe on her hit reality show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
• Bill Murray – Comic genius Bill Murray starred as the memorable Ernie McCracken in the 1996 comedy "King Pin."  Since his role as the flamboyant McCracken, Murray has been a bowling icon with the popularity of his character living on through millions of Internet views.
• Dwight Howard – A true bowling aficionado, NBA all-star center Dwight Howard frequently hosts charity bowling tournaments in Orlando and has been honored in the pages of U.S. Bowler Magazine for his support of the sport.
• Jimmy Fallon – The former Saturday Night Live star turned late night talk show host regularly conducts zany segments with celebrity guests including Grapefruit Bowling with Jennifer Anniston, Drew Barrymore's bowling ball lick and a perennial show favorite – Human Bowling.
• Chris Paul – NBA all-star point guard Chris Paul is an avid bowler who has served as an advocate and youth ambassador for the United States Bowling Congress.  Paul, who dubs bowling his "second favorite sport" regularly runs a celebrity invitational pro-am bowling tournament on the PBA tour that pairs celebrities with professional bowlers.

For more information on the Celebrity Hall of Fame induction process or to cast a vote for today, visit www.gobowling.com.

About BPAA

Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, the 78-year-old Bowling Proprietors' Association of America is a trade association representing the business interests of bowling center owners worldwide.  As the voice of the bowling industry, BPAA's mission is to enhance the profitability of its member bowling centers.

About International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame

Located at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, TX, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame collects, preserves and researches bowling's history, provides a suitable home for bowling's major halls of fame, and makes the museum's information and collection available to interested parties globally for education, promotion and entertainment.

SOURCE Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA)