18-Year-Old Pro Bowler Known as ‘The Ginger Assassin’ Makes History by Converting First Televised 7-10 Split in Decades

Anthony Neuer made Professional Bowlers Association Tour history on Sunday. The 18-year-old became the fourth player to convert a 7-10 split in his U.S. Open semifinals matchup. He also became the first person since 1991 to hit the split on a PBA Tour broadcast, according to USA Today.

The match was televised on Fox Sports, and play-by-play announcer Rob Stone nicknamed Neuer “The Ginger Assassin.” But despite the 7-10 split, Neuer lost his matchup with Jakob Butturff 257-203 at National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada. Neuer is the son of Andy Neuer who won a PBA Tour title in 1994.

Anthony Neuer, who turns 19 on April 26, has had a lot of success in his bowling career. As a member of the USA Junior Team, Neuer won a gold medal (all-events), two silver medals (doubles, trios) and one bronze medal (singles) at 2019 PABCON Youth Championships. He also won a silver medal (doubles) at the 2019 World Bowling Junior Championships, according to his bio.

The PBA Tour is in the middle of its 2021 season. In March 2020, the season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the league only having 14 title events compared to 29 in 2019. In a letter to the fans, PBA CEO Cole Edison wrote: “When we made the decision in March to postpone the rest of the regular season, we did so out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our players, our staff, and our fans. We continue to make this our #1 priority as we determine the best way to move forward with the tour’s remaining competitions in a manner that is safe and enjoyable for everyone.”