As a writer for a major daily newspaper for 40 plus years and the bowling writer for the Knight-Ridder News Wire for more than a decade, I am a devout advocate of the power of the press.

But times change and I now have a deep respect for the power of the Internet when it comes to chain letters as used by political, religious and military groups.

The Professional Bowlers Association needs an Internet chain letter to start today in order to attract more viewers for the Sunday telecast of the USBC Masters on ESPN at 1 p.m.

So I am asking you if you love bowling and you support the PBA to copy this letter and story and pass it on to at least 25 friends on your email list and ask them to continue the chain letter by passing it on to 25 others.

I am not going to promise you anything lucky will happen to you by jumping on the PBA Internet bandwagon, but I think that the PBA could get lucky with renewed interest in its Sunday telecasts.

And after you have copied this Email and sent it to 25 others today, copy it and send it to 25 more tomorrow.

The PBA and the entire bowling industry needs support. You can help and so can your friends.

And while at it, you can support the PBA sponsors — Denny's (the tour's umbrella sponsor), Ace Hardware, Bayer, Brunswick, Columbia 300, Discover Card, Etonic, GEICO, H&R Block, Motel 6, Pepsi, USBC and I understand possibly Flomax.

All of these great sponsors fit right into the image of America's bowling industry so support them.

PASS THE WORD, the PBA and bowling needs a potent Email chain letter — today.

By Dick Evans