Randy Pedersen, a member of the Professional Bowlers Association and a familiar television voice, has died at age 64. He was known both for his success on tour and for a broadcasting career that brought bowling to millions of viewers.
Pedersen won 13 PBA Tour titles, including the prestigious PBA National Championship as his lone major. Eleven of those titles came across a dominant ten-season stretch when he ranked among the sport’s elite. He closed his PBA Tour title count with a victory in the Pepsi Open at age 40, a win that pushed his career earnings past the seven-figure mark.
His competitive record included 34 career top-five finishes and 17 appearances in final matches, where he compiled a 13–4 record. Pedersen is also remembered for two heart-breaking one-pin losses in major events, including a narrow defeat to Ernie Schlegel and a semifinal loss to Norm Duke. Those moments entered PBA lore for their drama and for Pedersen’s visible disappointment after near-perfect shots.
Off the lanes, Pedersen grew up in Southern California before relocating to Clermont, Florida where he lived for many years. He and his ex-wife Becky had two children. He was ranked among the PBA’s 50 greatest players and was later elected to the PBA Hall of Fame.
Broadcast Career And Legacy
Pedersen built a second career as the sport’s most recognizable analyst, serving more than two decades as a full-time color commentator on PBA broadcasts across ESPN, Fox and CBS Sports Network. He also narrated webcasts on PBA Xtra Frame, FloBowling and the BowlTV YouTube channel, and worked alongside several play-by-play announcers including Rob Stone and Dave Ryan.
Broadcasters and fans often praised his deep technical knowledge, colorful catchphrases and dry humor. He once explained his analyst role by saying he wanted to show viewers why they were watching the best bowlers in the world and to bring enthusiasm to broadcasts. The PBA later honored his influence by debuting an oil pattern bearing his name at a USA versus The World event.
Pedersen won immediately after joining the PBA50 senior circuit, taking the first event he entered, and he was elected to the USBC Hall of Fame before an official induction ceremony. He made cameo appearances in bowling films and documentaries, and remained a dominant personality in the sport even after the PBA moved to a new television direction that changed analyst assignments.
