Mark Roth

Mark Roth (April 10, 1951 – November 26, 2021) was an American professional tenpin bowler renowned for revolutionizing the sport through his high-rev, power-driven style that emphasized speed, spin, and explosive releases, earning him the nickname "father of the modern power game." Born in Brooklyn, New York, to postal worker Sidney Roth and legal secretary Hilda Roth, he joined the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour in 1970 and secured his first title in 1975, going on to amass a record eight PBA victories in 1978 alone.

Roth's dominance in the late 1970s and 1980s included four PBA Player of the Year awards (– and 1984), six PBA High Average Awards, and career earnings exceeding $1.5 million, with him becoming the second bowler to surpass $1 million in winnings by 1984. He achieved 34 total PBA titles—ranking sixth all-time—and two majors, while becoming the first to convert the notoriously difficult 7-10 split on national television during the ARC Alameda Open. His innovative approach, often described as "ripping the cover off the ball," injected dynamism and precision into bowling, influencing generations of players and earning him fifth place on the PBA's list of 50 greatest players in 2008.

Mark Roth was born on April 10, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, to Sidney Roth, a postal worker, and Hilda (Rocker) Roth, a legal secretary. He grew up in a Jewish family in the working-class neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay, where his parents provided a modest, stable home amid the urban environment of mid-20th-century Brooklyn.

Roth had a sister named Reece, who predeceased him. His early childhood was shaped by the close-knit dynamics of his immediate family, with limited public details available about specific routines or influences beyond the socioeconomic context of a postal and secretarial household in a blue-collar community. This environment reflected the broader experiences of many Jewish families in post-World War II New York, emphasizing hard work and community ties.