Wayne Zahn


Wayne Earl Zahn was an American professional tenpin bowler and charter member of the Professional Bowlers Association. Originally from Milwaukee, Zahn bowled out of Tempe, Arizona.

Biography

Zahn began his PBA career in 1961. While on the tour, he captured 14 tournament victories, was a runner-up seven times, and reached the top-five another 30 times.
Among Zahn's three major tournament victories, two of them were captured in 1966, the Firestone Tournament of Champions and the PBA National Championship, making him the first-ever bowler to win those two majors in the same season. On the strength of winning two majors plus the Seattle Open and taking the Tour's George Young High Average award during the 1966 [PBA Tour season|1966 season], Zahn was tabbed the Consensus Player of the Year.
Wayne's third major win was captured at the 1968 PBA National Championship, becoming that major's first two-time winner before Mike McGrath shortly joining him via his back-to-back titles in 1969 and 1970.
In 1980, Zahn became the youngest bowler to be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame Superior Performance category. In addition, Zahn was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1981.
During the PBA's 50th season in 2008–09, Zahn was named one of the "PBA’s 50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years" by a panel of bowling experts commissioned by the PBA, ranking at #31, just ahead of #32 Jim Godman and behind #30 Tommy Jones.
Following a similar path of other professional bowlers, Wayne became a proprietor of Zahn's Tempe Bowl in Tempe, AZ.
Zahn died on August 20, 2025, at the age of 84, having spent his final years with his family in Tempe.

PBA Tour titles

Major championships are in bold type.
  1. 1963 Chicago Coca-Cola PBA Open
  2. 1964 Buffalo PBA Open
  3. 1964 North California PBA Open
  4. 1966 Firestone Tournament of Champions
  5. 1966 Seattle Open
  6. 1966 PBA National Championship
  7. 1967 Durham Open
  8. 1968 Houston-Sertoma Open
  9. 1968 Mercury Open
  10. 1968 PBA National Championship
  11. 1969 West Valley Open
  12. 1970 National Pro-Am Classic
  13. 1974 Ebonite Open
  14. 1976 Showboat Invitational