Jakob Butturff died Friday, stunning the bowling world, PBA confirmed in this news release. He was just 32.

His death, reportedly of a heart attack and reported first on social media, ended a PBA Tour career that was on track to earn him induction into both the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame.

The left-hander with the unique corkscrew release that produced stunning power had eight PBA Tour titles, including one major in the USBC Masters, along with 27 PBA Regional titles. His PBA Tour titles leave him one major or two regular titles shy of title eligibility for the PBA Hall of Fame.

The 7-time member of Team USA also nearly won a USBC Open Championships Eagle in all-events with 2,124 in 2016, win a Team USA Trials title, won the 2017 QubicaAMF World Cup, and won enough medals for Team USA to make him eligible for the USBC Hall of Fame in the Outstanding USBC Performance category, bowling historian Eric Hartman said in a message exchange.

His overall record leaves him just shy of eligiblity for the USBC Hall of Fame in the Superior Performance category, which is where he belongs.

The problem for Butturff is that his death means he can't make the required 20 years of membership/competition to be eligible, but I believe boths Halls of Fame provide for exceptions in extenuating cirucmstances. USBC did this in the case of Michelle Feldman, who was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame earlier this year even though a disabling stroke prevents her from getting to 20 years.   

Considering the circumstances, I believe it would be appropriate for Butturff to be inducted into both the USBC and PBA Halls of Fame. If I still was on the USBC Hall of Fame committee I absolutely would vote for an exception to induct Butturff.

I wrote my first feature story about Butturff in January 2017, after witnessing him in person for the first time at the World Series of Bowling in late 2016.

Butturff's hypermobility enabled him to get his wrist into positions that allowed him to greatly vary his roll and produce astonishing power for a 1-hander.

Butturff first attracted national attention when he won the New Mexico Open in August 2015, beating Francis Lavoie — another relative unknown at the time who has become a PBA Tour champion and household name — in the title match.

“It kind of was my breakthrough,” Butturff said. “That’s kind of what quick-started my mindset that I can compete with some of the best out there.”

He then made his first PBA Tour TV show at the 2015 World Series of Bowling, finishing fourth in the PBA Viper Championship, and also placed fifth in the Chameleon Championship.

A month later, Butturff won his first PBA Tour title by edging Shawn Maldonado 207-205 in the title match of the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open.

He would go on to win six more PBA Regional titles in 2016 to break Mike Scroggins’ record for most Regional titles in a year, and his second PBA Tour title by running away with a dominating win in the PBA Xtra Frame South Point Las Vegas Open.

Butturff’s nine PBA Regional titles in 2016 helped him earn West Region and Northwest Region Player of the Year honors, and he added Northwest Region Player of the Year awards in 2017 and 2018.

In 2019, Butturff was runner-up in Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year voting, winning three titles, including the 2019 USBC Masters, finished runner-up to Jason Belmonte in the PBA World Championship, and ranked second to Belmonte in points and earnings.

Two of his losses also should boost his Hall of Fame candidacy, as they came in the title matches of consecutive U.S. Opens that he led by hundreds of pins. 

Butturff led the 2017 U.S. Open by a record 617 pins, but then lost the title match to Rhino Page.

Butturff was eighth after qualifying in the 2018 U.S. OPen, then soared to the top and ran away on the fourth pattern, outdistancing No. 2 seed Kris Prather by 522 pins, before losing the title match to Dom Barrett.

“Jakob was one of the most unique players in PBA history,” PBA Commissioner Tom Clark said in the PBA release. “Fans marveled at his delivery, as he rode a wave of strikes into becoming a top player in the sport, capable of winning at any time, in any event. Jakob was kind, he was respectful, and he was a champion. He will never be forgotten. Our hearts are with all Butters touched on his one-of-a-kind journey.”

Upon hearing the news, countless PBA Tour players expressed their sympathies to Butturff and his family on social media, as reported in the PBA release.

“It ain’t supposed to be like this,” wrote E.J. Tackett. “It’s nothing short of soul crushing. Butters was one of the guys that would give the shirt off his back for anyone in need and he showed that time and time again. The bowling world lost today and it will never be the same. We all love you buddy. Until we meet again my friend.”

“Butters, I don’t even have the words right now, but just know you will be missed, loved, and always remembered!” wrote A.J. Johnson. “You had one of the biggest hearts and made everyone laugh! I love you Butters, now go give your mom the biggest hug you always gave us!”

“The PBA has lost one of its kindest,” Jason Belmonte wrote on social media.

Natalie Tackett, E.J.'s wife, shared this classic Butters video, Belmonte made this emotional post about his friend harkening back to when he beat him for a major title, and Marshall Kent made this post about a moment they shared after meeting for a PBA Tour title.

I enjoyed interviewing Jakob because he always tried to provide answers no matter how painful the moment, or tough the question. He was just a good dude who was wonderful with fans and his fellow players, from everything I know and ever saw. 

Butturff was born and raised in Las Vegas, and also lived in Phoenix, Ariz. and Binghamton, N.Y.

[Correction: An earlier version of this story had the wrong number of PBA Tour titles for Butturff — my error — and the wrong history for where Butturff was born and lived — PBA error.]