Dripping Springs has a Hall of Famer
Dripping Springs has a well-kept secret, concerning a major sports VIP. Unless one is an ardent fan of bowling or one of the many kin in the area, it is unlikely many local citizens have heard of Wesley Clint Malott. And if you try to look him up on the internet you will still not see the town of Dripping Springs mentioned.
Dripping Springs has had this problem for a long time: babies born to Dripping Springs families are rarely born in the city itself. Since home births in the area petered out around the 1940s, few babies have been born at home. Therefore, most births would take place somewhere else in a hospital. It doesn’t help that Austin encroaches on Dripping Springs recognition, due to how close the city is to Aus tin addresses. Although many think of Dripping Springs as encompassing the school district, the fact is that Austin addresses begin at Trautwein and Sawyer Ranch Roads, and reports use these addresses for location.
That is what happened in the case of Malott. Malott was technically born in Austin on October 26, 1976, although his parents lived in Dripping Springs. Many towns that have any ties to important people put their claims to that person, and Dripping Springs should do no less.
Malott would live the first few years of his life in Dripping Springs under the guidance of his parents, Barbara and Wesley Eugene “W.E.” Malott. Before he would have a chance to attend Dripping Springs schools, the parents chose to go their separate ways. Malott would go with his moth er, and they relocated to Austin. This would be fortunate for him as they had a bowling alley in the area.
As he grew up, he was drawn to spend a lot of time at the bowling alley, honing his skills and working at the pro shop there. Before turning pro, he would buy the shop and run it for several years. Just like many others trying to “go pro,” they still have to do other things to make a living before they get there. For Malott, this was being a finish carpenter, and he trimmed out many houses, becoming very accomplished at it. In 2004, Malott took the big leap and went pro. The rest, as they say, is history.
It did not take long for him to establish his place among the best. It also did not take much time for him to get a nickname.
Early on, the bowlers began to call Malott “Big Nasty,” referring to his size and skill set. He is 6'5, 200+ pounds and to date has bowled 41 perfect 300 games on the Professional Bowlers Association tour. When I was young and watching bowling on TV, one usually saw smaller, wirytype bowlers that had a wicked hook on the ball. Seeing a bowler the size of Malott must have left many of his opponents in awe as to how well he bowled. Anyone having to pair up with him had to know they would be in a big battle.
It wasn’t not all about bowling though. Malott made room for the pro shop he owned in Pflugerville and his three children: Jordan (18), Camden (15), and Brooke (11). His aunt, Virginia Malott Wier, said he was always involved in his kids' sports, serving as a little league coach in baseball. Not surprising at all, she also said they all love to bowl. Jordan bowled in a PBA tourney at 15, finishing third. He just graduated high school and will be going to college in the fall to bowl and play baseball.
Malott's honors over the span of his career to date read like a Who's Who. He has won 10 PBA tour titles and 18 PBA Regional Tour titles. In 2008–2009 he was named the Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year. In 2012–2013, he won the U.S. Open and has been a runner-up in five other PBA major tournaments. His yearly averages have always been up near the top, including 222.98 in 2008–2009 for first and 221.33 in 2009–2010 for second. His 10th tour title came in 2015 when he and Norm Duke won the Mark Roth-Marshall Holmes PBA Doubles Championship.
Malott was just as successful in non-PBA events. In 2006–2007, he took the Showplace Lanes Megabucks Shootout. In 2009, he won the non-title PBA King of Bowling and went on to defend it for the next eight years. He had two televised 300 games in the 2009 King tourney. In 2019 and 2020, he anchored the Portland Lumberjacks to titles and earned the Mark Roth MVP award both years.He is the only bowler to win that award back-to-back.
In the PBA, when a bowler wins ten tour titles, they become eligible for consideration to the PBA Hall of Fame. Although it was just a matter of time, Malott patiently waited his turn. It finally happened in January of this year.
The President of the PBA set up an interview to surprise Malott with the announcement that he had unanimously been elected to the PBA Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held on February 26, and he was inducted with the rest of the Class of 2022. And with that, Dripping Springs can claim they have a Hall of Fame Bowler: Wesley Clint “Big Nasty” Malott.
Unlike sports that require five years after retiring for their respective halls of fame, a bowler can continue to bowl as long as they want to. At 45, Wesley has no desire to give up the things that he loves, and that includes bowling.