The 41-year-old Oatman (Chicago) became the first African-American and the oldest bowler in PBA history to earn PBA Rookie of the Year honors, surpassing C.K. Moore who was 39 years old when he won the award in 1996. Oatman led all rookies in points – finishing 37th in the 2006-07 PBA World Point Rankings to regain his exemption for 2007-08 – as well as earnings ($46,145) and match play appearances (7). He finished second among rookies with a 216.14 average.

Oatman, who also became the first left-handed bowler since Moore to win the award, nearly won a title in his first career television appearance, finishing second to Jason Couch in the 2007 Motel 6 Classic in January.

"It’s an honor. I feel really good to be able to put a smile on my mom’s face and my fiancé’s face, and to be able to celebrate with all my friends who rooted for me and supported me through everything," Oatman said. "To be in the same breath as George Branham III, Curtis Odom and Rod Pasteur, and to be an inspiration to the African-American youth is what I really wanted to do by coming out on Tour. They were great bowlers and great people, and right now because of the window of opportunity I have, I want to take the ball and run with it."

Oatman was lucky to be on Tour at all in 2006-07. He finished 11th in the 2006 Denny’s PBA Tour Trials, one spot shy of an exemption, but Ritchie Allen deferred his exemption later in the summer due to an injury, and Oatman was next in line. The switch made him the first African-American to earn an exemption since the Tour switched to an all-exempt format in 2004.