Professional Bowlers Association

After months of anticipation, years of hard work and brilliant bowling, Earl Anthony climaxed his unparalleled career by winning an unprecedented fifth PBA National Championship to become the first bowler in tour history to surpass $1 million in lifetime money earnings.

Anthony achieved the long-sought goal by defeating Charlie Tapp from the top-seeded position, 233-191, to earn the $38,000 top prize in the $200,000 Toledo Trust PBA National Championship at Imperial Lanes.

Just as in his previous National Championships (1973, 1974, 1975 and 1981), Anthony was the man to beat practically all the way. After surpassing qualifying leader Mike Durbin in the fifth round, the seemingly unstoppable lefthander took control and built a 272-pin first-place margin going into the championship round.

Durbin outlasted Steve Westberg for second place while two-time National Champion Dave Davis secured fourth, with Tapp barely edging veteran Roy Buckley for the fifth and final spot.

Tapp, enjoying an outstanding Winter Tour but still looking for his first PBA title, set out to make his initial victory a major one. He slipped past Davis, 198-194, and Westberg, 221-211, as well as Durbin, 226-197, in his climb up the stepladder format to the championship game.

Anthony, bowling "the biggest game of my life," started with a strike before leaving a 4-6-7-8-10 split in the second frame to fall behind Tapp, who had also suffered an open frame, by three pins.

Anthony came back with three straight strikes, but Tapp doubled in the eighth and ninth frames to put the pressure on, making Anthony mark in the final stanza to lock up the victory.

Anthony's million-dollar ball was uncharacteristically light in the pocket, but the pins scattered as he raised his arms in triumph.

"I've never been this thrilled before in my bowling career," said the winner. "There is no way I can top this victory. It was our national championship on national TV in the highest-paying tournament yet. All that and going over the $1 million mark."

He reached the seven-figure plateau with $12,586 to spare, all earned since 1970. The National represented his 38th PBA title, far more than any other bowler has achieved.

It was an historic victory, highlighting a tremendous career by a truly great individual.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS - Tapp defeated Davis, 198-194; Tapp defeated Westberg, 221-211; Tapp defeated Durbin, 226-197; and in the championship match, Anthony defeated Tapp, 233-191.

56-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Earl Anthony, Dublin, Calif.		12502		223.2		15-9-0		450		12952
2		Mike Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio		12290		219.4		13-11-0		290		12680
3		Steve Westberg, Cottage Grove, Ore.		12194		217.7		13-10-1		405		12599
4		Dave Davis, Tinton Falls, N.J.		12077		215.6		16-8-0		480		12557
5		Charlie Tapp, S. St. Paul, Minn.		12029		214.8		15-9-0		450		12479
**6		Roy Buckley, New Albany, Ohio		11976		213.8		16-8-0		480		12456		$5,050
7		Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif.		11909		212.6		15-9-0		450		12359		3,850
		John Weltzien, Huntley, 111.		11999		214.2		12-12-0		360		12359		3,850
9		Kevin Gillette, Florence, Ky.		11937		213.1		14-10-0		420		12357		3,300
10		Steve Cook, Roseville, Calif.		12017		214.5		9-15-0		270		12287		3,000
11		Gary Dickinson, Burleson, Texas		11833		211.3		15-9-0		450		12283		2,800
12		Mike Aulby, Indianapolis		11919		212.8		12-12-0		360		12279		2,600
13		Jay Robinson, Van Nuys, Calif.,		11939		213.1		10-13-1		315		12254		2,400
14		Palmer Fallgren, Boca Raton, Fla.		11927		212.9		10-14-0		300		12227		2,300
15		Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J.		11802		210.7		13-11-0		390		12192		2,200
16		Boysie Huber, St. Louis		11840		211.4		11-13-0		330		12170		2,100
17		Dick Nardozza, Bellefonte, Pa.		11804		210.7		11-13-0		330		12134		2,000
18		Mal Acosta, Hayward, Calif.		11764		210.0		12-12-0		360		12124		1,900
19		Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, U.S.A.		11704		209.0		12-12-0		360		12064		1,800
20		Paul Moser, Somerset, Mass.		11710		209.1		9-15-0		270		11980		1,700
21		Carmen Salvino, Chicago		11746		209.7		7-17-0		210		11956		1,600
22		Don Johnson, Las Vegas, Nev.		11587		206.9		10-14-0		300		11887		1,500
23		Tom Robards, Carmichael, Calif.		11519		205.6		9-15-0		270		11789		1,400
24		Dave Wilkerson, Chapel Hill, N.C.		11465		204.7		8-16-0		240		11705		1,350

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		Mike Orlovsky, Endicott, N.Y.	$1,335
26		Tom Hinz, Joliet, Ill.	1,230
27		Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va.	1,205
28		Pete McCordic, Houston	1,180
29		Randy Pierce, Canton, Mich.	1,155
30		Dick Weber, St. Louis	1,140
31		Jim Robinette, Alexandria, Va.	1,130
32		Jerry Held, Monroe, Mich.	1,120
33		Louie Moore, Columbus, Ohio	1,105
		Dave Soutar, Leawood, Kan.	1,105
35		Ed Martin, Kokomo, Ind.	1,090
36		Ed Ressler Jr., Merrimack, N.H.	1,080
37		John Hricsina, Franklin, Pa.	1,065
		Wayne Webb, Indianapolis	1,065
39		Larry Laub, Santa Rosa, Calif.	1,050
40		Jeff Dreischer, Van Wert, Ohio	1,040
41		Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis	1,030
42		Ed Walsh, Perth Amboy, N.J.	1,020
43		Jim Ragnoni, Elyria, Ohio	1,010
44		Joe Berardi, Brooklyn, N.Y.	995
		Mark Roth, Spring Lake Hts., N.J.	995
46		Jeff Morin, Cleveland	980
47		Rich Hartman, Godfrey, Ill.	970
48		Jim Snow, Altoona, Pa.	960
49		Art Trask, Fresno, Calif.	950
50		Steve Fehr, Cincinnati. Ohio.	940
51		Alan Granat, Palisade, Colo.	930
52		Steve Lickliter, Beckley, W. Va.	915
		Mike Steinbach, Alsip, Ill.	915
54		Steve Ray, Irving Texas	900
55		Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio	890
56		Les Zikes, Palatine. Ill.	880
57		Bob O'Connor, Poway, Calif.	870
58		Gary Cunningham, Baldwinsville, N.Y.	855
		Roger Haskell, Renton, Wash.	855
60		Jim Poulos, Daly City, Calif.	840
61		Steve Smith, Toledo, Ohio	830
62		Butch Soper, Newport Beach, Calif.	820
63		Daniel Ghezzi, Childs, Pa.	810
64		Pete Couture, Windsor Locks, Conn.	800
65		Alvin Lou, El Cajon, Calif.	790
66		Teata Semiz, Fairfield, N.J.	780
67		Mark Baker, Garden Grove. Calif.	765
		Steve Grimes, Escondido, Calif.	765
69		Joe Losurdo, Oswego, N.Y.	745
		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.	745
71		Mike Keefe, West Nyack, N.Y.	725
		Hugh Miller, Seattle	725
73		Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y.	710
74		Ken Fernandez, Grants Pass, Ore.	700
75		Ken Hochstein, Canton, Mich.	690
76		Ron Bays, Bloomington, Ill.	680
77		Jack Bruderly, Salem, Ohio	670
78		Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla.	660
79		Bill Spargo, Redford, Mich.	650
80		Guppy Troup, Jacksonville, Fla.	640
81		Cecil Caddel, Dallas	630
82		Joe Viscomi, New London, N.C.	620
83		Greg Nicora, Dearborn Hts., Mich.	610
84		Mike Bair, Hanover, Pa.	600
85		Mark Miller, Twin Falls, Idaho.	590
86		Neil Burton, St. Louis	580
87		Larry Franz, Margate, Fla.	570
88		Tom Nevitt, Jacksonville, Fla.	560
89		Jeff Edens, Wilmington, N.C.	550
90		Gary Morgan, Bloomfield, Conn.	540