1970 PBA Tour season

Last updated
PBA Bowling Tour: 1970 Season
League Professional Bowlers Association
Sport Ten-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 6 – December 14, 1970
PBA Tour
Season MVP Nelson Burton Jr.
PBA Tour seasons

This is a recap of the 1970 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 12th season, and consisted of 35 events. Dave Soutar had the most titles on the 1970 Tour (5), but it was Nelson Burton Jr., winner of four titles and the George Young High Average award, who claimed the Sporting News PBA Player of the Year award. [1]

Contents

Mike McGrath successfully defended his 1969 title at the PBA National Championship. [2] Don Johnson nearly made history in winning the Firestone Tournament of Champions, firing a 299 game in the finale to upend Dick Ritger, 299-268. [3]

Dick Weber won the season-ending Hawaiian Invitational to become the first player to reach 20 career PBA Tour titles. [4] This season also saw the debut of PBA legend Earl Anthony, a 31-year old rookie. Anthony would win the first of his 43 titles on June 7 at the Heidelberg Open.

Tournament schedule

EventBowling centerCityDatesWinner
Wichita Centennial OpenCrestview Bowl Wichita, Kansas Jan 6–10 Skee Foremsky (5)
Greater Los Angeles OpenBowling Square Arcadia, California Jan 13–17 Ed Bourdase (1)
Showboat InvitationalShowboat Lanes Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 20–24 Dave Soutar (6)
San Jose OpenSaratoga Lanes San Jose, California Jan 27–31 Dave Davis (12)
Denver OpenColorado Bowl Denver, Colorado Feb 3–7 Nelson Burton Jr. (4)
Ebonite OpenKing Louie West Kansas City, Missouri Feb 10–14 Jim Stefanich (10)
Miller High Life OpenBowlero Lanes Milwaukee, Wisconsin Feb 17–21 George Pappas (1)
Buckeye OpenImperial Lanes Toledo, Ohio Feb 24–28Nelson Burton Jr. (5)
Greater Buffalo OpenFairlanes Buffalo, New York Mar 3–7George Pappas (2)
Don Carter ClassicMadison Square Garden Center New York, New York Mar 10–14 Mike Limongello (4)
Cougar OpenColiseum Lanes Coral Gables, Florida Mar 17–21 Mike McGrath (4)
New Orleans Lions OpenPelican Lanes New Orleans, Louisiana Mar 24–28 Don Johnson (10)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Akron, Ohio Mar 31 – Apr 4Don Johnson (11)
National Pro-Am ClassicEast Point Triangle Lanes Atlanta, Georgia Apr 11–12 Wayne Zahn (12)
Heidelberg OpenBallinger Bowl Seattle, Washington Jun 4–7 Earl Anthony (1)
Portland OpenValley Lanes Portland, Oregon Jun 11–14 Don Glover (5)
Bellows-Valvair OpenMel's Bowl Redwood City, California Jun 18–21 Mike Durbin (4)
Fresno OpenCedar Lanes Fresno, California Jun 26–29 Marty Piraino (3)
Tucson Centurion OpenCactus Bowl Tucson, Arizona Jul 2–5 Larry Laub (1)
El Paso OpenFreeway Lanes El Paso, Texas Jul 10–13Nelson Burton Jr. (6)
Houston-Sertoma OpenStadium Bowl Houston, Texas Jul 17–20 Don McCune (2)
Fort Worth OpenMeadowbrook Lanes Fort Worth, Texas Jul 23–26Nelson Burton Jr. (7)
Grand Rapids OpenWestgate Bowl Grand Rapids, Michigan Aug 14–17 Dick Battista (1)
Waukegan OpenBertrand Bowl Waukegan, Illinois Aug 20–23Dave Soutar (7)
Gansett OpenCranston Bowl Cranston, Rhode Island Aug 28–31Jim Stefanich (11)
Bellows-Valvair OpenN. Versailles Lanes Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Sep 4–7 Johnny Petraglia (2)
Blue Mountain OpenBlue Valley Lanes Windgap, Pennsylvania Sep 10–13 Curt Schmidt (1)
Japan Gold CupStarlanes Tokyo, Japan Sep 24 – Oct 12 Dick Ritger (9)
11th Annual PBA National Championship Garden City Bowl Garden City, New York Oct 17–24Mike McGrath (5)
Bellows-Valvair OpenDick Weber Lanes St. Louis, Missouri Oct 30 – Nov 2Dave Soutar (8)
Lincoln OpenHollywood Bowl Lincoln, Nebraska Nov 6–9Dave Soutar (9)
Mercury OpenHilander Bowling Palace Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Nov 13–16 Bud Horn (2)
American Airlines OpenHartfield Lanes Detroit, Michigan Nov 20–23Dave Soutar (10)
Bellows-Valvair OpenMaiden Lanes Rochester, New York Nov 27–30 Teata Semiz (2)
Hawaiian InvitationalHonolulu Bowl Honolulu, Hawaii Dec 3–14 Dick Weber (20)

References

  1. "Nelson Burton Jr. bio". imdb.com.
  2. "Mike McGrath". mcubed.net.
  3. "1970 Firestone Tournament of Champions". PBA.
  4. "1970 3rd Annual Hawaiian Invitational". PBA.