1971 PBA Tour season

Last updated
PBA Bowling Tour: 1971 Season
League Professional Bowlers Association
Sport Ten-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 3 – December 13, 1971
PBA Tour
Season MVP Don Johnson
PBA Tour seasons

This is a recap of the 1971 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 13th season, and consisted of 32 events. This marked the first season that the BPAA U.S. Open (formerly BPAA All-Star) was recognized as part of the PBA Tour. The event was won by Mike Limongello. Limongello posted a second major tournament win in 1971 when he captured the PBA National Championship.

Don Johnson had six titles on the 1971 Tour and won the PBA Player of the Year award, which was awarded by a player vote for the first time. Johnny Petraglia nearly matched Johnson with five titles, including a run of three in a row that concluded with a victory in the Firestone Tournament of Champions.

Tournament schedule

EventBowling centerCityDatesWinner
BPAA U.S. Open Drkula's 32 Bowl St. Paul, Minnesota Jan 3–9 Mike Limongello (5)
Denver OpenColorado Bowl Denver, Colorado Jan 12–18 Dick Weber (21)
Showboat InvitationalShowboat Lanes Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 19–23 Don Johnson (12)
Greater Los Angeles OpenBowling Square Arcadia, California Jan 26–30 Dave Soutar (11)
Ebonite OpenSaratoga Lanes San Jose, California Feb 2–6 Larry Lichstein (1)
Andy Granatelli's STP ClassicKing Louie West Kansas City, Missouri Feb 9–13 Johnny Guenther (5)
Winston-Salem ClassicMajor League Lanes Winston-Salem, North Carolina Feb 16–20 Johnny Petraglia (3)
Miller High Life OpenRed Carpet Lanes Milwaukee, Wisconsin Feb 23–27Dave Soutar (12)
Buckeye OpenImperial Lanes Toledo, Ohio Mar 2–6Dick Weber (22)
Cougar OpenMadison Square Garden New York, New York Mar 9–13 Earl Anthony (2)
Fair Lanes OpenFair Lanes Springfield, Virginia Mar 18–20Johnny Petraglia (4)
Don Carter ClassicPelican Lanes New Orleans, Louisiana Mar 23–27Johnny Petraglia (5)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Akron, Ohio Mar 27 – Apr 1Johnny Petraglia (6)
Bellows-Valvair OpenBrunswick Wonderbowl Anaheim, California Jun 4–7 Gary Madison (1)
Fresno OpenCedar Lanes Fresno, California Jun 11–14 Ed Bourdase (2)
Seattle OpenBallinger Bowl Seattle, Washington Jun 18–21Don Johnson (13)
Portland OpenValley Lanes Portland, Oregon Jun 24–27 Don Helling (3)
Winston-Salem OpenMel's Bowl Redwood City, California Jul 2–5Don Johnson (14)
Tucson OpenCactus Bowl Tucson, Arizona Jul 5–12 Jim Godman (6)
El Paso OpenFreeway Lanes El Paso, Texas Jul 16–19 J. B. Blaylock (1)
Houston-Sertoma OpenStadium Bowl Houston, Texas Jul 23–26Johnny Petraglia (7)
Grand Rapids OpenWestgate Bowl Grand Rapids, Michigan Aug 13–16 Tommy Tuttle (3)
Waukegan OpenBertrand Lanes Waukegan, Illinois Aug 19–22Don Johnson (15)
South Bend OpenChippewa Bowl South Bend, Indiana Aug 27–30 Barry Asher (3)
Winston-Salem OpenCranston Bowl Cranston, Rhode Island Sep 3–6 Roy Buckley (1)
12th Annual PBA National Championship Paramus Bowl Paramus, New Jersey Oct 9–16Mike Limongello (6)
Lincoln OpenHollywood Bowl Lincoln, Nebraska Oct 22–25 Larry Laub (2)
850,000 American Airlines OpenEllisville Bowl Ellisville, Missouri Oct 29 – Nov 1Barry Asher (4)
Mercury OpenHenrietta Lanes Rochester, New York Nov 5–8Johnny Guenther (6)
Bellows-Valvair OpenHartfield Lanes Detroit, Michigan Nov 12–15Don Johnson (16)
Brunswick World OpenNorthern Bowl Glendale Heights, Illinois Nov 21–27Don Johnson (17)
Hawaiian InvitationalHonolulu Bowl Honolulu, Hawaii Dec 3–13Dick Weber (23)