1979 PBA Tour season

Last updated
PBA Bowling Tour: 1979 Season
League Professional Bowlers Association
Sport Ten-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 2 – November 17, 1979
PBA Tour
Season MVP Mark Roth
PBA Tour seasons

This is a recap of the 1979 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 21st season, and consisted of 34 events. Following up on his eight titles a season ago, Mark Roth captured another six titles in the 1979 season, winning his third straight PBA Player of the Year award to match Earl Anthony's record of three POY crowns. Roth also averaged 221.699 during the 1979 season, to date the highest tour average in PBA history. [1]

Contents

Joe Berardi won his first career PBA title at the BPAA U.S. Open, while Mike Aulby did the same at the Showboat PBA National Championship. Aulby's victory made him the youngest-ever winner of a PBA major event at 19 years, 83 days. He would hold this distinction until 2016, when Anthony Simonsen won the USBC Masters at age 19 years, 39 days. [2]

George Pappas was the winner of the Firestone Tournament of Champions. In a rare feat, Pappas led this major tournament wire-to-wire, from opening match through to the finals. [3]

Marshall Holman won four titles on the season. With his win at the Seattle Open, the 24-year-old became the youngest PBA player to reach the career 10-title plateau (24 years, 274 days). [4] (Pete Weber would take over this distinction by just 27 days when he won his 10th PBA title in 1987.)

Tournament schedule

EventBowling centerCityDatesWinner
Miller High Life ClassicBrunswick Wonderland Bowl Anaheim, California Jan 2–6 Carmen Salvino (16)
Showboat InvitationalShowboat Hotel Lanes Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 8–13 Emmett Shutes (1)
Ford OpenMel's Southshore Bowl Alameda, California Jan 16–20 Steve Cook (1)
Quaker State OpenForum Bowl Grand Prairie, Texas Jan 23–27 Marshall Holman (8)
AMF Magicscore OpenWonder Bowl San Antonio, Texas Jan 30 – Feb 3 Dick Ritger (20)
Rolaids OpenDick Weber Lanes Florissant, Missouri Feb 8–10 Mark Roth (17)
Dutch Masters OpenSunnybrook Lanes Sterling Heights, Michigan Feb 13–17 Tommy Hudson (8)
Cleveland OpenBuckeye Lanes North Olmsted, Ohio Feb 20–24 Cliff McNealy (1)
Firestone '721' ClassicWestern Sunset Bowl Miami, Florida Feb 27 – Mar 3 Roy Buckley (6)
Fair Lanes OpenFair Lanes Adelphi, Maryland Mar 8–10 Larry Laub (11)
King Louie OpenKing Louie West Lanes Overland Park, Kansas Mar 13–17Mark Roth (18)
Miller High Life OpenRed Carpet Celebrity Lanes Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mar 20–24 Johnny Petraglia (12)
Long Island OpenGarden City Bowl Garden City, New York Mar 27–31 Earl Anthony (31)
BPAA U.S. Open Bradley Bowl Windsor Locks, Connecticut Apr 1–7 Joe Berardi (1)
Midas Golden ChallengeBrunswick Northwest Bowl Palatine, Illinois Apr 10–14Johnny Petraglia (13)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Akron, Ohio Apr 18–21 George Pappas (6)
Columbia PBA Doubles ClassicSaratoga Lanes San Jose, California May 30 – Jun 3Mark Roth (19),
Marshall Holman (9)
Showboat PBA National Championship Showboat Bowling Center Las Vegas, Nevada Jun 10–16 Mike Aulby (1)
City of Roses OpenTimber Lanes Portland, Oregon Jun 19–23Mark Roth (20)
Seattle OpenLeilani Lanes Seattle, Washington Jun 26–30Marshall Holman (10)
Fresno OpenCedar Lanes Fresno, California Jul 3–7 Sam Flanagan (2)
Southern California OpenGable House Bowl Torrance, California Jul 10–14 Henry Gonzalez (2)
Tucson OpenGolden Pin Lanes Tucson, Arizona Jul 17–21Joe Berardi (2)
Amarillo OpenAmarillo Bowl Amarillo, Texas Jul 24–28 Gary Dickinson (6)
Houston OpenStadium Bowl Houston, Texas Jul 31 – Aug 4 Ed Ressler (4)
Waukegan OpenBertrand Lanes Waukegan, Illinois Aug 9–12 Wayne Webb (2)
Buffalo OpenThruway Lanes Cheektowaga, New York Aug 15–18Wayne Webb (3)
Sarasota OpenGalaxy Lanes Sarasota, Florida Aug 22–25 Nelson Burton, Jr. (14)
Brunswick Regional Champions ClassicBrunswick Olympic Bowl Rochester, New York Oct 5–9 Fred Jaskie (2)
Kessler OpenKen Nottke's Bowl Battle Creek, Michigan Oct 12–16Larry Laub (12)
Kessler ClassicAstro Bowl Greenwood, Indiana Oct 19–23Mark Roth (21)
Lawsons OpenWestgate Lanes Fairview Park, Ohio Oct 28–30Mark Roth (22)
Syracuse OpenBrunswick Holiday Bowl Syracuse, New York Nov 2–6 Mike Durbin (6)
Brunswick Memorial World OpenBrunswick Deerbrook Lanes Deerfield, Illinois Nov 11–17Marshall Holman (11)

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References

  1. ↑ "Mark Roth Hall of Fame bio". PBA.
  2. ↑ Cannizzaro, Matt (February 14, 2016). "SIMONSEN MAKES HISTORY WITH WIN AT 2016 USBC MASTERS". pba.com. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ "1979 Firestone - Pappas Pockets $30,000". PBA. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ "1979 Seattle Open". PBA.
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