1991 PBA Tour season

Last updated
PBA Bowling Tour: 1991 Season
League Professional Bowlers Association
Sport Ten-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 8 – December 8, 1991
PBA Tour
Season MVP David Ozio
PBA Tour seasons

This is a recap of the 1991 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 33rd season, and consisted of 36 events.

Contents

The 1991 season featured the infamous "Del Ballard, Jr. gutter ball." Needing two strikes and seven pins in the tenth frame to defeat Pete Weber for the title at the Fair Lanes Open, Ballard got the necessary first two strikes. But he then inexplicably tossed his fill ball into the channel, handing Weber the title. [1]

Ballard would rebound to win four titles in 1991, but it was another four-time winner, David Ozio, who claimed PBA Player of the Year honors. Among his four titles on the season, Ozio was victorious at the Firestone Tournament of Champions. The televised finals for this event were delayed 40 minutes due to a bomb threat, which turned out to be a prank call. [2]

Mike Miller won his first-ever PBA title at the PBA National Championship, while Pete Weber captured the second BPAA U.S. Open title of his career, and fourth major title overall. Post-interview after winning the tournament, Pete held up the trophy above his head, and the cast resin eagle attachment unexpectedly fell from the base and shattered into pieces upon hitting the floor. Telecast commentator and longtime professional Nelson Burton, Jr. later suspected guilt for the mishap, recalling that before they went on the air, he unscrewed the nut that held the eagle in place and showed it to the audience before putting it back on the base, neglecting to secure the nut back on. He cannot remember fully if this is the case, but believes it is. [3] Weber was mailed a replacement trophy a few days later.

John Mazza made PBA TV history in a semi-final match at the Bud Light Classic, when he became just the second person ever to convert the 7–10 split on national television. (Mark Roth was the first.) [4] Jess Stayrook would become the third player to accomplish the same feat, later in the season at the Tucson Open. [5]

Tournament schedule

EventBowling centerCityDatesWinner
AC-Delco ClassicGable House Bowl Torrance, California Jan 8–12 David Ozio (7)
Showboat InvitationalShowboat Bowling Center Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 13–19David Ozio (8)
ARC Pinole OpenPinole Valley Lanes Pinole, California Jan 22–26 Brian Voss (10)
Quaker State OpenForum Bowling Lanes Grand Prairie, Texas Jan 29 – Feb 2 Amleto Monacelli (10)
Florida OpenCypress Lanes Winter Haven, Florida Feb 5–9 John Mazza (1)
Bud Light ClassicDon Carter's All-Star Lanes-Sawgrass Sunrise, Florida Feb 11–16 Bob Benoit (2)
Flagship City OpenEastway Lanes Erie, Pennsylvania Feb 19–23 Jess Stayrook (2)
Fair Lanes OpenFair Lanes Kings Point Randallstown, Maryland Feb 25 – Mar 2 Pete Weber (16)
Johnny Petraglia OpenCarolier Lanes North Brunswick, New Jersey Mar 4–9Pete Weber (17)
Leisure's Long Island OpenSayville Lanes Sayville, New York Mar 11–16 Del Ballard, Jr. (6)
Bud Light OpenYorktown Lanes Parma Heights, Ohio Mar 18–23 Norm Duke (2)
PBA National Championship Ducat's Imperial Lanes Toledo, Ohio Mar 24–30 Mike Miller (1)
True Value OpenLandmark Recreation Center Peoria, Illinois Apr 1–6Amleto Monacelli (11)
BPAA U.S. Open Woodland Bowl Indianapolis, Indiana Apr 7–13Pete Weber (18)
Tums ClassicBradley Bowl Windsor Locks, Connecticut Apr 16–20 Billy Young, Jr. (2)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Fairlawn, Ohio Apr 23–27David Ozio (9)
Fresno OpenCedar Lanes Fresno, California May 7–11John Mazza (2)
Kessler ClassicTown Square Lanes Riverside, California May 14–18 Bryan Goebel (2)
Celebrity Denver OpenCelebrity Sports Center Denver, Colorado May 21–25John Mazza (3)
Beaumont PBA Doubles ClassicCrossroads Bowling Center Beaumont, Texas May 28 – Jun 1Del Ballard, Jr. (7),
Bob Benoit (3)
Kessler OpenEarl Anthony's Dublin Bowl Dublin, California Jun 11–15Del Ballard, Jr. (8)
Seattle OpenSkyway Park Bowl Seattle, Washington Jun 18–22 Danny Wiseman (3)
PBA Oregon OpenHollywood Bowl Portland, Oregon Jun 25–29 Tony Westlake (3)
El Paso OpenBowl El Paso El Paso, Texas Jul 2–6 Ray Edwards (1)
Tucson OpenGolden Pin Lanes Tucson, Arizona Jul 9–13Norm Duke (3)
Wichita OpenNorthrock Lanes Wichita, Kansas Jul 16–20 Chris Warren (4)
Columbia 300 OpenHighland Lanes Austin, Texas Jul 22–27 Brian Voss (11)
Choice Hotels International Summer ClassicBoulevard Bowl Edmond, Oklahoma Jul 28 – Aug 3 Steve Jaros (1)
La Mode ClassicRed Carpet Lanes Green Bay, Wisconsin Aug 4–8Tony Westlake (4)
Senior/Touring Pro DoublesThruway Lanes Buffalo, New York Aug 11–15 Teata Semiz,
Rick Steelsmith (1)
Toyota ClassicTropicana Lanes Richmond Heights, Missouri Sep 30 – Oct 5Danny Wiseman (4)
Oronamin C Japan Cup Tokyo Port Bowl Tokyo, Japan Oct 10–13 Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (6)
Brunswick Memorial World OpenBrunswick Deer Park Lanes Lake Zurich, Illinois Nov 10–16Jess Stayrook (3)
Chevy Truck ClassicMarcel's Olympic Bowl Rochester, New York Nov 18–23David Ozio (10)
Bud Light Touring Players ChampionshipTaylor Lanes Taylor, Michigan Nov 25–30 Dave Ferraro (7)
Cambridge Mixed DoublesBally's Bowling Center Reno, Nevada Dec 6–8Del Ballard, Jr. (9),
Nikki Gianulias

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References

  1. ↑ "1991 Fair Lanes Open". PBA.
  2. ↑ "1991 Firestone Tournament of Champions". PBA.
  3. ↑ "Was Weber's Trophy Mishap Bo Burton's Fault? - FloBowling". www.flobowling.com. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  4. ↑ "1991 Bud Light Classic". PBA.
  5. ↑ "1991 Tucson Open". PBA.
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