|
$125,000 FIRESTONE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Riveria Lanes, Akron, Ohio, Apr 18-23, 1977
Mike Makes Right
Mike Berlin, a late bloomer on the Professional Bowlers Association
tour, won the 1977 edition of the $125,000 Firestone Tournament of
Champions in his first appearance when he defeated top-seeded Mike
Durbin, 221-205, in the championship match.
The PBA's Rookie of the Year in 1976 at the age of 32, Berlin got
revenge for two earlier match play defeats at the hands of Durbin to
walk off with professional bowling's biggest paycheck-$25,000.
Berlin qualified for the prestigious 52-man field by winning the 1976
AMF Regional Champions Classic, his first PBA title.
No one gave it much thought when Berlin, of Muscatine, Iowa, and
Durbin, the 1972 Firestone champion, squared off for the first time in
match play. And no one gave it much thought when Durbin emerged the
winner.
Who would have thought that the two would meet again. But fate
intervened and PBA history was made.
Entering the crucial position round match the night before the
nationally televised finals, Berlin had fought his way to the top of the
field, eight pins ahead of second place Wayne Zahn, the 1966 Firestone
winner, and 33 ahead of Durbin.
Berlin seemed a cinch to retain the top-seeded spot when he tossed a
244 at Zahn. But only a few feet away, Durbin was electrifying the crowd
at Riviera Lanes by throwing strike after strike. When the smoke had
cleared, Durbin finished with a 277. For the first time in the PBA's
18-year history there was a tie for top-seeded position.
Once again, it was not Berlin's turn to win as a charged-up Durbin
posted a 232-203 victory to earn the envious top-seed.
The four match championship round began with Larry Laub bouncing back
from an embarrassing gutter ball to defeat fourth-seeded Sam Flanagan,
179-192. Laub started the next match with four strikes in the first five
frames and Zahn was unable to recover as he went down to a 215-203
defeat.
Berlin, itching for another shot at Durbin, then brushed aside Laub,
213-200, to advance to the payoff match.
Displaying a calm demeanor unlike what you'd expect from a first-time
Firestone competitor, Berlin opened with four straight strikes against
Durbin to take a 29-pin lead. Durbin was unable to get closer than 17
pins the rest of the way and when Berlin toed the mark in the final
frame, all he needed was a mark.
He got it.
"This is the greatest day of my life," Berlin said.
"Every pro bowler dreams of winning this tournament. Right now I'm
on top of the world. My dream has come true."
TELEVISED FINALS
| Pos. |
 |
Name,
City/State |
Total |
Amount |
|
| 1 |
|
Mike
Berlin, Muscatine, Iowa |
434
(2 games) |
$25,000 |
| 2 |
|
Mike
Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio |
205
(1 game) |
14,000 |
| 3 |
|
Larry
Laub, San Francisco, Calif. |
594
(3 games) |
8,000 |
| 4 |
|
Wayne
Zuhn, Tempe, Ariz. |
203
(1 game) |
6,000 |
| 5 |
|
Sam
Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va. |
172
(1 game) |
4,000 |
|
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Laub defeated Flanagan, 179-172; Laub
defeated Zahn, 215-203; Berlin defeated Laub, 213-200; and in the
championship game, Berlin defeated Durbin, 221-205.
48-GAME TOTALS
| |
|
Name,
City/State |
|
Pins |
|
WLT |
|
+ |
|
Tot |
|
Amt |
|
| &1 |
|
Mike
Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio |
|
10347 |
|
14-7-3 |
|
465 |
|
10812 |
|
|
| &2 |
|
Mike
Berlin, Muscatine, Ia. |
|
10377 |
|
14-9-1 |
|
435 |
|
10812 |
|
|
| 3 |
|
Wayne
Zahn, Tempe, Ariz. |
|
10322 |
|
15-9-0 |
|
450 |
|
10772 |
|
|
| 4 |
|
Sam
Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va. |
|
10192 |
|
16-7-1 |
|
495 |
|
10687 |
|
|
| 5 |
|
Larry
Laub, San Francisco |
|
10216 |
|
14-10-0 |
|
420 |
|
10636 |
|
|
| *6 |
|
Gary
Dickinson, Ft. Worth |
|
10074 |
|
17-7-0 |
|
510 |
|
10584 |
|
$3,350 |
| 7 |
|
Les
Schissler, Denver |
|
10106 |
|
15-9-0 |
|
450 |
|
10556 |
|
3,000 |
| 8 |
|
Johnny
Guenther, Seattle |
|
10069 |
|
15-9-0 |
|
450 |
|
10519 |
|
2,800 |
| 9 |
|
Dave
Frame, Baldwin Park, Calif. |
|
10153 |
|
12-12-0 |
|
360 |
|
10513 |
|
2,600 |
| 10 |
|
Eddie
Ressler, Allentown, Pa. |
|
10048 |
|
14-9-1 |
|
435 |
|
10483 |
|
2,500 |
| 11 |
|
John
Denton, Midland, Texas |
|
10089 |
|
12-12-0 |
|
360 |
|
10449 |
|
2,400 |
| 12 |
|
Palmer
Fallgren, Las Vegas |
|
10092 |
|
11-12-1 |
|
345 |
|
10437 |
|
2,300 |
| 13 |
|
Mark
Roth, Staten Island, N.Y. |
|
10119 |
|
9-15-0 |
|
270 |
|
10389 |
|
2,200 |
| 14 |
|
Marshall
Holman, Medford, Ore. |
|
10041 |
|
11-13-0 |
|
330 |
|
10371 |
|
2,100 |
| 15 |
|
Dick
Weber, St. Louis |
|
10005 |
|
12-12-0 |
|
360 |
|
10365 |
|
2,000 |
| 16 |
|
Dale
Glenn, Glendale, Calif. |
|
9979 |
|
12-12-0 |
|
360 |
|
10339 |
|
1,900 |
| 17 |
|
Dick
Ritger, River Falls, Wisc. |
|
10007 |
|
11-13-0 |
|
330 |
|
10337 |
|
1,800 |
| 18 |
|
Roy
Buckley, Columbus, Ohio |
|
9920 |
|
13-11-0 |
|
390 |
|
10310 |
|
1,700 |
| 19 |
|
Curt
Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind. |
|
10036 |
|
8-16-0 |
|
240 |
|
10276 |
|
1,650 |
| 20 |
|
Bill
Beach, Sharon, Pa. |
|
9929 |
|
7-17-0 |
|
210 |
|
10139 |
|
1,575 |
| |
|
Paul
Colwell, Tucson, Ariz. |
|
9899 |
|
8-16-0 |
|
240 |
|
10139 |
|
1,575 |
| 22 |
|
Matt
Surina, Longview, Wash. |
|
9779 |
|
7-17-0 |
|
210 |
|
9989 |
|
1,500 |
| 23 |
|
Jay
Robinson, Los Angeles |
|
9667 |
|
8-15-1 |
|
255 |
|
9922 |
|
1,450 |
| @25 |
|
Dave
Soutar, Kansas City |
|
9667 |
|
9-15-0 |
|
270 |
|
9843 |
|
1,225 |
|
|
|
|
