PBA Bowling Tour: 1979 Season

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]

PBA Bowling Tour: 1979 Season
LeagueProfessional Bowlers Association
SportTen-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 2 – November 17, 1979
PBA Tour
Season MVPMark Roth

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 Classic Brunswick Wonderland Bowl Anaheim, California Jan 2–6 Carmen Salvino (16)
Showboat Invitational Showboat Hotel Lanes Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 8–13 Emmett Shutes (1)
Ford Open Mel's Southshore Bowl Alameda, California Jan 16–20 Steve Cook (1)
Quaker State Open Forum Bowl Grand Prairie, Texas Jan 23–27 Marshall Holman (8)
AMF Magicscore Open Wonder Bowl San Antonio, Texas Jan 30 – Feb 3 Dick Ritger (20)
Rolaids Open Dick Weber Lanes Florissant, Missouri Feb 8–10 Mark Roth (17)
Dutch Masters Open Sunnybrook Lanes Sterling Heights, Michigan Feb 13–17 Tommy Hudson (8)
Cleveland Open Buckeye Lanes North Olmsted, Ohio Feb 20–24 Cliff McNealy (1)
Firestone '721' Classic Western Sunset Bowl Miami, Florida Feb 27 – Mar 3 Roy Buckley (6)
Fair Lanes Open Fair Lanes Adelphi, Maryland Mar 8–10 Larry Laub (11)
King Louie Open King Louie West Lanes Overland Park, Kansas Mar 13–17 Mark Roth (18)
Miller High Life Open Red Carpet Celebrity Lanes Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mar 20–24 Johnny Petraglia (12)
Long Island Open Garden 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 Challenge Brunswick Northwest Bowl Palatine, Illinois Apr 10–14 Johnny Petraglia (13)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Akron, Ohio Apr 18–21 George Pappas (6)
Columbia PBA Doubles Classic Saratoga Lanes San Jose, California May 30 – Jun 3 Mark Roth (19),
Marshall Holman (9)
Showboat PBA National Championship Showboat Bowling Center Las Vegas, Nevada Jun 10–16 Mike Aulby (1)
City of Roses Open Timber Lanes Portland, Oregon Jun 19–23 Mark Roth (20)
Seattle Open Leilani Lanes Seattle, Washington Jun 26–30 Marshall Holman (10)
Fresno Open Cedar Lanes Fresno, California Jul 3–7 Sam Flanagan (2)
Southern California Open Gable House Bowl Torrance, California Jul 10–14 Henry Gonzalez (2)
Tucson Open Golden Pin Lanes Tucson, Arizona Jul 17–21 Joe Berardi (2)
Amarillo Open Amarillo Bowl Amarillo, Texas Jul 24–28 Gary Dickinson (6)
Houston Open Stadium Bowl Houston, Texas Jul 31 – Aug 4 Ed Ressler (4)
Waukegan Open Bertrand Lanes Waukegan, Illinois Aug 9–12 Wayne Webb (2)
Buffalo Open Thruway Lanes Cheektowaga, New York Aug 15–18 Wayne Webb (3)
Sarasota Open Galaxy Lanes Sarasota, Florida Aug 22–25 Nelson Burton, Jr. (14)
Brunswick Regional Champions Classic Brunswick Olympic Bowl Rochester, New York Oct 5–9 Fred Jaskie (2)
Kessler Open Ken Nottke's Bowl Battle Creek, Michigan Oct 12–16 Larry Laub (12)
Kessler Classic Astro Bowl Greenwood, Indiana Oct 19–23 Mark Roth (21)
Lawsons Open Westgate Lanes Fairview Park, Ohio Oct 28–30 Mark Roth (22)
Syracuse Open Brunswick Holiday Bowl Syracuse, New York Nov 2–6 Mike Durbin (6)
Brunswick Memorial World Open Brunswick Deerbrook Lanes Deerfield, Illinois Nov 11–17 Marshall Holman (11)

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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