Monday, December 1, 2008

More of Top 50 Bowlers of All Time

15: Nelson Burton Jr.
Career Titles: 18 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $763,783 Highlights: A star from the get-go, Burton won his first title in 1964 at the age of 24… Went on to win 17 more and ranks tied for 15th on the all-time titles list… Captured the 1978 BPAA U.S. Open and also won the 1976 USBC Masters… Named PBA Player of the Year for 1970 when he captured a career-best four titles… Won two titles apiece in 1972 and ’78… Named to the PBA Hall of Fame in 1979.

16: John Petraglia
Career Titles: 14 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Senior Tour Titles: 6 Career Earnings: $1,128,172 Highlights: Claimed his first title in 1966 at the age of 19… After spending time in Vietnam, came back to win five titles in 1971, including three in a row… One of just two players ever to win three consecutive events… Led the field throughout in all three events, one of which was the Tournament of Champions where he captured his first Major… His $85,000 in earnings that season was a record for the time… Went on to win the 1977 BPAA U.S. Open with a 279 score in the title game and three years won the 1980 PBA National Championship for his 14th title… One of 19 players to shoot 300 on TV… One of five bowlers to complete the Triple Crown… Also one of just three players to win a PBA title in five different decades… Named the 1998 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1982.

17: Carmen Salvino
Career Titles: 17 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Senior Tour Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $671,750 Highlights: PBA Charter Member won his first title in 1961 followed by two in 1962 including the PBA National Championship for his lone Major title… Won multiple titles in four different seasons… Won two titles on the PBA Senior Tour including the 1984 PBA Senior National Championship… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1975.

18: Wayne Webb
Career Titles: 20 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Earnings: $1,437,721 Highlights: Named 1980 PBA Player of the Year after winning the 1980 Tournament of Champions… First victory came in the Brunswick Memorial World Open in 1978… Won at least one title in eight straight seasons from 1978-85 and won multiple titles in five consecutive seasons from 1979-83… Overall, won multiple titles in seven different seasons… Became the PBA’s sixth millionaire in 1992… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1993.

19: Dave Davis
Career Titles: 18 Career Major Titles: 4 Career Senior Tour Titles: 5 Career Earnings: $912,765 Highlights: Won multiple titles in four seasons, including six in 1967 en route to the PBA Player of the Year award… Captured the 1965 PBA National Championship for the first of his four Majors… Went on to win another PBA National Championship in ’67 and also won the Tournament of Champions in 1968 and ’75… Also owns two PBA Senior Majors, winning the USBC Senior Masters in 1995 and ’96… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1978.

20: Dave Soutar
Career Titles: 18 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Senior Tour Titles: 7 Career Earnings: $1,200,067 Highlights: Career began with a bang when he became the youngest winner in the PBA National Championship at that time, topping the 1961 field at age 21… Went on to win 17 more titles, winning at least one title in five consecutive seasons from 1967-71… Had a career-year in 1970 when he posted five victories and finished third on the Tour in earnings… Named the 1970 Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award winner… Also won multiple titles in 1971 and ’73, including the 1973 USBC Masters for his second Major victory… One of just three players to win a PBA title in five different decades… Owns seven PBA Senior Tour titles, including the 1999 Senior Tournament of Champions, 2000 USBC Senior Masters and 2003 Senior U.S. Open… Only player to win both the USBC Masters and USBC Senior Masters… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1979.

21: Amleto Monacelli
Career Titles: 19 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Earnings: $2,097,684 Highlights: Venezuela native was the first foreign-born player to win the PBA Player of the Year award, winning in back-to-back seasons in 1989 and ’90… Ranks sixth all time with just over $2 million and his 19 titles rank 14th all time… Won the 1989 Touring Players Championship en route to his first Player of the Year award, winning a career-best four titles that season… Won three titles the next season to earn his second honor… Harry Smith Point Leader Award winner in both 1989 and ’90 and George Young High Average Award winner in 1990… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1997… Is the only foreign-born player in the PBA Hall of Fame.

22: Mike Durbin
Career Titles: 14 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Earnings: $839,520 Highlights: The first three-time winner of the Tournament of Champions, he won the prestigious event in 1972, ’82 and ’84… Named the 1967 PBA Rookie of the Year after winning two titles… After taking time away from the Tour, Durbin returned at the age of 36 and won two titles in 1981 and two more in ’82 including his second T of C… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1984 and went on to win his third T of C the same week he was inducted.

23: Dave Husted
Career Titles: 14 Career Major Titles: 4 Career Earnings: $1,621,623 Highlights: Owns three U.S. Open titles (1982, ’95, ’96), and captured the 1985 Touring Players Championship… Is the only player to win back-to-back U.S. Open crowns since the BPAA All-Star became the U.S. Open in 1971… Won the 1986 Harry Smith Point Leader Award… Won the Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award in 1988 and ’89… Was the ninth player to reach the $1 million mark in career earnings… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1996.

24: Jason Couch
Career Titles: 15 Career Major Titles: 4 Career Earnings: $1,599,422 Highlights: Won at least one title in six straight seasons from 1998 through 2003-04… Won three consecutive Tournament of Champions titles from 1999-2002, the only bowler to accomplish the feat… Has won multiple titles in a season five times (1993, ’95, ’99, 2005-06 and 2006-07)… Was named the 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year… The following year he captured his first title and first Major in the same season, winning the 1993 Tums Classic and ’93 Touring Players Championship.

25: Steve Cook
Career Titles: 15 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Earnings: $839,586 Highlights: Won three Major titles, the 1981 Tournament of Champions, 1983 Touring Players Championship and 1986 BPAA U.S. Open… Was one of the Tour’s most imposing forces at 6’7”, 265 pounds… At just 22 years old he captured the 1979 Ford Open and never looked back… Won two titles each in 1981 and ’82 and won a career-high four titles in 1986… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1993.

26: Chris Barnes
Career Titles: 10 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $1,528,917 Highlights: The 1998 PBA Rookie of the Year recently picked up the 2007-08 PBA Player of the Year Award to become just the third bowler ever to win both awards… Won two titles apiece in 1999 and 2007-08 and in between won single titles every season from 2001-02 until 2006-07… Won his first Major in the 62nd U.S. Open in 2005 and his second in the 2006 Tournament of Champions… Became the fastest bowler to reach $1 million in career earnings.

27: Jim Stefanich
Career Titles: 14 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $550,820 Highlights: After winning his first title in 1966, broke out with nine titles over the next two seasons, earning three victories in 1967 – including the Tournament of Champions – and six in 1968… Among his six victories in 1968 was the BPAA U.S. Open and for his efforts he was named the 1968 PBA Player of the Year… Led the Tour in earnings in 1968 with $67,375… Also known for his 300 game in the 1974 Midas Open, just the third on live national television… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1980.

28: Harry Smith
Career Titles: 12 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $244,992 Highlights: PBA Charter Member won four events in 1963 and three in 1965… Won the 1960 BPAA All-Star for his first career title and Major… One of his four victories in 1963 came in the USBC Masters for his second Major title… Finished among the top five in earnings in four consecutive seasons and five of six between 1960-65... Second in earnings in both 1960 ($17,322) and 1963 ($36,962)… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1975.

29: Del Ballard Jr.
Career Titles: 13 Career Major Titles: 4 Career Earnings: $1,300,357 Highlights: Won all 13 of his titles in a seven-year span from 1987-93… Owns four Major titles, tied for seventh all time… Has won the U.S. Open twice (1987, ’93) as well as the USBC Masters and Tournament of Champions… His first career victory came in the 1987 U.S. Open, which made him the first bowler to win a six-figure first place prize. Ballard will be inducted in the PBA Hall of Fame in January 24th, 2009.

30: Tommy Jones
Career Titles: 12 Career Major Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $1,028,188 Highlights: Set a PBA record for shortest time between first and 10th titles, winning title No. 10 just two years, six months and seven days after his first… Won four titles apiece in 2004-05 and 2005-06… One of his four titles in 2005-06 came in the 63rd U.S. Open which marked his first Major title… Went on to capture PBA Player of the Year honors in 05-06… Named PBA Rookie of the Year in 2001-02… One of just three bowlers to win both the Player and Rookie of the Year awards in their career.

31: Wayne Zahn
Career Titles: 13 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Earnings: $400,059 Highlights: PBA Charter Member was named PBA Player of the Year in 1966, the year he became the first man to win the PBA National Championship and Tournament of Champions the same season… Won his second National Championship in 1968… The years 1966 and ’67 also saw Zahn become the first person to win the George Young High Average Award back-to-back… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1981.

32: Jim Godman
Career Titles: 11 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Earnings: $396,178 Highlights: The 1965 PBA Rookie of the Year won 11 times in his career, including three Majors… Won the Tournament of Champions in both 1969 and 1973 and also won the 1971 USBC Masters… Won at least one title in four consecutive seasons from 1966-69, winning two in ’69… Also won two titles each in ’71 and ’73 with a Major in each season… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1987.

33: George Pappas
Career Titles: 10 Career Senior Tour Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $1,012,602 Highlights: Won multiple titles in a season twice, including capturing his first two titles in 1970… Won the 1979 Firestone Tournament of Champions for his only career major… Led the prestigious tournament from start to finish… Best season came in 1984 when he collected his ninth and 10th titles and earned more than $100,000… Has also had success on the PBA Senior Tour, winning two titles and being named the 1997 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame 1986.

34: David Ozio
Career Titles: 11 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Senior Tour Titles: 2 Career Earnings: $1,499,881 Highlights: Named the 1991 PBA Player of the Year when he captured four titles including the Tournament of Champions and led the Tour with $225,585 in earnings… Won two titles in 1985 and one each in ’86, ’88, ’89, ’90 and ’95… Named the PBA Senior Rookie of the Year in 2004 when he won the PBA Senior U.S. Open… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1995.

35: Randy Pedersen
Career Titles: 13 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Earnings: $1,148,766 Highlights: Won his first title in 1986 then followed that up with two titles in 1987 including his lone Major title, the PBA National Championship… Won a career-best three tournaments in 1989 including the Japan Cup... Won a title in five different seasons in the 1990s then won his 13th title by going 12-0 en route to the 2002 Pepsi Open title.

36: Dave Ferraro
Career Titles: 10 Career Major Titles: 3 Career Earnings: $1,044,176 Highlights: Winner of 10 PBA Tour titles, Ferraro became the 12th player in PBA history to crack the $1 million mark in career earnings… Won the Touring Players Championship twice (1988 and ’91) and also captured the 1990 Tournament of Champions… Had a career-year in 1992 when he won twice and earned PBA Player of the Year honors… Also won the George Young High Average and Harry Smith Point Leader Awards that season… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1997.

T-37: Larry Laub
Career Titles: 12 Career Major Titles: 1 Career Senior Tour Titles: 5 Career Earnings: $867,360 Highlights: A touring pro as far back as 1966, he placed among the Tour’s top 20 money winners nine times and on eight occasions placed in the top 20 in average… Amassed $66,000 in 1994, winning the BPAA U.S. Open as one of four titles… Has won five PBA Senior Tour titles and was named the 1994 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year… Won three titles on the 1997 PBA Senior Tour… Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1985.

T-37: Bill Allen
Career Titles: 13 Career Earnings: $225,670 Highlights: Won his first three titles in 1963, when he earned $19,358… Added four more titles in 1964, two in ’65 and four in his best year, 1968, when his money winnings peaked at $42,125… Is one of only six players to win back-to-back PBA titles three times during his career, accomplishing the feat in 1964, ’65 and ’68… Was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1983.

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