10 great Masters moments
The first USBC Masters was conducted in 1951, seven years before the creation of the PBA. Over the years, the Masters has been the scene of some of professional bowling's great moments. When the Masters returns to Milwaukee Nov. 15-20 as the first major on the 2005-06 PBA Tour a field of more than 500 of the world's top professional and amateur bowlers will make their bid for a piece of bowling immortality.
The Masters began as an invitational event showcasing national and local bowling stars in 1951 in St. Paul, Minn.'s Municipal Auditorium. Hall of Famer Lee Jouglard of Detroit won the 1951 "Masters Eliminations," defeating fellow Hall member Joe Wilman of Chicago before a crowd of 2,600. Jouglard earned $620 for the win. The first Masters was conducted seven years before the formation of the Professional Bowlers Association.
Willard Taylor, a 34-year-old plant operator from Charleston, W.Va., was a definite dark horse for the 1952 Masters in Milwaukee. While Taylor was an underdog, he had the game to beat anyone on the final day when he upset New Jersey star Junie McMahon 904-751 in a four-game match to earn the right to face the legendary Andy Varipapa for the title. Taylor went on to do the unthinkable by defeating Varipapa in two consecutive four-game matches, 834-792 and 756-702, to win the Masters trophy and $950 first prize.
Dick Hoover of Akron, Ohio became the Masters' first repeat winner in 1957 after also winning the previous year's event. Coming from the losers' bracket, Hoover defeated Bill Lillard of Houston in two consecutive four-game matches, 910-768, and then again 853-773 to win the $1,900 first prize.
In 1961 Dick Hoover could have been the Masters' first three-time winner had it not been for Don Carter. Advancing from the losers' bracket, Carter beat undefeated Hoover in two consecutive four-game matches, 840-768 and 888-826, to win the 11th annual event in Detroit's Cobo Hall.
While many of bowling's all-time greats have won the Masters, many relatively unknown bowlers have made their mark by winning the event as well. Another one of the great upsets in Masters history was when struggling touring pro Frank Ellenburg of Mesa, Ariz., came out of the losers' bracket to defeat Earl Anthony twice to win the 1978 Masters in St. Louis. Ellenburg narrowly defeated Anthony in the first four-game match, 820-817 and then 805-791, in the championship match for the title.
The Masters was always one of Earl Anthony's favorite events. So much so that he came out of his year-long retirement from the PBA Tour to bowl in the 1984 event in Reno, Nev. Anthony won his second Masters title that year by defeating fellow pro Gil Sliker of Washington, N.J., in the championships match, 191-175, at the Reno Convention Center.
After the formation of the PBA in 1958, Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kan., became the first Masters amateur champion in 1987. As the second youngest Masters champion, at age 22, Steelsmith defeated Brad Snell of Chicago, 258-219, in the championship match at the Niagara Falls Convention Center to win the $43,500 first prize.
Mike Aulby wins a record third Masters title by defeating fellow hall of famer and lefthander Parker Bohn III, 224-192, in 1998 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. In the semi-final match Bohn threw a 300 game, becoming the 12th PBA member to bowl a nationally-televised game. He defeated Chris Sand (246) and Mike Mullin (191) to advance to the final match. It also was the second televised 300 game in Masters history, a feat first performed by Jason Queen in the semi-final match of the 1997 Masters.
Like golf's Phil Mickelson, Parker Bohn III had a reputation for falling short in major events. That changed when Bohn won his first major by taking the Masters title at Reno's National Bowling Stadium in 2001. His Masters win came after 26 regular tour titles and 18 years on tour. He defeated Jason Couch, 248-237, in the title match for the victory.
Bowling history was made on Oct. 31, 2004 when the 55th Masters finals were conducted on four specially-constructed lanes in Miller Park's short right field. A crowd of more the 4,300 watched Danny Wiseman defeat Patrick Allen for the title and the $100,000 first prize.
By Jerry Schneider USBC Communications
The Masters began as an invitational event showcasing national and local bowling stars in 1951 in St. Paul, Minn.'s Municipal Auditorium. Hall of Famer Lee Jouglard of Detroit won the 1951 "Masters Eliminations," defeating fellow Hall member Joe Wilman of Chicago before a crowd of 2,600. Jouglard earned $620 for the win. The first Masters was conducted seven years before the formation of the Professional Bowlers Association.
Willard Taylor, a 34-year-old plant operator from Charleston, W.Va., was a definite dark horse for the 1952 Masters in Milwaukee. While Taylor was an underdog, he had the game to beat anyone on the final day when he upset New Jersey star Junie McMahon 904-751 in a four-game match to earn the right to face the legendary Andy Varipapa for the title. Taylor went on to do the unthinkable by defeating Varipapa in two consecutive four-game matches, 834-792 and 756-702, to win the Masters trophy and $950 first prize.
Dick Hoover of Akron, Ohio became the Masters' first repeat winner in 1957 after also winning the previous year's event. Coming from the losers' bracket, Hoover defeated Bill Lillard of Houston in two consecutive four-game matches, 910-768, and then again 853-773 to win the $1,900 first prize.
In 1961 Dick Hoover could have been the Masters' first three-time winner had it not been for Don Carter. Advancing from the losers' bracket, Carter beat undefeated Hoover in two consecutive four-game matches, 840-768 and 888-826, to win the 11th annual event in Detroit's Cobo Hall.
While many of bowling's all-time greats have won the Masters, many relatively unknown bowlers have made their mark by winning the event as well. Another one of the great upsets in Masters history was when struggling touring pro Frank Ellenburg of Mesa, Ariz., came out of the losers' bracket to defeat Earl Anthony twice to win the 1978 Masters in St. Louis. Ellenburg narrowly defeated Anthony in the first four-game match, 820-817 and then 805-791, in the championship match for the title.
The Masters was always one of Earl Anthony's favorite events. So much so that he came out of his year-long retirement from the PBA Tour to bowl in the 1984 event in Reno, Nev. Anthony won his second Masters title that year by defeating fellow pro Gil Sliker of Washington, N.J., in the championships match, 191-175, at the Reno Convention Center.
After the formation of the PBA in 1958, Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kan., became the first Masters amateur champion in 1987. As the second youngest Masters champion, at age 22, Steelsmith defeated Brad Snell of Chicago, 258-219, in the championship match at the Niagara Falls Convention Center to win the $43,500 first prize.
Mike Aulby wins a record third Masters title by defeating fellow hall of famer and lefthander Parker Bohn III, 224-192, in 1998 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. In the semi-final match Bohn threw a 300 game, becoming the 12th PBA member to bowl a nationally-televised game. He defeated Chris Sand (246) and Mike Mullin (191) to advance to the final match. It also was the second televised 300 game in Masters history, a feat first performed by Jason Queen in the semi-final match of the 1997 Masters.
Like golf's Phil Mickelson, Parker Bohn III had a reputation for falling short in major events. That changed when Bohn won his first major by taking the Masters title at Reno's National Bowling Stadium in 2001. His Masters win came after 26 regular tour titles and 18 years on tour. He defeated Jason Couch, 248-237, in the title match for the victory.
Bowling history was made on Oct. 31, 2004 when the 55th Masters finals were conducted on four specially-constructed lanes in Miller Park's short right field. A crowd of more the 4,300 watched Danny Wiseman defeat Patrick Allen for the title and the $100,000 first prize.
By Jerry Schneider USBC Communications