Tom Milton accomplished far more than simply winning his fourth PBA title in the $200,000 Miller Lite Championship by topping Randy Lightfoot, 225-191. He also ended a drought of nearly four years without a PBA championship, cemented his position in the Firestone Tournament of Champions and collected the $39,000 first prize. Walter Ray Williams Jr. fell short in the semifinal game against Lightfoot, 268-258, despite hitting the pocket on all 12 of his shots and out-striking his opponent, 10-9, ending Williams' hopes for collecting the $1 million Lite Slam bonus for winning three Miller-sponsored events. Against top-seeded Milton, Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo., was seeking to re-gain his berth in the Firestone, having been bumped from the exclusive field of 52 champions one week earlier. He struck in the first frame but could muster only three more strikes in the championship game after his thrilling match with Williams. Milton strung a four-bagger in frames three through six, and along with eighth and 10th-frame strikes, coasted in. Lightfoot opened the championship round at Red Carpet Celebrity Lanes against PBA Tour newcomer Jimmy Keeth, West Palm Bach, Fla., with a 256-207 victory. His momentum continued against new father Gil Sliker, Sarasota, Fla., 259-214. Sliker shared the 1983 PBA Doubles title with partner Mike Durbin but was seeking his first individual championship. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla. | 225 (1 game) | $39,000 | | 2 | | Randy Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo. | 974 (4 games) | 20,000 | | 3 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | 258 (1 game) | 12,000 | | 4 | | Gil Sliker, Sarasota, Fla. | 214 (1 game) | 9,000 | | 5 | | Jimmy Keeth, West Palm Beach, Fla. | 207 (1 game) | 7,000 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS - Lightfoot defeated Keeth, 256-207; Lightfoot defeated Sliker, 259-214; Lightfoot defeated Williams, 268-258; and in the championship game, Milton defeated Lightfoot. 225-191.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla. | | 9410 | | 224.0 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9860 | | | | 2 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | | 9448 | | 225.0 | | 13-10-1 | | 405 | | 9853 | | | | 3 | | Gil Sliker, Sarasota, Fla. | | 9247 | | 220.2 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9727 | | | | 4 | | Randy Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo. | | 9314 | | 221.8 | | 13-11-0 | | 380 | | 9704 | | | | 5 | | Jimmy Keeth, W. Palm Beach, Fla. | | 9283 | | 221.0 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9703 | | | | 6 | | George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C. | | 9340 | | 222.4 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9670 | | $6,000 | | 7 | | Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore. | | 9267 | | 220.6 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9657 | | 5,500 | | 8 | | Parker Bohn III, Freehold, N.J. | | 9047 | | 215.4 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 9557 | | 5,000 | | 9 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | | 9228 | | 219.7 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9528 | | 4,500 | | 10 | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | | 9083 | | 216.3 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9503 | | 4,000 | | 11 | | Mark Baker, Garden Grove, Calif. | | 9167 | | 218.3 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9497 | | 3,600 | | 12 | | Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio | | 9072 | | 216.0 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9492 | | 3,200 | | 13 | | Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C. | | 8983 | | 213.9 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9403 | | 3,000 | | 14 | | Tony Westlake, Edmond, Okla. | | 9065 | | 215.8 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9395 | | 2,800 | | 15 | | Mark Roth, Spring Lake Hts., N.J. | | 9136 | | 217.5 | | 8-15-1 | | 255 | | 9391 | | 2,600 | | 16 | | Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz. | | 9025 | | 214.9 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9325 | | 2,500 | | 17 | | Tom Crites, Tampa, Fla. | | 9018 | | 214.7 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9318 | | 2,400 | | 18 | | Pete Kaczmarczyk, Warren, Mich. | | 8969 | | 213.5 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9299 | | 2,300 | | 19 | | Bob Handley, Pompano Beach, Fla., | | 8965 | | 213.5 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9265 | | 2,200 | | 20 | | Chuck Mogavero, Sun Lakes, Ariz. | | 8960 | | 213.3 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9260 | | 2,100 | | 21 | | Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, Pa. | | 8980 | | 213.8 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9250 | | 2,000 | | 22 | | David Ozio, Vidor, Texas | | 8978 | | 213.8 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9248 | | 1,900 | | 23 | | Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y. | | 8856 | | 210.9 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9246 | | 1,850 | | 24 | | Mike Taylor, Carlsbad, Calif. | | 8777 | | 209.0 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9107 | | 1,800 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | 25 | | Brian Voss, Tacoma, Wash. | $1,650 | | *26 | | John Weltzien, McHenry, Ill. | 1,740 | | 27 | | Bob Chamberlain, Auburn Heights, Mich. | 1,590 | | 28 | | Philip Ringener, Big Springs, Texas | 1,555 | | | | Dale Traber, Cedarburg Wis. | 1,555 | | 30 | | Rick Brunori, Monroeville, Pa. | 1,525 | | 31 | | Jim Pencak, Richmond Heights, Ohio | 1,510 | | 32 | | Chris Warren, Dallas | 1,500 | | 33 | | Randy Pedersen, Santa Maria, Calif. | 1,490 | | 34 | | Leroy Bornhop, St. Charles, Mo.. | 1,480 | | 35 | | Kevin McGerr, Lincoln, Neb. | 1,465 | | | | Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif. | 1,465 | | 37 | | Mats Karlsson, Sweden | 1,450 | | 38 | | Joe Berardi, Brooklyn, N.Y. | 1,440 | | 39 | | Jimmie Pritts Jr., Lawrence, Mass. | 1,430 | | 40 | | Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y. | 1,415 | | | | Marc McDowell, Madison, Wis. | 1,415 | | 42 | | Ricky Corona, Diamond Bar, Calif.. | 1,400 | | 43 | | Sam Zurich, Hernando Beach, Fla. | 1,390 | | #44 | | Guppy Troup, Tucker, Ga. | 1,380 | | 45 | | Jim Tilton, Huntington Beach, Calif. | 1,370 | | 46 | | Rey Perez, Cincinnati, Ohio | 1,360 | | 47 | | Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa. | 1,345 | | | | Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis | 1,345 | | 49 | | Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash. | 1,330 | | 50 | | Art Trask, Fresno. Calif. | 1,320 | | 51 | | Purvis Granger, Lafayette, La. | 1,300 | | | | Mike Jasnau, Wichita, Kan. | 1,300 | | | | Jim Gibson, Kansas City, Mo. | 1,300 | |
* - Match play alternate. # - Guppy Troup rolled a 300 game ($100). 18-game qualifying leader - Randy Lightfoot, 4099. 24th place - Tom Baker, 3919. 51st place - Purvis Granger, Make Jasnau and Jim Gibson, 3846. PRO-AM CASHERS - Mike Aulby, Henry Gonzalez, Mark Roth, Gary Dickinson, Dave Traber, Dick Weber, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Jim Murtishaw, Dave Husted, Billy Young Jr., Jeff Dreyfus, Rowdy Morrow, Jon O'Drobniak, Pete Couture, Mike Jasnau, Marc McDowell ($50 each), David Ozio. Joe Berardi and Pete Kaczmarczyk ($33.33 each).
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