Professional Bowlers Association

The "wait/weight" was worth it! The wait was 14 years and the weight (loss) was 50 pounds for Akron, Ohio's Ron Bell, who collected his first PBA title in the 20th annual $150,000 Fair Lanes Open. Bell defeated leading qualifier Amleto Monacelli, 255-230, at Fair Lanes Woodlawn and earned a trip home in qualifying for the 25th anniversary Firestone Tournament of Champions, hosted at Riviera Lanes.

"This Is the biggest thrill of my life," the 195-pound Bell said of his first PBA championship and finally earning the right to compete in front of his hometown fans, who were more familiar with the sight of a much heavier veteran on the PBA Tour. Bell had lost 50 pounds and missed the Tour's first seven tournaments of 1989, committing himself to a strict liquid diet, in which he had not eaten solid food in more than seven weeks.

Bell began the championship game with six strikes, but never thought about a possible $100,000 perfect game bonus from True Value Hardware Stores, only the $27,000 Fair Lanes first prize. Monacelli started with a double, two spares and another double when Bell opened in his seventh frame, missing the 3-10 "baby split." But Venezuela's Monacelli failed to take advantage of his opportunity and had to settle for the $14,000 runnerup check and his 10th second place finish in eight years on the PBA Tour.

In the opening game of the ABC Sports telecast and the first championship round game of his career Tony Marrow topped Phil Ringener, 211-159. Ringener stood 0-8 in championship round play, although his opponents previous combined average of 251 against the Big Spring, Texas, pro was lowered. Bell then defeated Marrose, Hilton Head, S.C., 211-207. In the third game Bell had to go into extra frames against first-time finalist Don Moser, San Jose, Calif. Both players tied in their semifinal match at 191, but Bell prevailed in the roll-off, 40-28, to earn his spot in the championship match-up.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS - Marrese defeated Ringener, 211-159; Bell defeated Marrese, 211-207; Bell defeated Moser, 40-28, in a two-frame roll-off after the two had tied at 191; and in the championship game, Bell defeated Monacelli, 255-230.

42-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela		9324		222.0		14-10-0		420		9744
2		Don Moser, San Jose, Calif.		9224		219.6		17-7-0		510		9734
3		Ron Bell, Akron, Ohio		8982		213.9		18-6-0		540		9522
4		Tony Marrese, Hilton Head, S.C.		9078		216.1		13-10-1		405		9483
5		Philip Ringener, Big Spring, Texas		8993		214.1		16-8-0		480		9473
6		Mats Karlsson, Gothenburg, Sweden		9015		214.6		13-11-0		390		9405		$4,500
7		Dave Arnold, Campbell, Calif.		9025		214.9		12-11-1		375		9400		4,000
8		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore.		8915		212.3		12-10-2		390		9305		3,500
#9		Todd Lathrop, Norwich, Conn.		8882		211.5		14-10-0		420		9302		3,000
10		Jimmie Pritts Jr., Methuen, Mass.		8886		211.6		11-13-0		330		9216		2,750
		Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich.		8856		210.9		12-12-0		360		9216		2,750
12		Ron Williams, Cahokia, 111.		8848		210.7		12-12-0		360		9208		2,600
13		Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J.		8828		210.2		12-12-0		360		9188		2,500
14		Norm Duke, Fort Worth, Texas		8753		208.4		14-10-0		420		9173		2,400
15		Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas		8747		208.3		12-12-0		360		9107		2,300
16		Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla.		8772		208.9		11-13-0		330		9102		2,200
17		David Ozio, Vidor, Texas		8825		210.1		8-16-0		240		9065		2,100
18		Jimmy Keeth, W. Palm Beach, Fla.		8768		208.8		9-15-0		270		9038		2,000
19		Danny Wiseman, Baltimore		8721		207.6		10-14-0		300		9021		1,900
20		Dennis Rakauskas, Clarks Summit, Pa.		8714		207.5		9-15-0		270		8984		1,800
21		Rowdy Morrow, St. Louis		8698		207.1		8-16-0		240		8938		1,700
22		Tony rooks, Washington, D.C.		8585		204.4		11-13-0		330		8915		1,600
23		Chris Warren, Dallas		8594		204.6		10-14-0		300		8894		1,550
24		Pete McCordic, Houston		8502		202.4		8-16-0		240		8742		1,500

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		Michael Prettack, Margate, Fla.	$1,382
		Harry Sullins, Sterling Hts., Mich.	1,262
27		W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif.	1,230
28		Ralph McRitchie, Port Clinton, Ohio	1,210
29		Marc McDowell, Madison, Wis.	1,200
30		Ray Perez, Cincinnati, Ohio	1,185
		Brad Snell, Des Plaines, Ill.	1,185
32		Rod Singer, Columbus, Ohio	1,170
#33		Bruce Hollen Jr., Baltimore	1,160
34		Jim Pencak, Richmond Hts., Ohio	1,145
		Ran Shafer, Elmira, N.Y.	1,145
36		Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio	1,130
37		Lee Brosius, Fort Bragg, N.C.	1,120
38		Randy Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo.	1,105
		Butch Soper, Tustin, Calif.	1,105
40		Billy Young, Tulsa, Okla.	1,090
41		Chuck Pierce, Dallas	1,080
42		Ricky Corona, Orange, Calif.	1,070
43		Wayne Webb, Beaumont, Texas	1,060
44		Mike Kilgannon, Valley Stream, N.Y.	1,050
45		Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis	1,040
46		Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind.	1,030
47		David Guindon, West Seneca, N.Y.	1,020
48		Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz.	1,010
49		Don Genalo, Perrysburg, Ohio	1,000
50		Rick Brunori, Monroeville, Pa.	985
		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa.	985
52		Frank Edwards, Moscow, Pa.	970
53		Terry Wiley, Arlington, Va.	960