Professional Bowlers Association

Mike Miller emerged with his first pro title, the bragging rights of Albuquerque, N.M., and the 31st annual $200,000 PBA National Championship crown at Ducat's Imperial Lanes. Miller defeated leading qualifier Norm Duke, 218-214, for the $35,000 first prize and a three-year exemption into the Firestone Tournament of Champions.

In the championship battle of the Tour's two top Albuquerque, N.M., pros, Duke opened with a strike, spare and double to lead by 25 pins after four frames. Miller came roaring back late in the game with a string of strikes starting in his seventh frame to take the lead after nine frames. Duke then closed with three strikes in the 10th frame to force Miller to double and four-count in order to deny Duke back-to-back wins. Miller doubled and his seven-count ended a frustrating period for the man with the powerful no-thumb delivery style.

"I've learned to channel adversity from 10 years' experience on tour," Miller said. "I'm not sure what to feel right now I've worked so hard for this. I just got married and now I get to take my new bride to the Firestone. I don't think I've peaked yet - I've only been using this delivery style for seven months."

This was Miller's third appearance in the championship round and, ironically; all have come in 56-game "national championship" formats (the 1990 Budweiser Touring Players Championship and this year's Showboat Invitational were the other two). This tournament was the first "jewel" of professional bowling's "Triple Crown" events (the others being the BPAA U.S. Open and Firestone Tournament of Champions).

"The key was in my tripping the 2-4 in the 9th frame," Miller continued, "which gave me the chance to win. I just wanted that chance. I've seen two impressive trophies up close from my sister's (Dana Miller-Mackie) two U.S. Open wins, but now this is my dream come true."

Duke said, "I was loose except for three shots and those were due to my lack of concentration. I had chances early on to win, but just didn't put it away. I'm very happy for Mike - he's a most deserving champion."

In the opening game of the ABC Sports-televised finals, David Ozio defeated first-time finalist Brian Brazeau, Milwaukee, Wis., 267-232. Another new face entered in the second game when non-winner Martin Letscher stopped Ozio, Vidor, Texas, 240-224. Miller then came on in the semifinal and turned back Letscher, Bel Air, Md., 232-221.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Ozio defeated Brazeau, 267-232; Letscher defeated Ozio, 240-224; Miller defeated Letscher, 232-221; and in the championship game, Miller defeated Duke, 218-214.

56-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
#1		Norm Duke, Albuquerque, N.M.		12419		221.8		12-11-1		375		12794
2		Mike Miller, Albuquerque, N.M.		12423		221.8		7-15-2		240		12663
3		Martin Lutcher, Bel Air, Md.		12251		218.8		13-10-1		405		12656
4		David Ozio, Vidor, Texas		12170		217.3		15-9-0		450		12620
#5		Brian Brazeau, Milwaukee, Wis.		12124		216.5		16-8-0		480		12604
6		Mark Thayer, Lafayette, Ind.		12250		218.8		11-13-0		330		12580		$6,000
7		Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore.		12205		218.0		11-11-2		360		12565		5,000
8		Pete Weber, Florissant, Mo.		12107		216.2		15-9-0		450		12557		4,000
9		Chris Warren, Dallas		12152		217.0		13-11-0		390		12542		3,500
10		Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif.		12077		215.7		15-9-0		450		12527		3,000
11		Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y.		12106		216.2		12-10-2		390		12496		2,900
12		Leroy Bornhop, St. Charles, Mo.		12045		215.1		15-9-0		450		12495		2,800
13		Doug Kent, Canandaigua, N.Y.		12068		215.5		14-10-0		420		12488		2,700
14		Raymond J. Edwards, Centereach, N.Y.		12085		215.8		13-11-0		390		12475		2,600
15		Del Ballard Jr., Richardson, Texas		12110		216.3		11-12-1		345		12455		2,500
16		Philip Ringener, Big Spring, Texas		12087		215.8		12-12-0		360		12447		2,400
17		John Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J.		12011		214.5		13-10-1		405		12416		2,300
18		John Forst, Woodridge, III.		12162		217.2		8-16-0		240		12402		2,200
19		John Mazza, Mt. Clemens, Mich.		12076		215.6		10-14-0		300		12376		2,100
20		Billy Young Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.		11947		213.3		11-12-1		345		12292		2,000
21		Mike Aulby, Indianapolis		11947		213.3		10-14-0		300		12247		1,900
#22		Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa.		11850		211.6		10-14-0		300		12150		1,800
23		Jimmie Pritts Jr., Methuen, Mass.		11765		210.1		9-15-0		270		12035		1,750
24		Joe Salvemini, Oklahoma City, Okla.		11711		209.1		6-17-1		195		11906		1,700

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		Tommy Delutz Jr., Jamaica, N.Y.	$1,420
26		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore.	1,250
27		Jess Stayrook, San Diego, Calif.	1,200
28		Parker Bohn III, Freehold, N.J.	1,160
29		Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y.	1,120
30		Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind.	1,110
31		Wayne Webb, Beaumont, Texas	1,100
32		Bruce Hamilton, Seattle, Wash.	1,090
33		Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas	1,080
34		Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, Md.	1,070
35		Brad Kiszewski, Buffalo, N.Y.	1,060
36		Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio	1,050
37		Mike Shady, Ripon, Wis.	1,040
38		Rod Pasteur, Green Bay, Wis.	1,030
39		Ken Muscato, Canandaigua, N.Y.	1,020
40		Ken Johnson, Garland, Texas	1,005
		Harry Sullins, Detroit, Mich.	1,005
42		Steve Jaros, Naperville, Ill.	990
43		Pete McCordic, Katy, Texas	980
44		Ken Waters, Petaluma, Calif.	970
45		Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C.	960
46		Tony Figuiera, Torrance, Calif.	945
		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa.	945
48		Adam Colton, N. Lauderdale, Fla.	930
49		Bryan Goebel, Merriam, Kan.	920
50		Brian Berg, Menomonie, Wis.	910
51		Dale Strike, Saginaw, Mich.	900
52		Frank Ellenburg, Chandler, Ariz.	890
53		Jimmy Johnson, Columbus, Ohio	880
54		Kelly Coffman, Topeka, Kan,	870
55		Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela	860
56		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.	850
57		Danny Guerrieri, Youngstown, Ohio	840
58		Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla.	830
59		Adam Apo, Honolulu, Hawaii	820
60		Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis.	810
61		Dennis Rakauskas, Centerville, Va.	800
62		Bob Benoit, Topeka, Kan.	790
63		Dave Arnold, Mesa, Ariz.	780
64		David D'Entremont, Cleveland, Ohio	770
65		Hugh Miller, Seattle, Wash.	755
		Rowdy Morrow, St. Louis	755
67		Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas	740
68		Tony Westlake, Edmond, Okla.	730
69		Russ Housman, Inverness, Fla.	720
70		Tony Marrese, Hilton Head Island, S.C.	710
71		Larry Verble, South Lyon, Mich.	700
72		George Branham III, Indianapolis	690
73		Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla.	680
74		Mark Bowers, Aberdeen, Md.	670
75		Jeff Germann, Warren, Ohio	660