Professional Bowlers Association

Norm Duke used his experience to his advantage in claiming his fifth PBA title to open the 1994 season at the $220,000 AC-Delco Classic at Cal Bowl. Duke, Oklahoma City, upended leading qualifier and local favorite, Robert Smith, Moorpark, Calif., an amateur bowler, to earn the $44,000 first prize.

Second-seeded, Duke opened the championship game with four strikes, spare, and then tossed three more strikes. Smith started with a spare, opened in his second after failing to convert the 2-4-8-10 split, and then spared again before stringing a five-bagger. By then, Duke had built a 24-pin lead and coasted home for the triumph.

"Robert Smith is not an amateur in the other pro's eyes. We are honored to have him as a future star and I think he should stay an amateur for a long while still," Duke joked. "I know how he feels and it hurts for a long time. I also knew his first three or frames would be shaky."

In the opening game of the ABC Sports' telecast, first-time finalist Steve Wilson defeated Justin Hromek of Andover, Kan., 204-169. Wilson then came from behind to turn back Ken Muscato of Canandaigua, N.Y., 210-187, before falling to Duke in the semifinal, 276-213.

Duke out averaged Smith by half a pin per game over 42 games, so he felt justified in gaining the victory. And Duke assured the media representatives afterwards his earnings and average leads are not ones he regards lightly, or intends to relinquish. Smith earned $22,500 as runner-up, Wilson pocketed $13,000 for third, Muscato collected $10,000 for fourth and Hromek $8,000.

The tournament was the first of a three-year contract between PBA, AC-Delco and Cal Bowl, guaranteeing the AC-Delco Classic will be hosted here through 1996.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Wilson defeated Hromek, 204-169; Wilson defeated Muscato, 210-187; Duke defeated Wilson, 276-213; and in the championship game, Duke defeated Smith, 247-223.

42 GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
@1		Robert Smith, Moorpark, CA		9163		218.2		16-8-0		480		9643
2		Norm Duke, Oklahoma City, OK		9177		218.5		13-11-0		390		9567
3		Ken Muscato, Canandaigua, NY		9004		214.4		16-8-0		480		9484
4		Justin Hromek, Andover, KS		8986		214.0		15-9-0		450		9436
5		Steve Wilson, Fort Lauderdale, FL		8884		211.5		17-7-0		510		9394
6		Parker Bohn III, Freehold, NJ		8966		213.5		13-9-2		420		9386		$6,500
7		Bryan Goebel, Merriam, KS		8936		212.8		14-10-0		420		9356		5,500
8		Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL		8948		213.1		12-12-0		360		9308		5,000
9		Mike Aulby, Indianapolis		8974		213.7		11-13-0		330		9304		4,500
10		Del Ballard Jr., Richardson, TX		8998		214.2		10-14-0		300		9298		4,000
11		Eugene McCune, Munster, IN		8926		212.5		11-13-0		330		9256		3,600
12		Joe Firpo, Lake Worth, FL		8836		210.4		11-12-1		345		9181		3,300
13		Wayne Webb, Canandaigua, NY		8766		208.7		13-11-0		390		9156		3,000
14		Hugh Miller, Seattle		8749		208.3		13-11-0		390		9139		2,800
15		Chris Warren, Dallas		8789		209.3		11-13-0		330		9119		2,600
16		Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, FL		8646		205.9		15-9-0		450		9096		2,500
17		Greg Thomas, Old Town, ID		8753		208.4		10-14-0		300		9053		2,400
18		Tony Figuiera Torrance, CA		8711		207.4		11-13-0		330		9041		2,300
19		David Ozio, Vidor, TX		8766		208.7		9-15-0		270		9036		2,200
20		Philip Ringener, Big Spring, TX		8698		207.1		11-13-0		330		9028		2,100
21		Mike Miller, Albuquerque, NM		8750		208.3		8-15-1		255		9005		2,050
22		Doug Kent, Canandaigua' NV		8628		205.4		10-14-0		300		8928		2,000
23		Tony Westlake, Edmond, OK		8466		201.6		11-13-0		330		8796		1,950
24		Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, OH		8606		204.9		5-19-0		150		8756		1,900

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA	$1,850
26		Jim Johnson, Wilmington, DE	1,690
27		Tim Criss, Bel Air, MD	1,650
28		George Branham III, Indianapolis	1,590
29		Bryan Bailey, Grove City, PA	1,580
30		Harry Sullins, Ann Arbor, MI	1,560
31		Paul Koehler, Stuart, FL	1,540
32		Don Moser, San Jose, CA	1,520
33		Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ	1,500
34		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, OR	1,480
35		David Traber, Woodstock IL	1,470
36		Marshall Holman, Medford, OR	1,460
37		John Handegard, Las Vegas	1,450
38		Randy Pedersen, Hollywood, FL	1,440
#39		Brian Voss, Atlanta	1,430
40		Michael Luft, Brook Park, OH	1,420
41		Gary Dickinson, Edmond, OK	1,410
42		Bobby Knipple Long Beach, CA	1,395
		Ron Williams, Fort Worth, TX	1,395
44		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA	1,380
45		Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX	1,370
46		Jason Couch, Winter Garden, FL	1,360
#47		David Cogswell, Canyon Country, A	1,350
48		Bob Vespi, Coral Springs, FL	1,335
		Derek Williams, Groves, TX	1,335
50		Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, OH	1,320
@51		Jim Hamrick, CA	1,310
52		Jimmy Keeth, West Palm Beach	1,300
53		Donald Blatchford, Ramona, CA	1,290