Professional Bowlers Association

Reigning PBA Player of the Year Waiter Ray Williams Jr. reminded his fellow players and a national television audience of his extraordinary skills (in case there had been any doubt) in winning his 14th PBA title at the 35th annual $200,000 Showboat Invitational.

Fifth-seeded Williams, Stockton, Calif., powered past four opponents, including leading qualifier Pete Weber, 215-213, to collect the $37,000 first prize. In doing so, Williams not only picked up the largest check of his career, but thwarted Weber's bid to supplant Marshall Holman as PBA's all-time earnings leader.

In the dream match-up between two of bowling's "heavyweights," Williams opened with three strikes, while Weber struck and opened in his second frame before coming back with a triple. When Williams failed to convert the 4-6 split in his fifth frame, Weber pulled to within one pin but never took the lead, despite opting to finish the game first. Weber closed with a spare, double and nine in his ninth and 10th frames, but Williams was equal to the challenge and closed Weber out with a double, nine-spare.

Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center is the longest-tenured stop on the PBA Tour and the championship round of this 35th annual event started with Williams defeating George Branham III, Indianapolis, 247-220. Branham opened in his 10th frame with an opportunity to shut out Walter Ray, who also came from behind when third-seeded Dennis Jacques opened in his 10th frame. Williams closed with eight strikes and nine pins to advance against Jacques, 268-244.

In the semi-final game, both Williams and second-seeded Parker Bohn III struggled before Williams lined up for three late strikes and the win, 213-194. Bohn, Freehold, N.J., earned $11,000 for third place; Jacques, Monmouth Junction, N.Y. collected $9,000 for fourth and Branham $7,500.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Wllliams defeated Branham 247-220; Williams defeated Jacques, 268-244; Williams defeated Bohn, 213-194; and in the championship game, Williams defeated Weber, 215-213.

56 GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
#1		Pete Weber, St. Ann, MO		13276		237.7		9-15-0		270		13546
2		Parker Bohn III, Freehold, NJ		13032		232.7		15-9-0		450		13482
3		Dennis Jacques, Monmouth Jct., NJ		12777		228.2		14-8-2		450		13227
4		George Branham III, Indianapolis		12797		228.5		13-9-2		420		13217
5		Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA		12770		228.0		13-11-0		390		13160
#6		Randy Pedersen, Hollywood, FL		12691		226.6		15-8-1		465		13156		$6,500
@#7		Mike Miller, Albuquerque, NM		12783		228.3		12-4-0		360		13143		3,750
8		Len Blakey, Tacoma, WA		12765		227.9		10-12-2		330		13095		5,000
9		Eugene McCune, Munster, IN		12793		228.4		10-14-0		300		13093		4,500
10		China Warren, Dallas		12750		227.7		11-13-0		330		13080		4,000
t11		Tsuguo Tsukahara, Japan		12620		225.4		13-10-1		405		13025		3,600
t12		Michael N n, Cheektowaga, NY		12599		224.9		14-10-0		420		13019		3,300
13		Wayne Webb, Canandaigua, NY		12631		225.5		12-12-0		360		12991		3,000
#14		Kelly Coffman, Topeka, KS		12615		225.3		11-11-2		360		12975		2,800
15		Roger Bowker, Ocala, FL		12639		225.7		8-15-1		255		12894		2,700
16		Ron Williams, Fort Worth, TX		12510		223.4		12-11-1		375		12885		2,600
17		Ed Richardson, Corpus Christi, TX		12374		220.9		13-11-0		390		12764		2,500
18		Tony Ament, Garfield, NJ		12296		219.6		12-12-0		360		12656		2,400
19		Rudy Kasimakis, Levittown, NY		12310		219.8		11-13-0		330		12640		2,300
20		Ricky Corona, Orange, CA		12260		218.4		11-11-2		360		12620		2,200
21		Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ		12325		220.1		9-15-0		270		12595		2,100
22		Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, FL		12234		218.5		9-14-1		285		12519		2,050
23		Bob Learn Jr,, Erie, PA		12134		216.7		12-11-1		375		12509		2,000
24		Brian LeClair Hudson, NY		12156		217.1		8-16-0		240		12396		1,950

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
@#25		Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, KS	$3,710
*26		Harry Suit ins, Ann Arbor, MI	1,710
27		Gary Dickinson, Edmond, OK	1,600
28		Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Hts., OH	1,570
29		Ken Muscato, Canandaigua, NY	1,550
30		Dave Wodka, Las Vegas	1,530
31		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, OR	1,510
#32		Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, FL	1,490
33		Don Moser, San Jose, CA	1,470
34		Bryan Goebel, Merriam, KS	1,450
#35		Frank Ellenbum, Chandler, AZ	1,430
36		Joe Barket, Morro Bay, CA	1,410
37		Justin Hromek, Andover, KS	1,390
38		Hugh Miller, Seattle	1,370
39		Jim Johnson, Wilmington, DE	1,360
40		Mike Edwards, Okla. City, OK	1,350
41		Randy Bennet, McLeod, OK	1,340
42		Dave Ferraro, Kingston, NY	1,330
43		Jess Stayrook, Tempe, AZ	1,320
44		Paul Koehler, Stuart, FL	1,310
45		Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, OH	1,300
46		Doug Kent, Canandaigua, NV	1,290
47		Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, CA	1,280
48		Mark Mosayebi, Charlotte, NC	1,270
49		Mike Shady, Ripon. WI	1,260
50		Butch Soper, Lake Havasu City AZ	1,250
51		Jimmy Johnson, Columbus, OH	1,235
		Mark McCullough, Columbus, OH	1,235
53		Bob Spaulding, Harrisburg, PA	1,220
54		Tom Crites, Loveland, CO	1,210
55		Bob Benoit, Topeka, KS	1,200
56		David Ozio, Vidor, TX	1,190
57		Rich Abboud, Omaha, NE	1,180
58		Bryon Smith, Winchester, OR	1,170
59		Charlie Standish, Kalamazoo, MI	1,160
60		Kevin McGerr, Lincoln, NE	1,150
61		Steven Sonnen, Oak Creek, WI	1,140
62		Brian Himmler, Cincinnati	1,130
63		Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, PA	1,120
64		Bob Vespi, Coral Springs, FL	1,115