Professional Bowlers Association

For Brian LeClair, it was the worst kind of deja vu. For Walter Ray Williams Jr., it was simply a repeat performance of near perfection that gave him his second title of 1996 and his 18th career win.

Williams, Stockton, Calif., struck out in the 10th frame to defeat tournament leader LeClair, Hudson, N.Y., 258-257, in the finals of the Showboat Invitational. The win, which earned Williams $37,000, was the second in four tournaments for the PBA Hall of Famer, both of which came at the expense of LeClair. Williams also struck out in the 1996 Track Synergy Open of Kennewick, Wash., to beat LeClair, 208-206.

Williams said, "Sometimes you have to be lucky to win a title and in both matches against Brian I had breaks go my way. That's just part of bowling. Brian has the potential to be a great player out here and I'm sure he'll be back."

A disappointed LeClair said, "I threw a bad shot in the ninth and I paid for it. Anytime you give a player of his caliber any opening, he's probably going to beat you. I should have never given him that chance."

The final match concluded a championship round that featured high scores In all four matches. Roger Bowker started the telecast with a 259-237 win over Curtis Odom before becoming the first of three victims for Williams. Williams defeated Bowker, 226-258. Williams then bested Mike Edwards in the semifinal, 235-215, to set up his 10th frame heroics.

The $37,000 first-place check moved Williams past both Marshall Holman and Mike Aulby into second on the PBA's all-time earnings list.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Bowker defeated Odom, 259-237; Williams defeated Bowker, 260-258; Williams defeated Edwards, 235-215; and in the title match, Williams defeated LeClair, 258-257.

56-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Brian LeClair, Hudson, NY		13159		234.9		16-5-3		525		13684
2		Mike Edwards, Oklahoma City		13247		236.5		13-9-2		420		13667
#3		Walter Ray Williams, Jr., Stockton, CA		13153		234.9		17-7-0		510		13663
4		Curtis Odom, Winston-Salem, NC		13188		235.5		15-9-0		450		13638
5		Roger Bowker, Ocala, FL		13083		233.6		17-7-0		510		13593
6		David Traber, Woodstock, IL		13085		233.7		15-8-1		465		13550		$6,500
#7		Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, FL		13098		233.9		7-16-1		225		13323		6,000
#8		Brian Voss, Atlanta		12967		231.5		10-13-1		315		13282		5,500
9		Jeff Morin, Rockaway, NJ		12847		229.4		13-11-0		390		13237		5,000
10		Jason Couch, Clermont, FL		12944		231.1		8-14-2		270		13214		4,500
11		Michael Haugen Jr., Riverside, CA		12871		229.8		11-13-0		330		13201		4,000
12		Butch Soper, Lake Havasu City, AZ		12859		229.6		10-13-1		315		13174		3,600
13		Philip Ringener, Big Spring, TX		12785		228.3		12-11-1		375		13160		3,300
14		Mike Aulby, Indianapolis		12784		228.3		12-11-1		375		13159		3,000
#15		Justin Hromek, Andover, KS		12833		229.2		9-13-2		300		13133		2,800
16		Mike Miller, Albuquerque, NM		12774		228.1		11-13-0		330		13104		2,700
#17		Harry Sullins, Ann Arbor, MI		12737		227.4		12-12-0		360		13097		2,600
18		Richard Wolfe, Falls Church, VA		12702		226.8		12-12-0		360		13062		2,500
#19		Jimmy Johnson, Columbus, OH		12712		227.0		11-12-1		345		13057		2,400
20		Jeff Hickenbottom, Thousand Oaks, CA		12639		225.7		13-10-1		405		13044		2,300
21		Doug Kempt, Temple City, CA		12724		227.2		10-13-1		315		13039		2,200
22		Darren Wong, San Jose, CA		12685		226.5		7-17-0		210		12895		2,100
23		John Mazza, Shelby Township, MI		12574		224.5		8-14-2		270		12844		2,050
24		Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX		12500		223.2		9-15-0		270		12770		2,000

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
25		Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, TX	$1,730
26		Scott Alexander, Seattle	1,690
27		Wayne Webb, Barberton, OH	1,660
28		Eric Forkel, Tucson, AZ	1,630
29		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA	1,610
*t30		Billy Hillers, Las Vegas	1,710
31		Kelly Bennett, Auburn Hills, MI	1,553
#		Rick Meneley, Santa Maria, CA	1,553
		Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, TX	1,553
34		Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ	1,530
35		Jim Hamrick, La Palms, CA	1,520
36		Ken Muscato, Canandaigua, NY	1,510
37		Mike Taylor, San Diego	1,500
38		David Ozio, Vidor, TX	1,490
39		Bill Swanson, Grand Rapids, MI	1,480
40		Bob Laster, Costa Mesa, CA	1,465
		Brad Snell, Itasca, IL	1,465
42		Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, WA	1,450
43		Dave Wodka, Las Vegas	1,440
44		Dennis Horan, San Diego	1,430
45		Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, FL	1,420
46		Kelly Coffman, Topeka, KS	1,410
47		Brian Himmler, Cincinnati	1,400
48		Ken McNeely, Morganton, NC	1,390
49		Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, NJ	1,380
50		Paul Colwell, Tucson, AZ	1,370
51		Michael Nape, Blue Island, IL	1,360
t52		Yoshifumi Egashira, Japan	1,350
53		Eddie Williams, Van Nuys, CA	1,340
t54		Jim Moran, Las Vegas	1,335