Tim Criss had already proven he could win on television, just not more than one match at a time. At the Flagship Open in Erie, Pa., before a capacity crowd at the Erie Civic Center, one win was enough. Criss, a 30-year-old from Bel Air, Md., made his first appearance as tournament leader count as he defeated Mike Shady, 242-208, to win his first title, $18,000 and a trip to the 1998 Brunswick World Tournament of Champions. "I've won matches on TV before, but then I always lose before I get to the title match;" said Criss, who went into the telecast with a 3-6 TV record and had never finished higher than third. "I was nervous and anxious sitting around waiting for the other guys to bowl. But I got on the lanes and had a good reaction and that relaxed me." Shady, Oshkosh, Wis., alternated strikes and spares for the first six frames In the ABC telecast before finally throwing consecutive strikes in frames seven and eight. Criss started with the first three strikes, converted a single-pin spare in the fourth and then gave Shady a glimmer of hope with an open frame in the fitth after a failed 3-6-7-10 split conversion. But Criss promptly struck on his next five shots, including the first ball in the 10th that sealed the win. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Tim Criss, Bel Air, MD | 242 (1 game) | $18,000 | | 2 | | Mike Shady, Oshkosh, WI | 669 (3 games) | 9,500 | | 3 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA | 210 (1 game) | 7,000 | | 4 | | George Branham III, Indianapolis | 410 (2 games) | 5,000 | | 5 | | Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, IL | 184 (1 game) | 4,000 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Branham defeated Jaros, 200-184; Shady defeated Branham, 229-210; Shady defeated Williams Jr., 232-210: and in the championship game, Criss defeated Shady, 242-208.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Tim Criss, Bel Air, MD | | 9627 | | 229.2 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 10047 | | | | 2 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA | | 9268 | | 220.7 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9718 | | | | 3 | | Mike Shady, Oshkosh, WI | | 9261 | | 220.5 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9711 | | | | 4 | | Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, IL | | 9212 | | 219.3 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9632 | | | | 5 | | George Branham III, Indianapolis | | 9205 | | 219.2 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9625 | | | | 6 | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX | | 9174 | | 218.4 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9624 | | $3,300 | | 7 | | Tommy Delutz Jr., Jamaica, NY | | 9290 | | 221.2 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9620 | | 2,800 | | 8 | | Del Ballard Jr., North Richland Hills, TX | | 9084 | | 216.3 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 9594 | | 2,600 | | 9 | | Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, KS | | 9104 | | 216.6 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9554 | | 2,400 | | 10 | | Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ | | 9169 | | 218.3 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9544 | | 2,300 | | 11 | | Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA | | 9180 | | 218.6 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9510 | | 2,200 | | 12 | | Doug Kent, Canandaigua, NY | | 9110 | | 216.9 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9485 | | 2,100 | | 13 | | Brian Voss, Atlanta | | 9058 | | 215.7 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9448 | | 2,000 | | 14 | | Ryan Shafer, Elmira, NY | | 9036 | | 215.1 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9366 | | 1,900 | | 15 | | Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ | | 8993 | | 214.1 | | 11-11-2 | | 360 | | 9353 | | 1,750 | | | | Billy Myers Jr., Temple City, CA | | 9038 | | 215.2 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 9353 | | 1,750 | | 17 | | Jim Johnson Jr., Tampa, FL | | 8964 | | 213.4 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9324 | | 1,650 | | 18 | | Curtis Odom, Coldwater, MI | | 9007 | | 214.4 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9307 | | 1,600 | | 19 | | Paul Yoder, Albuquerque, NM | | 8933 | | 212.7 | | 11-12-1 | | 345 | | 9278 | | 1,550 | | 20 | | Harry Sullins, Roseville, MI | | 8840 | | 210.5 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9170 | | 1,500 | | 21 | | Dennis Jacques, Brooklyn, NY | | 8837 | | 210.4 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9137 | | 1,450 | | 22 | | Jason Couch, Clermont, FL | | 8760 | | 208.6 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 9000 | | 1,400 | | 23 | | Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, NY | | 8750 | | 208.3 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8960 | | 1,350 | | 24 | | Michael Luft, Brook Park, OH | | 8475 | | 201.8 | | 6-18-0 | | 180 | | 8655 | | 1,300 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | 25 | | Danny Wiseman, Baltimore | $1,100 | | *26 | | Pat Nolan, Las Vegas | 1,200 | | 27 | | Billy Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, MI | 1,050 | | | | David Ozio, Vidor, TX | 1,050 | | 29 | | Bill Oakes, Lawton, OK | 1,030 | | 30 | | Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, FL | 1,020 | | 31 | | Jim Mee, Jamestown, NY | 1,005 | | | | Mark Turney, Corpus Christi, TX | 1,005 | | 33 | | Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL | 990 | | 34 | | Eugene McCune, Munster, IN | 975 | | | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | 975 | | 36 | | Norman Titus, Flemington, NJ | 960 | | 37 | | Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, NJ | 945 | | | | Ed Richardson, Corpus Christi, TX | 945 | | 39 | | Mike Aulby, Indianapolis | 930 | | 40 | | Wayne Webb, Las Vegas | 920 | |
*-Match play alternate. 18-game qualifying leader-Tim Criss, 4103. 24th place-Mark Williams, 3889. 40th place-Wayne Webb, 3804. PRO-AM CASHERS-Phil Ringener, Johnny Petraglia, Billy Orlikowski, Don Best Jr., John Mazza and Brian Eaton ($50 each).
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