Peoria Open
$100,000 PEORIA OPEN
Landmark Recreation Center, Peoria, IL, Feb 10-14, 1998
Traber's Victory Plays Well In Peoria
The last time David Traber qualified as the tournament leader in a PBA Tour event, Walter Ray Williams Jr. got the better of him. This time, Traber was able to exact a little revenge. Traber made up for a loss to Williams in the 1995 Rochester (ICY.) Open by beating the Tour's No. 1 ranked player in the finals of the Peoria Open at Landmark Recreation Center. Traber's 248-229 victory was his first since the spring of 1996, the fourth of his career and earned him $16,000. "I've worked really hard on my game since the end of 1997," said Traber. "I practiced five days a week, 30 games a day on the PBA condition and watched old video of myself. I was able to correct some mistakes I was making and it paid off." To collect his payday, Traber had to perform in the 10th frame. The resident of Woodstock, III., started the final match with a strike, then converted a single-pin spare before reeling off three more strikes. Williams, Stockton, Calif., alternated strikes and spares for the first six frames before putting together three consecutive strikes of his own. Traber followed his "three-bagger" with single-pin spare conversions in the sixth and seventh frames, then struck In frames eight and nine. Finishing first, Traber needed the first two strikes in the 10th plus three pins on his "fill ball" to win. He stuffed the first two shots, then threw one hard down the middle on his "fill ball," which also happened to strike. "I knew from the moment it left my hand that it was high flush," said Traber of his second shot in the loth. "I knew it would be in the pocket and I would've been really upset if it hadn't struck." It was Valentine's Day, and it was Traber who would steal the hearts of Peoria's bowling fans. He was unusually demonstrative and showed a lot of emotion throughout the title match. Traber said, "I've been known as a pretty reserved person on the lanes, but today with the atmosphere and the crowd cheering all the time, I figured I'd let It all hang out. I felt like I didn't have anything to lose and I was having fun out there." CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Baker defeated Roth, 265-190; Kent defeated Baker, 267-223; Williams defeated Kent, 215-184; and in the championship game, Traber defeated Williams, 248-229. 42-GAME TOTALS OTHER CASHERS *-Match play alternate. 18-game qualifying leaderless Stayrook, 4102. 24th place-Ryan Shafer, 3892. #-Walter Ray Williams Jr. rolled a perfect game ($100). PRO-AM CASHERS-Justin Hromek ($150), Mark Berry ($100), Paul Yoder, Tim Criss and Parker Bohn III ($50 each). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
