Dick Ritger, of Hartford, Wis., accomplished that rarest of all feats in PBA competition as he moved from 16th position to first to win the $27,600 Fresno Open. Ritger won seven of his eight games in the afternoon block on Sunday; then after losing his opening game at night, he won the final seven for 14 victories and the championship. For a time it appeared that Les Schissler of Denver would successfully defend the Fresno title he won in 1966. He led the qualifying by more than 200 pins, averaging 221 enroute; but he could win only eight of his 16 match play games and finished second. Jim Stefanich, of Joliet, Ill., set one new "record" for the PBA. He lost all 16 of his match games in the finals. From Fresno it was on to El Paso. 40 GAMES | |  | Name, City/State | | Pins | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wis. | | 8661 | | 700 | | 9361 | | $3,000 | | 2 | | Les Schissler, Denver, Colo. | | 8797 | | 400 | | 9197 | | 1,600 | | 3 | | Curt Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind. | | 8448 | | 600 | | 9048 | | 1,200 | | 4 | | Butch Gearhart, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | | 8476 | | 600 | | 8976 | | 1,160 | | 6 | | Dave Soutar, Detroit, Mich. | | 8663 | | 400 | | 8963 | | 1,100 | | 6 | | Wayne Zahn, Atlanta, Ga. | | 8600 | | 400 | | 8900 | | 1,060 | | 7 | | Bud Horn, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8467 | | 400 | | 8867 | | 1,000 | | 8 | | Harry Smith, Redwood City, Calif. | | 8370 | | 460 | | 8820 | | 960 | | 9 | | Billy Welu, St. Louis, Mo. | | 8413 | | 400 | | 8813 | | 900 | | 10 | | Jim Godman, Hayward, Calif. | | 8360 | | 460 | | 8800 | | 860 | | 11 | | Les Barrett, San Mateo, Calif. | | 8367 | | 400 | | 8767 | | 800 | | 12 | | Ron Winger, Van Nuys. Calif. | | 8340 | | 360 | | 8690 | | 760 | | 13 | | Ed Bourdase, Fresno, Calif. | | 8387 | | 260 | | 8637 | | 700 | | 14 | | Bobby Cooper, Ft. Worth. Tex. | | 8306 | | 300 | | 8606 | | 660 | | 16 | | Norm Meyers, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8136 | | 400 | | 8636 | | 626 | | 16 | | Jim Stefanich, Joliet, ILl. | | 8089 | | 000 | | 8089 | | 600 | |
24 GAMES | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 17 | | Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill. | 4939 | $460 | | 18 | | Bill Bunetta, Fresno, Calif. | 4930 | 390 | | 19 | | Glenn Allison, Los Angeles, Calif. | 4929 | 380 | | 20 | | Bob Strampe, Detroit, Mich. | 4928 | 370 | | 21 | | Vern Downing, Rodeo, Calif. | 4926 | 360 | | 22 | | Andy Marzich, San Pedro, Calif. | 4923 | 360 | | 23 | | George Sabin, Hollister, Calif. | 4917 | 340 | | 24 | | Don Johnson, Kokomo, Ind. | 4913 | 330 | | 26 | | John Fabbro, Columbus, Ohio | 4909 | 320 | | 26 | | Bill Johnson, New Orleans, La. | 4907 | 310 | | 27 | | Earl Johnson, St. Paul, Minn. | 4897 | 306 | | 28 | | Jim Certain, Huntsville, Ala. | 4896 | 300 | |
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