Professional Bowlers Association

Once again, the National Championship was staged at Buddy Russell's Garden City Bowl on Long Island. Mike McGrath, certainly not one to try and change a winning habit, made it a comeback victory as he joined Wayne Zahn and Davis as a multiple winner of this PBA classic, which played for the 11th time and fifth time at Garden City.

Davis, as a matter of record, was going for his third conquest and it appeared from the way he almost lapped the field through the first 60 games that he was not to be denied. But, things never are final until they're final, and when the five finalists came up to the regionally-telecast finals, it was a new ballgame.

Davis was top-seeded, and awaited the outcome of one-game matches involving Johnny Petraglia (fifth), George Pappas (fourth), McGrath (third) and Larry Lichstein (second).

Pappas started out by elminiating Petraglia, 182-169, and then McGrath moved into the picture by scoring a 205-174 triumph over Pappas, who already had taken two titles in 1970. Then McGrath disposed of Lichstein by a 229-188 count and moved into the title confrontation with Davis. This was the same Davis who had charged into first place after three rounds of play and left his top perch only briefly when he was ousted by Pappas.

In the match game phase, Davis took 16 of his 24 games, tying one. Lichstein, McGrath and sixth-placer Dick Battista also took 16, but when it came down to actual pinfall over 60 games, it was no contest. Davis spilled 13,084 pins, 312 more than his nearest pursuer-Lich stein. It figured out to a 218 average for the tall lefthander, winner earlier in the year of the San Jose Open.

Davis opened the final game with four straight strikes, putting it right to McGrath. The two stayed close until the -seventh frame, when Davis saw his game come undone somewhat by 4-7-10 split. McGrath rushed right in and took the lead, but then he, too, left a split in the eighth frame . . . a split he failed to convert. Davis arose, took his shots, and finished with a 222.

McGrath toed the line knowing he needed a "double" to register a victory. Mike got the two he needed, added one for icing, and came away with a 226-222 victory for the $7,500 first place prize. The money served a twofold purpose for McGrath, for it moved him into a position where a few weeks later he was able to lock up first place in the PBA money earnings standings.

TELEVISED FINALS

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Pappas defeated Petraglia, 182-169; McGrath defeated Pappas, 205-174; McGrath defeated Lichstein, 229-188; and in the championship game McGrath defeated Davis, 226-222.

60-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City/State		Pins		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Dave Davis, Miami, Fla.		13084		16-7-1		825		13909
2		Larry Lichstein, Windsor Locks, Conn.		12772		16-8-0		800		13572
3		Mike McGrath, EI Cerrito, Cal.		12748		16-8-0		800		13548
4		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.		12933		9-15-0		450		13383
5		Johnny Petraglia, Brooklyn, N.Y.		12700		13-11-0		650		13350
*6		Dick Battista, Astoria, N.Y.		12404		16-8-0		800		13204		$1,850
7		Les Schissler, Denver, Col.		12474		13-10-1		675		13149		1,700
8		Dave Soutar, Gilroy, Cal.		12459		13-10-1		675		13134		1,600
9		Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill.		12480		12-11-1		625		13105		1,500
10		Don Helling, St. Louis, Mo.		12252		16-7-1		825		13077		1,400
11		Don Russell, San Diego, Cal.		12313		14-9-1		725		13038		1,300
12		Jimmy Mack, Hackettstown, N.J.		12367		13-11-0		650		13017		1,200
13		Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, Mo.		12459		11-13-0		550		13009		1,150
14		Bob Cusick, Middle Village, N.Y.		12339		12-12-0		600		12939		1,100
15		Timmy Harahan, Canoga Park, Cal.		12333		12-12-0		600		12933		1,050
16		Curt Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind.		12177		11-13-0		550		12727		1,000
17		Ed DiTolla, Glen Rock, N.J.		12195		10-14-0		500		12695		950
18		Barry Asher, Costa Mesa, Cal.		12187		10-14-0		500		12687		900
19		Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill.		12205		9-14-1		475		12680		850
20		Ed Bourdase, Fresno, Cal.		12142		10-14-0		500		12642		800
21		Billy Hardwick, Louisville, Ky.		12202		8-16-0		400		12602		750
22		Angelo D'Ambolo, Raritan, N.J.		12101		8-14-2		450		12551		700
23		Dale Seavoy, Birmingham, Mich.		11986		9-14-1		475		12461		650
24		Ralph Engan, Monsey, N.Y.		11959		6-18-0		300		12259		600

Pos.		Name, City/State	Total	Amount
25		Dan Spada, Ardmore, Pa.	7324	$475
26		Jim Maxey, Decatur, Ga.	7314	440
27		Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J.	7300	420
28		Butch Gearhart, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.	7289	400
**29		Ralph Hartmann, New Hyde Park, N.Y.	7270	465
30		Don Glover, Bakersfield, Cal.	7265	380
31		Skee Foremsky, Houston, Tex.	7250	370
32		Paul Petescola, Oradell, N.J.	7245	360
33		Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash.	7241	355
34		Mike Orlovsky, Endicott, N.Y.	7240	347.50
		Tommy Tuttle, King, N.C.	7240	347.50
36		Bob Strampe, Detroit, Mich.	7235	340
37		Earl Anthony, Tacoma, Wash.	7231	335
38		Bobby Cooper, Houston, Tex.	7229	330
39		Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz.	7209	325
40		Bill Miller, N. Plainfield, N.J.	7207	320
41		Bobby McMillin, Flushing, N.Y.	7206	315
42		Denny Krick, Tacoma, Wash.	7205	310
43		Ray Bluth, St. Louis, Mo.	7202	305
44		Alex Seymore, Kannapolis, N.C.	7185	300
45		Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa.	7177	292.50
		Alfonso Pujol, New York, N.Y.	7177	292.50
47		Ray Koehler, Bay Shore, N.Y.	7175	285
48		Gus Lampo, Endicott, N.Y.	7171	280
49		Paul Keppel, Saddle Brook, N.J.	7164	275
50		Bill Bunetta, Fresno, Cal.	7145	267.50
		A.W. "Bill" Johnson, New Orleans, La.	7145	267.50
52		Wayne Sheridan, Richmond, Va.	7144	260
53		Allie Clarke, Akron, Ohio	7134	255
54		Roy Ryan, Massapequa Park, N.Y.	7123	250
55		Ernie Schlegel, Newburgh, N.Y.	130	45
56		Larry Laub, San Francisco, Cal.	7124	40
57		Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va.	7126	232.50
		Pete Mylenki, Emerson, N.J.	7126	232.50
59		Wayne Johnson, Walnut Cove, N.C.	7119	225
60		Rudy Lindeland, Atlanta, Ga.	7117	220
61		Dick Varone, Islip, N.Y.	7108	215
62		Craig Mueller, Union, N.J.	7107	210
63		Mike Durbin, Dayton, Ohio	7100	205
64		Bob Shank, Lorain, Ohio	7089	100
		Barry Warshafsky, Belmont, Mass.	7089	100