Professional Bowlers Association

That bolt of lightning from Brooklyn-Johnny Petraglia, by name-continued to streak across the skies in the $100,000 Firestone Tournament of Champions.

Professional bowling's most important-and richest-event continued to play at Riviera Lanes in Akron, Ohio, and in the true tradition of this competition, thrills were in abundance.

Victim of Petraglia's surge-which saw him take his fourth crown of the year and third straight-was Don Johnson, who one year before took the $25,000 first place prize with his now-classic 299 effort. This time around, however, Johnson was the runnerup in the $100,000 event (going to $125,000 in 1972).

The excitement engendered by the event remained at fever pitch throughout the week-long rolling. As has always been the case, there were turnaway crowds at every session, a pro-am kickoff that saw every squad filled, and a brand of bowling that brought everyone to a fever pitch.

Petraglia came into the Firestone with three titles tucked away in the 12 previous tournaments on the Winter schedule. Two of those-in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans coming in succession, leading up to the Akron blowout. No professional had taken three straight since the early days of the PBA and the man to do it then was Dick Weber.

Leader after 24 games of qualifying was Barry Asher, a finalist in the 1970 edition. Asher, however, faded when match play began and after the first eight games, Petraglia was in first place. When the 24-game portion of head to head play had run its course, the Brooklyn Belter still was atop the standings, followed by Dick Battista, Johnson, Marty Piraino and Dave Davis.

Piraino began with a smashing 268-195 win over Davis and then Piraino bowed to Johnson 214-193. Johnson kept going by downing Battista, 183-174. That put it up to Petraglia to try and thwart Johnson's bid for a second straight victory in the T of C. And he did just that.

Johnson never had a chance. Petraglia doubled twice over the first five frames, then closed with five in a row, while the loser never could get untracked. Johnson suffered a pair of splits, lost his line almost completely, and wound up on the short end of a 245-169 score.

TELEVISED FINALS

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Piraino defeated Davis, 268-195; Johnson defeated Piraino, 214-193; Johnson defeated Battista, 183-174; and in the championship game Petraglia defeated Johnson, 246-169.

48-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City/State		Pins		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Johnny Petraglia Brooklyn, N.Y.		10310		16-9-0		760		11060
2		Dick Battista, Astoria, N.Y.		10098		15-9-0		750		10848
3		Don Johnson, Akron, O.		9969		15-8-1		775		10744
4		Marty Piraino, Syracuse, N.Y.		9855		17-7-0		850		10705
5		Dave Davis, Miami, Fla.		9887		15-9-0		750		10637
**6		Mike Durbin, Dayton, Ohio		9902		12-12-0		600		10502		$2,050
7		Earl Anthony, Tacoma, Wash.		9861		13-11-0		650		10501		1,700
8		Dave Soutar, Gilroy, Cal.		9779		12-12-0		600		10379		1,600
9		Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill.		9598		15-9-0		750		10348		1,500
10		Lou Scalia, Hollywood, Fla.		9664		13-11-0		650		10314		1,450
11		Mike McGrath, El Cerrito, Calif.		9704		12-12-0		600		10304		1,400
12		Timmy Harahan, Canoga Park, Calif.		9729		11-13-0		550		10279		1,375
13		Billy Hardwick, Louisville, Ky.		9669		12-12-0		600		10269		1,350
**14		Curt Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind. (includes 338 pin penalty)		9918		12-12-0		600		10180		1,200
15		Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz.		9658		10-14-0		500		10168		1,300
16		Dick Weber, St. Louis, Mo.		9518		12-11-1		625		10143		1,275
17		Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J.		9576		11-13-0		550		10126		1,250
18		Skee Foremsky, Houston, Texas		9544		11-13-0		550		10094		1,225
19		Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash.		9540		11-13-0		550		10090		1,200
20		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.		9687		7-16-1		375		10062		1,175
21		Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, Mo.		9435		11-12-1		575		10010		1,150
22		Larry Lichstein, Windsor Locks, Conn.		9343		12-12-0		600		9943		1,125
23		Barry Asher, Costa Mesa, Calif.		9662		5-19-0		250		9912		1,100
24		Jim Godman, Hayward, Calif.		9559		7-17-0		350		9909		1,075

Pos.		Name, City/State	Total	Amount
***25		Butch Gearhart, Houston, Texas	6535	$1,075
26		Bobby Cooper, Houston, Texas	4729	1,000
27		Bud Horn, Los Angeles, Calif.	4728	1,000
**28		Don Glover, Bakersfield, Calif.	4721	1,050
29		Ed Bourdase, Fresno, Calif.	4720	1,000
30		Les Schissler, Denver, Colo.	4706	1,000
31		Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill.	4704	1,000
32		Terry Booth, Mountain View, Calif.	4679	1,000
33		Don McCune, Munster Ind.	4664	1,000
34		Mike Limongello, North Babylon, N.Y.	4628	1,000
35		Tommy Tuttle, King, N.C.	4617	1,000
36		Ralph Engan, Monsey, N.Y.	4595	1,000
37		Joe Digman, Albuquerque, N.M.	4566	1,000
38		Harry Smith, Akron, Ohio	4552	1,000
39		Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wisc.	4626	1,000
40		Bob Strampe, Detroit, Mich.	4505	1,000
41		Bill Tucker, Detroit, Mich.	4581	1,000
42		Larry Laub, San Francisco, Calif.	4474	1,000
43		Jim St. John, Shingle Springs, Calif.	4472	1,000
44		Les Zikes, Palatine, Ill.	4445	1,000
45		Vern Downing, San Francisco, Calif.	4427	1,000
46		Earl Johnson, Minneapolis, Minn.	4331	1,000
47		Billy Welu, St. Louis, Mo.	4213	1,000
48		Jack Biondolillo, Houston, Texas, (4 games)	2664	1,000