Barry Asher recorded one of the all-time thrilling come-from-behind victories at Cranston Bowl to win the $55,000 Columbia 300 Open. Twelfth at the start of match play, Asher finally caught faltering tournament leader Don McCune, Munster, Ind., with only two games to go to win the $8,000 first prize offered by Columbia. The victory was Asher's fifth title, two of which came in 1971, and this one undoubtedly was his finest, as he averaged 224 for 42 games on the final day, the pins fell at a rate of 243 pins per game. Asher had climbed to third by the start of the final block and he won seven of his last eight games, including a position round 237-202 win over McCune, which dropped the Hoosier into third place. Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Tex., by virtue of a 204-192 win over Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wis., climbed past McCune into second place at the finish and picked up $5,000. McCune looked for a time as though he would run away with the tournament. He took over the lead after ABC Masters Champ Bill Beach of Sharon, Pa. led the 18-game qualifying. McCune then lengthened his lead steadily, pacing the field by 221 pins going into the final block but he just couldn't stave off Asher. | |  | Name, City/State | | Pins | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Barry Asher, Costa Mesa, Calif. | | 9594 | | 16-7-1 | | 495 | | 10089 | | $8,000 | | 2 | | Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Texas | | 9392 | | 17-6-1 | | 525 | | 9917 | | 5,000 | | 3 | | Don McCune, Munster, Ind. | | 9511 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9901 | | 3,000 | | 4 | | Mickey Higham, Kansas City, Mo. | | 9441 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9891 | | 2,500 | | 5 | | Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wis. | | 9350 | | 17-5-2 | | 540 | | 9890 | | 2,000 | | 6 | | Bobby Meadows, Houston, Texas | | 9294 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9774 | | 1,600 | | 7 | | Rich Carrubba, Hayward, Calif. | | 9322 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9742 | | 1,300 | | 8 | | Allie Clarke, Akron, Ohio | | 9276 | | 15-8-1 | | 465 | | 9741 | | 1,200 | | 9 | | Angelo D'Ambolo, Bound Brook, N.J. | | 9311 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9701 | | 1,150 | | 10 | | Danny Sheranko, Houston, Texas | | 9137 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9617 | | 1,100 | | 11 | | Jim Godman, Lorain, Ohio | | 9279 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9609 | | 1,050 | | 12 | | Max Jensen, Lincoln, Neb. | | 9267 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9597 | | 1,000 | | 13 | | George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C. | | 9202 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9592 | | 950 | | 14 | | Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa. | | 9198 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9468 | | 900 | | 15 | | Jimmy Mack, Hackettstown, N.J. | | 9091 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9451 | | 850 | | 16 | | Gus Lampo, Endicott, N.Y. | | 9134 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 9374 | | 800 | | 17 | | Dick Battista, Astoria, N.Y. | | 9033 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9303 | | 750 | | 18 | | Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, Mo. | | 8970 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9270 | | 700 | | 19 | | Tim Albin, No. Hollywood, Calif. | | 8938 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 9253 | | 650 | | 20 | | Ernie Schlegel, Newburgh, N.Y. | | 8827 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9157 | | 600 | | 21 | | Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J. | | 8862 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 9072 | | 575 | | 22 | | Tom Hudson, Hartville, Ohio | | 8839 | | 6-18-0 | | 180 | | 9019 | | 550 | | 23 | | Dale Glenn, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8727 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 8997 | | 525 | | 24 | | Gary Mage, Vancouver, Wash. | | 8776 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8986 | | 500 | |
18-GAME TOTALS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | *25 | | Phil Sillia, Cleveland, Ohio | 3883 | $490 | | 26 | | Jay Robinson, Santa Susana, Calif. | 3872 | 400 | | 27 | | Palmer Falgren, Sacramento, Calif. | 3871 | 395 | | 28 | | Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va. | 3867 | 390 | | 29 | | Butch Gearhart, Houston, Texas | 3863 | 382.50 | | | | Steve Nowicki, Rochester, N.Y. | 3863 | 382.50 | | 31 | | Dave Davis, Miami, Fla. | 3856 | 375 | | 32 | | Bill Johnson, New Orleans, La. | 3854 | 370 | | 33 | | Ken Viveiros, Sunnyvale, Calif. | 3848 | 365 | | 34 | | John Handegard, Eugene, Ore. | 3833 | 360 | | 35 | | Rich Bennett, Owego, N.Y. | 3829 | 352.50 | | | | Skee Foremsky, Houston, Texas | 3829 | 352.50 | | 37 | | Mike McGrath, EI Cerrito, Calif. | 3827 | 345 | | 38 | | Charles Venable, Brooklyn, N.Y. | 3818 | 340 | | 39 | | Gil Sliker, Washington, N.J. | 3817 | 335 | | 40 | | Joe Dignam, Seattle, Wash. | 3814 | 330 | | 41 | | Marty Piraino, Syracuse, N.Y. | 3813 | 325 | | 42 | | Rich Iula, Bronx, N.Y. | 3812 | 320 | | 43 | | Butch Holick, Houston, Texas | 3809 | 310 | | | | Jimmy McHugh, New York, N.Y. | 3809 | 310 | | # | | Bill Spigner, Hamden, Conn. | 3809 | 310 | | 46 | | Butch Soper, Tustin, Calif. | 3807 | 300 | | 47 | | Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio | 3803 | 295 | | 48 | | Bobby Cooper, Houston, Texas | 3800 | 290 | | 49 | | Larry Lichstein, Windsor Locks, Conn. | 3799 | 282.50 | | | | Rich Stravato, Cranston, R.I. | 3799 | 282.50 | | 51 | | Dick Ciprich, Buffalo, N.Y. | 3795 | 272.50 | | | | Norm Meyers, St. Louis, Mo. | 3795 | 272.50 | | 53 | | Bill Allen, Orlando, Fla. | 3793 | 265 | | 54 | | Bill Tucker, Detroit, Mich. | 3790 | 257.50 | | | | Mike Somers, E. Meadow, N.Y. | 3790 | 257.50 | | 56 | | Jim Lewis, Selkirk, N.Y. | 3788 | 247.50 | | | | Bobby Jenkins, Atlanta, Ga. | 3788 | 247.50 | | 58 | | George LeCain, Peabody, Mass. | 3778 | 240 | |
*Alternate. #Local entry. 18-game qualifying leader Don McCune-4197. 24th low-Jim Godman-3885. PRO-AM CASHERS-$100-Bobby Meadows, Don McCune. $50-Bill Beach, Dale Glenn, Dick Battista, Max Jensen, Dick Weber, Don Russell, Bob Perry, George Pappas, Marty Piraino, Butch Holick, Joe Creno, Sam Flanagan, Mickey Higham, Wayne Zahn, Bill Wallets, Curt Schmidt, Tim Harahan, Jim Godman, Butch Gearhart, Charles Venable, Bobby Cooper, Bill Johnson.
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