King Louie Open



$50,000 KING LOUIE OPEN
King Louie West Lanes, Overland Park, Kan., Jan 31-Feb 3, 1973
Knipple Scores In K.C.

Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif., became the third new champion on the 1973 winter tour in five weeks when he defeated Mike Lemongello, 209-186, in the finals of the $50,000 King Louie Open.

Besides Knipple, there was Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, and a trio of New Yorkers: Lemongello, Ernie Schlegel, Newburgh, and Jimmy McHugh, New York City, in the five-man finals.

Knipple found himself in the finals against Lemongello, who had won at these same King Louie West lanes in 1968, and who had led the qualifying and match game play virtually throughout the tournament. But Lemongello lost his touch late in the title game and it cost him the trophy. He led by 14 pins early in the game when Knipple suffered a 4-6 split and upped his lead to 19 pins in the seventh frame.

Then disaster struck Lemongello. He left a 4-6 split in the ninth frame, at a time when Knipple had put together two strikes in the eighth and ninth frames. Lemongello then finished with a 186 and Knipple doubled in the 10th frame to clinch his hard-earned title.

TELEVISED FINALS

Pos.Name, City/StateTotalAmount
1Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif.385 (2 games)$6,000
2Mike Lemongello, Islip, N.Y.186 (1 game)3,500
3Ernie Schlegal, Newburgh, N.Y.368 (2 games)2,000
4Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Texas390 (2 games)1,800
5Jimmy McHugh, New York, N.Y.179 (1 game)1,600

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Dickinson defeated McHugh, 191-179; Schlegel defeated Dickinson, 209-199; Knipple defeated Schlegel, 176-159; and in the championship game Knipple defeated Lemongello, 209-186.

42-GAME TOTALS

 Name, City/StatePins  WLT+TotAmt
1Mike Lemongello, Islip, N.Y. 8978 17-7-0 510 9488 
2Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif. 8956 13-10-1 405 9361 
3Ernie Schlegel, Newburgh, N.Y. 8923 14-9-1 435 9358 
4Jimmy McHugh, New York, N.Y. 8856 15-8-1 465 9321 
5Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Texas 8824 16-8-0 480 9304 
*6Dave Davis, Miami, Fla. 8857 14-10-0 420 9277 $1,450
7Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wis. 8812 15-9-0 450 9262 1,200
8Billy Hardwick, Louisville, Ky. 8909 11-13-0 330 9239 1,150
9Dennis Swayda, Phoenix, Ariz. 8878 11-12-1 345 9223 1,100
10Barry Asher, Costa Mesa, Calif. 8856 10-13-1 315 9171 1,050
11Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill. 8810 10-14-0 300 9110 1,000
12Don Helling, St. Louis, Mo. 8697 13-10-1 405 9102 950
13Les Schissler, Denver, Colo. 8731 12-12-0 360 9091 900
14Larry Laub, San Francisco, Calif. 8722 11-12-1 345 9067 850
15Jerry Buchholz, San Jose, Calif. 8604 14-10-0 420 9024 800
16Jim Godman, Lorain, Ohio 8600 13-10-1 405 9005 750
17Butch Soper, Tustin, Calif. 8643 12-12-0 360 9003 700
18Mickey Higham, Kansas City, Mo. 8652 11-13-0 330 8982 650
19Paul Colwell, Tucson, Ariz. 8609 10-13-1 315 8924 625
20Dave Frame, Azusa, Calif. 8617 9-14-1 285 8902 600
21Matt Surina, Kelso, Wash. 8654 7-16-1 225 8879 575
22Roger Wiemer, Springfield, Mo. 8567 8-16-0 240 8807 550
23Rich Carrubba, Hayward, Calif. 8375 9-14-1 285 8660 525
24Bill Tucker, Detroit, Mich. 8321 7-17-0 210 8531 500

18-GAME TOTALS

Pos.Name, City/StateTotalAmount
26Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, Mo.3717$400
*Johnny Petraglia, Brooklyn, N.Y.3740465
27Dick Weber, St. Louis, Mo.3735380
28Bob Stearns, Minneapolis, Minn.3733370
29Gary Madison, San Bernardino, Calif.3729360
30George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.3727350
31Mike McGrath, EI Cerrito, Calif.3723340
32Ken Vincek, Chicago, Ill.3720330
33Don McCune, Munster, Ind.3719320
34Timmy Harahan, Canoga Park, Calif.3717310
35Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J.3716300
36Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa.3711285
 Tom Warren, St. Joseph, Mo.3711285
38Gus Lampo, Endicott, N.Y.3709270
39Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill.3708260
40Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio3706255
41Steve Neff, New Orleans, La.3687250
42George Lafal, Independence, Mo.3675245

*Alternate. 18-game qualifying leader-Lemongello 3898. 24th low-Hardwick 3750. PRO-AM CASHERS-$50-Bill Tucker, Gil Sliker, Lou Scalia, Joe Dignam, Wayne Zahn, Dick Weber.