Dick Ritger firmly established himself as one of the favorites to win the Firestone Tournament of Champions with his outstanding victory in the $80,000 STP Classic. Ritger's victory came from a 246-194 win over Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash., who last fall had upset Ritger for the PBA National Championship at Rochester, N.Y. TELEVISED FINALS | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wise. | 246 (1 game) | $10,000 | | 2 | | Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash. | 381 (2 games) | 6,000 | | 3 | | Bob Strampe, Warren, Mich. | 592 (3 games) | 4,000 | | 4 | | Dave Soutar, Gilroy, Calif. | 194 (1 game) | 3,000 | | 5 | | Bobby Cooper, Houston, Texas | 190 (1 game) | 2,500 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Strampe defeated Cooper, 204-190; Strampe defeated Soutar, 201-194; Strampe and Guenther tied, 187-187, in 10-frames and Guenther won two-frame rolloff, 58-50. In the championship game Ritger defeated Guenther, 246-194.
42-GAMETOTALS | | | Name, City/State | | Pins | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Dick Ritger, Hartford, Wise. | | 9171 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9621 | | | | 2 | | Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash. | | 9013 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9463 | | | | 3 | | Dave Soutar, Gilroy, Calif. | | 8961 | | 15-8-8 | | 465 | | 9426 | | | | 4 | | Bobby Cooper, Houston, Texas | | 8975 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9365 | | | | 5 | | Bob Strampe, Detroit, Mich. | | 8876 | | 15-8-1 | | 465 | | 9341 | | | | *6 | | Craig Mueller, Union, N.J. | | 8988 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9318 | | $2,050 | | 7 | | Norm Meyers, St. Louis, Mo. | | 8847 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9297 | | 1,900 | | 8 | | Mike McGrath, El Cerrito, Calif. | | 8935 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9295 | | 1,800 | | 9 | | Steve Neff, New Orleans, La. | | 8781 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 9291 | | 1,700 | | 10 | | Dennis Swayda, Phoenix, Ariz. | | 8938 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9268 | | 1,600 | | 11 | | Jimmy McHugh, New York, N.Y. | | 8880 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9255 | | 1,450 | | | | Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J. | | 8925 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9255 | | 1,450 | | 13 | | Dave Davis, Miami, Fla. | | 8782 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9232 | | 1,350 | | 14 | | Alex Seymore, Kannapolis, N.C. | | 8838 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9228 | | 1,300 | | 15 | | Mike Orlovsky, Endicott, N.Y. | | 8876 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9206 | | 1,250 | | 16 | | Ernie Schlegel, Newburgh, N.Y. | | 8748 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9138 | | 1,200 | | 17 | | Jay Robinson, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8803 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9103 | | 1,150 | | 18 | | Rich Carrubba, Hayward, Calif. | | 8699 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9059 | | 1,100 | | 19 | | Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz. | | 8691 | | 11-11-2 | | 360 | | 9051 | | 1,050 | | **20 | | Billy Hardwick, Louisville, Ky.
(includes 49 pin penalty) | | 8828 | | 8-14-2 | | 270 | | 9049 | | 1,025 | | 21 | | Bill Tucker, Detroit, Mich. | | 8584 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 8914 | | 950 | | 22 | | Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill. | | 8689 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8899 | | 900 | | 23 | | Bob Hood, San Francisco, Calif. | | 8516 | | 6-17-1 | | 195 | | 8711 | | 850 | | 24 | | Bob Perry, Paterson, N.J. | | 8479 | | 5-19-0 | | 150 | | 8629 | | 800 | |
18-GAME TOTALS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | **25 | | Bobby Williams, Detroit, Mich. | 3783 | $590 | | *26 | | Tim Harahan, Canoga Park, Calif. | 3767 | 615 | | 27 | | Ted Malicki, Cleveland, Ohio | 3766 | 540 | | 28 | | Bill Johnson, New Orleans, La. | 3763 | 530 | | 29 | | Dick Weber, St. Louis, Mo. | 3749 | 520 | | 30 | | Gary Madison, San Bernardino, Calif. | 3738 | 510 | | 31 | | Curt Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind. | 3737 | 500 | | 32 | | Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio | 3734 | 485 | | | | Don McCune, Munster, Ind. | 3734 | 485 | | 34 | | Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa. | 3733 | 470 | | 35 | | Barry Warshafsky, Watertown, Mass. | 3732 | 460 | | 36 | | Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, Mo. | 3731 | 450 | | 37 | | Joe Berardi, New York, N.Y. | 3728 | 440 | | 38 | | Rich Stravato, Cranston, R.I. | 3723 | 430 | | 39 | | Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W.Va. | 3722 | 420 | | 40 | | Bob Strampe, Minneapolis, Minn. | 3721 | 410 | | 41 | | Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Texas | 3719 | 400 | | 42 | | Eddie Cook, Florence, S.C. | 3718 | 385 | | | | Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif. | 3718 | 385 | | 44 | | Don Russell, San Diego, Calif. | 3717 | 370 | | 45 | | John Handegard, Eugene, Ore. | 3713 | 360 | | 46 | | Ed Ressler, Allentown, Pa. | 3708 | 350 | | 47 | | Sam Guarino, Detroit, Mich. | 3707 | 335 | | | | Art Trask, Miami, Fla. | 3707 | 335 | | 49 | | Ray Bluth, St. Louis, Mo. | 3706 | 320 | | 50 | | Ed DiTolla, Maywood, N.J. | 3704 | 312.50 | | | | Gil Sliker, Washington, N.J. | 3704 | 312.50 | | 52 | | George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C. | 3703 | 305 | | 53 | | Butch Soper, Tustin, Calif. | 3696 | 300 | | @54 | | Manley Sutton, Miami, Fla. | 3693 | 300 | |
*Alternate. @Local entry. Dale Glenn received $100 for 300 game. **Billy Hardwick replaced Bobby Williams in the finals when Williams' ball was disqualified for extra hole. Hardwick was penalized 49 pins on entry into the finals, and Williams was placed 25th. 18-game qualifying leader-Ritger 3944. 24th low-Robinson 3781. PRO-AM CASHERS -$50-Gary Dickinson, Don Helling, Jim Stefanich, Carmen Salvino, Larry Lichstein, Dick Weber, Billy Hardwick, Johnny Petraglia. $25-Dennis Swayda and Jay Robinson.
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