Professional Bowlers Association

Tommy Hudson scored the biggest victory of his professional bowling career when he edged Jay Robinson to win the 18th annual Professional Bowlers Association National Championship at Leilani Lanes in Seattle.

The Akron, Ohio, star received $10,000 for his thrilling 206-200 victory over Robinson before a national television (CBS) audience and a packed house at Leilani.

Robinson suffered a 4-7-10 split in the first frame of the title game, but recovered quickly with a turkey to open a slight lead Another split this time a 6-7-10, in the sixth dropped the Californian behind once again, but Hudson then left one of his own, a 2-10, in the next frame.

Robinson finished strong with a 200, and Hudson needed a double in the 10th to win the Columbia sponsored event. He got the first strike, but on his second was forced to wait an agonizing second until a tottering eight pin fell for the second strike and victory.

"I feel my season is now complete," an excited Hudson later told newsmen. "A lot of great bowlers never win the National Championship and I consider myself extremely lucky to have won it.

"But I really don't consider myself a superstar. I guess you have to think of guys like Don Carter, Dick Weber and Earl Anthony. However, I would like to think I can be one of the better bowlers on the tour for several years. That was a tough field we had out there today."

It was a heartbreaking loss for the fourth-seeded Robinson, who defeated two of 1977's top bowlers-Mark Roth and Earl Anthony-in his drive to the title game.

The five-match championship round began with fifth seeded John Wilcox defeating sixth-seeded and local favorite Johnny Guenther, 223-218.

Wilcox then lost to Robinson, 263-191, before Robinson jolted Roth, 233-222, and Anthony, 212-208. Once again, Robinson battled from behind after opening in the fifth.

Sparked by a 300 game, Robinson led the tournament during the early qualifying rounds. Other 300s were tossed by Marshall Holman and rookie Steve Martin.

Anthony, seeking his fourth National Championship title in five years, made his bid on the second day of competition by jumping from 38th place to fifth. He led at the end of 32 qualifying games, surrendered the lead briefly to Roth, then held it until losing to Hudson, 244-222, in the position round.

TELEVISED FINALS

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Wilcox defeated Guenther, 223-218; Robinson defeated Wilcox, 263-191; Robinson defeated Roth, 223-222; Robinson defeated Anthony, 212-208; in the championship game, Hudson defeated Robinson, 206-200.

56-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City/State		Pins		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio		12456		18-6-0		540		12996
2		Earl Anthony, Tacoma, Wash.		12515		14-9-1		435		12950
3		Mark Roth, Staten Island, N.Y.		12528		13-11-0		390		12918
4		Jay Robinson, Los Angeles, Calif.		12444		14-10-0		420		12864
5		John Wilcox, Montoursville, Pa.		12270		15-9-0		450		12720
6		Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash.		12247		15-9-0		450		12697
*7		Joe Hutchinson, Scranton, Pa.		12251		14-10-0		420		12671		$2,750
8		Ernie Schlegel, U.S.A.		12154		16-7-1		495		12649		2,500
9		Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn.		12291		11-13-0		330		12621		2,400
10		Dennis Murphy, Great Falls, Mont.		12219		13-11-0		390		12609		2,300
11		Matt Surina, Longview, Wash.		12038		17-7-0		510		12548		2,200
12		Palmer Fallgren, Sacramento, Calif.		12213		11-13-0		330		12543		2,100
13		Dave Frame, Baldwin Park, Calif.		12113		12-12-0		360		12473		2,000
14		Paul Colwell, Tucson, Ariz.		12074		11-13-0		330		12404		1,900
15		Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla.		11960		11-13-0		330		12290		1,800
16		Fred Conner, Mar Vista, Calif.		11963		10-13-1		315		12278		1,700
17		Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore.		11901		11-13-0		330		12231		1,600
18		Steve Westberg, Cottage Grove, Ore.		11896		11-13-0		330		12226		1,500
19		E. J. Mock, Norco, Calif.		11847		11-13-0		330		12177		1,400
20		Glenn Carlson, Fresno, Calif.		11964		7-17-0		210		12174		1,300
21		Ed Ressler, Allentown. Pa.		11885		9-15-0		270		12155		1,200
22		Rich Carrubba, Hayward, Calif.		11841		9-15-0		270		12111		1,100
23		Joe McQuillan, W., Los Angeles, Cal.		11804		7-16-1		225		12029		1,050
24		Les Schissler, Denver, Colo.		11767		6-18-0		180		11947		1,000

Pos.		Name, City/State	Total	Amount
*25		Bill Spigner, Hamden, Conn.	6836	$980
26		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.	6835	870
27		Paul Moser, Medford, Mass.	6832	835
28		Jim Frazier, Spokane, Wash.	6829	800
29		Steve Jones, Independence, Mo.	6819	780
30		Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Tex.	6817	760
#31		Steve Martin, Kingsport, Tenn.	681	740
32		Wayne Chester, San Mateo, Cal.	6778	720
33		Pete Couture, Windsor, Conn.	6774	700
34		Don Reeser, San Francisco, Cal.	6768	680
35		Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Spgs., Colo.	6765	660
36		Gary Mage, Seattle, Wash	6758	640
37		Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y.	6753	620
38		Don Johnson, Las Vegas, Nev.	6743	600
39		Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W.Va.	6737	580
40		Craig Cutsor, Whittier, Cal.	6703	560
41		Toe Berardi, Pearl River, N.Y.	6701	550
42		Bobby Fenton, Cucamonga, Cal.	6692	540
43		Gary Cea, Everett, Wash.	6687	530
44		Dave Davis, Atlanta, Ga.	6685	520
45		Frank Ellenburg, Phoenix, Ariz.	6683	510
46		Jeff Mattingly, Tacoma, Wash.	6680	500
47		Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla.	6668	490
48		Dale Glenn, Glendale, Cal.	6659	480
49		Mickey Higham, Kansas City, Mo.	6654	470
50		Mike Doody, Dallas, Tex.	6647	460
51		John Weber, St. Louis, Mo.	6640	450
52		Tim Godman, Miami, Fla.	6627	440
53		Ted Bakatselos, Detroit, Mich.	6613	430
54		Mike Kelly, Seattle, Wash.	6608	420
55		Don Schultz, W. Lafayette, Ind.	6589	410
56		Rick Jones, Bellingham, Wash.	6583	400