Professional Bowlers Association

Warren Nelson, one of the young stars on the PBA Tour, scored an impressive victory when he took the top spot in the $100,000 MGM-PBA National Championship, held for the first time at the new MGM-Grand Lanes in Reno, Nev.

Nelson, whose best previous finish was fourth earlier in the year, didn't seem affected by the television lights and cameras. In fact, he appeared confident throughout his two-game stint.

And when the jubilant Nelson faced newsmen afterward, he let everyone know just how he felt.

"I just knew I was going to win," he said.

It was no easy task for the Downey, Calif., youngster, who was in his second year on the PBA Tour. As the No. 2 seed for the televised finals, he knew that his first match would be difficult.

Mark Roth, 1977 PBA Player of the Year, survived two preliminary matches, beating Tommy Hudson and Dennis Lane to reach the semifinal.

Nelson shook off an open frame late in the match with Roth, striking out for a 234-227 victory which left Roth in third place.

Next came tournament leader Joseph Groskind, a rookie from Memphis, Tenn. Groskind, who bowled superbly all week, couldn't get anything going against Nelson, although his 10th frame double forced Nelson to mark in his final frame for the victory. Nelson responded with a double of his own for a 219-199 triumph.

Nelson hovered near the lead throughout the tournament, leading after 40 and 48 games. Groskind, who'd been moving up in the standings after each round, made his move in the final eight games and wrested the top spot from Nelson to qualify in the enviable No. 1 spot for the TV finals.

The six-man finals began when Hudson defeated Nelson Burton Jr., 221-161. Roth then stopped Hudson, 256-245, and sidelined Lane, 279-225. Roth's streak stopped at two when Nelson entered the scene.

The 22-year-old Californian earned $15,000 for the victory, which also qualified him for the Firestone Tournament of Champions. Groskind's $8,000 runnerup prize was the biggest of his young career.

Officials at the MGM-Grand Lanes said that they hoped that the National Championship would find a permanent home in Reno.

TELEVISED FINALS

PLAYOFF RESULTS: Hudson beat Burton, 221-161; Roth beat Hudson, 256-245; Roth beat Lane, 279-225; Nelson beat Roth, 234-227; Nelson beat Groskind, 219-199.

56-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Joseph Groskind, Memphis, Tenn.		12620		225.3		19-5-0		570		13190
2		Warren Nelson, Downey, Calif.		12543		223.9		17-7-0		510		13053
3		Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn.		12666		226.1		12-12-0		360		13026
4		Mark Roth, N. Arlington, N.J.		12551		224.1		13-11-0		390		12941
5		Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio		12556		224.2		12-11-1		375		12931
6		Nelson Burton, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.		12440		222.1		14-10-0		420		12860
7		Larry Laub, San Francisco, Calif.		12420		221.7		14-10-0		420		12840		$2,750
8		George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C.		12444		222.2		13-1L-0		390		12834		2,400
9		Randy Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo.		12329		220.1		16-8-0		480		12809		2,200
10		Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Tex.		12348		220.5		14-10-0		420		12768		2,100
11		Boysie Huber, St. Louis, Mo.		12345		220.4		13-11-0		390		12735		2,000
12		Dave Frame, Baldwin Pk., Calif.		12305		219.7		14-10-0		420		12725		1,900
13		Palmer Fallgren, Sacramento, Calif.		12390		221.2		9-13-2		300		12690		1,800
14		Craig Cutsor, Whittier, Calif.		12326		220.1		12-12-0		360		12686		1,700
15		Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla.		12318		219.9		11-13-0		330		12648		1,600
16		Fred Conner, Mar Vista, Calif.		12343		220.4		9-14-1		285		12628		1,500
17		Rich Venturi, Daly City, Calif.		12259		218.9		12-12-0		360		12619		1,400
18		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore.		12221		218.2		12-12-0		360		12581		1,300
19		John Guenther, Seattle, Wash.		12225		218.3		11-13-0		330		12555		1,250
20		Paul Vorisek, Cleveland		12237		218.5		8-15-1		255		12492		1,200
+21		Henry Gonzalez, Colo. Springs		12138		216.7		10-13-1		315		12447		1,020
22		Keith Craycraft, New Martinsville		12111		216.2		8-16-0		240		12351		1,100
23		Cliff McNealy, San Lorenzo, Calif.		12027		214.7		9-15-0		270		12297		1,050
24		Mike Berlin, Muscatine, Iowa		12154		217.0		3-21-0		90		12244		1,000

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
+25		Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz.	$995
*26		Jeff Phipps, Salem, Ore.	870
27		Ernie Schlegel, U.S.A.	800
28		Rick Jones, Bellingham, Wash.	780
29		Bill Spigner, Hamden, Conn.	760
30		Fred Jaskie, Greendale, Wis.	740
31		Lamar Kock, Canoga Park, Calif.	720
32		Greg Guertin, Sacramento, Calif.	700
33		Johnny Petraglia, Staten Island, N.Y.	680
34		John Denton, Midland, Texas	660
35		Don Johnson, Las Vegas, Nev.	640
36		John Reeser, Daly City, Calif.	620
37		John Bolejack, Ft. Worth, Texas	600
38		Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio	580
39		Matt Surina, Longview, Wash.	570
40		Matt Kerns, Lakewood, Colo.	555
		Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill.	555
42		Les Zikes, Palatine, Ill.	540
43		Mal Acosta, Fremont, Calif.	525
		Dan Roche, Downey, Calif.	525
45		Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz.	510
46		George LeCain, Danvers, Mass.	500
47		Mike Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio	490
48		Ed Ressler Jr., Allentown, Pa.	480
49		Pete McCordic, Houston, Texas	470
40		Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif.	460
51		Paul Moser, Medford, Mass.	450
52		Joe Berardi, Pearl River, N.Y.	440
53		Sam Fox, San Francisco, Calif.	425
		Don Sylvia, Fishkill, N.Y.	425
55		Don Bell, Santa Maria, Calif.	410
56		Dale Glenn, Northridge, Calif.	400
57		Art Trask, Fresno, Calif.	390
58		Earl Anthony, Tacoma, Wash.	380
59		AI Stonum, San Francisco, Calif.	370
60		Wendell Davis, Johnson City, Tenn.	360
61		Steve Westberg, Cottage Grove, Ore.	350
62		Joel Hafner, White Bear Lake, Minn.	340
63		Tom Laskow, Commack, N.Y.	330
64		Greg Damaskos, Yakima, Wash.	320
65		Jimmy McHugh, Las Vegas, Nev.	310
66		Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill.	300