Cleveland Open



$70,000 CLEVELAND OPEN
Buckeye Lanes, North Olmsted, Ohio, Feb 20-24, 1979
Cliff-Hanger

Cliff McNealy's five-year bid for a PBA title was finally realized in the Cleveland Open as the lanky 26-year-old defeated Earl Anthony, thus becoming the PBA's newest champion.

McNealy, who had been close before, emerged as second qualifier going into the finals, 307 pins behind Anthony who out-averaged the field by more than five pins per game. However, McNealy first rolled past red-hot Joe Hutchinson, 258-246, and nailed down the $8,000 first prize with a 212-195 decision over Anthony.

TELEVISED FINALS

Pos.Name, City/StateTotalAmount
1Cliff McNealy, San Lorenzo, Calif.470 (2 games)$8,000
2Earl Anthony, Kent, Wash.195 (1 game)5,000
3Joe Hutchinson, Scranton, Pa.745 (3 games)4,000
4Butch Soper, Whittier, Calif.223 (1 game)3,500
5Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore.229 (1 game)3,000

PLAYOFF RESULTS: Hutchinson defeated Holman, 234-229; Hutchinson defeated Soper, 265-223; McNealy defeated Hutchinson, 258-246; and in the championship game, McNealy defeated Anthony, 212-195.

42-GAME TOTALS

 Name, CityPinsAvg  WLT+TotAmt
#1Earl Anthony, Kent, Wash. 9593 228.4 16-8-0 480 10073 
2Cliff McNealy, San Lorenzo, Calif. 9271 220.7 16-7-1 495 9766 
3Butch Soper, Whittier, Calif. 9349 222.5 13-10-1 405 9754 
4Joe Hutchinson, Scranton, Pa. 9371 223.1 11-13-0 330 9701 
5Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. 9225 219.2 15-9-0 450 9675 
**6John Voso Jr., Cleveland 9069 215.3 17-6-1 525 9594 $2,395
 Boysie Huber, St. Louis 9174 218.2 14-10-0 420 9594 2,345
8Palmer Fallgren, Sacramento 9177 218.2 13-11-0 390 9567 1,900
9Johnny Petraglia, Staten Is., N.Y. 9197 218.4 11-13-0 330 9527 1,800
10Ed Ressler, Allentown, Pa. 9134 217.2 13-11-0 390 9524 1,700
11Gil Sliker, Washington, N.J. 9129 217.1 12-11-1 375 9504 1,600
12Louie Moore, Indianapolis 9119 217.5 12-12-0 360 9479 1,500
#13Alvin Lou, El Cajon, Calif. 8979 213.3 14-9-1 435 9414 1,450
14Keith Craycraft, N. Martinsville, W.V. 8974 213.2 13-11-0 390 9364 1,400
15Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz. 8853 210.3 13-10-1 405 9258 1,350
16Warren Nelson, Downey, Calif. 8906 212.2 10-14-0 300 9206 1,300
17Carmen Salvino, Chicago 8848 210.2 11-12-1 345 9193 1,250
18Rob Theis, Youngstown, Ohio 8804 209.2 11-13-0 330 9134 1,200
19Bill Spigner, Hamden, Conn. 8858 210.3 8-16-0 240 9098 1,150
20Pete McCordic, Houston, Texas 8824 210.4 9-15-0 270 9094 1,100
21Frank Zitnik, Hubbard, Ohio 8791 209.1 10-14-0 300 9091 1,050
22Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla. 8689 206.2 11-13-0 330 9019 1,000
23Teata Semiz, River Edge, N.J. 8831 210.1 5-19-0 150 8981 950
24Ted Karbownik, Clarkston, Mich. 8589 204.2 6-17-1 195 8784 900

18-GAME TOTALS

Pos.Name, City/StateAmount
*25Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn.$875
26Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth785
 Jim Plessinger, St. College, Pa.785
@28Chuck Linden, Cleveland770
29Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y.755
 Dick Ritger, River Falls, Wis.755
31Bill Coleman, Springfield, Ore.740
32Keith Kolozsi, Xenia, Ohio730
33David Ozio, Beaumont, Texas720
34Johnnie Short, Albuquerque, N.M.710
35Paul Vorisek, Cleveland700
36Jeff Magas, Willowick, Ohio690
37Jeff Morin, Cleveland680
38Dan Roche, Downey, Calif.670
39Roger Bowker, Sterling Hts., Mich.660
40Charlie Venable, Brooklyn650
41Roger Tramp, Phillipsburg, Kan.640
#42Steve Martin, Kingsport, Tenn.630
43Joe Berardi, Pearl River, N.Y.620
44Joe Nuzzo, Youngstown, Ohio610
45Dennis Swayda, Phoenix600
46Gip Lentine, Rowland Hts., Calif.585
 Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill.585
48Jay Tartaglia, Port Chester, N.Y.570

*Alternate. @Non-PBA member. 18-game qualifying leader - Fallgren, 4,086. 24th place - Semiz, 3,859. #Tom Franklin, John Pirtle, Steve Martin, Alvin Lou, Don McCune and Earl Anthony shot 300 games. PRO-AM CASHERS Bob Kolberg, Don Johnson, Alvin Lou, Johnny Petraglia, Dennis Swayda, Mike Durbin, Steve Martin, Jeff Mattingly, Randy Lightfoot, Craig Mueller, Louie Moore, Paul Vorisek, Joe Nuzzo, Pete McCordic, Roy Buckley, Ed Ressler, Jeff Morin, David Ozio, Butch Soper and Jim Plessinger. **-Voso served as TV alternate.