"I finally made it!" The speaker was Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif., who finally transferred his world championship horseshoe pitching ability to the bowling lanes at Landmark Recreation Center. He had just rolled four impressive games in the nationally televised finals of the $150,000 True Value Open to win the $27,000 first prize and a coveted trip to the $250,000 Firestone Tournament of Champions. "I felt good right from the beginning," he said, minutes after defeating top-seeded Steve Cook, 215-167, in the championship game. Williams, also known as "Dead Eye," was unbeatable in his first three games. Back-to-back 246's eliminated Mats Karlsson, who had a 224, and then Hugh Miller, who managed a 234. Miller sported a 6-0 record in championship round matches going into the True Value finals. Next up was John Gant and Williams improved on his first two games with a 257-199 victory to move into the title game against Cook. Cook was looking for his 10th PBA win, after having captured the BPAA U.S. Open three weeks earlier in Venice, Fla. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | 964 (4 games) | $27,000 | | 2 | | Steve Cook, Roseville, Calif. | 167 (1 game) | 14,000 | | 3 | | John Gant, Pittsburgh, Pa. | 199 (1 game) | 8,500 | | 4 | | Hugh Miller, Everett, Wash. | 234 (1 game) | 7,000 | | 5 | | Mats Karlsson, Gothenburg, Sweden | 224 (1 game) | 6,000 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS - Williams defeated Karlsson, 246-224; Williams defeated Miller, 246-234; Williams defeated Gant, 257-199; and in the championship game, Williams defeated Cook, 215-167.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | #1 | | Steve Cook, Roseville, Calif. | | 9530 | | 226.9 | | 15-8-1 | | 465 | | 9995 | | | | 2 | | John Gant, Pittsburgh, Pa. | | 9446 | | 224.9 | | 16-7-1 | | 495 | | 9941 | | | | 3 | | Hugh Miller, Everett, Wash. | | 9338 | | 222.3 | | 19-5-0 | | 570 | | 9908 | | | | 4 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | | 9316 | | 221.8 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9706 | | | | 5 | | Mats Karlsson, Sweden | | 9155 | | 218.0 | | 16-7-1 | | 495 | | 9650 | | | | 6 | | Pete McCordic, Houston | | 9136 | | 217.5 | | 13-9-2 | | 420 | | 9556 | | $5,000 | | 7 | | Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, U.S.A. | | 9156 | | 218.0 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9486 | | 4,000 | | 8 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | | 9059 | | 215.7 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9479 | | 3,500 | | 9 | | Mike Bouvia, Gresham, Ore. | | 8908 | | 212.1 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 9418 | | 3,200 | | 10 | | Joe Staton, Sunnymead, Calif. | | 9008 | | 214.5 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9383 | | 3,000 | | 11 | | Mark Roth, Spring Lake Hts., N.J. | | 9087 | | 216.4 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9357 | | 2,800 | | 12 | | Steve Preston, Kokomo, Ind. | | 8940 | | 212.9 | | 13-10-1 | | 405 | | 9345 | | 2,600 | | 13 | | Norm Duke, Fort Worth, Texas | | 8915 | | 212.3 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9335 | | 2,500 | | 14 | | Richard Bramwell, San Marcos, Calif. | | 8883 | | 211.5 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9303 | | 2,400 | | 15 | | Mike Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio | | 8914 | | 212.2 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9274 | | 2,300 | | 16 | | Tony Cariello, Chicago | | 8909 | | 212.1 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9239 | | 2,200 | | 17 | | Randy Canales, Poway, Calif. | | 8886 | | 211.6 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9156 | | 2,100 | | 18 | | Bob Knipple, Long Beach, Calif. | | 8919 | | 212.4 | | 7-16-1 | | 225 | | 9144 | | 2,000 | | 19 | | Tom Crites, Tampa, Fla. | | 8820 | | 210.0 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9120 | | 1,900 | | 20 | | Randy Johnson, Webster Groves, Mo. | | 8775 | | 208.9 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9075 | | 1,800 | | 21 | | Dave Kappel, Chicago | | 8779 | | 209.0 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 9019 | | 1,700 | | @22 | | Tom Adcock, Decatur, 111. | | 8697 | | 207.1 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 8937 | | 1,600 | | 23 | | Eddy Kelley, Amarillo, Texas | | 8579 | | 204.3 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8789 | | 1,525 | | 24 | | James A. Miller, Mesa, Ariz. | | 8472 | | 201.7 | | 6-18-0 | | 180 | | 8652 | | 1,480 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | *25 | | Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa. | $1,435 | | 26 | | Don Genalo, Perrysburg, Ohio | 1,300 | | 27 | | Harold Sullins, Detroit | 1,280 | | 28 | | George Branham III, Arleta, Calif. | 1,260 | | 29 | | Philip Ringener Big Spring, Texas | 1,240 | | 30 | | Del Ballard Jr., Richardson, Texas | 1,220 | | 31 | | Mal Acosta, Manteca, Calif. | 1,210 | | 32 | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | 1,195 | | | | John Weltzien, Huntley, Ill. | 1,195 | | 34 | | Bruce Carter, Round Rock, Texas | 1,180 | | 35 | | Chuck Mogavero, Sun Lakes, Ariz. | 1,170 | | 36 | | Arnie Goldman, Detroit | 1,160 | | 37 | | Bill Maijala, Belleville, Ill. | 1,150 | | 38 | | Art Trask, Fresno, Calif. | 1,140 | | 39 | | Kevin Mullins, St. Louis | 1,130 | | #40 | | Purvis Granger, Lafayette, La. | 1,120 | | 41 | | Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis | 1,110 | | 42 | | Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J. | 1,095 | | | | Butch Soper, Los Angeles | 1,095 | | 44 | | Bill Netzhammer, Alton, Ill. | 1,080 | | 45 | | Leroy Bornhop, St. Charles, Mo. | 1,070 | | 46 | | Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla. | 1,060 | | 47 | | Tony Westlake, Altus, Okla. | 1,050 | | 48 | | Mario Moley, Tampa, Fla. | 1,040 | | 49 | | Storm DeVincent, Tamarac, Fla. | 1,030 | | 50 | | Mike Truitt, Rockford, Ill. | 1,020 | | 51 | | Randy Stoughton, Indianapolis | 1,000 | | 53 | | Bill Straub, Lincoln, Neb. | 990 | |
* - Match play alternate. # - Doug Wallace, Steve Cook and Purvis Granger rolled 300 games ($100 each). @ - non-PBA member. 18-game qualifying leader - Steve Cook, 4059. 24th place - Randy Johnson, 3856. 53rd place Bill Straub, 3781. PRO-AM CASHERS - Warren Nelson, Norm Duke, Philip Ringener, Mario Moley, James Valentine, Johnny Petraglia, Mike Bouvia, John Gant, Darryl Bower and Bill Peters ($50 each).
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