Throughout his respectable bowling career, 27-year-old Dave Ferraro never before had won a singles championship. But fate took a fortuitous turn when Ferraro turned back John Gant, 254-221, to claim the $150,000 Budweiser Classic and its $27,000 first prize. Ferraro opened with six strikes and never looked back against Gant, who appeared unbeatable coming off a 277-223 victory against Ron Palombi Jr. With his victory, Ferraro also qualified for the 1987 Firestone Tournament of Champions. A third generation bowling proprietor, Ferraro insisted, "The first win is more important than the money. This gives me new confidence. I started a little jittery, but the first few strikes loosened me up,"In the opening game of the NBC Sports-televised finals, Palombi topped Charlie Tapp, 237-214, and advanced past rookie Purvis Granger, 190-181, before bowing to Gant. Gant had qualified for the championship finals for the third time in four tournaments on the five-city Fall Tour. He also took the lead in the PBA's coveted high average competition with a 214.66 mark. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y. | 254 (1 game) | $27,000 | | 2 | | John Gant, Independence, Ky. | 498 (2 games) | 14,000 | | 3 | | Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, Pa. | 650 (3 games) | 8,000 | | 4 | | Purvis Granger, Lafayette, La. | 181 (1 game) | 6,500 | | 5 | | Charlie Tapp, S. St. Paul, Minn. | 214 (1 game) | 5,500 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS - Palombi defeated Tapp, 237-214; Palombi defeated Granger, 190-181; Gant defeated Palombi, 277-223; and in the championship game, Ferraro defeated Gant, 254-221.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y. | | 9228 | | 219.7 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9708 | | | | #2 | | John Gant, Independence, Ky. | | 9356 | | 222.8 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 9671 | | | | 3 | | Purvis Granger, Lafayette, La. | | 9217 | | 219.5 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9637 | | | | 4 | | Charlie Tapp, S. St. Paul, Minn. | | 9161 | | 218.1 | | 15-8-1 | | 465 | | 9626 | | | | 5 | | Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, Pa. | | 9171 | | 218.4 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9591 | | | | 6 | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | | 9181 | | 218.6 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9571 | | $4,500 | | 7 | | Bob Handley, Pompano Beach, Fla. | | 9103 | | 216.7 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9523 | | 4,000 | | 8 | | Bobby Jacks, Union City, Calif. | | 9070 | | 216.0 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9520 | | 3,500 | | 9 | | Don Genalo, Perrysburg, Ohio | | 9155 | | 218.0 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9515 | | 3,200 | | 10 | | Chris MacLellan, St. Louis | | 9052 | | 215.5 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9502 | | 3,000 | | 11 | | Michael Dool, Hilton, N.Y. | | 9017 | | 214.7 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9467 | | 2,800 | | 12 | | Peter Hakim, Forest Hills, N.Y. | | 9045 | | 215.4 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9420 | | 2,600 | | 13 | | Steve Cook, Roseville, Calif. | | 9042 | | 215.3 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9402 | | 2,500 | | 14 | | James Dunham Jr., Indianapolis | | 8980 | | 213.8 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9280 | | 2,400 | | 15 | | Butch Soper, Los Angeles | | 8917 | | 212.3 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9247 | | 2,300 | | 16 | | George Branham III, Arleta, Calif. | | 8881 | | 211.5 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9241 | | 2,200 | | 17 | | Chuck Pierce, Dallas | | 8906 | | 212.0 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 9221 | | 2,100 | | 18 | | Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash. | | 8892 | | 211.7 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9192 | | 2,000 | | 19 | | Mike Lucente, Detroit | | 8800 | | 209.5 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9160 | | 1,900 | | 20 | | Jimmie Pritts Jr., Lawrence, Mass. | | 8822 | | 210.0 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9152 | | 1,800 | | 21 | | Ron Bell, Akron, Ohio | | 8842 | | 210.5 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9142 | | 1,700 | | 22 | | Tom Crites, Tampa, Fla. | | 8741 | | 208.1 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9041 | | 1,600 | | 23 | | Pete Couture, Windsor Locks, Conn. | | 8775 | | 208.9 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8985 | | 1,500 | | 24 | | Guppy Troup, Tucker, Ga. | | 8654 | | 206.0 | | 6-18-0 | | 180 | | 8834 | | 1,450 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | *25 | | Mickey Higham, Charlotte, N.C. | $1,380 | | 26 | | Bill Ryan Jr., Dayton, Ohio | 1,225 | | | | Mike Truitt, Rockford, Ill. | 1,225 | | 28 | | Jimmy Certain, Milwaukee, Wis. | 1,210 | | 29 | | Sam Zurich, Hernando Bch., Fla. | 1,200 | | 30 | | Scott Devers, Centerville, Ind. | 1,180 | | | | Gary Dickinson, Burleson, Texas | 1,180 | | | | Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, U.S.A. | 1,180 | | 33 | | Palmer Fallgren, Sacramento, Calif. | 1,160 | | 34 | | David L. Rosenburg, Rolla, Mich. | 1,150 | | 35 | | Leroy Bornhop, St. Charles, Mo. | 1,140 | | 36 | | Mark Baker, Garden Grove, Calif. | 1,125 | | | | Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla. | 1,125 | | 38 | | Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis | 1,110 | | 39 | | Mats Karlsson, Sweden | 1,100 | | 40 | | Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y. | 1,085 | | | | Randy Pedersen, Santa Maria, Calif. | 1,085 | | 42 | | Dennis Jacques, Middletown, N.J. | 1,070 | | 43 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | 1,060 | | 44 | | Storm DeVincent, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | 1,045 | | | | Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y. | 1,045 | | 46 | | Arnie Goldman, Roseville, Mich. | 1,030 | | #47 | | Del Ballard Jr., Richardson, Texas | 1,020 | | 48 | | Tim Menge, Cleveland | 1,010 | | 49 | | Chris Goddard, Zephyr Cove, Nev. | 995 | | | | Tim Weisbrod, Cincinnati, Ohio | 995 | | #51 | | Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J. | 980 | | 52 | | Rowdy Morrow, St. Louis | 965 | | | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas | 965 | |
* - Match play alternate. 18-game qualifying leader - John Gant, 4142. 24th place - Tom Crites, 3814. 52nd place Rowdy Morrow and Mark Williams (tie), 3765. # - Sam Maccarone, Del Ballard Jr. and John Gant rolled perfect games ($100 each). PRO-AM CASHERS -Jim Pencak, Mats Karlsson, Brad Bohling, Dennis Jacques, Butch Soper and Brian Voss ($50 each).
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