Bowlers Journal International - February 2008 - (Page 42) ANALYSIS aches and pains the format generated. Even the roll-offs were grueling, but revealed how much the players and fans revered the event. ”I remember Graz Castellano tying Steve Nagy for 24th place and a spot in the finals,” says Pezzano. ”They had a 6-game rolloff, and nobody had second thoughts about it.” For eight years, the two events were viewed as equals in prestige. Chicago finally pulled the plug on the Invitational primarily because of the expense, but as Pezzano notes, ”The World’s Invitational never lost its luster.” MAJORS LEADERS PBA ONLY 8 Earl Anthony 8 Pete Weber 7 Walter Ray Williams Jr. 6 Mike Aulby 4 Jason Couch 4 Dave Davis 4 Marshall Holman 4 Dave Husted 3 Del Ballard Jr. 3 Steve Cook 3 Mike Durbin 3 Dave Ferraro 3 Doug Kent 3 Mike McGrath 3 Johnny Petraglia 3 Mark Williams KEY: AS = All-Star; M = Masters; NC = National Championship; ToC = Tournament of Champions; TPC = Touring Players Championship; US = U.S. Open; WC = World Championship; WI = World's Invitational. TOTAL 11 Don Carter 5 WI, 4 AS, M, NC 10 Earl Anthony 2 ToC, 2 M, 6 NC 8 Mike Aulby US, ToC, 3 M, 2 NC, TPC 8 Pete Weber 4 US, ToC, 2 NC, TPC 7 W.R. Williams 2 US, M, 3 WC, TPC 4 Del Ballard Jr. 2 US, ToC, M 4 Jason Couch 3 ToC, TPC 4 Dave Davis 2 ToC, 2 NC 4 Marshall Holman 2 US, 2 ToC 4 Dave Husted 3 US, TPC 4 Dick Weber 4 AS 3 Steve Cook US, ToC, TPC 3 Norm Duke ToC, M, NC 3 Mike Durbin 3 ToC 3 Dave Ferraro ToC, 2 TPC 3 Jim Godman 2 ToC, M 3 Billy Hardwick AS, ToC, NC 3 Dick Hoover AS, 2 M 3 Doug Kent M, 2 WC 3 Mike McGrath US, 2 NC 3 Johnny Petraglia US, ToC, NC 3 Bob Strampe AS, M, NC 3 Billy Welu AS, 2 M 3 Mark Williams 2 ToC, TPC THE ABC MASTERS Based on his earlier remarks, PDW is aware that some Masters were counted as majors, others not. He also realizes this inconsistency doesn’t play well in the record books. Mike Aulby offers a good explanation as to why: A double standard was at work. ”Back when they failed to count [the Masters toward] their list of titles, the PBA counted the money to make it look good. But it was a political thing, and they didn’t want to give the ABC credit for the event itself.” Yes, the PBA had its share of run-ins with the ABC. This was especially true in the ’70s when the left-righty problem flared up and PBA founder Eddie Elias instructed the Tour’s lane crew to ignore the ABC lane conditioning dictates if they felt a need. Things settled down when the ABC — now the USBC — began to put considerably more dollars into the PBA coffers, although the very real spectre of industry unity made their argument to include the Masters among the recognized majors more compelling. As PBA President in 1993 and ’94, Aulby got an insider’s look at this particular political game. However, with two uncounted Masters in his personal portfolio, he also knows first-hand the other side of this inconsistency. ”Being retired, it does make it a bit easier to say I feel they all should be counted as majors. However, I’d feel that way if I still competed just because of the Masters being [what it is].” WHAT OF THE TPC? Finally, we come to the Touring Players Championship, the major that 42 bowlers journal international seems to be held in the least regard. There are several reasons for that. First, players have said they wanted to win the U.S. Open, or the Tournament of Champions, etc., but few ever said they really wanted to win the TPC. Second, it seems the TPC was created as a concession to the players who wanted more majors. Third, it paid about the same as most regular Tour stops at the time. Fourth, it didn’t have the tradition of most majors. Fifth, it was what was called a ”designated” major, and didn’t feel much different than regular events. Finally, it didn’t consistently stir the juices of the bowlers, the spectators or the media. Those things add to the ultimate perception as to whether an event is a major or not. Says Fiorito, ”Years from now, historians might look back and conclude this was not a major.” Besides, as Aulby notes, ”You still had to beat the best of the best to win that title.” Nobody should argue about excluding the TPC as a major for one simple reason: The bowlers who won it thought they were winning a major at the time. You don't change rules in mid-stream. HISTORICAL CONTEXT That same reasoning applies to the bowlers who won the All-Star, the World’s Invitational and the Masters, whichever year it was held. ”If the PBA says it’s a major, and the media, the fans and the players respond favorably to that label, then by all that is holy, it’s got to be a major,” says Fiorito. Aulby agrees, but envisions a problem with PBA's new revisionist policy. ”We seem to find ways to make it work for the now, but not for the past. I probably feel a bit differently about this now that I’m no longer out there than I did when I was touring but you simply can’t disregard the history of bowling. ”The history of our sport is important, so ultimately, years from now, who’s going to watch out for the Don Carters of our sport if we don’t do anything about it now?” It’s probably the biggest reason we compiled the list above. It is assembled within the historical context in which each of the events was regarded at the time, with respect to our sport’s traditions. Agree or disagree, it certainly provides some food for thought. FEBRUARY 2008
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