(Editor’s Note: A sports tradition will return to network television when the finals of the record $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions will air live Saturday, Jan. 22, on ABC at 2:30 p.m. Eastern from Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas.
Some of the most historic moments in professional bowling, took place in PBA’s signature event. PBA is providing a look back at some of these great moments through re-release of tournament results as they were written by PBA’s media relations staff at the conclusion of the event.
Below is a trip back in time as we re-visit the 1979 Tournament of Champions won by George Pappas).
$150,000 FIRESTONE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Riviera Lanes, Akron, Ohio, Apr 18-21, 1979
1979 Firestone - Pappas Pockets $30,000
George Pappas captured the biggest PBA crown of his career as he completed a rare wire-to-wire victory over Dick Ritger in the 15th annual Firestone Tournament of Champions, awarding him the prestigious white jacket that goes to all winners of professional bowling's richest event.
Rolling 268 in the opening game of the tournament, Pappas, a 5-9, 135 lb. righthander from Charlotte, N.C., assumed the lead in the first round and led after every round throughout the 48-game event leading to the TV finals.
Pappas averaged 223 while his closest pursuer, PBA Hall of Famer Ritger, who was never lower than third in the tournament, qualified at a 218 pace.
Twenty-time champion Ritger advanced to the final game by defeating Jeff Mattingly after Mattingly had beaten Steve Neff. Neff had opened the TV finals with a tight, 190-187, decision over local favorite Tommy Hudson.
In the championship match, Pappas took an early lead with a pair of doubles but allowed his opponent to pull within nine pins by missing a six-pin in the sixth frame. However, Pappas regained his timing with three straight strikes and spared in the 10th frame to lock out Ritger.
It was Ritger's second runner up finish in the Firestone Tournament of Champions, the first coming in a memorable 1970 title game loss to Don Johnson by a score of 299-268.
For Pappas, a 10-year tour regular who has ranked among the PBA's top 25 money winners in each of those years, it was his sixth title and his first major championship. And for the 32-year-old Southerner, victory was all the sweeter knowing that very soon he was going to be a father for the first time.
"Realizing that now I'll have three people to support really pumped me up," explained George, $30,000 check in hand. "Especially since I hadn't been having a good Winter Tour prior to this tournament."
Ritger earned $17,000 for second, Mattingly $10,000 for third, Neff, in his second appearance in a Firestone T of C finals, made $7,500 for fourth, and Hudson $5,000 for fifth.
TELEVISED FINALS
Pos. Name, City/State Total Amount
1, George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C., 224 (1 game), $30,000
2, Dick Ritger, River Falls, Wis., 423 (2 games), 17,000
3, Jeff Mattingly, Tacoma, Wash., 359 (2 games), 10,000
4, Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla. ,323 (2 games), 7,500
5, Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio, 187 (1 game), 5,000
PLAYOFF RESULTS: Neff defeated Hudson, 190-187; Mattingly defeated Neff, 202-133; Ritger defeatedMattingly, 228-157; and in the championship game Pappas defeated Ritger, 224-195.
48-GAME TOTALS
Name, City Pins Avg WLT + Tot Amt
1, George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C. , 10,729, 13-9-2, 420, 11,149
2, Dick Ritger, River Falls, Wis., 10,495, 15-8-1, 465, 10,960
#3, Jeff Mattingly, Tacoma, Wash., 10,449, 14-10-0, 420, 10,869
4, Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio, 10,532, 11-13-0, 330, 10,862
5, Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla., 10,388, 15-9-0, 450, 10,838
**6, Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz. , 10,219, 17-7-0, 510, 10,729, $4,000
7, Nelson Burton, Jr., St. Louis, 10,136, 18-5-1, 555, 10,691, 3,350
Guppy Troup, Columbia, S.C. , 10,301, 13-11-0, 390, 10,691, 3,350
9, Steve Martin, Kingsport, Tenn. , 10,270, 14-10-0, 420, 10,690, 3,000
10, Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, 10,345, 8-16-0, 240, 10,585, 2,900
11, Johnny Petraglia, Staten Island, N.Y., 10,161, 14-10-0, 420, 10,581, 2,800
12, Mike Durbin, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, 10,166, 13-11-0, 390, 10,556, 2,700
13, Bill Beach, Sharon, Pa., 10,179, 12-12-0, 360, 10,539, 2,600
14, Dave Soutar, Kansas City, 10,075, 14-10-0, 420, 10,495, 2,500
15, Mark Roth, N. Arlington, N.J., 10,218, 8-15-1, 255, 10,473, 2,400
16, Steve Jones, Kerrville, Texas, 10,103, 12-12-0, 360, 10,463, 2,300
17, Dave Davis, Hackensack, N.J. , 10,072, 9-15-0, 270, 10,342, 2,200
18, Dick Weber, St. Louis, 10,027, 9-15-0, 270, 10,297, 2,200
19, Louie Moore, Indianapolis, Ind., 9,915, 12-12-0, 360, 10,275, 2,000
20, Jim Godman, Lorain, Ohio, 9,930, 10-14-0, 300, 10,230, 1,900
21, Joe Berardi, Pearl River, N.Y. , 9,890, 8-15-1, 255, 10,145, 1,800
22, Bill Spigner, Hamden, Conn. , 9,845, 9-15-0, 270, 10,115, 1,700
23, Larry Laub, Santa Rosa, Calif., 9,776, 7-17-0, 210, 9,986, 1,600
+24, Jay Robinson, Van Nuys, Calif., 9,624, 10-14-0, 300, 9,798, 1,463
24-GAME TOTALS
Pos. Name, City/State Amount
+25, Fred Conner, Mar Vista, Calif., $1,438
*26, Butch Soper, Whittier, Calif., 1,380
27, Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill., 1,350
28, Warren Nelson, Downey, Calif., 1,350
29, Wayne Webb, Rehoboth, Mass., 1,300
30, Kevin Gannon, Long Beach, Calif., 1,300
31, Jimmy Certain, Huntsville, Ala., 1,300
32, Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore., 1,300
33, Fred Jaskie, Greendale, Wis., 1,250
34, Paul Moser, Somerset, Mass., 1,250
35, John Guenther, Seattle, Wash. , 1,250
36, Paul Colwell, Tucson, Ariz., 1,250
37, Emmett Shutes, State College, Pa., 1,200
38, Steve Westberg, Cottage Grove, Ore. , 1,200
39, Matt Surina, Longview, Wash., 1,200
40, Earl Anthony, Kent, Wash., 1,200
41, Mike Berlin, Muscatine, Iowa, 1,150
42, Ed Ressler, Bethlehem, Pa. , 1,150
43, Cliff McNealy, San Lorenzo, Calif., 1,150
44, Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio, 1,150
45, Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill., 1,100
46, Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz., 1,100
47, Curt Schmidt, Ft. Wayne, Ind., 1,075
48, Wayne Chester, San Mateo, Calif., 1,050
49, Don McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,050
50, Don Johnson, Las Vegas, 1,000
51, Steve Cook, Roseville, Calif. , 1,000
52, Randy Lightfoot, St. Charles, Mo., 1,000
*Alternate. ** - TV Alternate. 24-game qualifying leader - Pappas, 5,414. 24th place - Berardi, 5,002. # Jeff Mattingly rolled a perfect game. PRO-AM CASHERS - Fred Conner (2), Earl Anthony, Dick Ritger. BONUS AWARDS - High Game ($250) - Wayne Webb, Johnny Petraglia, Steve Martin, Bill Spigner and Jeff Mattingly. ($125) Louie Moore and Dick Weber, High Block ($500) - George Pappas, Steve Neff, Johnny Petraglia, Steve Martin, Tommy Hudson and Jeff Mattingly. + - Robinson replaced Conner in match play after 32 games when Conner withdrew due to illness. Robinson was penalized 126 pins, and they shared 24th and 25th place money. Robinson received $25 for saving as alternate for one round, and Butch Soper received $50 as the new alternate.