idlehourlegend
11-08-2007, 10:19 PM
By Randy Pedersen
Well, bowling fans, he’s done it again. The greatest bowler in the history of the sport has won for the 43rd time. Now don’t get me wrong, I know how good the late Mr. Anthony was. Earl completely dominated the sport like no other back in the '70s and early '80s. Then this skinny kid from Pomona came along and won his first Player of the Year award in 1986. THAT’S RIGHT, 21 years ago.
Now, I know that some of us feel that Earl has 43 titles, not 41. Remember, Earl won two Masters titles. At that time, they didn’t count as a PBA title and now they do. So let’s just say WRW Jr. and Earl Anthony are now tied. Walter Ray is 48 years old. How much gas is left in the tank? Well, I think he’ll win 50 titles before he’s done. He’s gone through a multitude of transitions in our sport: bowling ball technology, lane surface changes, format changes, it just doesn’t matter. I remember when reactive resin first came out, some guys on Tour said the only reason he was doing so well was because of the equipment. HA!!!! I hope those boys have finally figured it out.
On Sunday’s show, it looked like WRW’s ball reaction was so bad he couldn’t beat me. Weak 10 after weak 10, his ball was coming back with dental floss on it… yeah a lot of plaque. Jeff Lizzi was going to beat WRW by 40 pins, and then the 4-9 split in the eighth frame. Jeff came back and struck in the ninth. Now the stage was set, WRW could throw three strikes in the 10th and force Jeff to strike on the first ball. It was almost like a locomotive light in the distance on a dark foggy night. You could see it coming for miles. WRW strikes out, Jeff leaves a 10-pin, final score: WRW 217, Lizzi 215. WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Jeff bowled a great game, WRW’s ball was hitting like a wet noodle, the enigma continues.
Then in the title match, McCune’s ball was hitting twice as hard as WRW’s. He bowled a big semifinal game against Mika Koivuniemi. On Walter Ray’s first ball: weak 10. Surely this time he wouldn’t escape with victory. What kind of adjustment did the greatest bowler in the world make between the semifinal and final match? Apparently none. Final score: WRW 214, McCune 194.
It’s a crazy game. Remember last week at the Masters? Walter Ray lost with a 240 game. This week, on a very scoreable oil pattern, his high game for the show is 217 and he wins for the 43rd time.
I think Earl and Walter Ray were a lot alike. Both guys relied on accuracy and shot making. That’s how Earl was able to lead tournaments by hundreds of pins when no other lefty cashed. That’s why Walter Ray is always in contention. Two guys who are the greatest the sport has ever seen: one righty, one lefty; both players who hit a target and rely on shot making; not big giant hook balls. Yet every young player in the world wants to hook the ball from gutter to gutter. Go figure.
Earl Anthony will never be forgotten, along with other greats like Dick Weber and Don Johnson, just to name a few. Walter Ray will be remembered as the winningest player and the greatest the sport has ever known. It has been an honor to have been able to compete and bowl along side the above mentioned names.
Well, bowling fans, he’s done it again. The greatest bowler in the history of the sport has won for the 43rd time. Now don’t get me wrong, I know how good the late Mr. Anthony was. Earl completely dominated the sport like no other back in the '70s and early '80s. Then this skinny kid from Pomona came along and won his first Player of the Year award in 1986. THAT’S RIGHT, 21 years ago.
Now, I know that some of us feel that Earl has 43 titles, not 41. Remember, Earl won two Masters titles. At that time, they didn’t count as a PBA title and now they do. So let’s just say WRW Jr. and Earl Anthony are now tied. Walter Ray is 48 years old. How much gas is left in the tank? Well, I think he’ll win 50 titles before he’s done. He’s gone through a multitude of transitions in our sport: bowling ball technology, lane surface changes, format changes, it just doesn’t matter. I remember when reactive resin first came out, some guys on Tour said the only reason he was doing so well was because of the equipment. HA!!!! I hope those boys have finally figured it out.
On Sunday’s show, it looked like WRW’s ball reaction was so bad he couldn’t beat me. Weak 10 after weak 10, his ball was coming back with dental floss on it… yeah a lot of plaque. Jeff Lizzi was going to beat WRW by 40 pins, and then the 4-9 split in the eighth frame. Jeff came back and struck in the ninth. Now the stage was set, WRW could throw three strikes in the 10th and force Jeff to strike on the first ball. It was almost like a locomotive light in the distance on a dark foggy night. You could see it coming for miles. WRW strikes out, Jeff leaves a 10-pin, final score: WRW 217, Lizzi 215. WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Jeff bowled a great game, WRW’s ball was hitting like a wet noodle, the enigma continues.
Then in the title match, McCune’s ball was hitting twice as hard as WRW’s. He bowled a big semifinal game against Mika Koivuniemi. On Walter Ray’s first ball: weak 10. Surely this time he wouldn’t escape with victory. What kind of adjustment did the greatest bowler in the world make between the semifinal and final match? Apparently none. Final score: WRW 214, McCune 194.
It’s a crazy game. Remember last week at the Masters? Walter Ray lost with a 240 game. This week, on a very scoreable oil pattern, his high game for the show is 217 and he wins for the 43rd time.
I think Earl and Walter Ray were a lot alike. Both guys relied on accuracy and shot making. That’s how Earl was able to lead tournaments by hundreds of pins when no other lefty cashed. That’s why Walter Ray is always in contention. Two guys who are the greatest the sport has ever seen: one righty, one lefty; both players who hit a target and rely on shot making; not big giant hook balls. Yet every young player in the world wants to hook the ball from gutter to gutter. Go figure.
Earl Anthony will never be forgotten, along with other greats like Dick Weber and Don Johnson, just to name a few. Walter Ray will be remembered as the winningest player and the greatest the sport has ever known. It has been an honor to have been able to compete and bowl along side the above mentioned names.