PBA Bowling Tour: 1975 Season
This is a recap of the 1975 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 17th season, and consisted of 34 events. Earl Anthony became the first PBA player to win seven titles in a season since Dick Weber (1961), while also gaining an unprecedented "three-peat" in the Brunswick PBA National Championship.[1] As he did in 1974, Anthony easily won the player vote for the PBA Player of the Year award. In another historic "first," Anthony earned $107,585 in 1975 to become the first bowler to collect over $100,000 in a single season.[2]
| PBA Bowling Tour: 1975 Season | |
|---|---|
| League | Professional Bowlers Association |
| Sport | Ten-pin bowling |
| Duration | December 30, 1974 – December 11, 1975 |
| PBA Tour | |
| Season MVP | Earl Anthony |
Steve Neff made his second PBA Tour win count, capturing the BPAA U.S. Open, while Dave Davis collected his second career Firestone Tournament of Champions trophy.
Don Johnson won his 24th career PBA Tour title in the Tucson Open, which at the time tied him with Dick Weber for the most Tour wins.[3] (Weber, however, had also won four BPAA All-Star events earlier in his career. These were not counted as PBA titles at the time, but were added as titles in 2008 when the PBA amended its rules.)
Tournament schedule
| Event | Bowling center | City | Dates | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARC Alameda Open | Mel's Bowl | Alameda, California | Dec 30 – Jan 4 | Barry Asher (9) |
| Greater L.A. Open | Bowling Square | Arcadia, California | Jan 7–11 | Earl Anthony (14) |
| Showboat Invitational | Showboat Hotel Lanes | Las Vegas, Nevada | Jan 14–18 | Carmen Salvino (12) |
| Denver Open | Colorado Bowl | Denver, Colorado | Jan 21–25 | Larry Laub (7) |
| King Louie Open | King Louie West Lanes | Overland Park, Kansas | Jan 28 – Feb 1 | Mark Roth (1) |
| Copenhagen Open | Buckeye Lanes | North Olmsted, Ohio | Feb 4–8 | Paul Colwell (6) |
| Fair Lanes Open | Fair Lanes | Springfield, Virginia | Feb 11–16 | Gary Dickinson (4) |
| Long Island Open | Garden City Bowl | Garden City, New York | Feb 18–22 | Earl Anthony (15) |
| Midas Open | Bradley Bowl | Windsor Locks, Connecticut | Feb 25 – Mar 1 | Nelson Burton, Jr. (12) |
| Ebonite Don Carter Classic | Bird Bowl | Miami, Florida | Mar 4–8 | Dick Ritger (17) |
| Lincoln-Mercury Open | Dick Weber Lanes | Florissant, Missouri | Mar 11–15 | Ed Ressler (2) |
| Monroe Max-Air Open | Pelican Lanes | New Orleans, Louisiana | Mar 18–22 | Don Helling (5) |
| BPAA U.S. Open | Forum Bowl | Grand Prairie, Texas | Mar 23–29 | Steve Neff (2) |
| Miller High Life Open | Red Carpet Bowlero | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Apr 1–5 | Dave Davis (13) |
| Ebonite Open | Imperial Lanes | Toledo, Ohio | Apr 8–12 | Louie Moore (1) |
| Firestone Tournament of Champions | Riviera Lanes | Akron, Ohio | Apr 15–19 | Dave Davis (14) |
| Brunswick PBA National Championship | Brunswick Wonderbowl | Downey, California | May 24–31 | Earl Anthony (16) |
| Sacramento Open | Country Club Lanes | Sacramento, California | Jun 7–10 | Sam Flanagan (1) |
| Portland Open | Valley Lanes | Beaverton, Oregon | Jun 14–18 | Sal Bongiorno (1) |
| Seattle Open | Leilani Lanes | Seattle, Washington | Jun 21–24 | Johnny Guenther (10) |
| San Jose Open | Saratoga Lanes | San Jose, California | Jun 28 – Jul 2 | Palmer Fallgren (1) |
| Fresno Open | Cedar Lanes | Fresno, California | Jul 3–8 | Marshall Holman (1) |
| Tucson Open | Golden Pin Lanes | Tucson, Arizona | Jul 11–15 | Don Johnson (24) |
| Quad Cities Open | Suburban Lanes | Davenport, Iowa | Jul 25–28 | Earl Anthony (17) |
| Home Box Office Open | N. Versaiilles Bowl | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Aug 1–5 | Carmen Salvino (13) |
| Jackson Open | Jackson Lanes | Jackson, New Jersey | Aug 8–11 | Earl Anthony (18) |
| Home Box Office Open | Thruway Lanes | Buffalo, New York | Aug 15–19 | Tommy Hudson (2) |
| Waukegan Open | Bertrand Lanes | Waukegan, Illinois | Aug 21–25 | Earl Anthony (19) |
| Columbia 300 Open | Hartfield Lanes | Detroit, Michigan | Aug 28 – Sep 1 | Dale Glenn (1) |
| Buzz Fazio Open | Nottke's Bowl | Battle Creek, Michigan | Oct 24–27 | Earl Anthony (20) |
| Canada Dry Open | Westgate Lanes | Cleveland, Ohio | Oct 31 – Nov 3 | Roy Buckley (3) |
| Syracuse Open | Strike 'n Spare Lanes | Syracuse, New York | Nov 7–10 | John Wilcox (1) |
| Brunswick World Open | Brunswick Northern Bowl | Glendale Heights, Illinois | Nov 16–22 | Dave Davis (15) |
| Hawaiian Invitational | (Multiple Centers) | Honolulu, Hawaii | Dec 3–11 | Marshall Holman (2) |