$30,000 Shot Goes Ker-Plop! -- Gutter Ball Costs Ballard Title And $14,500

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. - Del Ballard Jr. picked up his ball and left. It was the bowler's ultimate humiliation, his worst nightmare, and now Ballard owns what may be the most famous gutter ball in PBA Tour history.

This gutter ball cost Ballard $14,500.

Ballard needed just seven pins on his last roll to beat Pete Weber in Saturday's final of the $150,000 Fair Lanes Open tournament. He got none.

``My adrenaline was flowing too fast,'' Ballard said later. ``I just ran up there and threw it. I didn't take my time and use my head.''

Weber wound up winning 213-207 and claiming the $30,000 first prize. Ballard won $15,500.

``It's just unbelievable. I feel so bad for Del, I don't know what to say,'' Weber said.

Ballard said he purposely decided not to throw his last ball down the middle ``because if you barely hit the head pin, you could only get five.''

This one didn't have a chance to get anything. It wasn't one of those hangers that tries to make it to the pins, then slips ignominiously into the gutter. This one left Ballard's right hand quickly, headed straight for the gutter and went in about a quarter of the way to the pins. Ker-plop!