PBA / Earl Anthony Classic: Seattle native leads the way after 1st day
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KIRKLAND — Seattle local Bob Davidson was stunned when he led the first round of qualifying in the inaugural Earl Anthony Memorial Classic of the Professional Bowlers Association at TechCity Bowl yesterday.
Davidson, 39, toppled 2,109 pins over the nine-game round for a tournament-best 234.22 average. He finished the round with games of 269 and 235.
"I was surprised," Davidson said. "I didn't even know I had the lead until everybody started clapping. I thought (Mike) Aulby had the lead."
When asked if he felt any pressure being the hometown favorite, Davidson answered, "Not yet, not until I get to match play. At least I hope not. My boss was in the crowd tonight. Now I have to remember to leave his name at the gate tomorrow morning."
Davidson, bowling in his first tournament this season, works full-time at Art Craft Printing in Seattle. He admits it's hard to find time to do what he loves.
"This was the first chance I had to bowl this year," he said. "It might be my last if I don't win. It's hard for me to get time off work. Plus, I have a wife and three kids."
Davidson's high finish on tour came in 1992 at the Brunswick Memorial World Open (Lake Zurich, Ill.). He finished 13th.
Trailing the leader by nine pins is Rick Steelsmith, of Wichita, Kan. The two-time champion rolled high games of 287 and 277. His last win on tour was the 1997 PBA National Championship (Toledo, Ohio).
Third place belongs to PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby of Indianapolis (2,084). Aulby, who averaged 231.56, bowled two 279 games. With 27 career titles, he ranks tied for fourth all time with Parker Bohn III.
Notes
• Notables who made the cut to 64: ESPN bowling color analyst and 12-time champion Randy Pedersen (10th), Bohn (17th), 19-time titleholder Norm Duke (39th) and long-time Tacoma resident and PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss (52nd).
• Notables that missed the cut: Robert Smith (65th) and Walter Ray Williams Jr. (100th).
• The event is named after late PBA legend and Tacoma native Earl Anthony, and all participants are wearing a "41" patch in memory of Anthony, who is first on the all-time win list with 41 PBA titles.
Sunday's finals, beginning at 1 p.m., will be telecast live on ESPN.
PBA EARL ANTHONY MEMORIAL CLASSIC
At Kirkland, Wash.
FIRST ROUND (9 GAMES)
(A Squad)
1, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 2,098. 2, Mike DeVaney, Escondido, CA, 2,073. 3, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 2,041. 4, Chris Barnes, Dallas, 2,030. 5, Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 2,003. 6, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,994. 7, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 1,957. 8, Chris Hayden, Tampa, Fla., 1,947. 9, Paul Fleming, Bedford, Texas, 1,946. 10, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,943. 11, Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 1,919. 12, Del Ballard Jr., North Richland Hills, Texas, 1,911. 13 (tie), Curtis Woods Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., and Greg Thomas, Libby, Mont., 1,904. 15, Mike Danielson, Keizer, Ore., 1,902. 16, Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., 1,890. 17, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,889. 18, Chuck Gardner, Virginia Beach, Va., 1,887. 19 (tie), Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., and Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,886. 21, Tim Criss, Bel Air, Md., 1,885. 22, Michael Gaither, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1,881. 23, Bryan Alpert, Northridge, Calif., 1,876. 24, Dave Arnold, Reno, Nev., 1,875. 25, Jason Duran, Greenly, Colo., 1,873. 26, Brian Voss, Atlanta, 1,869. 27 (tie), Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., and Lee Johnson, Bloomington, Ind., 1,868. 29, Ritchie Allen, Tulsa, Okla., 1,855. 30, Joe Barket, Morro Bay, Calif., 1,852. 31, R.D. Miller Jr., Danville, Ill., 1,839. 32, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 1,838. 33, Robert Smith, Simi Valley, Calif., 1,833. 34, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 1,823. 35, Brian LeClair, Chatham, N.Y., 1,822. 36, Jack Laffey, Indianapolis, 1,821. 37, Tony Reyes, San Jose, Calif., 1,820. 38, Michael Haugen Jr., Victorville, Calif., 1,816. 39 (tie), Jimmy Levendosky, Jenison, Mich., and Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., 1,812. 41, Jimmy Davis, Houston, 1,808. 42 (tie), Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., and Doug Wilcox, Sacramento, Calif., 1,806. 44, Michael Eaton Jr., Wyoming, Mich., 1,800. 45, Jess Stayrook, San Diego, 1,799. 46, Jerry Murphy, Richmond, Ind., 1,789. 47, George Branham III, Indianapolis, 1,787. 48, Roger Bowker, Ocala, Fla., 1,780. 49, Dave Thiessen, Portland, Ore., 1,766. 50, John Gaines, Sebring, Fla., 1,729. 51, Matt Surina, Spokane, Wash., 1,727. 52, Randy Weiss, Irmo, S.C., 1,707. 53, John Solberg, Vancouver, Wash., 1,703. 54, Jimmy Smith, Milton, Wash., 1,668. 55, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,666. 56, Wayne Urlaub, Lynnwood, Wash., 1,624. 57, Rohn Morton, Vancouver, Wash., 1,609. 58, John Arnell, Auburn, Wash., 1,541. 59, Anthony Thompson, Redding, Calif., 1,455. 60, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 1,299 (WD).
Round One 300 Games — None (A Squad Only)