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MINNESOTANS WIN 2 USBC TITLES
It was an historic year for the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships (formerly American Bowling Congress) that came to a conclusion last weekend in Corpus Christi Tex. after 144 days of competition.
Minnesota bowlers walked off with six all events titles (one individual and five team all events) and the first female to claim a national title in a men's tournament.
Dave Mitchell of Farmington, became the third Gopher state bowler to win
the individual all events when he posted a nine-game score of 2189. he shot 780 in the team event, 652 in doubles and 757 in singles.
Mitchell's total bettered the winning scores of the other two Minnesota bowlers to claim the title. Jim Lindquist of Rosemount won the crown in 1976 with a 2,071 total. Rod Toft of Lake Elmo, one of three Minnesotans in the ABC Hall of Fame, posted a winning score of 2,107 in capturing the 1981 crown.
Perhaps the biggest noise was provided by by Lind's Lakers #1 of the
Twin Cities who claimed their second USBC (ABC) team all events title. And both were posted by the same five men, which equaled a record set by the Hamm's Beer team of Minneapolis in winning regular team titles in 1970 and 1972.
The Lind's and Hamm's teams are the only ones in the 103 year history of the ABC tournament to win championships with the same personel. The Hamm's team consisted of the late Bill baden, Leroy Bryant, Gordy dahl, Bob Hanson and Glen Olson.
The Lind's linup and scores included: Sam Lantto 2,147 (T-729, D-698, S- 720): Gary Green 1,871 (T-624, D-534, S-703): Chuck vashaw 1,952 (T-666, D-646, S-640): Todd Savoy 2,037 (T-676, D-662, S-699): John Eiss 1,943 (T-613, D-664, S-666). The team posted total of 3,308 in team, 3,204 in doubles and 3,428 in singles for it's winning 9,940 total.
In claiming the team all events at Billings, Mont. in 2002, the Lind's posted the following scores: Lantto 2,184, Green 1,930, vashaw 2,121, Savoy 2,037 and Eiss 2,067 for a winning 10,339 score.
The second historical winner in addition to the Lind's Lakers was Wendy McPherson of Henderson, Nev. who eeked out a one pin victory over a
Tennessee bowler in claiming the singles title.
McPherson, a many times Ladies Professional Bowlers Association (LPBA) champion, rolled games of 248-300-254 for an 812 total. Norm Titus of Columbia Tenn. had games of 299-297-215 for an 811 score.
Mike Schmid (615) and Jerry Loomis (783) wound up in fourth place in doubles with a 1,398 score. That is the highest finish for a Minnesota tandem in the 103 year history of the ABC. Doubles is the only event in which there has never been a Minnesota champion.
In the classified division (formerly called Booster), Jeff Schrupp of Lester Prarie finished fifth in all events with an 1,800 score: Rand Syverson of Onamia claimed sixth in singles with a 665 total, and Tom Anderson of Dawson and Rob Bennett of Montevideo finished in a three way tie for 10th place with a 1,198 score in doubles.
The 2006 USBC/ABC title for Savoy was his sixth such title. He won four titles in the 1980s with the Minnesota Loons plus the team all events. It is the second USBC/ABC crown for the other four Lind's members and the first national title for Mitchell.
Following is a liist of Minnesota's ABC champions:
REGULAR TEAMS:
1913- Flor de Knispel, St Paul 3,006
1918- Aquilas Cigars, St Paul 3,022
1970- Hamm's Beer, Mpls. 3,243
1972- Hamm's Beer, Mpls. 3,101
1984- Mn. Loons #1, St Paul 3,228
1988- Mn. Loons #1, St Paul 3,152
BOOSTER TEAMS:
1941- P.V. Fuel & Ice, Mpls. 2,800
1980- Aqua Lanes, Edgerton 2,837
CLASSIC TEAMS:
1975- Munsingwear #2, Mpls. 2,980
1976- Munsingwear #2, Mpls. 3,281
DOUBLES:
No Winners
SINGLES:
1905- C.M. Anderson, St Paul 651
1961- L. Spooner, St Cloud 726
1993- Dan Bock, Owatonna 798
REGULAR ALL EVENTS:
1976- Jim Lindquist, Mpls. 2,071 (T-618, D-696, S-757)
1981- Rod Toft, Lake Elmo 2,107 (T-650, D 727, S-730)
2006- Dave Mitchell, Farmington 2,189 (T-780, D-652, S-757)
TEAM ALL EVENTS:
1957- Mando Photo, St Paul 9,451
1965- Hamm's Beer, Mpls 9,053
1976- Rusty Nail, Mpls. 9,375
1984- Minn. Loons #1, St Paul 9,562
1985- Minn. Loons #1, St Paul 9,343
2002- Lind's Lakers, Twin Cities 10,339
2006- Lind's Lakers, Twin Cities 9,940
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