This is a recap of the 1972 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 14th season, and consisted of 32 events.[1] With three victories, including a major at the BPAA U.S. Open, Don Johnson repeated as PBA Player of the Year, becoming just the second multiple winner of the award (after Billy Hardwick). With his third victory of the season at the Brunswick World Open, Johnson also joined Dick Weber as the PBA Tour's only 20-time winners to date.[2]

PBA Bowling Tour: 1972 Season
LeagueProfessional Bowlers Association
SportTen-pin bowling
DurationJanuary 2 – December 15, 1972
PBA Tour
Season MVPDon Johnson
PBA Tour seasons

Mike Durbin captured the season's second major at the Firestone Tournament of Champions, while Johnny Guenther was the victor at the PBA National Championship.

Tournament schedule

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Event Bowling center City Dates Winner
BPAA U.S. Open Madison Square Garden New York, New York Jan 2–8 Don Johnson (18) [3]
Denver Open Colorado Bowl Denver, Colorado Jan 11–15 Don Johnson (19)
Showboat Invitational Showboat Lanes Las Vegas, Nevada Jan 18–22 Gus Lampo (1)
Don Carter Classic Bowling Square Arcadia, California Jan 25–29 Bill Beach (1)
Mercury Cougar Open Saratoga Lanes San Jose, California Feb 1–5 Gus Lampo (2)
King Louie Open King Louie West Kansas City, Missouri Feb 8–12 Larry Laub (3)
Winston-Salem Classic Major League Lanes Winston-Salem, North Carolina Feb 15–19 Butch Gearhart (4)
Fair Lanes Open Fair Lanes Springfield, Virginia Feb 22–26 Bobby Meadows (1)
Ebonite Open Fair Lanes Coliseum Miami, Florida Feb 29 – Mar 2 Nelson Burton, Jr. (8)
Buckeye Open Imperial Lanes Toledo, Ohio Mar 7–11 Curt Schmidt (2)
Miller High Life Open Red Carpet Lanes Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mar 14–18 Nelson Burton, Jr. (9)
Andy Granatelli's STP Classic Pelican Lanes New Orleans, Louisiana Mar 22–25 Don Helling (4)
Firestone Tournament of Champions Riviera Lanes Akron, Ohio Mar 28 – Apr 1 Mike Durbin (5)
Seattle Open Ballinger Bowl Seattle, Washington Jun 2–5 Gary Mage (1)
Portland Open Valley Lanes Portland, Oregon Jun 8–11 Earl Anthony (3)
Japan Starlanes Open Mel's Bowl Redwood City, California Jun 17–20 Earl Anthony (4)
Fresno Open Cedar Lanes Fresno, California Jun 23–26 Allie Clarke (2)
Tucson Open Cactus Bowl Tucson, Arizona Jul 1–4 Paul Colwell (1)
Winston-Salem Open Brunswick Wonderbowl Anaheim, California Jul 7–10 Mike McGrath (6)
Houston-Sertoma Open Stadium Bowl Houston, Texas Jul 14–17 Paul Colwell (2)
Columbia 300 Open Cranston Bowl Cranston, Rhode Island Aug 4–7 Barry Asher (5)
Bay City Open Eastland Lanes Bay City, Michigan Aug 11–14 Dick Ritger (10)
Waukegan Open Bertrand Lanes Waukegan, Illinois Aug 17–20 Nelson Burton, Jr. (10)
Grand Rapids Open Westgate Bowl Grand Rapids, Michigan Aug 25–28 Jim Godman (7)
South Bend Open Chippewa Lanes South Bend, Indiana Sep 1–4 Matt Surina (1)
Bellows-Valvair Open Painesville Lanes Painesville, Ohio Sep 8–11 Johnny Petraglia (8)
Japan Gold Cup Starlanes Tokyo, Japan Sep 23 – Oct 8 Barry Asher (6)
Bellows-Valvair Open Hartfield Lanes Detroit, Michigan Nov 3–6 Roy Buckley (2)
American Airlines Open Western Bowl St. Louis, Missouri Nov 10–13 Earl Anthony (5)
Brunswick World Open Brunswick Northern Bowl Glendale Heights, Illinois Nov 19–25 Don Johnson (20)
13th Annual PBA National Championship Henrietta Lanes Rochester, New York Nov 26 – Dec 1 Johnny Guenther (7)
Winston-Salem Invitational Honolulu Bowl Honolulu, Hawaii Dec 5–15 Mike McGrath (7)

References

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  1. ^ "1972 Season Schedule". PBA.
  2. ^ "1972 Brunswick World Open". PBA.
  3. ^ "1972 BPAA U.S. Open". PBA.
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