This is a recap of the 1980 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 22nd season, and consisted of 34 events. Wayne Webb broke the six-season Earl Anthony-Mark Roth stranglehold on PBA Player of the Year awards, as he achieved the honor on the strength of three titles, including the Firestone Tournament of Champions major. Webb was also the Tour's leading money winner on the season.
| PBA Bowling Tour: 1980 Season | |
|---|---|
| League | Professional Bowlers Association |
| Sport | Ten-pin bowling |
| Duration | December 31, 1979 – November 11, 1980 |
| PBA Tour | |
| Season MVP | Wayne Webb |
Steve Martin won his second career PBA title and first major at the BPAA U.S. Open. The following week, Johnny Petraglia captured the title at the PBA National Championship to give him his third career major and all three jewels of the PBA's "triple crown." Only Billy Hardwick had achieved this same feat to date.[1]
Mark Roth made PBA Tour history in the finals of the season-opening event in Alameda, California, when he became the first player to convert the 7-10 split on national television.[2]
Tournament schedule
edit| Event | Bowling center | City | Dates | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARC Alameda Open | Mel's Southshore Bowl | Alameda, California | Dec 31 – Jan 5 | Warren Nelson (2) |
| Showboat Invitational | Showboat Bowling Center | Las Vegas, Nevada | Jan 6–12 | Wayne Webb (4) |
| Miller High Life Classic | Brunswick Wonderbowl | Anaheim, California | Jan 15–19 | Gary Dickinson (7) |
| Quaker State Open | Forum Bowling Lanes | Grand Prairie, Texas | Jan 22–26 | Hugh Miller (1) |
| Rolaids Open | Dick Weber Lanes | Florissant, Missouri | Jan 29 – Feb 2 | Alvin Lou (1) |
| Midas Open | Brunswick Northwest Bowl | Palatine, Illinois | Feb 5–9 | Mike Aulby (2) |
| AMF Magicscore Open | Landmark Lanes | Peoria, Illinois | Feb 12–16 | Joe Hutchinson (2) |
| Ford Open | Buckeye Lanes | North Olmsted, Ohio | Feb 18–23 | Kyle Shedd (1) |
| True Value Open | Don Carter's Kendall Lanes | Miami, Florida | Feb 25 – Mar 1 | Palmer Fallgren (2) |
| Fair Lanes Open | Fair Lanes University | Adelphi, Maryland | Mar 3–8 | Nelson Burton, Jr. (15) |
| Long Island Open | Garden City Bowl | Garden City, New York | Mar 11–15 | Earl Anthony (32) |
| BPAA U.S. Open | Bradley Bowl | Windsor Locks, Connecticut | Mar 16–22 | Steve Martin (2) |
| PBA National Championship | Sunnybrook Lanes | Sterling Heights, Michigan | Mar 24–29 | Johnny Petraglia (14) |
| Miller High Life Open | Red Carpet Celebrity Lanes | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Apr 1–5 | Alvin Lou (2) |
| King Louie Open | King Louie West Lanes | Overland Park, Kansas | Apr 8–12 | Ernie Schlegel (1) |
| Firestone Tournament of Champions | Riviera Lanes | Akron, Ohio | Apr 15–19 | Wayne Webb (5) |
| Showboat PBA Doubles Classic | Showboat Bowling Center | Las Vegas, Nevada | Jun 2–6 | Tommy Hudson (9), Pete Couture (2) |
| Northern California Open | Mowry Lanes | Fremont, California | Jun 13–17 | Tom Baker (1) |
| City of Roses Open | Timber Lanes | Portland, Oregon | Jun 20–24 | Ernie Schlegel (2) |
| Seattle Open | Leilani Lanes | Seattle, Washington | Jun 27 – Jul 1 | Dave Beckmann (1) |
| U.S. Polychemical Open | Cedar Lanes | Fresno, California | Jul 4–8 | Steve Cook (2) |
| Southern California Open | Gable House Bowl | Torrance, California | Jul 11–15 | Steve Martin (3) |
| Tucson Open | Golden Pin Lanes | Tucson, Arizona | Jul 18–22 | Mike Aulby (3) |
| Amarillo Open | Amarillo Bowl | Amarillo, Texas | Jul 25–29 | Hugh Miller (2) |
| Quad Cities Open | Plaza Bowl North | Davenport, Iowa | Aug 1–5 | Jim Godman (10) |
| Waukegan Super Touch Open | Bertrand Lanes | Waukegan, Illinois | Aug 8–12 | Guppy Troup (2) |
| Buffalo Open | Thruway Lanes | Cheektowaga, New York | Aug 15–19 | Joe Berardi (3) |
| Canadian Open | Hamilton Mountain Bowl | Hamilton, Ontario | Aug 22–26 | Kevin Gillette (1) |
| Columbia 300 Open | Galaxy Lanes | Sarasota, Florida | Aug 29 – Sep 2 | Bill Coleman (2) |
| Brunswick PBA Regional Champions Classic | Brunswick Olympic Bowl | Rochester, New York | Oct 10–14 | Mark Roth (23) |
| Kessler Open | Royal Scot Lanes | Lansing, Michigan | Oct 17–21 | Joe Berardi (4) |
| Kessler Classic | Astro Bowl | Greenwood, Indiana | Oct 24–28 | Wayne Webb (6) |
| Northern Ohio Open | Westgate Lanes | Fairview Park, Ohio | Nov 1–4 | Mike Durbin (7) |
| Syracuse Open | Brunswick Holiday Bowl | Syracuse, New York | Nov 7–11 | Pete Couture (3) |