1992 PBA Showboat Invitational: Sullins vs Vespi-2

[jodonte1]

MY DAUGHTER COULD DO BETTER...

[irishpogi]

@jodonte1 Let's see how your daughter performs on these brutal lane conditions! You have any idea what these guys were bowling on? Not your typical house shots you see in practically all centers throughout the USA. On the house shot, you miss in, the oil holds, you miss out, ball recovers creating a funneling effect. The pros in this broadcast did not compete on the funneled oil conditions that redirect errant tosses

[fishflake1209]

Harry Sullins had a role in many of the worst matches ever caught on tape. Any time he was on television, odds were that someone was going to score in the mid-100s. I remember an NBC telecast in 1991 where just couldn't hit the head pin with any consistency. Harry Sullins was bowling Kryptonite.

[Emanuelknicks]

You don't seem to like Harry sullins because you are always talking about scoring in the mid-100's. Harry Sullins has Bowled in 239 Consecutive tournaments from 1986-1993; that is not an easy thing to do at all. He has won from every position on TV from the top seed, the 2nd seed, the 3rd seed, the 4th seed and the 5th seed. Considering that he only has 5 PBA titles, that is pretty accurate if you ask me.

[fishflake1209]

Relax, man. I know he was a proven winner on tour. I just remember that as a kid, it seemed that during every time I saw him on TV, he bowled a bad game. I probably couldn't break three digits with cameras and lights on me, so he has me beat regardless.

[vanni9283]

I think that must have been the 1991 Brunswick Memorial World open that you're speaking of. In fact I remember one frame in that telecast where he nearly left the 1-4! YIKES!!!!

[tricksteve]

I love watching these train wrecks for some reason, thanks for posting. Do you have any more shows like this around?

[NYDanno85]

Come to think of it, the opening match of the 1994 General Tire Tournament of Champions was... well, interesting. :)

[NYDanno85]

If I counted correctly - I believe they threw 18 open frames for this telecast... one short of the 1984 Quaker State, which had 19. Ouch.

[irishpogi]

The 1991 Lamode Open held in Green Bay, Wisconsin featured very gruel lane conditions. I have posted three of the four matches here. You have the "Battle of the Davids" [Ferraro and Wodka], Jim Pencak vs Tony Westlake, and the championship match featuring Westlake and top seed Mark McDowell.

[NYDanno85]

No kidding! I don't think I'd ever seen Tony Westlake throw a Brooklyn, and he threw 3 or 4 that telecast.

BTW, after adding up the scores for the '92 Showboat, I believe they averaged just a shade under 178 for 8 games. Yikes.

[vanni9283]

Danno,

Do you have those telecasts on tape? Boy I'd love to see a match with a lot of opens!...lol!!!

[NYDanno85]

Nothing on either. I just heard Bo Burton referencing the 19 open frames on another telecast where there was a lot of opens. I believe it was the '85 Lite Beer Open in Florida.

I saw the '94 General Tire live on TV. Didn't tape it, but Weber and Jaros stunk the place up game 1.

[Wolfman12395]

Wow, if I was Vespi, I would've switched my style to throwing it hard and straight the whole time.

[irishpogi]

The funny thing is that in Vespi's interview with Nelson Burton Jr prior to the championship match Bob said he was going to go straighter to try to overcome the "hang spot" on lane 60. Apparently he didn't stick to his intended game plan. I guess the opening double "sucked him into" delivering the super powerful strike ball.

[pbateson]

c001

[mrtvman]

cool