1977 Midas Open

[@bowlerdave]

I don't know what's more awesome, watching this old bowling or these old commercials. Thanks.

[@LouisCsanko]

I agree, these old Shows make my overpriced cell phone service Worth every Cent!!!!!

[@kenyongray2615]

Looking back, the 4 bowlers on this telecast, are the greatest 4 in any final 5 of a single tournament. Roth. Johnson, Holman, and Anthony. These four are some of the greatest to ever hit the lanes.

[@Alan5581]

I love these old pro bowlers shows. Used to watch them every weekend.

[@pinedelgado4743]

+Alan5581, I used to LIVE for them when I was a kid!! I'm 51 now. :)

[@LouisCsanko]

The Saturday afternoon Telecasts from 1985 until Nelson Burton & Chris Schenkel ( RIP) Sadly Had there Last Telecast. I had a tear in my eyes, as did many folks on that last show, and I still watch the Shows on PBA KZbin channel on replay but it will NEVER be as Good ( IMHO)

[@jaspermitchell3377]

Me too. I miss these days. 🎉

[@Jamison42166]

I miss these days.. loved to see Roth and Holman go at it..Bowling will never be the same sadly.

[@davidamills]

Thank you, Mr. Bowling, for making all these wonderful shows available.

[@rivierarick]

Thank you for posting the entire tournament. Would love to see more Don Johnson.

[@bobc7393]

great win for Johnson

[@smittyt414ify]

Since I saw this was from LA I searched the name of the bowling center (Expressway Bowling Lanes), and found that sadly the center was destroyed by hurricane Katrina. The owner (Monty) attempted to rebuild according to some posts, but has since past away. I just thought I would share this information. Saddens me to see such a wonderful business destroyed in a matter of hours. I have never been or bowled at Expressway, but my love for bowling and fond memories of my past tournaments traveling around is upsetting to watch this PBA tournament knowing that the history and others lives were destroyed forever. Thank you Mrbowling for posting all these old PBA Tournaments. You took my heart back to a better time in my life.

[@joeambrose3260]

The loss of the Showboat in Vegas hit me hard. I bowled a couple of High Rollers there. 106 lanes, very upsetting

[@smittyt414ify]

@@joeambrose3260 YES! I was beside myself about Showboat as well. Lots of great tournaments and good times for myself and a couple of great friends. Here is a link to one of my wonderful friends who I use to bowl with (and he was in the PBA) here locally and we are still friends to this day bowling a PBA at the Showboat, JB Blaylock is his name. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKaYl2d5n7CbhLM

[@tkaye2]

Chicago radio and TV personality Jerry G. Bishop is on the Midas spot at 5:05... I was wracking my brain as to why he looked familiar.

[@20alphabet]

Don Johnson, a stand up guy never too busy or proud to sign an autograph or give expert advice to somebody's admiring kid. S Don Johnson was held in high esteem by all his peers... how many professional bowlers have THAT credential !? A humble man with the heart of a warrior in competition. You are greatly missed by those who remember this game when it was legit, prior to urethane.

[@roberta-ls9lr]

You are so right. I met Don at a PBA Senior stop at Cal Bowl in Lakewood, Ca. He and most of the seniors were so friendly and professional. I was talking to a fellow pro and friend of mine, Bill Stempke and Don just came up started chatting as if I knew him and said "how should I play the lanes". I didn't know what to say. But they were very tough back them.

[@mikerichardson7053]

I am sure I watched this when I was 8 years old.Roth was my favorite.

[@plamormick]

According to the article in "50 Greatest Players in PBA History," "After 1972, the magic run came to an end. He won only one title in each of the next six years, and was in the top 10 in earnings just one more time (1973). In an effort to get better carry, he tried a longer span, but that move strained his thumb to the point of actually damaging a nerve. He finally hung up his touring shoes in 1977." It talks about how he became a coach in Las Vegas, and his heart related death in 2003.

[@LouisCsanko]

Imagine Mark Roth Bowling in 2024 as a 20 year old!!!!! He would give those 2;Handers Hell!!!!!!!!

[@michaelboone2724]

Don Johnson was my favorite bowler as a kid. Great lineup in this show.

[@frenchfrey65]

When was the last time the PBA went to an AMF 82-30 bowling alley? Seeing those machines are so neat! My Ashwaubenon lanes hosted the USBC masters which not only gives me Green Bay Pride but I bet it was a treat to see the old triangles again for a lot of bowlers.

[@douglasharris5216]

frenchfrey65 I hated AMF lanes, the only magic triangle that was good was between a women’s legs

[@toscodav]

@@douglasharris5216 Maybe someday you will get to experience the Magic Triangle..

[@ForYouPlays]

The last time on the pba...? 2013 U.S Open I think

[@MrFrikkenfrakken]

Chris Schenkel and Bo Burton, Muriel commercials and Pete Fountain - gets no better than that.

[@edwardrossman9448]

Don Johnson actually follows straight through at release - then the arm goes to the right after the ball is released and it doesnt matter at that point.

[@burdettecattley9164]

this was right when Earl Anthony began growing his hair out. Looked better than that old crew cut. Don Johnson was a BAD dude when he got it rolling!

[@bach730]

It’s always amazing to me how Don was able to have so much success with that abnormal follow through.

[@edwardrossman9448]

Watch it in stop action. He actually follows straight thru to the target - then after release the arm goes to the right almost just for show . In fact Nelson Burton talks about this during this telecast about 2/3 of the way thru the video..

[@Dana_Danarosana]

Unusual for this time period to have an AMF equipped house with Brunswick ball returns!

[@altfactor]

The "Wide World Of Sports" episode plugged at the beginning of this clip promoted Figure-8 auto racing and barrel-jumping, two staples of "Wide World" for decades!

[@beeemm2578]

Madness...lol. That shit would be 'canceled ' off the fckn planet now

[@mr.aerial1885]

Rare to see Roth miss spares.

[@anandguruji83]

R.I.P DON JOHNSON 1940-2003

[@anandguruji83]

R.I.P DON JOHNSON 1940-2003

[@chass5438]

R.I.P Pete Fountain 1930-2016

[@marcelmetz363]

R.I. P. Earl Anthony 1938-2001 He is greatest ever bowler My favorite PBA is Earl Anthony. Also R.I.P Hank Stram 1923-2005. Hurricane Katrina destroyed at the Expressway Lanes. Sadly Owner refused to rebuilding.

[@anandguruji83]

R.I.P EARL ANTHONY DON JOHNSON HANK STRAM PETE FOUNTAIN AND EXPRESSWAY LANES

[@marcelmetz363]

I agreed 100%

[@smartalex2578]

Wow- I forgot there used to be cigarette commercials on TV! Reminds me, I've been meaning to start!

[@sludge4125]

I want to smoke a cigarette while B. A. S. E. jumping.

[@beeemm2578]

Outside of Cliff, this was the goddamned Mt Rushmore of bowling on this one show....lol.

[@kenyongray2615]

You got that right.

[@talkcat10]

This has to be one of the best top fives in PBA history.

[@marshallgeorge3819]

I wonder if that is an old Brunswick Manta that Holman was rolling? I had one of those and it was a decent ball. Hooked well and hit decent.

[@sprocket454]

Looks like a Star Trak urethane ball maybe?

[@KKraft-cm2ph]

RIP Don Johnson Charleston Heights Bowl LV NV

[@andrewphillips2179]

the title match of the Midas Open has provided an amazing finish

[@crgray1979]

250,000 dollars in 77 is 1.2 million in today money

[@bb-r7t]

that's Irene Cara at 22:40 in the Burger King ad.

[@sallienennig8390]

Frank, you should be broadcasting MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.

[@andrewphillips2179]

Mrbowling300, Do You have the 1983 True Value Open that features the 1st telecast of Walter Ray Williams Jr

[@mrbowling300]

I will check!

[@HankFinkle11]

Were the bowlers better in those days?

[@bobby_c7671]

Well,maybe,maybe not but they had better fundamentals.

[@irishpogi]

@@bobby_c7671 They had to have better fundamentals back then with the primitive equipment being used. Urethane balls weren't around then. They came a few years later.

[@leopoldmozart]

SPOILER POST!!! I love these historic matches. Don Johnson had to beat all the great bowlers of the 70s (Roth, Holman, and Anthony) to earn what would turn out to be his last tournament win. Hard to believe that just a few years earlier (1971 and 1972) he was bowler of the year. Does anyone know what happened? Did he just lose interest in touring? Did he have the double whammy of family tragedy and degenerative disease like Billy Hardwick? Anyway, he was one of the greatest.

[@toscodav]

Man. Ernie Schenkle had the voice of god in the 70's. Right up their with John Facenda and curt gowdy.

[@madpuppy54]

Anyone got the 1980 Midas Open to share on KZbin?

[@radiodj1520]

In This Clip, From 0:59 To 1:59, It Was ABC Sports' Pro Bowlers Tour: The $100,000 Midas Open Video Open From Late Saturday Afternoon, February 12, 1977.

[@danbenwil]

THIS IS BOWLING!!! ESPN's bowling coverage sucks!!!

[@douglasharris5216]

Ben Wilkie it sure did

[@IAmTheEggMan111]

Anybody know what ball Johnson is using? I don’t think it is a caramel white dot. Maybe it is one of the not-too-soft sure D’Souza?

[@dbkparm]

Mark X maybe?

[@IAmTheEggMan111]

@@dbkparm awesome. I’ve never heard of that ball before

[@derekcabanaw1789]

My best guess would be a Brunswick Crown Jewel. I don't think the Mark X came out until 1980.

[@2011paramedic]

You mean KMED tv 10 Medford Oregon was both an ABC/NBC affiliated tv station back then?

[@rogerhallau5284]

Don Johnson always reminded me of Roger Miller!

[@beeemm2578]

Man, Gifford hyping that figure 8 suicide racing on WWoS.....lol. man, the 70s were fuckin lit 🔥. Never ever will be close to duplicated.

[@sprocket454]

Holman appears to be using the first urethane ball made by Star Trak.

[@michaelschweizer4772]

Don Johnson puts a tremendous amount of roll on the ball.

[@bobby_c7671]

Actually he doesnt....he spins the ball.

[@taxitalknyc7600]

I'm guessing Right Guard wasn't one of the sponsors. Dang.

[@scarpfish]

"The new Superdome!" Ahh, memories.

[@terencediamond356]

I can't believe Mark Roth lost in the first match.

[@beeemm2578]

Well Don Johnson was an elite HoF bowler, but Roth was missing basic spares. Unusual

[@BowlingOldies]

How the heck do you chop the 4 off the 2-4-5-8? That's the only time in my life I've ever seen that happen. Seems like it would be impossible to do.

[@gladfan1989]

You would think it's an easy spare to pick up. Even I have problems chopping one of the pins.

[@joeambrose3260]

Please post time stamp pronto

[@StukInBuf]

Back in the days when, in some geographical locations, one TV station served as the channel for more than one network.

[@chriskelly509]

Kinda wanna do a retro league where you just use a plastic ball

[@petermoran2832]

Johnson, Roth, Holman, and Anthony combined for 123 total PBA victories. It's too bad that the fifth guy didn't have much luck.

[@sludge4125]

He had 1.

[@dcsports7243]

Why do you keep giving me their height and weight like it matters in this sport?

[@2005yzfr1]

classic!

[@richdziuba2801]

5 PBA titles for Mark Roth...very old telecast

[@dustinlewis5863]

Rich Dziuba

[@joeambrose3260]

That is one hideous trophy

[@crgray1979]

Bo is having a bad hair day

[@joeambrose3260]

119:02 Phucked up scoreboard, just put white on black

[@gladfan1989]

Just weird seeing Marshall Holman without a mustache.

[@NewOrleansGuy837]

and with a full head of hair... lol

[@gladfan1989]

+Brandon Bennetzen I know, right?