1991 Fairlanes Open

1991 PBA Fairlanes Open held at Fair Lanes Kings Point in Randallstown, Maryland. The first match features Walter Ray Williams Jr. versus Robert Lawerence. The second match features Del Ballard Jr. versus Robert Lawerence. The third match features Norm Duke versus Del Ballard Jr. The championship match features Pete Weber versus Del Ballard Jr.

[@canuck_gamer3359]

I am watching this video as a 48 year old man and I was just about brought to tears by Chris Schenkel asking the crowd to give Del Ballard a nice round of applause in support. Chris Schenkel was a professional journalist and a world class sportscaster, not just for his work in bowling. But far more importantly, he was a good man. He genuinely felt terrible for Ballard and stood out in front of that crowd and specifically asked them to "make him feel better". I've always respected him but today that respect is even greater.

[@beeemm2578]

Peoples morals were just different then as a whole. Pete was devastated as well. He knows winning like that is 🐎 💩. He even said 'Del threw 2 strikes to beat me and....". All sports have their one infamous all world choke jobs that are immortalized....unfortunately for Ballard, he's the one. But he got out in front of it like a man, laughed with everyone else, and had a HoF career. He manned up like I've never seen in the face of something like that. It has such an impact because Del WAS/IS such an great, HoF bowler. If that happened to Al Stonum, or Walt Pulchlopek, eh so what? Del kicked many an ass before and after that.

[@RSRANR]

One of the most memorable moments in PBA history. I watched this live and couldn't belive it.

[@chuckers40]

I think Del Ballard Jr, is one the most underrated PBA players. Del wasn't a bum, He has 12 or 13 PBA Titles. Del was especially tough in the majors. Two U.S. Opens, Firestone T of C, and the ABC (now USBC) Masters. The only missing major off of his resume is the PBA Championship. That is a great resume.

[@peterschmidt8287]

Del Ballard always was a class act, no issues with Anyone! This unfortunate episode is only one that blemishes his career.

[@chrishoch9876]

I THINK PETE WEBER AND NORM DUKE ARE 2 BEST PROFESSIONAL BOWLER CHRIS HOCH

[@davepedersen2115]

I bowled a Pro-Am with him... he was an ass.

[@danlincoln8987]

I watched this when I was a kid I couldn't believe it

[@azzluvr79]

One of my favs from 91

[@imal25]

THAT WAS AIRED ON SATURDAY MARCH 2, 1991.

[@richmartin1427]

I bowl in the same league as Del’s wife Carolyn, who is a great bowler herself. Nice lady, and always brings out the best in my game when I bowl against her.

[@thomasmccarrick4169]

Robert Lawrence: 219 Walter Ray Williams Jr: 217 Del Ballard Jr: 247 Robert Lawrence: 208 Del Ballard Jr: 257 Norm Duke: 223 Pete Weber: 213 Del Ballard Jr: 207 Weber Wins!

[@michaelschweizer4772]

Pete Weber puts a tremendous amount of roll on the ball.

[@JSmith-zr2ve]

thanks Andrew.

[@canuck_gamer3359]

I never realized how many times Ballard came close to throwing the ball in the gutter during the other matches! Wow, I wonder if that was something that was in the back of his mind or not.

[@theBatmanGoeth2]

Unless I'm wrong, by doing the math Ballard wouldn't have even needed those 7 pins in the 10th if he only got the count on the split in the 3rd frame

[@playdiscgolf1546]

The split in the 3rd and the bad shot in the 8th is what lost it. He had Pete on the ropes and didn’t finish him…

[@Wolfman12395]

1:20:38 the bowling shot that will forever live in infamy!

[@vanni9283]

55:10...Obviously there was a crowd in the background when that soundbite was recorded!

[@kingrey465]

Pete was shocked on that last shot

[@chuckers40]

What every one forgets is that Pete Weber won the tournament. Ballard was flirting with disaster all day long. He won many tournaments with his aggressive style. About a week or two later, Ballard really redeemed himself by winning the PBA event in Sayville, (Long island), NY. Lesson is if you need 7 or less, THROW IT DOWN THE MIDDLE HARD AND STRAIGHT.

I like KABC-7

[@andrewphillips7555]

pete weber was shocked when del ballard jr. threw his final shot in the channel

[@railroadskater2896]

@Brandon Bennetzen Pete guttered in the 10th frame against WalteRay at the 97 JP open.

[@drummachine434]

No shit sherlock

[@reinnegroni8462]

Did you catch it at 53:38 when Del Ballard Jr said it on his wired microphone?

[@reinnegroni8462]

He said it & got mad at himself.

[@playdiscgolf1546]

“That gutter can kiss my ass” lol

[@skiprockjr.6881]

Del's gutter on the 3-4-6-7 split in the 3rd at 1:08:13 happened for the same reason he guttered on his fill shot in the 10th at 1:20:40. He rushed both of them.

[@playdiscgolf1546]

Yep, todays bowlers would have taken a re rack to gather themselves. He got too pumped up on the 11th ball. That match always reminds me how hard bowling really is. Especially on a PBA pattern, everyone thinks it’s so easy because they make it look easy.

[@RSRANR]

That 3rd frame was foreshadowing

[@playdiscgolf1546]

After that second strike in the 10th, Ballard needed to re rack to gather himself. Also a big reason the pros like to finish first is to put pressure on their opponent. And Pete did that with a 5 bagger. Del could have shutout Pete but he went through the nose in the 8th. That’s always overlooked

[@123491622]

Pete Weber won a lot of games

[@andrewphillips2179]

the first, semi final, and title matches were exciting and very close

[@andrewphillips7555]

pete weber felt really bad for del ballard jr. Pete Weber and Del ballard Jr. have some exciting matches.

[@andrewphillips2179]

Pete Weber was stunned when Del Ballard Jr threw his last shot in the channel to win the Fair lanes open

[@drummachine434]

Again, no shit. We all watched this video before

[@JSmith-zr2ve]

thanks again Captain obvious.

[@BagelzNLockz]

What song was he listening too when he threw it in the gutter.

[@mattbilski5837]

I remember this one very much I remember watching this towards the end where Ballard JR throw in gutter and cost him tournment.

[@beeemm2578]

That ending speech was the real Pete Weber. Not the asshole he acted like sometimes. Ive heard many say he was a genuinely good dude. You saw it here the end

[@InsaneKorean77]

Hold on, there were GS-92 pinsetters in 1991? Or is it the 1989 GS-10?

[@richmartin1427]

What was funny is the year prior, this tournament was played on 82-30s. Talk about one generation to another.

[@InsaneKorean77]

@@richmartin1427 Oh, damn. Now that’s epic.

[@dcbandnerd]

I still cannot believe Ballard ditched it. His swing & follow through looked fine - got the good lift on the ball. I guess he missed his spot or something because it went right into the channel. Unbelievable.

[@ninoc29]

hard to watch esp because it was a good shot one out of 10000 shots lands on the thumb hole and skips almost an arrow right. freak accident. tough one to take lol but thats bowling.

[@dancahill1812]

Yeah that was to bad for del!

[@shazreeinaziz2288]

The whole tournament Del was playing that flirting channel line, very very unfortunate

[@canuck_gamer3359]

A fact that goes unnoticed, I had forgotten too until I watched this entire video. I'd say he came VERY close what? 2 or 3 times and close another half dozen easily. And he threw a ball in the gutter on the spare shot in the 3rd frame in the final match! I really am wondering if that gutter was in the back of his mind on that final shot.

[@chuckers40]

@@canuck_gamer3359 I remember this tournament very well. Fair Lanes (now AMF) would always alternate between Baltimore and Washington. Kings Point was a brand new center. AMF bought out Fair Lanes and Kings Point is closed.

[@martynbarrett64]

Battle of the tashes (apart from Duke)

[@adamlee5504]

Total sucked for Del. Some bowling fans may remember him for this but the PBA must not since they named a bowling pattern after him.

[@teejay6063]

True or False: I once lost an undrilled urethane U2 in a pool game...

[@DaveBais]

Del ballard got more applause for 6-gutter then i got for 300..

[@drummachine434]

I think we know why we're all here...

[@louieatienza8762]

I would have just left my ball on the rack...

[@kevincicero8352]

35:44 Del must of had The Gutter by Coheed and Cambria playing in his head when he threw his infamous shot 😂

[@jayallen6348]

AMF Kingpoint another closed center turned church

[@talkcat10]

It didn't last long.

[@KenGombold1104]

Del likes cleaning out the gutter

[@sygotkin5202]

😅😅😅😅😅😅 That was HILARIOUS!! 😅😅😅😅

[@imal25]

THAT'S BULLSHIT! HE FAILS TO GET 7 MORE PIN TO DEFEAT HIM OH DEAR,DEAR,DEAR OH! (ZONK SOUNDS)