This is the championship match of the 1984 Angle Open at Dick Weber Lanes in Florissant, MO on Feb 11, 1984. Nelson Burton Jr., takes on the #1 qualifer, Pete Weber, bowling at the lanes he grew up at. Dick Weber joined Chris Shenkel that day, which I'm sure was nerve racking, watching his son, Pete bowl. It was a record setting day for Nelson Burton, Jr., setting the mark for the highest 4 game set bowled on TV, up to that point. Read on… and don't forget to visit and give us your comments at
$125,000 ANGLE OPEN
Dick Weber Lanes, Florissant, Mo., Feb 6-11, 1984
Burton Angles Record
Nelson Burton Jr. bowled a record-breaking four-game series as he captured the $125,000 Angle Open. The PBA Hall of Famer and ABC-TV's expert commentator qualified fourth for the stepladder finals and averaged 262, totaling 1050 for the afternoon en route to the $20,000 top prize and his 17th PBA championship.
Burton's first victim was Paul Gibson, 278-218. Marshall Holman went down next, 279-217. The tightest match was against Pete Couture who pressured Burton to roll a 10th frame double, which Burton did, to record a 257-249 victory.
Top-seeded Pete Weber could not keep up with Burton's strike blitz, losing 236-184, in the familiar surroundings of Dick Weber Lanes. Burton's series surpassed the previous record of 1021 set by Larry Laub in 1972.
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I’ve always loved that this is the AMF Angle open, and Bo is shooting the lights out with a Faball Hammer!!!
When Bo got the second strike to shut out Couture in the semifinal, the crowd reaction could have been measured on the Richter scale — two hometown boys in the final. Awesome.
Loved the music bumpers going to the commercial breaks. They need to get the tour back on ABC, the popularity of the game will swing back with better national coverage.
i miss the telecasts on saturday afternoons during the winter, we always watched them in the 70’s and 80’s and league bowl during the week.
I remember watching this as a kid. Bo was on fire that day. I’ve seen a lot of different styles, but none more textbook than Bo.
Bo was in some pretty good shape for bowlers back then 🙂
Burton was lights out on this day. Notice how his demeanor was very workmanlike with no showboating. I miss that era!
I agree with you I miss those days too….
My goodness, if Bo didn’t robbed on those shots, he threw close to a perfect game! Bo was a classic pro out there on the lanes and an excellent commentator.
graceful at winning or losing. Real man’s man.
I remember this match. Maybe the best series ever bowled on TV. Burton’s mechanics were incredible. And I loved the WAY he won.
7:14 Saved by Zero. That would be Pete’s theme 7 years later against Del Ballard.
Brutal, but funny.
The gutter ball
Earl Anthony was my neighbor. He said that one time he and Bo were practicing at Burton’s center in St. Louis. Earl said Bo rolled 42 consecutive strikes. Damndest thing earl ever saw 🙂
wow.
Reggie Frederick, Earl was the greatest of all time, you should check out the new book on him.
My Dad and I watched bowling every Sat, he loved Earl Anthoney.
The Pro Bowlers Tour was a staple of TV watching for me on Saturdays when I was a kid, and Earl Anthony was my favorite bowler as well.
that is the smoothest stroke i’ve ever seen. very nice nelson.
He was using a Black Hammer, which had medium hook on oily lanes. So, he was able to go very direct and throw those beautiful shots.
amazing stuff. couple thoughts: (1) Bo was probably at the tail end of the “strokers” era. it’s astonishing how little his ball curved. (2) the black Hammer was a GREAT ball and changed bowling from that point forward.
Bo just rolled a 300 on 12/28/18 at Jensen Beach Bowl in Florida…
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He’s 76. WTF am I doing wrong with my life???
Yea, but in today’s bowling, that doesn’t mean that much.
if you ever bowled on Statue of liberty or shark. this is how you do it when you don’t throw the ball 20 mph with 450+ revs.
So many years listening to Bo talk the talk, and was a bit too young to see him bowl it just as well. Not a lot of flash, but consistently solid, classic style. And most of all, he maintained the demeanor of a guy who probably hated to have to beat the kid of one of his good friends.
3:17 if that is wife, he picks them well.
Burton Jr bowling dad in ’66 and bowling Pete in ’84. Bo Burton Jr is freakin awesome.
This was obviously the peak moment in Nelson Burton’s career on so many levels; ,he was at the peak of his game, and conditioning.. His wife had a look of complete happiness as well. I am not sure if he won another tournament.
the contrasting styles, nelson with the controlled deliberate stroke and pete’s free wheeling high back swing style, both excellent and pleasing to watch.