Earl Anthony

Anthony returned to the PBA Tour in 1969 and had an encouraging second-place finish in his first tournament. He won his first event 1970 in Seattle, and another one the following year in New York City. It was in 1974, however, that Earl Anthony began establishing himself as the world's best pro bowler. After a slow start—he missed winning his first thirteen tournaments—he won two of the biggest events on the Tour, the Tournament of Champions and the PBA National Championship back-to-back. Before the season was over, he won four more events and set records for season average with 219.34 and season winnings with over $90,000. In 1975 he became the first pro bowler to win over $100,000 in a single season. In 1976 with his 27th title he passed Dick Weber as the leader on the career victory list. His success was due, in part at least, to knowing what he wanted. "I set goals throughout the years," he was quoted in the New York Times. "I wanted to win 40 tournaments and I won 45. I wanted to the first bowler to win $100,000 in a year and I did that. I wanted to win $1 million and I did that."

In 1978 Anthony suffered a serious heart attack, but made an astonishing comeback, leading the PBA in scoring in 1980 and 1983, and being named Bowler of the Year from 1981 through 1983. In February 1982 he became the first bowler in history to win more than $1 million in his career, rolling five straight strikes to take a national championship in Toledo Ohio. However, by 1983 the constant life on the road had worn Anthony down and, with $1,216,421 in career winnings and forty-one PBA Tour wins, he announced his retirement. At the request of friends he made a brief comeback in 1986. "I absolutely hated it. My concentration was gone. I'd get out there and forget what I was trying to do. I'd start thinking about whether my lawn needed mowing. So that was it for me," he told the Toronto Star.