MILWAUKEE--Earl Anthony, a six-time PBA bowler of the year and itsgreatest winner with 41 professional titles, died Tuesday at afriend's home in suburban Milwaukee. He was 63.
The crewcut, bespectacled Anthony was one of bowling's mostfamiliar faces when the sport was a weekly fixture on television inthe 1970s, and he was its first player to break the $1 millionbarrier in winnings.
Ed Baur, who lives in New Berlin, Wis., said he found Anthony deadat the bottom of a flight of stairs in his home before 8 a.m.Tuesday.
"He may have had a heart attack and fallen down the stairs," hesaid. An autopsy was planned for today.
Ted Hoffman Jr., a business partner who operated Earl Anthony'sDublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif., said Anthony had had a heart attack in1977, but no recent ailments.
"The Professional Bowlers Association is deeply saddened by theloss of Earl Anthony," the Seattle-based organization said. "He was apioneer in the sport of bowling and will be remembered by millionsfor his many appearances on PBA telecasts. Our hearts and thoughtsare with his family."
Bowling great Dick Weber once described the left-handed Anthony as"the greatest speed-control bowler ever to play the game."
Anthony's accuracy and consistency earned him the nickname "TheMachine."
"He was as smooth as the pinsetter," recalled longtime ABCcommentator Chris Schenkel, whose Saturday afternoon broadcasts ofthe pro bowlers' tour entertained a generation of viewers. "Histemperament determined his ability to win.
"He was not a big personality. He was self-contained, which is acompliment in my book."
Born in Kent, Wash., on April 27, 1938, Anthony had hoped to playmajor league baseball but an ankle injury cut short that career as aleft-handed pitcher.
He joined the PBA Tour in 1963, but didn't win any money andreturned to Washington.
He tried again in 1970, and it wasn't long before the mannicknamed "Square Earl" for his crewcut and glasses became one of thetop bowlers on tour.
He earned $107,585 in 1975, becoming the first to top the $100,000mark in a season. He was named bowler of the year from 1974-76 andfrom 1981-83. He led the PBA Tour in scoring from 1973-75 and in 1980and 1983. He retired temporarily in 1984 with records of $1,216,421in career winnings and 41 tour victories.
After bowling in only one tournament a year for three years,Anthony entered 12 tournaments in 1987 but won only $8,850. He thenjoined the new PBA Senior Tour in 1988 and won seven titles andanother $225,000.
Although his 41 wins are still the record, he ranks 11th in careerearnings because prize money has increased so much since his peakyears.
He was selected for the PBA and ABC halls of fame.
Dean Johnson, owner of Park Lanes Family Entertainment Centers inHillsboro, Ore., said Anthony had resided in nearby North Plains. Hemoved to Oregon to be close to his business in northern Californiaand his family in Washington state, Johnson said.
"He was always a gentleman on and off the lane," Johnson said. "Hemaybe didn't have the perfect approach, but he was probably the mostaccurate bowler of all time."
Jim Zebehazy, executive director of the Young American BowlingAlliance in Greendale, Wis., said Anthony was always ready to helpwhen his organization held events in his area.
"He was just Mr. Bowling," Zebehazy said. "When I was in my teens,just getting interested in bowling, he was the Tiger Woods of hisday.
"He was the legend for our sport."
Anthony is survived by his wife, Susie; a son, Mike, and daughtersTracy Nelson and Jeri Voyles.
Earl Anthony's career at a glance
A look at Anthony's career, with PBA Tour victories and yearlyearnings:
1970-Seattle; $26,200.
1971-New York; $40,105.
1972-Portland, Ore.; Redwood City, Calif.; St. Louis; $40,105.
1973-Seattle; National Championship at Oklahoma City; $45,812.
1974-Tournament of Champions at Fairlawn, Ohio; NationalChampionship at Downey, Calif.; San Jose, Calif.; Fresno, Calif.;Cleveland; Hawaii; $99,585.
1975-Arcadia, Calif.; Garden City, N.J.; National Championship atDowney, Calif.; Davenport, Iowa; Jackson, N.J.; Waukegan; BattleCreek, Mich.; $107,585.
1976-Hartford, Conn.; Miami; Fresno, Calif.; Norwalk, Calif.;Waukegan; Battle Creek, Mich.; $110,832.
1977-Torrance, Calif.; Waukegan; $72,690.
1978-Kissimmee, Fla.; Tournament of Champions at Fairlawn, Ohio;$89,905.
1979-Garden City, N.J.; $94,140.
1980-Garden City, N.J.; $59,481.
1981-Florissant, Mo.; Peoria; National Championship at Toledo,Ohio; Garden City, N.J.; $164,735.
1982-Alameda, Calif.; National Championship at Toledo, Ohio;Milwaukee; $134,760.
1983-National Championship at Toledo, Ohio; Peoria; $135,605.
1984-$40,600.
1985-$7,600.
1986-$550.
1987-$8,850.
Senior Tour victories
1988-Senior Championship, Canton, Ohio; $21,975.
1989-$6,230.
1990-Houston; Las Vegas; Senior Championships at Canton, Ohio;$42,555.
1991-$17,150.
1996-Naples, Fla.; $35,810.
1997-Albany, N.Y.; Richland, Wash.; $43,320.
Career earnings: $1,441,061.
National titles: 41.
Senior titles: 7.
Other honors
ABC Masters: 1977, 1984.
AMF Grand Prix of Bowling: 1976.
PBA Player of the Year: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983 (mostin PBA history).
George Young High Average Award: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1983.
PBA Hall of Fame: 1981.
ABC Hall of Fame: 1986.
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