PBA legend Carmen Salvino was overcome with emotion as he threw his final shots in qualifying for his 30th and final PBA Tournament of Champions (TOC) last week.

In front of a huge crowd at AMF Riviera Lanes, the 86-year-old Hall of Famer and 17-time Go Bowling PBA Tour winner extended his record as the oldest player to compete in a PBA Tour event.

PBA's most famous showman is one of the few remaining links to the storied tournament's origin dating back to the inaugural event in 1962. The 1962 TOC was held at Play Bowl in Indianapolis and was actually billed as the Indianapolis 500 Festival Tournament of Champions. It's an often-overlooked event because the tournament would not be held again for three years.

In 1965, when Firestone began its landmark sponsorship, the classic moved to Bowlarama in Akron and then to AMF Riviera Lanes the following year where it remained for 29 years. PBA's signature event made its return to AMF Riviera Lanes in 2018 after a 24-year absence.

“I never won the Tournament of Champions but it was always my favorite tournament,” said Salvino. “The biggest reason I kept coming back was the fans - they always made me feel special.

“Every athlete should be thankful for the fans because without the fans we can't compete,” the Chicago native added. “If we don't have the fans you don't have a paycheck. The way the fans treated me here made the last 30 years all worthwhile whether I bowled good or bad.”

Salvino's best TOC finish was third in the inaugural tournament. Joe Joseph won with a two-game total of 480 pins followed by fellow Michigan star Billy Golembiewski with 413 pins and Salvino with a 409 total.

“I knew it was going to be emotional for me but I was able to keep it under control until about the middle of the last game,” said Salvino as he bowled his final frames. “Then I started thinking that this was going to be the last time and that's when it really got to me.”

It was Salvino's 734th PBA Tour event since competing in the first PBA tournament ever held - the 1959 Empire State Open at Schade's Academy in Albany, N.Y. He is a member of numerous Halls of Fame including the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame headquartered in the Chicago area and was ranked 17th on PBA's 2009 list of 50 greatest players in PBA history.

In the PBA Tournament of Champions Kris Prather won all four stepladder matches to win the 55th tournament at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn , Ohio, defeating top seed Bill O'Neill 280-205. The event was televised live last Sunday afternoon on Fox TV.

Next on the schedule is the PBA Players Championship with the stepladder finals airing live on FS1 Saturday Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m.

Ed's Outlook

Live coverage of a Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour event finals that will take place at the Hammer Junior Gold Championships is one of the many highlights of the 17 bowling shows CBS Sports Network will televise in 2020.

The live finals of the PWBA Las Vegas Open, scheduled as part of the Junior Gold Opening Ceremony at The Orleans Arena, is set for July 12 at 9 p.m. (Eastern). Located in The Orleans Hotel and Casino, the arena will seat approximately 9,000 spectators for the show. The 1995 U.S. Open set the attendance record for a bowling event at 7,212.

CBS Sports Network will have live coverage of seven PWBA stepladder finals in 2020, including all majors, plus four shows from the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships, the finals of all four divisions of the Junior Gold Championships, and the two title matches at the USA Bowling National Championships.

Las Vegas also will host the stepladder finals of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Queens, on Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. (Eastern) at the South Point Bowling Plaza. It is the first of the four PWBA majors that will be televised live.

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

As we approach league ending championships here are several great tips to improve your bowling game.

Bowling Arm Swing....Your arm swing is crucial for consistency in today's game. The direction of the swing greatly impacts your release and initial ball direction.

Ball Release and Speed Control ... one of the most important adjustments any bowler can make is the ability to change your ball speed ... practice and use different speeds to see what the different speeds do to your release of the bowling ball.

Relaxed Bowling Grip Pressure ... Two of the most important aspects of bowling are ball fit and bowling grip pressure. Most important tip here is the importance of keeping a loose and relaxed grip.

Using bowler's tape can help get the best fit possible to prevent bowlers from squeezing and other physical game issues.

Mike Luongo is a Certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events Assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mike.luongo@stormbowling.com.

BOWLING SCORES

BEECHWOOD LANES

Villa Roma Mon. Ladies

Lindsey Bauer 153, 174, Jaclyn Kimmes 165, Pam Wayne 156, 173, Lillian Zieres 158, 162, Maureen Schlott 162, Rebecca Rhodes 154, 183.

PORT JERVIS BOWL

Thursday Ladies

Erin McDonagh 223, 158, 230, 601, Barbara Goetzman 161, 198, 161, 520, Josephine Zych 136, 182, 187, 505, Kim Witkowski 178, 147, 171, 496, Celeste Fitzpatrick 192, 137, 147, 476.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Men's Independent

Shane Dirig 222, 202, 608, Ben Green 246, 625, Rob Johnson 235, 208, 642, Dan Keesler 247, 632, Donnie Marino 207, 221, 605, Zuke Wormuth 246, 623.

Thursday Night 3

Ray Cornwell 211, 210, 612, Bill Gleim 227, 236, 222, 685, Dan Keesler 247, 591, Ed Milk Jr. 244, 225, 667, Dan Wormuth 213, 215, 627.

Friday Couples

Shane Dirig 226, 239, 221, 686, Dan Koch 203, 241, 625, Brianna Meres 201, 203, 190, 594, Dan Wormuth 244, 203, 628, Kathy Smith 192, 182, 507..

Sat. Youth Mixed

Ethan Dennis 119, 277, Holden Dufton 130, 268, Olivia Johnston 145, 355, Alex Mosher 175, 468.

Sunday Mixed

Ashley Hanstine 182, 500, Don Marino 227, 226, 616, Wilbur McAdams 230, 579.

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Tom Skiff III a 215, 203, 225, 643, Jason Jones Jr. 268, 211, 212, 691, Vinnie Collura 202, 242, 243, 687, Pedro Agapito III a 268, 208, 248, 724, Jaryl Scott 257, 190, 234, 681, J.J. Wilhelm Jr. 257, 190, 234, 681, Ron Totten 205, 256, 213, 674, Kevin Stackhouse 237, 257, 192, 686.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Jon Wilhelm 207, 212, 256, 675, Edward Walsh 183, 247, 279, 709, Mary Lee Williams 170, 193, 190, 553, Cara Nicholson 140, 222, 177, 539, George Severnak 221, 236, 209, 666.

Friday Mixed

Pedro Agapito III a 221, 268, 210, 699, Wayne Atkins 242, 190, 278, 710, David Graham 263, 193, 226, 682, Tim Minton 213, 264, 202, 679, Serafin Rodriguez III a 257, 211, 205, 673, Tom Skiff III a 247, 209, 237, 693, Keith Smith 216, 267, 245, 728, Mikayla DeGraw 170, 171, 236, 577, Anne Kaplan 166, 197, 147, 510, Loretta VanAken 192, 160, 178, 530.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or an 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax to 845-205, 4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.