Williams' Record Seventh PBA
Player of the Year Honor
For the second consecutive year, the Professional Bowlers Association’s Chris Schenkel Player of the Year race came down to the final game and the eventual winner had to watch from the sidelines to await his fate.
When it was over, Walter Ray Williams Jr. won a record seventh Player of the Year honor at the conclusion of the season-ending Lumber Liquidators Marathon Open in Baltimore April 4, after going into the event tied in the points race with Bill O’Neill. Mike Scroggins was third, a longshot, but still in the mix until he lost in the title match to Pete Weber.
Williams thus became the first to win the PBA Player of the Year title seven times, breaking a tie with the late Earl Anthony. And at age 50, Williams also became the oldest to win the crown breaking the previous record of 45 held by Anthony.
He also is thought to be the oldest player in any major sport to win his sport’s season-long points or “most valuable” title.
“I could never have imagined winning Player of the Year seven times and at my age I didn’t think it was even a possibility,” Williams said. “But after I won the first tournament of the season I thought if I could win one more, or a major, that I could be in contention at the end.”
During the 2009-10 season Williams won two titles – the season-opening Motor City Open and the United States Bowling Congress Masters for his eighth major – to improve his all-time career titles record to 47. He had five championship round appearances and his titles in 2009-10 extended his record run of consecutive seasons with at least one title to 17.
As it turned out Scroggins almost achieved the biggest upset of his career, advancing to the ESPN final as the top qualifier which put him into a tie with Williams and O’Neill in Player of the Year points. Because Williams barely missed the TV final, winning the Marathon Open would have given Scroggins his first Player of the Year title. But Scroggins, who played a decisive role in last season’s Player of the Year race with his win in the U.S. Open, suffered the same fate himself this time when Weber denied him the honor handing the Player of the Year crown to Williams.
The tie between the three players was broken by virtue of Williams having earned his eighth Harry Smith Point Leader Award, also a record. In the overall competition points race for the season, Williams held a comfortable lead over O’Neill and Scroggins.
“It was a season where a lot of guys had very good years but no one really dominated, which probably played in my favor,” Williams added. “I just had a little better year. I would have liked to have won it by making the finals (of the Marathon Open), but there were five other guys who had a better tournament than me.”
Williams, who began his full-time Tour career in 1983 and has competed in 723 Tour events, earned his Player of the Year crowns over a 24-year span. His previous Player of the Year honors came in the 1986, ’93, ’96, ’97, ’98 and 2002-03 seasons.
Even with all he has accomplished, Williams lists a Tournament of Champions victory and a 300 game on television as two goals he would still like to accomplish. Next season’s Tournament of Champions will feature a record $1 million prize fund and $250,000 first prize.
“As long as I’m still competitive and feel good I’ll keep going,” Williams said. “I’m really looking forward to next year’s Tournament of Champions - that will be so big.”
Williams’ plans for the near future include competing in his 25th Japan Cup April 22-25 (he is the only player who has competed in every Japan Cup in its modern configuration) and making his Senior Tour debut sometime this season.
“I plan to bowl Senior Tour events this season but it’s a pretty busy schedule the next few months with some possible schedule conflicts with Teams USA and other events, so I’m not quite sure how many I’ll be able to bowl,” Williams said. “I hope to be able to bowl at least three, but I’ll have to see how the schedule works out.”
For the second consecutive year, the Professional Bowlers Association’s Chris Schenkel Player of the Year race came down to the final game and the eventual winner had to watch from the sidelines to await his fate.
When it was over, Walter Ray Williams Jr. won a record seventh Player of the Year honor at the conclusion of the season-ending Lumber Liquidators Marathon Open in Baltimore April 4, after going into the event tied in the points race with Bill O’Neill. Mike Scroggins was third, a longshot, but still in the mix until he lost in the title match to Pete Weber.
Williams thus became the first to win the PBA Player of the Year title seven times, breaking a tie with the late Earl Anthony. And at age 50, Williams also became the oldest to win the crown breaking the previous record of 45 held by Anthony.
He also is thought to be the oldest player in any major sport to win his sport’s season-long points or “most valuable” title.
“I could never have imagined winning Player of the Year seven times and at my age I didn’t think it was even a possibility,” Williams said. “But after I won the first tournament of the season I thought if I could win one more, or a major, that I could be in contention at the end.”
During the 2009-10 season Williams won two titles – the season-opening Motor City Open and the United States Bowling Congress Masters for his eighth major – to improve his all-time career titles record to 47. He had five championship round appearances and his titles in 2009-10 extended his record run of consecutive seasons with at least one title to 17.
As it turned out Scroggins almost achieved the biggest upset of his career, advancing to the ESPN final as the top qualifier which put him into a tie with Williams and O’Neill in Player of the Year points. Because Williams barely missed the TV final, winning the Marathon Open would have given Scroggins his first Player of the Year title. But Scroggins, who played a decisive role in last season’s Player of the Year race with his win in the U.S. Open, suffered the same fate himself this time when Weber denied him the honor handing the Player of the Year crown to Williams.
The tie between the three players was broken by virtue of Williams having earned his eighth Harry Smith Point Leader Award, also a record. In the overall competition points race for the season, Williams held a comfortable lead over O’Neill and Scroggins.
“It was a season where a lot of guys had very good years but no one really dominated, which probably played in my favor,” Williams added. “I just had a little better year. I would have liked to have won it by making the finals (of the Marathon Open), but there were five other guys who had a better tournament than me.”
Williams, who began his full-time Tour career in 1983 and has competed in 723 Tour events, earned his Player of the Year crowns over a 24-year span. His previous Player of the Year honors came in the 1986, ’93, ’96, ’97, ’98 and 2002-03 seasons.
Even with all he has accomplished, Williams lists a Tournament of Champions victory and a 300 game on television as two goals he would still like to accomplish. Next season’s Tournament of Champions will feature a record $1 million prize fund and $250,000 first prize.
“As long as I’m still competitive and feel good I’ll keep going,” Williams said. “I’m really looking forward to next year’s Tournament of Champions - that will be so big.”
Williams’ plans for the near future include competing in his 25th Japan Cup April 22-25 (he is the only player who has competed in every Japan Cup in its modern configuration) and making his Senior Tour debut sometime this season.
“I plan to bowl Senior Tour events this season but it’s a pretty busy schedule the next few months with some possible schedule conflicts with Teams USA and other events, so I’m not quite sure how many I’ll be able to bowl,” Williams said. “I hope to be able to bowl at least three, but I’ll have to see how the schedule works out.”
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