# 1991 PBA Tour season

This is a recap of the 1991 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's 33rd season, and consisted of 36 events.
The 1991 season featured the infamous "Del Ballard, Jr. gutter ball." Needing two strikes and seven pins in the tenth frame to defeat Pete Weber for the title at the Fair Lanes Open, Ballard got the necessary first two strikes. But he then inexplicably tossed his fill ball into the channel, handing Weber the title.
Ballard would rebound to win four titles in 1991, but it was another four-time winner, David Ozio, who claimed PBA Player of the Year honors. Among his four titles on the season, Ozio was victorious at the Firestone Tournament of Champions. The televised finals for this event were delayed 40 minutes due to a bomb threat, which turned out to be a prank call.
Mike Miller won his first-ever PBA title at the PBA National Championship, while Pete Weber captured the second BPAA U.S. Open title of his career, and fourth major title overall. Post-interview after winning the tournament, Pete held up the trophy above his head, and the cast resin eagle attachment unexpectedly fell from the base and shattered into pieces upon hitting the floor. Telecast commentator and longtime professional Nelson Burton, Jr. later suspected guilt for the mishap, recalling that before they went on the air, he unscrewed the nut that held the eagle in place and showed it to the audience before putting it back on the base, neglecting to secure the nut back on. He cannot remember fully if this is the case, but believes it is. Weber was mailed a replacement trophy a few days later.
John Mazza made PBA TV history in a semi-final match at the Bud Light Classic, when he became just the second person ever to convert the 7–10 split on national television. (Mark Roth was the first.) Jess Stayrook would become the third player to accomplish the same feat, later in the season at the Tucson Open.

## Tournament schedule

| Event | Bowling center | City | Dates | Winner |
| AC-Delco Classic | Gable House Bowl | Torrance, California | Jan 8–12 | David Ozio (7) |
| Showboat Invitational | Showboat Bowling Center | Las Vegas, Nevada | Jan 13–19 | David Ozio (8) |
| ARC Pinole Open | Pinole Valley Lanes | Pinole, California | Jan 22–26 | Brian Voss (10) |
| Quaker State Open | Forum Bowling Lanes | Grand Prairie, Texas | Jan 29 – Feb 2 | Amleto Monacelli (10) |
| Florida Open | Cypress Lanes | Winter Haven, Florida | Feb 5–9 | John Mazza (1) |
| Bud Light Classic | Don Carter's All-Star Lanes-Sawgrass | Sunrise, Florida | Feb 11–16 | Bob Benoit (2) |
| Flagship City Open | Eastway Lanes | Erie, Pennsylvania | Feb 19–23 | Jess Stayrook (2) |
| Fair Lanes Open | Fair Lanes Kings Point | Randallstown, Maryland | Feb 25 – Mar 2 | Pete Weber (16) |
| Johnny Petraglia Open | Carolier Lanes | North Brunswick, New Jersey | Mar 4–9 | Pete Weber (17) |
| Leisure's Long Island Open | Sayville Lanes | Sayville, New York | Mar 11–16 | Del Ballard, Jr. (6) |
| Bud Light Open | Yorktown Lanes | Parma Heights, Ohio | Mar 18–23 | Norm Duke (2) |
| PBA National Championship | Ducat's Imperial Lanes | Toledo, Ohio | Mar 24–30 | Mike Miller (1) |
| True Value Open | Landmark Recreation Center | Peoria, Illinois | Apr 1–6 | Amleto Monacelli (11) |
| BPAA U.S. Open | Woodland Bowl | Indianapolis, Indiana | Apr 7–13 | Pete Weber (18) |
| Tums Classic | Bradley Bowl | Windsor Locks, Connecticut | Apr 16–20 | Billy Young, Jr. (2) |
| Firestone Tournament of Champions | Riviera Lanes | Fairlawn, Ohio | Apr 23–27 | David Ozio (9) |
| Fresno Open | Cedar Lanes | Fresno, California | May 7–11 | John Mazza (2) |
| Kessler Classic | Town Square Lanes | Riverside, California | May 14–18 | Bryan Goebel (2) |
| Celebrity Denver Open | Celebrity Sports Center | Denver, Colorado | May 21–25 | John Mazza (3) |
| Beaumont PBA Doubles Classic | Crossroads Bowling Center | Beaumont, Texas | May 28 – Jun 1 | Del Ballard, Jr. (7), Bob Benoit (3) |
| Kessler Open | Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl | Dublin, California | Jun 11–15 | Del Ballard, Jr. (8) |
| Seattle Open | Skyway Park Bowl | Seattle, Washington | Jun 18–22 | Danny Wiseman (3) |
| PBA Oregon Open | Hollywood Bowl | Portland, Oregon | Jun 25–29 | Tony Westlake (3) |
| El Paso Open | Bowl El Paso | El Paso, Texas | Jul 2–6 | Ray Edwards (1) |
| Tucson Open | Golden Pin Lanes | Tucson, Arizona | Jul 9–13 | Norm Duke (3) |
| Wichita Open | Northrock Lanes | Wichita, Kansas | Jul 16–20 | Chris Warren (4) |
| Columbia 300 Open | Highland Lanes | Austin, Texas | Jul 22–27 | Brian Voss (11) |
| Choice Hotels International Summer Classic | Boulevard Bowl | Edmond, Oklahoma | Jul 28 – Aug 3 | Steve Jaros (1) |
| La Mode Classic | Red Carpet Lanes | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Aug 4–8 | Tony Westlake (4) |
| Senior/Touring Pro Doubles | Thruway Lanes | Buffalo, New York | Aug 11–15 | Teata Semiz, Rick Steelsmith (1) |
| Toyota Classic | Tropicana Lanes | Richmond Heights, Missouri | Sep 30 – Oct 5 | Danny Wiseman (4) |
| Oronamin C Japan Cup | Tokyo Port Bowl | Tokyo, Japan | Oct 10–13 | Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (6) |
| Brunswick Memorial World Open | Brunswick Deer Park Lanes | Lake Zurich, Illinois | Nov 10–16 | Jess Stayrook (3) |
| Chevy Truck Classic | Marcel's Olympic Bowl | Rochester, New York | Nov 18–23 | David Ozio (10) |
| Bud Light Touring Players Championship | Taylor Lanes | Taylor, Michigan | Nov 25–30 | Dave Ferraro (7) |
| Cambridge Mixed Doubles | Bally's Bowling Center | Reno, Nevada | Dec 6–8 | Del Ballard, Jr. (9), Nikki Gianulias |