Millions followed Anthony’s outstanding career.
Earl Anthony started his professional bowling career when bowling was a quiet and leisurely sport. Anthony’s appearance was humbling. He usually wore glasses, a crew cut, and was a firm left-handed bowler. Many fellow professional bowlers dubbed him Square Earl. Anthony briefly joined the PBA Tour in 1963. He participated in three bowling tournaments but didn’t win any of them. After several years of vigorous practice, Anthony became a full-time bowler and began his professional bowling career in the early 1970s.
Earl Anthony (photo courtesy ESPN)
Anthony won his first title in 1970 at the age of 32. The titles kept on rolling and the cash kept on flowing. In 1975 Anthony became the first bowler to earn six figures in a single season. Ten of Anthony’s titles were major titles. He won 6 PBA National Championships from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1981 to 1983. He won the PBA Tournament of Champions twice, in 1974 and 1978. He also won two ABC Masters, in 1977 and 1984. Overall, Anthony won 43 titles during his esteemed career.
In 1982, Anthony became the first bowler to accumulate $1 Million in career earnings. In the late 80s, Anthony joined the PBA Senior Tour. In the 1990s, Anthony became a color commentator for ESPN. Anthony expected to win many titles and earn a lot of money in his career. Anthony told The Oregonian, “I set goals throughout the years. I wanted to win 40 tournaments, and I won 45. I wanted to be the first bowler to win $100,000 in a year, and I did that. I wanted to win $1 Million, and I did that.”
This oil pattern is named after Anthony (graphic courtesy of X)
Earl Anthony’s life was cut too short in the summer of 2001 when he died after falling from a flight of stairs in New Berlin, Wisconsin. He was only 63.
Anthony has been awarded many honors throughout his outstanding career, including being inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1981 and the USBC Hall of Fame in 1986. He was also the Bowler of the Millennium in 2000 and has an oil pattern named after him in honor of his 43 bowling titles.
Earl Anthony would be happy to say that bowling has become a versatile and exhilarating sport.
