50th Anniversary Of Jack Biondolillo's Historic 300 Game Approaches

3/15/2017

On April 1, 1967, the PBA’s post- tournament news release reported, “Jack Biondolillo socked the biggest 300 in the history of the game. His came before the American Broadcasting Company's national
colored television cameras for which he collected a cool ten thou ($10,000)…”

The first nationally-televised 300 game in PBA history – witnessed by a television audience of 25 million viewers according to PBA’s release – occurred during the Firestone PBA Tournament of Champions at Riviera Lanes in Akron, Ohio, during a first-game 300-216 win over Les Schissler. Biondolillo then defeated Mike Durbin, 188-181, before losing in the semifinal match to Don Johnson, 228-172. Jim Stefanich then won the TOC, defeating Johnson, 43-36, in a two-frame roll-off after they tied at 227.

As the 50th anniversary of his historic feat closes in, Biondolillo, a Houston native, attended the Main Event Terrell Owens PBA Super Clash on Super Bowl Sunday in Katy, Texas, where he posed with four other PBA members who also bowled nationally- televised 300 games. Pete McCordic bowled televised 300 no. 4 in Torrance, Calif., on Jan.31, 1987. Parker Bohn III bowled no. 13 in the USBC Masters in Reno, Nev., on May 9, 1998. Norm Duke bowled no. 16 in Tacoma, Wash., on Jan. 5, 2003. Jason Belmonte recorded no. 21 in Las Vegas on Nov. 19,2011.

Including Biondolillo’s historic 300, there have been a total of 26 nationally-televised perfect games in PBA competition.

Article was posted with permission from Stars & Strikes, America's Bowling Newsmagazine. www.starsandstrikesbowling.com