WRW says Anthony is tops - PBA Tidbits - bowler Walter Ray Williams on Earl Anthony - Brief Article

Bowling Digest, June, 2003 by Larry Paladino

WHEN WALTER RAY Williams Jr. won the PBA World Championship in March, it spurred a few queries about whether he was the best bowler of all time. But he would have none of it. That designation, Williams believes, belongs to the late Earl Anthony.

"Earl Anthony is still the greatest," Williams says. "Even if I get past 41 titles, or seven bowler of the year awards, I'll never pass him. He did what he did in 14 years, and I've been out here 21 years. Some people say the players are better now, but the great players are good in any era."

Williams has won five bowler of the year awards, tops among current PBA players--and by winning the World Championship at Taylor Lanes, he all but locked up his sixth. He won $120,000 to close out the season with a record $419,000 in single-season earnings. That pushed his career-record earnings to $3,130,801.

Williams, second behind Anthony with 37 career titles, won the U.S. Open earlier in the season and has won at least one title per year for the past 10 seasons. Among the other accomplishments for the Ocala, Fla., resident are 36 second-place finishes, 60 perfect games, and 22 regional titles. In 2002-03 he cashed in 20 of 21 tournaments.

"He's every bit with the elite," says Parker Bohn III, who tied for third at the World Championship. "Earl Anthony, I'll say he'll go down as the greatest of all time--but Walter Ray isn't done yet."

With a wry smile, Bohn adds: "It was not a bad year [for Williams]. He may get fortunate and win again some year."