Pro Bowling : Berardi Defeats Williams to Win His Seventh Title

A once-in-a-while winner for his 16 years on the pro bowling trail had another one of those days to remember Saturday at Gable House Bowl in Torrance.

Joe Berardi, 33, took the AC/Delco title back to his expectant wife in Brooklyn by upsetting three of bowling’s stars in the nationally televised finals of the $150,000 event.

Almost immediately after the win, the seventh of his career, Berardi was on the telephone home and hearing shouts of joy on the other end.

His young son, Joey II, according to Berardi at the victory interview, was shouting for mother to calm down or she’d have the babies. Debbie Berardi is expecting twins on May 17. They also have a year-old daughter, Jessica.

Berardi, a study in brown from shirt to slacks “because it’s my lucky color,” first defeated PBA Hall of Famer Mark Roth, 212-192. After a 258-199 victory over Pete Weber, the 1987 money champion, Berardi turned back the 1986 pro bowler of the year, Walter Ray Williams Jr., in the title showdown, 248-227.

The jinx of never winning when he has been top-seeded in a PBA final continued to haunt Williams. This was the third time he had failed from the No. 1 spot.

“I threw the ball well but not well enough,” Williams said.

Berardi, on the other hand, had the pins falling even on misdirected deliveries. He twice collected Brooklyn (in the wrong pocket) strikes and had two weak hits that also resulted in strikes.

“It was just my day to win,” he said.

Except for a doubles championship, Berardi hadn’t won since 1983.

Though short on victories, he nonetheless is among a select few to ever win three of the four classic titles in bowling .

Among his relatively few successes are championships in the U.S. Open (1979), the American Bowling Congress Masters (1982) and the Firestone Tournament of Champions (1983). Only a win in the National Pro has eluded him. No bowler has won all four.

Berardi, who said his goal is to be financially secure when he one day retires from the tour, earned $27,000 for the victory.