PBA Legend Carmen Salvino Competes In His Final PBA Tournament of Champions

Written By: bowlingball.com | Written On: Tuesday, February 11, 2020

bowlingball.com Staff Writer
2/11/2020

On February 6th, 2020, Carmen Salvino, a founding member of the Professional Bowlers Association, competed in his 30th and final PBA Tournament of Champions. All of the AMF Riviera Lanes crowd, including fellow professional bowlers, stopped to watch the 86-year-old Hall of Famer throw his final shots. As the announcer introduced Salvino on the approach, Carmen was overcome by emotions. In 1962, the inaugural Tournament of Champions was held at Play Bowl in Indianapolis, Indiana and was originally called the “Indianapolis 500 Festival Tournament of Champions”. The event was not held again for another three years until 1965 when Firestone became the title sponsor. After the TOC event was moved from Indianapolis to Akron, Ohio, it then was hosted by AMF Riviera Lanes for nearly 29 years. The PBA made its return to Riviera Lanes for the TOC in 2018.

While Salvino never won a TOC title, he was quoted saying the reason he kept returning was “the fans.” He said that they always made him feel special. He has always been known as “PBA’s Most Famous Showman” - Always a crowd favorite since his heyday.

This 2020 Tournament of Champions marks Carmen’s 734th PBA Tour event since the first ever PBA tournament held in 1959, the Empire State Open at Schade’s Academy in Albany, New York.

While Salvino did not advance to the qualifying rounds of the TOC, everyone at the AMF Riviera Lanes that day witnessed a moment in bowling history soon not to be forgotten.