1957 World Tournament
Murray, Utah - July 17-25, 1957

 

1957 World Tournament

 

A 1955 idea (in part) by Ted Allen now became the new World Tournament format. This year there would be two 18 man groups with the top seven from each to form a 14 man championship class. The next six from each group would play for positions 15 through 26. The last five from each group would play for positions 27 through 36. The group placement would be by qualifying scores.

 

In group 1, the three rookies were A. Bert Zumwalt; Art Kamman, Arizona champion; and still debated as the best in the history of Ohio, Harold Reno, entering his first World Tournament. In group 2, the newcomers were Harvey; Zichella; Brumfield, who would make the all time 100 list; and polite, gentlemanly Paul Focht who now is the all time leader in Ohio State Tournament victories. Superstars Allen, Tit­comb, and Isais were still heads above the rest and they were the logical favorites. Rather than go into great detail, an attempt to touch upon the highlights of group play will be done.

 

In group 2, Paxton upset Focht, 51-38 and Brumfield, 52-35. Lindquist (82.2 percent) knocked off Standard, 52-39 in 122 shoes and Wahlin, 51-35 in 116 shoes with 84.4 percent. Harvey clobbered Lindquist, 51-22. Wolfe shocked Focht, 54-48 in 104 shoes and tripped friend Manker, 53-45. Tate (90.5 percent) belted Zichella, 50-4 and sneaked by Lindquist, 51-47. Zichella (84.0 percent) pounded Chapelle, 51-19 and throttled Wahlin, 52-31 with 83.0 percent in 100 shoes.

 

Focht (88.0 percent) smashed Wiley, 50-18. Brumfield (92.0 percent) busted Manker, 51-9 and forced Isais to 138 shoes while scoring 30 points. Wahlin had four games over 85 percent, his best being 88.5 while whipping Brumfield, 55-23. Clive took Isais to 118 shoes, scoring 31 points. Isais had five games 85 percent or better and four 90 percent: 90 percent against Paxton, 92.6 on Standard, 90.7 on Green, and 91.0 on Harvey. The most points against Isais was Tate with 34!

 

In group 1, Zumwalt upset Brown, 54-47 and Ira Allen, 52-38. Harshman surprised Taylor, 50-46. Brown conquered Reno, 53-41. Dixon lost 50-49 to Taylor in 134 shoes. Ira Allen (83.6 percent) took Brownell, 52-39 and hammered Anderson, 51-21. Sharp won over Harshman, 52-35 in 116 shoes. Day had four games over 85 percent.

 

Curt threw 91.7 percent while working over Zumwalt, 51-7. In a longest game record breaking performance of 174 shoes against Ted Allen, Curt had 155 ringers (the same as Ted) for 89.0 only to lose 50­49! Curt beat Reno, 51-45. Brownell (85.5 percent) waylaid Reno, 50-22. Anderson (85.1 percent) plucked Cherrier, 51-16 and squeezed by Brownell, 53-49 in 114 shoes. Rookie Reno had four games over 85 percent and a 51-94.7 percent while shutting out Kamman, 50-0. Tit­ comb had five games over 85 percent and eight games over 90 percent. Don's victims were Dixon (90.0 percent, 54-14), Zumwalt (92.0 percent, 52-4), Harshman (90.5 percent, 51-8), Brownell (90.2 percent, 55-14), Ira Allen (92.6 percent 51-9), Brown (91.4 percent, 50-8), Kamman (91.6 percent, 54-9), and Mori (93.6 percent, 53-6). Don also pitched 89.8 for 108 shoes to get rid of stubborn Reno, 50-24. Don hit 87.9 per­cent easily handling Day, 50-7. Don hit only 78 percent in his game with Ted, losing 51-39. Defending World Champion Allen had seven

games over 85 percent. Allen's only 90 percent was a 52-10 creaming of Edmondson with a 90.4. Although 17-0 in group 1, it looked like Allen would have his hands full in the finals.

 

In the first game of the finals Anderson bushwhacked Isais, 52-45. Standard greeted Lindquist, 52-44. Sharp tripped Wahlin, 50-41. Tit­comb (87.9 percent) was extended to 124 shoes against the still stub­born Reno, winning 51-28. Allen (90.2 percent) ripped Brownell, 51-20. In the second game Zichella went 130 shoes in a major shocker, criti­cally wounding Isais' chances with a 51-48 toppling. Sharp stunned Day, 50-30. Allen (91.4 percent) got revenge on Anderson, 51-11 for the prior year. After two games only Allen, Titcomb, Sharp, Zichella, and Standard were undefeated. In the third game matches involving the leaders, Day wiped out Standard, 52-24; Allen bumped Zichella, 52-29; and Sharp got by Brumfield, 50-44. In fourth game action, Isais beat Sharp, 50-41; and Brownell (92.6 percent) clubbed Wahlin, 52-12.

 

In game 5, Allen repelled Sharp, 51-32; and Isais (90.0 percent)

zapped Standard, 51-23. In game 6, Allen (93.9 percent) had to pitch 116 shoes to finally subdue Reno, 55-16. Seventh game features were Isais-52, Reno-38 in 114 shoes; Titcomb (89.0 percent) over Day, 50-25 in 100 shoes; and Ted Allen going down to Wahlin, 50-36! Titcomb was now the only undefeated. In their eighth game, Titcomb and Allen each pitched over 89 percent to win. In the 9th game, Allen (90.5 per­cent) bombed Brumfield, 50-11; and Titcomb (90.4 percent) punished Sharp, 52-15. In game 10, Titcomb barely escaped Brumfield, 52-49 in 118 shoes. Allen in a rematch with Day had his hands full. In this 168 shoe match Day pitched 87.5 percent but Allen was equal to the task, hitting 90.4 percent to win 51-30!

 

In game 11, Titcomb struggled by Isais, 50-47 in 112 shoes. The 12th game was the awaited battle between Allen and Titcomb. A victory would give Don the long sought title. For 140 shoes Titcomb pitched 83.5 percent, only to lose to Allen (87.1 percent), 51-36. In the final game Titcomb won easily while Allen (85 percent) survived Isais, 55-41. Unbelievably these same two men were headed for another best of three playoff!  Murray, Utah was the lucky host during many of the greatest games ever pitched!

 

The first game of the playoff was easily won by Allen (83.3 percent) over a shaky Titcomb (66.7 percent) in just 66 shoes. The second match, Don Titcomb proved himself worthy of championship consideration by putting together 142 of 168 shoes on the peg for 84.5 percent. Unluck­ily for Don, World Champion Ted Allen did likewise but produced one more single point to edge Titcomb, 50-49. Thus Allen had captured his ninth World Championship by winning in a close pressure packed fin­ish as had become his usual custom. This usual win was also in keep­ing with the fact that Ted Allen had never in his entire career lost the World Championship in a playoff. This great pitcher of the 114 turn had become as fine wine, getting better with age!