In this sixth installment of a weekly series taking a look back at historical moments from various USBC Championship events over the years, we revisit the 1997 U.S. National Amateur Championship, where John Gaines battles Kurt Pilon for the title and a trip to the World Cup. Pilon had plenty to bowl for in 1997; at the 1996 event, he earned an unpleasant distinction as the highest finisher to not be selected for Team USA. But in 1997 he found himself locked in battle with a competitor who would go on to compete with Team USA for three consecutive years. Click the video below to see how history unfolded that day in 1997. For more information about the Team USA Trials, please visit the Team USA Trials page.