USBC Hall of Famer Pete Tountas dies at age 86
April 03, 2025
ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress recently learned of the death of USBC Hall of Famer Pete Tountas, of Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 86. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Tountas passed away on Feb. 27.
Tountas was born on Aug. 8, 1938, in a small mountain village in Greece. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 and lived with his uncle and their family in Hammond, Indiana.
Tountas would turn a passion for the sport of bowling into a hall of fame career. He started as a pin boy and ended up a multi-time titlist and major champion on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He also was an Eagle winner at the USBC Open Championships and was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1989 in the Veterans category.
Tountas’ first title on the PBA Tour came at the 1964 Bertrand PBA Open in Waukegan, Illinois. He bested Jack Biondolillo by nine pins in the 40-game, total-pinfall event. His next tour victory would come in the televised stepladder finals of the 1967 Buckeye Open in Toledo, Ohio. Tountas knocked off Dave Davis, Bill Tucker and Gene Rhoda on the way to his second career title.
His final pro victory would be a major. After finishing fourth in both the 1963 and 1964 USBC Masters events and second in another major, the 1967 PBA National Championship, Tountas collected the title in the 1968 Masters in Cincinnati.
It was during Masters competition that Tountas earned a share of one of bowling's greatest records at the time when he put together a string of 21 four-game series above 800, ending with a 794 block in the 1968 finals.
Tountas also shined in Open Championships competition. He was a member of the Andy’s Pro Shop team that took home the Eagle at the 1976 event in Oklahoma City. He also took great pride in a top-10 doubles finish (ninth place) with his son Michael at the 1988 USBC Open Championships in Jacksonville, Florida.
It was during his time on tour that he met and fell in love with his wife, Sandy. They settled in Tucson, where he became general manager of Golden Pin Lanes, which hosted numerous PBA Tour events. To many bowlers and fans of the PBA Tour, Tountas was just as well known for his work as a tournament host as he was for his days as a competitor on tour.
In addition to bowling, Tountas enjoyed golf and was an active member of the Greek Orthodox Church. He is survived by his two children, Michael and Michelle, and many grandchildren.
Tountas was born on Aug. 8, 1938, in a small mountain village in Greece. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 and lived with his uncle and their family in Hammond, Indiana.
Tountas would turn a passion for the sport of bowling into a hall of fame career. He started as a pin boy and ended up a multi-time titlist and major champion on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He also was an Eagle winner at the USBC Open Championships and was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame in 1989 in the Veterans category.
Tountas’ first title on the PBA Tour came at the 1964 Bertrand PBA Open in Waukegan, Illinois. He bested Jack Biondolillo by nine pins in the 40-game, total-pinfall event. His next tour victory would come in the televised stepladder finals of the 1967 Buckeye Open in Toledo, Ohio. Tountas knocked off Dave Davis, Bill Tucker and Gene Rhoda on the way to his second career title.
His final pro victory would be a major. After finishing fourth in both the 1963 and 1964 USBC Masters events and second in another major, the 1967 PBA National Championship, Tountas collected the title in the 1968 Masters in Cincinnati.
It was during Masters competition that Tountas earned a share of one of bowling's greatest records at the time when he put together a string of 21 four-game series above 800, ending with a 794 block in the 1968 finals.
Tountas also shined in Open Championships competition. He was a member of the Andy’s Pro Shop team that took home the Eagle at the 1976 event in Oklahoma City. He also took great pride in a top-10 doubles finish (ninth place) with his son Michael at the 1988 USBC Open Championships in Jacksonville, Florida.
It was during his time on tour that he met and fell in love with his wife, Sandy. They settled in Tucson, where he became general manager of Golden Pin Lanes, which hosted numerous PBA Tour events. To many bowlers and fans of the PBA Tour, Tountas was just as well known for his work as a tournament host as he was for his days as a competitor on tour.
In addition to bowling, Tountas enjoyed golf and was an active member of the Greek Orthodox Church. He is survived by his two children, Michael and Michelle, and many grandchildren.