Jr. in 2006, though it increased to 43 in 2008 when the PBA started including ABC Masters titles if they were won by a PBA member. In 14 seasons, Anthony made the top five for the televised final round a record 144 times. Said Bowlers Journal editor Jim Dressel, "When Earl was in the house, everybody else knew there were only four other spots for TV." In 2008, the PBA celebrated fifty years in existence by commissioning a panel of experts to rank the "50 Greatest Bowlers of the Last 50 Years." Anthony was ranked #1 on the list over Walter Ray Williams Jr., despite the fact that Williams had broken many of Anthony's records. However, Williams himself said, "I feel Earl's record is better than mine because it was more condensed. Earl bowled 14 years and 400 or so events. I’ve bowled well over 600 by now, maybe 700." Williams also added, "When Earl Anthony retired, he didn't have anyone to push him. He probably would have kept going to 50 if that were the case. It's hard to say what would've happened then." The United States Bowling Congress testing robot for bowling, similar to golf's "Iron Byron," is named "E.A.R.L." (Enhanced Automated Robotic Launcher). The name was given by USBC Junior Gold youth bowler Melissa Stewart of Roswell, Georgia, who said the name was based on Anthony and his "machine-like characteristics." The PBA World Championship now uses the 43-foot Earl Anthony oil pattern, in honor of the man who won the event a record six times. Awards and recognition Six-time BWAA Bowler of the Year (1974–76 and 1981–83) Six-time PBA Player of the Year (1974–76 and 1981–83) Twelve-time First Team All-American (1972–83) Five-time George Young High Average award winner (1973–75, 1980, 1983) Established a record for most consecutive PBA seasons winning at least one tournament (15), which stood until 2008 when it was broken by Walter Ray Ray Williams Jr. Holds PBA record of 15 televised finals appearances in one season (1975, 1981) Holds a record six wins in the PBA National Championship among his ten major tournament titles Inducted into PBA Hall of Fame, 1981 Inducted into ABC (now USBC) Hall of Fame, 1986 Voted "Bowler of the Millennium" in a 2000 poll conducted by Bowling Digest Voted the greatest PBA player ever, when the PBA announced its "50 Greatest Players of the Last 50 Years" list