It seems pitching ringers is just as important to the Stockton,California native as rolling honor counts.

"Horseshoes is something I've done longer than bowling and for that reason it's probably closer to my heart,"Williams said in a telephone interview from Chicago.He admits pitching his first shoe(metal,not Tennis)when he was 9 years old.

Competing in a horseshoe tournament like this weekend's "Team World 93" at Telfer Sports and Activity Center still brings out his competive spirit.But it isn't like going head to head with Dave Ferraro or Marc McDowell.

"I realize that I make my living bowling and this is just mainly fun,"he said."It isn't the end of the world if I don't win in horseshoes so there isn't the stress of bowling."

Williams,the PBA's 1986 Player of the year,slipped to 13th in season winnings last season.He has bounced back nicely,leading the Tour in overall average and points this season.He is coming off one of his so-so showings,14th in the Firestone Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn,Ohio.

"That was a bit disappointing,but I've been playing well,"he said."I'd dropped a little off last year.I didn't radically change anything this season,I just learned a few things and kept focused."

The five-time World Horseshoe Champion will try to do the same this weekend."My goal is to win all my games and help get the team into the stepladder finals,"he said."I'd like to have the highest (ringer) percent.That's not going to be easy because Sue Snyder (92 Women's Champion) is there and she's tough."

Williams last pitched in the Team World 90 in Beloit.He was brilliant that weekend,pitching 39-40 ringers in one match.

He will again pitch for the California entry.His fiance,Paige Pennington,is an alternate on the team and her mother,Billie Sue Pennington,is also a team member.Williams 87.9 ringer percent not only leads the team,but also the field in the 16-team tournament.

"We have a decent team,"he said."The other members are all 60 to 70 percent.If they can improve a little bit and we have the right games against the stronger teams we can advance."

Only five teams will reach Sunday's stepladder finals."This isn't like a bowling tournament,or even most horseshoe tournaments,which are individual events,"he said."It's not by overall score,either,it's by match games.You have to depend on your partners.It's different,but it's also fun to play in a team tournament."

Competing will be 16 teams from Wisconsin,Illinois,Minnesota,Missouri,Kentucky,Iowa,I ndiana,California,Ontario and Saskatchewan.Minnesota is the defending champion.

World champions participating include Williams,Phyllis Negaard,a five-time World womens champion and Dale Lipovsky,a three-time World men's champion,both of Minnesota;Sue Snyder,1992 World women's champion,Mark Siebold,two-time World men's champion and Karl Van Sant,1992 World Senior champion,all from Indiana;Vicki Winston,a 10-time World womens champion from Missouri;Don Titcomb,1960 World men's champion from Kentucky and Sandy McLachlin Janssens 1987 World women's champion and Steve Hohl,former Canadian champion,both from Ontario.