Conference 7.286::sports_90

    
    Great ieda, Bowlers are people too!
    
    Shane Williams here, from BTO.  I currently bowl in two leagues and
    in one of them having my best year ever.  My high average from the
    two leagues is 188, (my best finishing average before this year was
    171), and I've had some pretty good series.
    
    I'm left handed, and use a Columbia U dot, the cranberry one.  
    
    My best finishes on sanactioned tournaments have been.
    
    2nd in the 1988 Schenectady Press Singles
    5th in the 1989 Champlain International Doubles
    
    Hope this topic takes off, bowling is a great sport.
    
    Shane
    

    As long as we can keep those stick-pin bowlers in the "other" bowling
    note, this one is a great idea..  :-)

    I'll add a reply with a pointer to a bowling secretary program I've written,
    for anyone who is interested...

    I've bowled for over 23 years, and recently averaged 191 and 192 the past
    two years, though I'll be the first to admit that the lanes were higher
    scoring than normal.  There were about 100 700-series shot in the house
    during the 88-89 season.  I have mostly averaged in the 177-184 range....

    One thing that has really bothered me of late is the lack of consistent TV
    coverage, particularly in the area of reporting.  ESPN is the biggest
    offender, although many local stations are pretty bad.  I don't know how
    it is outside of New England, but even on ABC, which covers the pro tour
    in the winter/spring, it takes a televised 300-game to make the news.  They
    don't even simply report who won the tournament, even though their own
    station covered the event!!!

    ESPN handles a lot of tour events also, but they never report on the
    tournament or the winner in their SportsCenter program.  It's obvious that
    bowling isn't on a par with tennis and golf as far as national recognition,
    but it shouldn't be shunned in the way that it is.

    I think serious bowlers should write to ESPN and tell them to get on the 
    ball and provide some coverage of the professional bowling events around 
    the country.......

    -- dg

		DIRECTIONS TO USE THE BOWLING SECRETARY PROGRAM


    A.	Assign a logical name BOWL$DATA to the directory where you want all
	the stats files to reside.

	Copy the program SECRETARY.EXE from SCRIBE::USER6:[GOGUEN.PUBLIC].

	You will need a schedule file, named SCHEDULE.DAT.  In the same 
	directory, you can copy any of the files named SCHEDxx.DAT, where 
	xx = {08, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20}.  If the number of teams in your
	league is one of these values, copy the appropriate file and call it 
	SCHEDULE.DAT.  It contains no position rounds.  You can check out the 
	format with EDT, and alter it if needed (or create your own for a 
	different schedule using the same format).


    B.	The first time you run the program, you will be prompted for a number
	of parameters, which will be stored in a file called CONSTANTS.DAT.
	If any of these parameters change, you can edit that file with EDT.

	 1 -	bowlers per team
	 2 -	points per night
	 3 -	number of games to use last year's average for handicapping
	 4 -	starting lane number that the league bowls on
	 5 -	the week number of the first week of the second half
	 6 -	the number of games that the most improved avg is based on
	 7 -	handicap percentage (e.g. 80)
	 8 -	base score for handicapping (e.g. 200)
	 9 -	score used for a BLIND (e.g. 120)
	10 -	number of highs in each category to display on standings sheet
	11 -	number of pins to subtract from an absentee's average
	12 -	the full name of the league (output on the standings sheet)

	Current limitations of the program (will be trying to make these
	points more flexible in the future):

	2 -	will only work with 8 points per night, but the team's points
		can be altered on the fly...
	3 -	this allows you to use last year's average for handicapping
		purposes for the first few weeks of a season
	5 -	uses split schedule (standings split into 2 halves)
	6 -	most improved average based on difference between current
		average and last year's average - if bowler didn't bowl last
		year, difference between current average and a base average 
		(based on #games for this parameter) is used
	7 -	same handicap percentage for both men and women;  team
		handicaps are based on the sum of the individual handicaps
		of the team members, not on the total team average


    C.	Also when running the program for the first time, you are prompted
	for appropriate information to fill up the data base:

	1 -	number of teams

	For each team:

	2 - 	team name (<CR> defaults to "Team # xx" - can be modified later)

	For each bowler:

	3 -	bowler's name (<CR> will insert BLIND bowler until team is full)
	4 -	male or female (m/f)
	5 -	average from last year (<CR> if none)

	Files BOWLERS.DB and TEAMS.DB will be created.  Each time these are
	updated, a new version is created.  You will have to do any purging
	yourself.


    D.	At this point, and each ensuing time the program is run, the main menu
	will appear.  The choices are:

	1 - 	Enter New Scores
	2 -	Modify Teams
	3 -	Modify Bowlers
	4 -	Miscellaneous Statistics
	5 -	Exit

	(NOTE:  When choosing an option from a "menu", no <CR> is needed.)


    E.	ENTER NEW SCORES:

	You will be prompted for the date and week number.  Then a score
	sheet-like display will appear, with a prompt for the team number.
	(Enter '0' when you are finished entering all the teams -- this is
	what prompts the program to create the standings sheet.)

	The bowlers' names appear automatically, though, of course, not 
	necessarily in the order that they will appear on the recap sheet.
	You only need to enter the scores (each one followed by a <CR>).

	If the bowler is absent, enter an 'a', and his average minus the 
	appropriate amount (from CONSTANTS.DAT) will be inserted.  This needs 
	to be done for each game, since he/she may come late and bowl the last 
	1 or 2 games.

	If a substitute was used, enter an 's', and a window will open up on
	the opposite side of the screen listing the available subs (see
	MODIFY BOWLERS section below for getting subs into your data base).
	Choose the sub by the index shown, and that name will replace the
	regular bowler on the screen.  This assumes your league has roving
	subs - it doesn't handle leagues with subs assigned to particular
	teams.

	In case you get system or mail messages across the screen, an entry
	of a 'w' at a point where you are entering a score will refresh the
	screen.  It is suggested that you SET TERMINAL/NOBROADCAST before
	running this program.

	Errors can be caught and corrected before the line is finished off with
	a return after the scratch series is displayed.  Use CTRL/Z to go back
	to a previously entered score on that same line.

	The totals get added automatically, and after the 2nd team is entered,
	the program will display how many points each team won.  Hit a <CR> to
	accept that value, or enter the correct one (useful in case of forfeits,
	bowling blind teams, etc., which the program doesn't fully recognize by
	itself).

	Two files are created while the scores are being entered - RECAP.Wxx
	and HCP_SCORES.Wxx (where xx = week number [01, 02, 03, ..., 10, ...]).
	RECAP is a reproduction of the recap sheets from each team match,
	suitable for electronic mailing.  HCP_SCORES is a list of all the
	handicap games and series for all bowlers, suitable for singles ladders
	or other nightly handicap competitions.


    F.	MODIFY TEAMS/BOWLERS

	In case of changes or errors to various data, these 2 sections allow
	modifications to the data bases.  You can do the following:

		MODIFY TEAMS			MODIFY BOWLERS

		add team			add bowler
		delete team			delete bowler
		change team name		change bowler's name
		change wins/losses		change team number
		change game			change game

	Most of these functions should be obvious by their names.  Each one
	will prompt you for various pieces of information.  The responses 
	should be quite straight-forward.  Here are some common uses for them:

	- Change team name:	few teams provide one on the first week;
	- Change wins/losses:	for forfeits where the program figured it wrong;
	- Change game:		if an error was entered or found later;

	- Add bowler:		adding subs - they're team number is zero...;
	- change team number:	if a regular drops out of the league, change
				their team number to team 0 - if a sub becomes
				a regular, this can be used to assign him/her
				to a team...


    G.	MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS

	This part will create some files containing various goodies:

	- SCORES.LIS:	a listing of everyone's scores for every week;

	- HIGHS.LIS:	all the highs, not only the top few that appear on
			the first page - careful: no criteria for games bowled
			used here...  useful for whittling down the awards
			when the same people have all the top 3...;

	- IMPROVED.LIS:	list of everyone's plus/minus, based on criteria
			mentioned above.

	Another file, TOTALWINS.LIS, will be created each week in the 2nd
	half.  It contains the total wins and losses for all teams for the
	entire league season.  Useful for point money at the end of the year.


    H.	SAMPLE OUTPUT

	The following is a sample of the two-page standings/averages sheet
	that is created (file SHEET.Wxx) when entering '0' for the team number 
	prompt (it's our final standings for the 85-86 season).  The highs 
	listed after the standings are based on a bowler participating in 
	2/3rds of the league games.  That figure is currently hardcoded, but 
	HIGHS.LIS will give the complete list if needed.

WEEK 34                      DEC-10 BOWLING LEAGUE                       4/30/86
---- --                      ------ ------- ------                       -------

                         --POINTS--  WINNING    TOTAL      TEAM     SCHED: WK 35
 #  TEAM NAME            WON   LOST    PCT     PINFALL   HANDICAP   LANES  TEAMS
--  ---- ----            ---   ----   -----    -------   --------   -----  -----
14  Daemons              116    20     .852     40634       181     13-14   6-12
 5  Koala Bears          104    32     .764     40407       141     15-16  11- 9
 7  Phoenixes             96    40     .705     40495       169     17-18   4- 7
10  Happy Hookers         82    54     .602     39994       157     19-20   3-14
 3  Dynamic 4             80    56     .588     39532       134     21-22   8- 5
13  Team # 13             79    57     .580     39900       126     23-24  10-13
 8  Destroyers            78    58     .573     39683       160     25-26   2- 1
 4  Crazy 4               58    78     .426     39161       141
 9  Cherry Pickers        54    82     .397     39232       187
 6  Pinbusters            52    84     .382     38710       175
 2  Three Blind Mice      52    84     .382     38240       302
11  Night Owls            45    91     .330     38738       195
 1  The Syndicate         36   100     .264     38084       297
12  BLIND TEAM             8   128     .058     38276       272

               TEAM HIGHS              MEN'S HIGHS            WOMEN'S HIGHS
AVERAGE:
  1st             ---             Rick Johannes      184  Sheila Soucy       171
  2nd             ---             Don Goguen         183  Sherin Carroll     165
  3rd             ---             Haywood Gandy      182  Rose Norton        153
  4th             ---             Jeff Orthober      177  Elaine Lewis       148
  5th             ---             Dick Newell        176  Pat Jeanson        142
  6th             ---             Bill Pointon       176  Mary Olejarz       139
HCP SER:
  1st    Koala Bears        2537  George Vogelsang   707  Sheila Soucy       686
  2nd    Dynamic 4          2532  Matt LaPine        691  Sharon MacDonald   664
  3rd    Phoenixes          2531  Jim Wiechmann      686  Elaine Lewis       663
  4th    Cherry Pickers     2502  Haywood Gandy      686  Sherin Carroll     661
  5th    Destroyers         2494  Don Goguen         684  Rose Norton        659
  6th    Daemons            2491  Ray Payne          680  Mary Olejarz       655
SCR SER:
  1st    Phoenixes          2114  Rick Johannes      638  Sheila Soucy       611
  2nd    Dynamic 4          2103  Haywood Gandy      638  Sherin Carroll     565
  3rd    Koala Bears        2081  Don Goguen         627  Rose Norton        527
  4th    Team # 13          2081  George Vogelsang   620  Elaine Lewis       522
  5th    Cherry Pickers     2040  Jeff Orthober      616  Pat Jeanson        509
  6th    Crazy 4            2029  Dick Newell        606  Mary Olejarz       484
HCP GAME:
  1st    Cherry Pickers      943  Don Goguen         286  Sherin Carroll     286
  2nd    Koala Bears         930  George Vogelsang   283  Trudy Yelton       269
  3rd    Happy Hookers       901  Jim Wiechmann      276  Elaine Lewis       268
  4th    Crazy 4             898  Matt LaPine        275  Sheila Soucy       264
  5th    Phoenixes           895  Haywood Gandy      273  Sharon MacDonald   255
  6th    Night Owls          892  Dave Rought        271  Rose Norton        247
SCR GAME:
  1st    Cherry Pickers      789  Don Goguen         267  Sherin Carroll     254
  2nd    Koala Bears         778  Haywood Gandy      256  Sheila Soucy       243
  3rd    Phoenixes           757  George Vogelsang   254  Elaine Lewis       224
  4th    Happy Hookers       749  Dick Newell        245  Trudy Yelton       213
  5th    Team # 13           749  Ben Rudnick        244  Rose Norton        202
  6th    Crazy 4             743  Johannes/Wiechmann 237  Sharon MacDonald   193

 BOWLER              HCP TOTAL GMS AVG   BOWLER              HCP TOTAL GMS AVG

TEAM  1 - The Syndicate                 TEAM  8 - Destroyers
 Linda Ziegler        83  7970  78 102   Ken Fahle            34 13379  84 159
 Dawn Howard          78  9952  92 108   Pat Duval            56 12435  93 133
 BLIND                68     0   0 120   Ray Duval            33 15527  96 161
 BLIND                68     0   0 120   Joe Little           37 15944 102 156

TEAM  2 - Three Blind Mice              TEAM  9 - Cherry Pickers
 Charlie Bennett      83  7581  74 102   Kent Bushaw          39 10144  66 153
 Gayle Wagner         93  7857  87  90   Nancy Wimberg        45  8383  57 147
 Penny Kydd           75 10500  94 111   Tom Wimberg          71  4560  39 116
 Mary Olejarz         51 11174  80 139   Al Raine             32  6838  42 162

TEAM  3 - Dynamic 4                     TEAM 10 - Happy Hookers
 Sherin Carroll       29 13435  81 165   Trudy Yelton         55 10125  75 135
 Chris Pietras        63 12051  96 125   George Vogelsang     27 17136 102 168
 Ben Rudnick          22 14599  84 173   Don Yelton           24 15953  93 171
 Dick Newell          20 17447  99 176   Bill Bartholomew     51 13056  93 140

TEAM  4 - Crazy 4                       TEAM 11 - Night Owls
 Pat Jeanson          49 13283  93 142   Ray Payne            30 14929  91 164
 Elaine Lewis         44 12006  81 148   Vaughn Johnson       37 10609  68 156
 Bob Conrad           35  7772  49 158   Ernest Savoy         55 10139  75 135
 Rick Johannes        13 18216  99 184   Bonnie Schutzman     73  5432  48 113

TEAM  5 - Koala Bears                   TEAM 12 - BLIND TEAM
 Dave Rought          38 14898  96 155   BLIND                68     0   0 120
 Al Norton            50 14436 102 141   BLIND                68     0   0 120
 Rose Norton          39 15619 102 153   BLIND                68     0   0 120
 Don Goguen           14 16527  90 183   BLIND                68     0   0 120

TEAM  6 - Pinbusters                    TEAM 13 - Team # 13
 Frank Matwa          34 14346  90 159   Hugh Smith           51  8838  63 140
 Bill Pointon         20 16382  93 176   Haywood Gandy        15 14982  82 182
 Joanne Matwa         76  7988  72 110   Norman Soucy         36 13210  84 157
 Thomas Cowern        45 11002  75 146   Sheila Soucy         24 14387  84 171

TEAM  7 - Phoenixes                     TEAM 14 - Daemons
 Jim Wiechmann        39 15734 102 154   Sharon MacDonald     55 10129  75 135
 Brenda Wiechmann     66 11294  92 122   Jeff Schwab          68 10808  90 120
 Matt LaPine          45 14447  98 147   Jim Melvin           28 12968  78 166
 Jeff Orthober        19 16544  93 177   Larry Cohen          30  9885  60 164

SUBS:
 Bob McCarthy         64  5219  42 124   Danny Barooshian     54  8161  60 136
 Jeff Scott           45  1768  12 147   Geetha Marigowda    119   543   9  60
 Tom Krupinski        39  1840  12 153   Robie Gould          45  3944  27 146
 Dan McAllister       37  4705  30 156   Mark Parenti         51   420   3 140
 Dave Borman          56  4804  36 133   Tim Scott            69   354   3 118
 Will Bolden          35   476   3 158   Jack Speight         56  1197   9 133
 Nelson Hsu           87   292   3  97   Paul Patno           71   930   8 116
 Vasudev Bhandarkar   55   407   3 135   Laura O'Toole        59   390   3 130
 Doug Hanrahan        43   447   3 149   Steve Munyan         52  1661  12 138
 Neil Schutzman       66   402   3 134   John Garcin          22  2619  15 174
 Ann Lemay            75  3016  27 111   Barbara Glover       56   399   3 133
 Jim Martis           56  2402  18 133   Miriam Amos          41  3181  21 151
 Joe Humphrey         44  1078   6 179   Nancy Bonazzoli      49  1278   9 142
 Carl Ingraham        37  1405   9 156   David Perry          35  4115  26 158
 Jackie Hill          33  5316  33 161   Anneke Van Etten     28   500   3 166
 Lorinda Peterson     91   276   3  92   Rick Bourbeau        11  1116   6 186
 Dilip                15   547   3 182   Mike Teunessen       45   441   3 147
 JoAnn Pirrera        47  2166  15 144   Cathy Van Scoy       49   428   3 142
 Ray Wieczerzak       24  1029   6 171   John Coppinger       19  1066   6 177
 Nancy Casey          70  1054   9 117   Jim Michniewich      10  1131   6 188
 Birgit Zubli         33  2416  15 161   Terry St.John        51   836   6 139
 Bill Murphy          51   838   6 139   Meredith Pischetola  63  1882  15 125
 Mike Patno           58  6707  51 131   Laurie Ayer          65  6298  51 123
 April Gagne          30   985   6 164   Manny Melendez       50  5958  42 141
 Al Plourde           33   966   6 161   Linda Plourde        43   899   6 149

                         --POINTS--  WINNING    TOTAL      TEAM     SCHED: WK 35
 #  TEAM NAME            WON   LOST    PCT     PINFALL   HANDICAP   LANES  TEAMS
--  ---- ----            ---   ----   -----    -------   --------   -----  -----
14  Daemons              116    20     .852     40634       181     13-14   6-12
 5  Koala Bears          104    32     .764     40407       141     15-16  11- 9
 7  Phoenixes             96    40     .705     40495       169     17-18   4- 7
10  Happy Hookers         82    54     .602     39994       157     19-20   3-14
	.
	.
	.
12  BLIND TEAM             8   128     .058     38276       272
    ^
    |_ No wonder they're in last place! I'm surprised they won _any_ games!

	:^)

Pete

>     No wonder they're in last place! I'm surprised they won _any_ games!
    
    Ha -- I always wondered who came up with the term BLIND for an absent
    bowler/team.......
    
    -- dg

    I guess in duckpins, he must be the mute.....  :-)
    
    -- dg

>    I guess in duckpins, he must be the mute.....  :-)


or maybe a 'daffy'?

Pete :^)

Could someone please send_me/post_here a league lane assignment schedule for a
SIX team league. I have such schedules for 8+ teams, and now I see that I'm
going to need one for six teams as well.

Thanks,

Cb.

    Chaim,
    
    With only 6, you could try to make up your own.  Start with something
    like this:
    
    	1-2	3-4	5-6
    	1-3	2-5	4-6
    	1-4	2-6	3-5
    	1-5	2-4	3-6
    	1-6	2-3	4-5
    
    Then, just repeat them over and over.  The thing you want to add in
    here is to move 'em around enough to have each team bowl on each pair
    of lanes the same number of times (or as close as possible).  And also,
    to have the teams be on the "left" and "right" side an equal number of
    times.  That's the hard part..  :-)
    
    Check out how the 8-team schedule is done -- it may lend some tips.
    
    -- dg

Re. -1:

I had done basically what you posted prior to my entering the request. I have
not been able to arrange the assignments in such a way that NO team will play
on the same pair of lanes in two consecutive weeks (even though the starting
lane IS different). I took a look at the schedules for 8 teams, and in this
schedule NO team plays consecutive weeks on the same pair of lanes.

I wrote out all the possible combos on little pieces of paper and tried
switching them around in all different ways, but no matter what I did, I always
had at least one team which would play on the same pair of lanes in two
consecutive weeks. 

Maybe it's impossible otherwise.........

Thanks,

Cb.

    From the American Bowling Congress Six Team Schedule:
    
    			Insert Lane Numbers		
    
    Week #	   	Team	Team 	Team
      1			1-2	3-4	5-6
      2			5-4	1-6	2-3
      3			3-1	2-5	6-4
      4			2-6	4-1	3-5
      5			1-5	6-3	4-2
      6			3-2	4-5	1-6
      7			5-6	1-2	3-4
      8			1-4	5-3	6-2
      9			6-3	2-4	5-1
     10			2-5	3-1	4-6
    
    This should get you started..I send you the complete list via company
    mail if you like.  It is a 35 week schedule, although I use it for
    Candlepins...it should work for that other bowling  :*)  :*)
    
    	              

    
    Well it's getting close to tournament time, has anyone got any big
    plans this year?
    
    My team will be travelling to Schenectady, in March, for the
    Schenectady Press Tournament, at Revere Lanes.  
    
    Revere is a very old, dumpy house, the balls still come back on
    top of the lanes.  But, the upside is they have a great outside 
    shot!!!!!!
    
    After this trip we'll then concentrate on local tournaments especially
    the Champlain International, at Champlain Lanes in Shelburne, VT.
    
    Should be different this year because I have to use this year's average
    which is 17 pins higher than the one I used in tourneys last year.
    
    Here's hoping!!!!!!!!
    
    Shane
    

We plan to bowl in our State Tournament (MA) this year again.  Two 
years ago our Team came in First Place, last year we didn't do so
well.  I just got a Columbia 300 which I'm hoping will improve my
game.

RE .13  I was kinda surprised to hear that you have to use this year's 
        average in your tournament.  In our tournament we have to use
        last year's ending average.  Just curious about that!

Cheers!

/Karen    
    

    
    Re: .15
    
    In most tournaments, you use last years ending average, unless you
    midseason average,(as of the end of December), is 10 pins or more
    higher then last years ending average.
    
    In my case, I ended up with 171 last year, as of Dec 31st of this
    season, my average was 188.  So, I must use the 188 as my legal 
    average in the tourney.
    
    The upside is I'm doing better, the down side is, I lose all that
    extra handicap!!!!!!
    
    Shane
    

    I think I read somewhere that the PBA Winter tour will start on ABC
    this month.  Anybody have a schedule of events and/or times.  I could
    use some tips as I try to break a mid season swoon.
    
    Roy L.
    
    

    Yeah, the first winter stop was on the tube last Saturday.  Missed it
    (I was here, believe it or not).  Looking forward to the season...
    
    If I see the schedule anywhere, I'll post it.
    
    -- dg

Are there any cases under which a player can request that his shot be
considered a dead ball, entitling him to repeat the shot?

The actual case in question was the following. A player threw a shot. He
slipped on something (there was nothing apparent on the lane) and fell over the
foul line catching himself with his hands (all of this BEFORE the ball hit the
pins -- I cried FOUL before the ball was half way down the lane). At this
point, both his feet and hands were touching the lane. He got a strike (believe
it or not). We called FOUL. He wanted the shot to count. Someone else said that
it should be considered a DEAD ball and the shot retaken. In the end we stood
our ground and the player shot for a spare (which he made). 

Also, unfortunately some of the foul line detectors in the center I bowl in
don't function correctly, and are therefore NOT beibg used. We do not have any
foul line judges. Is there a reasonable way for handling this situation? The
normal scenario is that player team_A DOES foul. Team_B cries FOUL. Team_A
cries NO FOUL.  

Thanks,

Cb.

    I'd say that was definatly a foul. If a player crosses the foul
    line, even with his/her hands, its a foul. Since the league is not
    presently using the foul lights, I'd suggest a captains meeting
    with the league president and lay down a rule.
    			Rich
    
    

    That was definately a foul. I agree with Rich, You need to have a
    meeting and discuss the problem. Also, when I get back to Denver on
    Monday I can pull the winter schedule from the Bowlers Journal. I can
    tell you though that all the events are supposed to be on Saturday at
    3:00 p.m. eastern time. Ron williams won last week. This week they are
    at the Showboat in "Lost Wages".
    
    Randy

    RE: foul
    
    The only time you can declare a dead ball when you foul is if you don't
    release the ball.
    
    BTW, a little known foul rule is that if you touch ANYTHING past the
    line, it's a foul.  That includes grabbing a stationary pole past the
    foul line, or, say, grabbing the wall to keep your balance if you're
    bowling on lane 1......
    
    RE: no detectors working
    
    If the establishment typically has faulty foul detectors, they are
    responsible for providing foul judges.  That would get them some
    incentive to fix 'em.........
    
    -- dg

    Re .-1 ... I've seen enough drunk bowlers in Nashua grabbing the wall
    to keep their balance and never saw any fouls called ... what gives?
    
    -- JB

================================================================================
CACIQE::FARDONK                                      11 lines  19-JAN-1990 12:50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Does anyone know about a software for VAX or PC to
    keep standing scores for ten pin bowling leagues.
    
    I'm interested in a tool like this and any  help
    will be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Ramon
    
    

>    Re .-1 ... I've seen enough drunk bowlers in Nashua grabbing the wall
>    to keep their balance and never saw any fouls called ... what gives?
    
    That'll teach you to hang around Leda Lanes.  Everyone knows that
    nobody watches the foul line in candlepins.  I've seen some guys slide
    5 feet past it on a regular basis.....
    
    RE: .24  bowling software
    
    see .3 .......
    
    -- dg

    Just wanted to let you fellow "ten pinners" know that Nintendo has a 
    bowling game out now. It's called Championship Bowling and it's not too
    bad. There are five lanes you can pick from each with varying "tracks".
    There are four bowlers to choose from, two righties, one leftie, and
    one women. You can also select the weight of ball you want them to use.
    Then you can select hook power and speed. If you are really into
    bowling it's a pretty entertaining game.
    
    Also, I read in Bowlers Journal where his fellow pro's voted Marshal
    Holman the player of the decade. I guess I would agree as he seems to
    be one the most versatile players the tour has ever seen. You don't win
    over $100,000 eight years without being able to adapt to a lot of
    changing lane conditions. I only wish he could overcome his not winning
    when he gets to the finals thing. Oh, well.
    
    Randy

    Yeah, it started.  Chris and Bo again, picking up where they  
    left off last year, and the year before that, and....yawn :-)
    
    The first Tip of the Week of the year was a biggie, 
    "how to keep score."  It was like something SCTV would parody.
    "...plus we add the number of pins knocked down with the first ball,
     and add the eighteen to twenty-six, carry into the tens column..."
    
    Am I missing something, or is the ABC coverage getting just a little
    bit stale?  Endless promos for Wide World of Sports, gymnastics and
    figure skating from Europe.  I guess the ratings must be holding up.
    Thank goodness for VCRs and fast-forward buttons.
    
    One last nit:  Bo Burton comes across
    sounding like the president of the Marshall Holman Fan Club.
    Could he be a little more objective, if only out of fairness to
    Holman's opponent?
    
    - dave (picking up where I left off in SPORTS notes last year)
    

    I just read an article in the Dec. issue of Bowling Journal which seems
    to say that the coffin, in which to bury any hopes of bowling ever
    becoming a bonafide Olympic sport, is lacking only that last nail (and
    it seems to be half way in). It appears that unless there is some last
    minute miracle (extending the number of exhibition sports allowed),
    bowling will NOT appear in 1992 even as a "non-medal" sport as it did
    in 1988, being replaced bt Soft Ball and Golf. The implication was that
    such a miracle is impossible, especially in view of the fact that 1992
    is the LAST year in which any exhibition sports will be allowed (so it
    is highly unlikely the Olympic committee will extend the number for
    1992).
    
    This is rather unfortunate, though not surprising. Despite the
    popularity of bowling (based on participation and FIQ membership), for
    perhaps historic reasons it is still not considered a bonafide sport. 
    
    Also, there was an advertisement for the new PINK Hammer. According to
    the ad, this new Hammer is the "brother" to the BLUE Hammer introduced
    about a year ago and is supposed to be good for dry lanes (it'll go
    starighter and longer before hooking). Does this mean that it is
    "replacing" the red pearl Hammer, which in my understanding was the
    Hammer for either short oil or dry conditions? Also, where does the
    Nail fit in?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Cb.  
    
    

    RE: Burton and Schenkel
    
    I totally agree!!  I'd much rather watch ESPN's coverage, with Denny
    Schreiner and either Mike Durbin or Leila Wagner.  Unfortunately, local
    NBC affiliates don't bother to pick up the fall tour, with Jay Randolph
    and Earl Anthony, so I can't comment on their prowess....
    
    I think Schenkel is getting senile, and Burton is definitely losing it,
    though I don't know why.  The guy came out seemingly knowledgeable, but
    has really sunk low these past few years.  I remember his tip on how to
    convert the 5-9 spare (for righties) -- he suggested throwing a back-up
    ball so as not to chop the 5 off the 9.  GIMME A BREAK!!!!!
    
    
    RE: Olympics
    
    Sad to see that.  I wonder just how hard ABC (not the network), the
    PBA, and the BPAA are trying to improve the perception of the sport.
    
    
    RE: player of the decade...
    
    I believe Bowlers' Digest picked Aulby as the bowler of the decade. 
    And wasn't anyone else totally surprised when Monacelli was picked as
    bowler of the year for '89 over Aulby??  Aulby almost won $300K, for
    crying out loud.  Amleto DID have a great year, but..........
    
    -- dg

    
    
    	Does anyone know if Town & Country on Rt.9 in Shrewsbury has
    	lessons?  I never noticed if they offered lessons or not.
    	If not, is there someplace that does.  I'm just starting to	
    	get into this, I bought my own ball and all I need now is
    	some shoes.  I'm getting sick of reading books, especially
    	when they don't seem to help.  I am so inconsistent, 1 game
    	I might be lucky to get an 80 but the next I might get a 150.
    	I'm a lefty if that matters.
    
    	BTW, I was bowling at T & C last weekend and one time when my ball
    	came back it had a huge gouge in it, I was p*ssed.  Can they be
    	responsible for any kind of damage to your ball?
    
    	Thanks in advance.
    
    						Scott.
    

    ...see Joe Grimes in the Pro Shop at Town & Country.  I'm sure he
    will be glad to offer instruction (for a moderate fee) and, to
    your benefit, Joe is also a lefty.  
                                         Good Luck,
                                         BILL
    

    RE: lessons
    
    There are some good instructional videos on the market, also.  The best
    (and most expensive) way to learn properly is to attend a camp. 
    There's an organization called Professional Bowlers Camps, Inc.  I'll
    attach something I put together a few years ago after I attended....
    
    This is one area where I feel bowling shortchanges itself.  The problem
    is that the "any old fool can pick up a ball and throw it down a lane"
    mentality seems to win out over a sound instructional program.  Just as
    in any other individual sport (golf, tennis, ..), bowling requires
    proper technique in order to do well.  
    
    Sure, some folks excel with a strange-looking approach, but it's not
    the norm.  Do-it-yourself is a sure-fire way to teach yourself all the
    bad habits that you don't even know you're picking up.  And it sure is
    tough to get rid of them after bowling with 'em for years......
    
    -- dg

    Here are some facts concerning bowling camps that are run throughout 
    the country.  This is from the brochure which they'll send you if 
    you write.

    The time and money were well worth it!!!



Mailing Address:

	Professional Bowling Camps, Inc.
	5901 Warner Ave.  Suite # 82
	Huntington Beach, CA  92649
	(714) 848-6610

Sites (in '85):

	Bradley Bowl			Windsor Locks, Connecticut
	George Pappas' Park Lanes	Charlotte, North Carolina
	Sequoia Lanes			Columbus, Ohio
	?				Fond du Lac, Wisconsin	(adult)
	Lakeshore Lanes			Sheboygan, Wisconsin	(junior)
	Celebrity Lanes			Denver, Colorado
	Liberty Lanes			Issaquah, Washington

	Charleston Heights Bowl		Las Vegas, Nevada (Advanced Program)

Various Staff Members:

	Don Johnson
	Frank Ellenburg
	Paul Moser
	Bill Spigner
	Paul Colwell
	Gary Dickinson
	Gil Sliker
	Pat Costello
	George Pappas
	Mickey Higham
	Mike Aulby

Program content:

	Stance:		 16-point check list
	Footwork:	 length, speed, type, direction of steps
	Timing:		 examples/reasons for good, late, early timing
	Armswings:	 assets & liabilities of different armswings
	Finish position: 13-point check list
	Ball Grips
	Release
	Different Rolls
	Ball Weights
	Playing the Lanes
	Spare Systems
	Mental Attitude
	Videotape Analysis

Program:
	Sunday
		 1:00 -  5:00	equipment check, video taping, bowling
		 5:00 -  6:30	orientation dinner

	Mon - Fri
		 7:30 -  8:30	breakfast
		 8:30 -  9:00	lecture
		 9:00 - 10:00	1st squad: video review, 2nd squad: on lanes
		10:00 - 11:00	reverse squads
		11:00 - 11:30	lecture
		11:30 - 12:30	lunch
		12:30 -  1:30	1st squad: video review, 2nd squad: on lanes
		 1:30 -  2:30	reverse squads
		 2:30 -  3:00	lecture
		 3:00 -  4:00	1st squad: video review, 2nd squad: on lanes
		 4:00 -  5:00	reverse squads
		 5:00 -  6:30	dinner
		 6:30 -  7:30	question and answer session with staff
		 some evening activities (Pro-Am, match games,...)

Cost (in '85):

	Adult camp:  $550.00

		45 hours of instruction
		video taping and review
		professional analysis of bowling ball
		orientation dinner Sunday evening
		all meals Monday thru Friday (awards dinner Friday night)
		five nights accommodations (dbl occ), Sunday thru Thursday
			(I think I stayed 6... junior and advanced state 6 ngts)
		souvenir t-shirt
		PBC manual (63 pages)

	Junior camp:  $495.00

	(Advanced camp cost was $800.  Program is quite different, and limited 
	to 190 bowlers (185 for women), or previous PBC students.  Quite a few
	campers at my site were returnees to the adult program.  The advanced
	was only offered in Ohio and Colorado in '85...)

    I would be very careful who you take lessons from. From past
    experience, one of the worst things for your game is to get lessons
    from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about. It's very
    easy to see what someone is doing wrong, but very difficult to find out
    why and the best fix. That's the key. I have attended Pro Bowlers Camp,
    the advanced in Denver, and definately recommend it. If you are serious
    about your bowling, it is money well spent.
    
    Has anyone used one of the new Thunderbolt Dual/Blocks yet? Very
    interesting concept, just wondered if anyone's tried one before I go
    buy it? I have been playing around with "leverage weight drillings" and
    the D/B seems like a good ball for this drilling technique. Awesome
    hitting power!

    
    	I'm really not too serious about it.  I'm just doing it for
    	fun, but I want to do good.  Thanks for the help so far.
    
    	Any feedback on if they are responsible for damage to
    	your ball?
    
    					Scott.
    

    Most houses will offer to 'repair' the ball at no cost.  Just bring it
    in the pro shop and see.  I don't believe they consider themselves
    responsible, however.  You may see a sign somewhere near the control
    center stating that fact....
    
    If it's only a small nick, and it isn't on the track�, they may tell
    you that it isn't worth fixing.  If it's a big gouge, they can usually
    patch it up a bit.
    
    -- dg
    
    �  BTW, if you're a beginner, you may not know what a track is.  Look
    carefully at your ball, and you'll see a circular 'ring' around it that
    is more worn than the rest of it.  It's the track of what part of the
    ball actually makes contact with the lane.  For a righty that throws a
    little hook, it's usually just a little off-center and left of the
    holes (if you were looking at it with the finger holes up and the thumb
    hole down).  Opposite for lefties....

    
    
    	I can't remember where the scratch/gouge is right now but it's
    	dug in pretty good and it's about 1�-2" long.  It's also curved
    	like a semi-circle as opposed to straight across.
    
    					Scott.
    

    My experiences in the Denver area are that if you are a league bowler
    most centers will repair or replace a ball that is damaged in their
    center. If you are open bowling they would probably repair it if they
    have a pro shop, but probably not replace it, IMO.
    
    Randy

I bowl in a league at Lincoln Lanes in Worcester. I have a 151 avg. so far
this season. Recently, I've been able to increase my nightly avg. for 3 games
to the 170-180 area when I finally broke down and bowled looking at the arrows
instead of the pins. I found concentration was the main problem all along and
focusing on the arrow helped me concentrate. I still look at the pins for
spares though.

I watch the pro's when I can and I notice that most of them bowl with a severe
curve on the ball into the 1-3 pocket (for righties). My ball is not only very
straight but, my 'strike_ball' is in the 1-2 pocket. I'm wondering if learning
to throw a curve ball might help me improve my game. Can anyone tell me how to
throw a curve? I've tried it and they just kind of wobble into the gutter.

Pete

    RE:  How to throw curve!
    
    Obviously holding the ball correctly is a large portion of throwing
    the correct curve, however I found that if I approached the throw
    with the (for righties) right leg swung behind my previously best
    curve was increased by 5 or 6 inches.   You see, I WAS bowling by
    keeping my body mostly upright and bowling straight with a curve
    developed strictly by wrist motion.  This was hard on the wrist
    so I tried the "motion" and it worked.
    
    The Wizard

    
    
    	Does anyone ever go for the 12am-2am special at Town and
    	Country on Friday and Saturday nights?  Was anyone there
    	last friday at that time?  Just curious.
    
    					Scott.
    

    RE: curve
    
    It's pretty tough to teach over the net..  :-)
    
    Basically, keep your hand under the ball throughout the backswing, keep
    your wrist firm, and keep those knees bent during your approach.  You
    want to get to the release point by having your hand BEHIND the ball,
    and not on top of it.  Staying too erect, leaning forward, bending your
    wrist back, ... these things will all cause you to simply spin the ball
    if you try to throw a hook, since your hand will be on top of the ball
    when you release it.  Get your hand behind/under the ball, and just
    turn it slightly counterclockwise when you release it (following thru
    straight with your arm), and you'll be amazed at how much the ball will
    curve.
    
    Of course, this doesn't even get into proper timing during the approach
    (i.e. where the ball is in your swing relative to each step of your
    approach).  Bad timing will cause most of your shots to not come near
    your target.
    
    Get a good instructional video.  I've seen a few bowlers with a decent
    average (180+) who don't throw much of a hook, but increasing the angle
    into the pocket in the only way to really improve consistently.  You'll
    carry many more strikes, and stringing strikes together is the only way
    to shoot big games.
    
    Sure, it'll take a while before you can control your hook, and it'll
    cause other hassles, like having to worry about lane varying lane
    conditions, but that's what the game is all about at the higher
    levels.......
    
    -- dg

Thanks, Don

>    It's pretty tough to teach over the net..  :-)

Got me there.

I'll give what you said a try tomorrow night before league starts, or maybe
after so I don't screw up my game. Is the timing about the same as for a
straight ball? I would think I would have to slow down some.

Pete

Pete....GREAT p-name there ;^)



chainsaw

    > I'll give what you said a try tomorrow night before league starts, or
    > maybe after so I don't screw up my game. 
    
    Whenever you try something different, be prepared for some frustration.
    Your first thoughts will be, "gee, this feels weird."  Try to think,
    "gee, this feels different."  Of course, having someone who knows the
    game observe you would help, but.......
    
    > Is the timing about the same as for a straight ball? I would think I
    > would have to slow down some.
    
    The timing I'm talking about is the cadence of the armswing in relation
    to your steps.  Here are the basics for a 4-step approach (with
    instructions for righties -- just reverse the 'side' comments for
    lefties):
    
    Try to start by holding the ball comfortably (hand under the ball, also
    supported by your opposite hand) - around waist high is normal.  Up or
    down some is fine, depending on what's comfortable (in fact, holding
    the ball higher or lower can be utilized to increase or decrease your
    ball speed, respectively).  Don't hold it in the middle of your body
    (i.e. right in front of your stomach), but hold it off to the right
    side, aligned with your shoulder.
    
    A good way to start trying to throw a hook is to start with your feet
    pretty much straddling the center dot on the approach, and aiming at
    the second arrow from the right gutter (remember to switch every
    left/right orientation if you're left-handed).  If you find yourself
    missing the pocket consistenly in a certain direction, move your feet
    slightly (a board or two at a time) on the approach in that same
    direction.
    
    As you begin to move, gently push the ball out in front of you, timed
    so that as your first step hits the floor, the ball will be around
    waist high, and your arm fully extended (no bent elbow).  Using angles,
    with 0� being straight up, 90� being straight forward, and 180� being
    straight down, you should probably be somewhere around 120�...
    
    NOTE: This is where I prefer a 5-step approach, as you can use that
    first step to start the ball forward just a bit, and get to this
    position as your second step hits the floor.  I'll continue with step
    numbers relative to the 4-step approach, but if you use 5, just add one
    to each reference......
    
    At this point, your opposite hand comes free from the ball, and you
    simply let the weight of the ball take over (don't muscle it back).  As
    you continue to walk, the ball should be somewhere just past 180� as
    your second step hits the floor (or 3rd in a 5-step).  Trying to keep
    all this smooth is part of the problem of learning it initially, but if
    you get an idea of where the ball should be at each step, it can help
    your overall timing.
    
    As you hit the 3rd step, the ball should be at the top of its
    backswing.  That level is determined by what is comfortable, but should
    be accomplished by the momentum of the weight of the ball, and not by
    physically pulling it up in back of you.  If you like more backswing,
    start the ball higher at the start of your approach, and push it away a
    bit higher (closer to 90�).  Having this weight fall from a greater
    height in front of you will result in a higher backswing....  A
    backswing that is shoulder high is normal.  This would be around 270�
    in the angular terms mentioned above.
    
    On the downswing, again let the ball do the work.  If your arm is
    relaxed, you will more likely be able to complete an accurate
    follow-thru toward your target.  If you muscle the ball, the tendency
    to pull the ball to the left or push it to the right is greatly
    increased.
    
    As you enter your slide, the ball should be on its way down, again
    somewhere around waist-level.  This is at the START of your slide, when
    your last step first hits the floor.  As you continue your slide, the
    ball continues to come forward to the release point.  All this time,
    you should try to keep your hand behind and under the ball (as much as
    possible).  At the release point, a SLIGHT counter-clockwise turn will
    cause sufficient hook to cross the boards from the second arrow back to
    the pocket.  You don't have to corkscrew it onto the lane.
    
    If at all possible, keep your non-sliding foot on the floor behind you,
    dragging your toe to maintain your balance.  If you lift that foot off
    the floor, you have a greater chance of being off-balance at the line,
    causing you to use your arm to regain that balance, causing you to miss
    your target.  Your knees should be bent, and your back should be fairly
    vertical (don't lean forward to throw the ball).  
    
    This sounds like a lot, and it is.  If you just practice the early part
    of the approach until you're hitting the timing properly for the first
    step, that'll help.  Move onto each step gradually.  At the bowling
    camp, 180 average bowlers were totally messed up for days until they
    could re-learn proper timing (I know from personal experience).
    
    If there is one pro that you should watch, it's Brian Voss.  Tape him
    when he comes on a show, and watch his timing at each step.  He's the
    closest thing on the tour to picture-perfect timing........
    
    Hope this helps (eventually)... :-)
    
    -- dg

Thanks again, Don. I don't think anyone could describe it any better over the
tube. I'll give it a shot and get back to you with the results. I appreciate
the help.

Re "far_fig_newton"

I couldn't figure out _what_ they were saying on those commercials. That's
what I came up with. Kinda like "There's a bathroom on the right"

Pete

�Re "far_fig_newton"
�
�I couldn't figure out _what_ they were saying on those commercials. That's
�what I came up with. Kinda like "There's a bathroom on the right"


Fahrvergn�gen....a nice little German word for the enjoyment of driving.
As in Kelly Bundy gibt mir Fahrvergn�gen...;^)

Actually, when I read your thing I cracked up...

later,
Chainsaw

    Hey Capt'n Video, Fig You!  :*)
    
    Lee

    Is that any way for Santa to talk?  :-)
    
    hAw'k

Hey, lEe;

Santa Claus!? I thought you were the Gorton's Fisherman!?

How you doing these days? Seems we haven't talked since your 'Next Obscene'
key remark awhile back. Rewmember that? Now that one had me Roooooling.

Pete

P.S. Oh yeah! Fig u 2, you old fart! :^)

    > Santa Claus!? I thought you were the Gorton's Fisherman!?
    
    HAHAHAHAHAHA(tm)!  That was pretty "slick" there Capt. Video!  :-)
    
    Haw'k

    
>>    HAHAHAHAHAHA(tm)!  That was pretty "slick" there Capt. Video!  :-)
    
	Hawk, did you just throw that in for the halibut?

    > What?
    
    Long story.  You'd have to be a SPORTS "old-timer", or just an
    old-timer like lEe :-), to understand........
    
    Stick around though.  I smell something fishy.......  :-)
    
    h'AW'k

Hawk, 

Hal is just a young squid.

Did you know that Lee spelled backwards is Eel?

Chainsawfish

    and Saw spelled backward is Was, as in past tense.  
    
    Speaking of which, is past tents better than mountain tents?
    
    Is there a fly on past tents, or buttons, or just mosquitos?
    
    Is this Friday yet/still?
    
    Inky minds don't really care.
    
    LeE

    RE: .46
    
>Thanks again, Don. I don't think anyone could describe it any better over the
>tube. I'll give it a shot and get back to you with the results. I appreciate
>the help.

    Good luck.......  :-)
    
>I couldn't figure out _what_ they were saying on those commercials. That's
>what I came up with. Kinda like "There's a bathroom on the right"
    
    You thought they said 'bathroom' too, eh??  :-)
    
    RE: .47 et al
    
    C'mon, guys.  Stop cluttering up the bowling note..  I saw a bunch more
    replies in here, and thought there was something of worth.  I should
    know better, eh???   :-)
    
    -- dg

	All this talk of pro bowling camps make me green with envy! You see, I
live in (Old) England and we don't have any pro bowlers, let alone camps, and
very few instructors. Even the tv companies actively ignore bowling, so all the
information has to come from books. I can't ask any other bowlers for advice as
they are in the same position as me. Anyone who is any good has just learnt
what they know from trial and error.
	The advice a few notes back about how to bowl a hook was excellent, so
I'd like to ask anyone who has been to one of these camps a few questions. One
book I have got a lot of advice from is "Par Bowling" by Thomas Kouros, and I'd
like to know if anyone thinks the advice is useful. One thing he says is that
you should try to develop "mid roll" i.e. roll around the vertical axis instead
of over the top. I have tried for ages to do this, without success. I either
turn the ball too late, too early or too much. Do the pros put much emphasis on
this technique, or is it something I can ignore without much loss?
	All the experimenting with turning the ball stops me from getting a
consistent delivery, so should I forget it and just concentrate on accuracy?
The only reason I keep trying is that every now and again I bowl a ball that
feels and rolls just right and I get a great strike, but is it worth
sacrificing accuracy for. I bowl about a 175 average so I assume I can't get
much better without more action on the ball.
	Any tips on how to turn the ball at the right time and the right
amount? Also he advises forcing the armswing somewhat from pure pendulum to get
more lift, is this a good idea or is it frowned upon by the pros?
	I'd love to attend on of these pro camps but as an alternative I'd
welcome any advice from someone who has attended.

>	All this talk of pro bowling camps make me green with envy! You see, I
>live in (Old) England and we don't have any pro bowlers, let alone camps, and
>very few instructors. Even the tv companies actively ignore bowling, so all the
>information has to come from books. I can't ask any other bowlers for advice as
>they are in the same position as me. Anyone who is any good has just learnt
>what they know from trial and error.
    
    Try getting a hold of some instructional videos.  Don Johnson (no, not
    the one from Miami Vice) has a couple of good ones out there called "A
    Pro's Guide to Better Bowling".  Volume 1 deals with the basics, and
    volume 2 goes more into advanced topics.
    
    After watching some of the basic and advanced techniques, see if you
    can't find a friend or two with a portable video recorder to tape
    yourselves.  It's amazing what you can learn from watching yourself
    bowl.
    
>	The advice a few notes back about how to bowl a hook was excellent, so
>I'd like to ask anyone who has been to one of these camps a few questions. One
>book I have got a lot of advice from is "Par Bowling" by Thomas Kouros, and I'd
>like to know if anyone thinks the advice is useful. One thing he says is that
>you should try to develop "mid roll" i.e. roll around the vertical axis instead
>of over the top. I have tried for ages to do this, without success. I either
>turn the ball too late, too early or too much. Do the pros put much emphasis on
>this technique, or is it something I can ignore without much loss?
    
    It's tough to get that technical without hands-on instruction.  I'm not
    familiar with that book, and could only guess at the terms used. 
    Sounds like the concern is the location of your ball track.  The closer
    to your thumb and finger holes the better as far as the roll is
    concerned (from what I hear).  You should be more concerned with your
    carrying power, and increasing it without losing accuracy from cranking
    the ball too much.  Easier said than done......
    
    How's the market for urethane balls in England??  They really do carry
    a bit better than plastic/rubber/...
    
>	All the experimenting with turning the ball stops me from getting a
>consistent delivery, so should I forget it and just concentrate on accuracy?
>The only reason I keep trying is that every now and again I bowl a ball that
>feels and rolls just right and I get a great strike, but is it worth
>sacrificing accuracy for. I bowl about a 175 average so I assume I can't get
>much better without more action on the ball.
    
    I've gone both ways from time to time, cranking it up as much as I can,
    and trying to get a smooth release.  I feel fortunate now in that my
    'natural' release still seems to provide plenty of hitting power in the
    pocket.  Keeping your hand behind and under the ball as much as
    possible will provide most of the leverage you need to roll a powerful
    ball with very little wrist turn at the release point.  Improved timing
    will allow you to accomplish this without losing accuracy in your
    follow through.  
    
    Remember, the ball does in the direction of your ARM, not your wrist,
    so you can crank it and still follow-through to your target, if your
    timing is proper and doesn't result in your being off-balance at the
    line.  This is the one area that seemingly is most ignored, but not
    being in balance upon releasing the ball will always cause you to
    follow through with your arm in an unnatural way in order to regain
    your balance.  Sometimes, it's very subtle -- you don't have to be
    hopping and falling at the line to exhibit bad timing.....
    
>	Any tips on how to turn the ball at the right time and the right
>amount? Also he advises forcing the armswing somewhat from pure pendulum to get
>more lift, is this a good idea or is it frowned upon by the pros?
    
    Hand under and behind the ball, slight counterclockwise turn just
    before release (as the ball passes your ankle).  Nothing more or less. 
    Hitting your target is more important, so work on your approach and
    timing so that you can be accurate at the line as well.
    
    -- dg

    
    	Thanks very much for all your advice, I'll give it a try, I may
    even be able to find someone with a video camera.
    	It seems to me there is no one ideal way to release the ball, just
    find something that works for you, is that it? I think in the past I
    have made the mistake of going by the book too much. I bowl a ball that
    seems to have a lot of power, but it doesn't roll exactly as the book
    says, so I try something different. From now on if I find a release
    that gives me accuracy and a fair amount of power I'll stick with it.
    The trouble with experimenting all the time is that you never get
    consistent and so your confidence suffers. Also, you concentrate too
    much on your release and not on hitting your target. It's not much good
    having a powerful ball if it never hits the pocket!
    	How about ball fit? Do all the top bowlers use a fingertip fit.
    I've got a conventional at the moment and I'm not keen to move up until
    I get a consistent delivery that I'm happy with. Do you know any good
    bowlers who use a conventinal fit? I know a lot of bad bowlers who
    think they MUST get a fingertip even they don't know how to handle it.
    One bowler in my league has a 140 average but he still bowls a
    fingertip! He thinks it will make him much better!  
    	Bowling balls are the one thing we have no trouble with here, I have
    an AMF Plus Angle (urethane) and I seem to get more power from it.
    There were quite a few too chose from, it was a bit confusing. Now if
    only the situation with machine spares and pins was the same ;-)
    	The centre I bowl in has only 12 lanes, which are in use a lot of
    the time so sometimes there isn't much oil on the lanes. The machines
    are old and spares are getting a problem. Luckily there are 2 new
    centres opening near here very soon, so maybe things will be much
    better then. Bowling seems to be getting much more popular here
    recently, quite a lot of new centres have opened up in the last few
    years. I'm looking forward hopefully to a big improvement in the game
    here in the near future.
    	Thanks again,
    		Adrian.

>    	It seems to me there is no one ideal way to release the ball, just
>    find something that works for you, is that it? I think in the past I
>    have made the mistake of going by the book too much. I bowl a ball that
>    seems to have a lot of power, but it doesn't roll exactly as the book
>    says, so I try something different. From now on if I find a release
>    that gives me accuracy and a fair amount of power I'll stick with it.
>    The trouble with experimenting all the time is that you never get
>    consistent and so your confidence suffers. Also, you concentrate too
>    much on your release and not on hitting your target. It's not much good
>    having a powerful ball if it never hits the pocket!
    
    If you leave a lot of 5-pins on medium pocket hits, then you should
    consider playing with your release to get more power.  The whole idea
    behind hook and power is to both increase the angle of entry into the
    pocket and decrease the ball's deflection after hitting the head pin. 
    It's this deflection that causes the 5-pin to remain standing, and also
    causes some 10-pin taps, also (the more the deflection, the more the
    3-pin goes straight back, causing it to hit the 6-pin at an angle which
    will wrap it around the 10 instead of going into it -- think about it).
    
    What you said about sacrificing accuracy for the sake of more power is
    true -- bowling is, after all, a target game......
    
>    	How about ball fit? Do all the top bowlers use a fingertip fit.
>    I've got a conventional at the moment and I'm not keen to move up until
>    I get a consistent delivery that I'm happy with. Do you know any good
>    bowlers who use a conventinal fit? I know a lot of bad bowlers who
>    think they MUST get a fingertip even they don't know how to handle it.
>    One bowler in my league has a 140 average but he still bowls a
>    fingertip! He thinks it will make him much better!  
    
    I'd estimate that between 95-99% of the top pros use a fingertip grip.
    If you've been bowling a while, and feel that you've maxed out
    average-wise, then switch.  You may fall a bit at first, but you'll get
    it all back, and more, later.
    
    There is no way that you can generate the same hitting power with a
    conventional ball.  Just try this -- hold your ball near the floor
    (preferably one with a rug :-) with just your fingers in it (hand
    behind the ball).  Put them in to the second joint, and then pull them
    out fast (as you would in releasing the ball -- i.e. cause some
    rotation as you pull your fingers out), and watch the rotation of the
    ball.  Do the same with your fingers in to the first joint, and observe
    the difference in revolutions.  You can generate more revs with less of
    your fingers in the ball.....
    
    Beginners typically can't handle a fingertip, but if you get the rest
    of your game straightened out, make the switch.  It'll be painful at
    first, but you'll soon see the difference.
    
>    	The centre I bowl in has only 12 lanes, which are in use a lot of
>    the time so sometimes there isn't much oil on the lanes. The machines
>    are old and spares are getting a problem. Luckily there are 2 new
>    centres opening near here very soon, so maybe things will be much
>    better then. Bowling seems to be getting much more popular here
>    recently, quite a lot of new centres have opened up in the last few
>    years. I'm looking forward hopefully to a big improvement in the game
>    here in the near future.

    With dry lanes, try a couple of different things.  Move out to the
    first arrow -- that will increase your angle to the pocket.  If you can
    throw the ball straight down the first arrow, and hook it back to the
    pocket, it's typically a nice line that will carry well.
    
    Or, move to the left part of the lane on the approach, and use the
    third arrow -- with the initial trajectory of your shot to the right,
    so the ball will actually move past the third arrow and closer to the
    gutter before breaking back in towards the pocket. 
    
    Experimenting with different lines to the pocket can make the game more
    interesting, and you'll often have to roll a game before your league to
    see which line is working best that night.
    
    The past two years, I bowled in a center (sorry, I just can't spell it
    'centre' :-) that was using short-oil.  The first 22-24 feet were
    heavily oiled, but the rest was entirely dry.  Scores really went up,
    as all the big shooters soon learned to get the ball as deep and as far
    outside as possible.  My most typical line was standing somewhere in
    the center of the approach, throwing the ball over the first arrow
    and still angling it away from the pocket, having the ball literally
    hang on the first board at times, and hook back to the pocket. 
    Sometimes, the ball was still incredibly close to the gutter when it
    was 45 feet down the lane, but it still hooked back in the last 15
    feet.
    
    Took a bit to get used to, but it was a great shot for most of the two
    years.  I had my highest two averages ever - 191 and 193.....
    
    Good luck...
    
    -- dg

I see that I'm a little late getting into the current conversation, but better
late than never.

I too, over the past year have experimented with different types of releases
and have come to terms with the problrm of hook vs. accuracy. 

I have tried watching (when I'm in the U.S) as much of the PBT as possible, and
I have noticed that not all of them are throwing "monster" hooks. Take Brian
Voss as an example. His style is almost flawless. He is as smooth as I've ever
seen. On my last trip, I was lucky enough to see him three times, and as far as
I could see, he does NOT throw a "monster" hook. In fact it appeared to me that
his ball never went very far outside the 7-8 board.

I have personally come to the conclusion, as Don has also said, that you don't
have to really crank the ball (besides the fact that in the long run it hurts
like hell) in order to get enough hitting power. I have developed a total
release in which I get my hand behind/under (no exaterated cupping) the ball. I
will vary the amount of hook, maximum for strike and none at all for most
spares, by rotating my thumb position betweeb 9-11 for maximum hook (9 for lots
of oil, 11 for drier lanes) and at 12 for no hook. At the actual point of ball
release I give almost no wrist turn at all. I let the natural lift and follow
through impart the revolutions. In order to get these revolutions more
perpendicular to the lane with the axis as parallel to the lane as possible;
this eventually translates into sharper hooking and better driving (less
deflection), I try and flick back with my fingers and also use the shifting
ball weight to sort of slide off the palm of my hand (this technique goes to
Don's credit since he told me about it). This does tend to cause my follow
through to be slightly up and to the right and not straight out at the target,
but when done correctly does not change the course of the ball to the right
since by the time my arm starts out to the right the ball is already in its
forward trajectory and this motion only imparts "sideways" revolutions (and not
a straight roll). 

Since I've been using this method, I have been steadily scoring in the 180s
(10 pins up from before this method). If I can just improve my concentration
and mental game, which would sharpen my accuracy, I believe I could get up
another 10 pins.

Thanks,

Cb.

While I was in the U.S. several months ago, I purchased two balls (a red
pearl and a blue hammers) and had them drilled. At the time, I had not bowled
for almost two weeks. I tried them out several times while in the U.S. and the
fit was perfect. Once I returned and got back into my regular bowling schedule
(Sunday and Tuesday leauge 3-4 games -- Friday practice 5-6 games), I have
noticed that the thumb hole is quite snug. I should mention that I keep the
balls in my car. Once I bowl several frames the fit gets better. In fact
someone told me that I should wrap my thumb with some tissue and force the
thumb into the hole and hold it for a minute or so, and this would force the
thumb to take the correct shape. I tried it and believe it or not it works.

I should also mention that the thumb holes both have inserts (solid that were
drilled out -- not the ones that are already hollow).

My question is:

Should I rely on this solution and leave the hole the size that it is?

Should I enlarge the thumb hole to the extent that I can easily insert my thumb
as soon as I take it out of the bag?

Should I try removing some of the calous that has developed on the sides of my
thumb?   

Thanks,

Cb.

    > Once I returned and got back into my regular bowling schedule (Sunday
    > and Tuesday leauge 3-4 games -- Friday practice 5-6 games), I have
    > noticed that the thumb hole is quite snug. I should mention that I keep
    > the balls in my car. 
    
    There's your first problem.  Bring the ball inside, regardless of
    whether it's hot, cold, or otherwise.  I know it's a pain, particularly
    with double-bags going some 35 pounds, but any extreme temperature can
    affect the ball.
    
    > Once I bowl several frames the fit gets better. In fact someone told me
    > that I should wrap my thumb with some tissue and force the thumb into
    > the hole and hold it for a minute or so, and this would force the thumb
    > to take the correct shape. I tried it and believe it or not it works.

    When I'm bowling a lot, I always do that -- with the edge of my bowling
    towel.  It's a good practice, and just contracts the callouses enough
    to get a nice fit.
    
    > Should I rely on this solution and leave the hole the size that it is?

    If it works, that's fine.
    
    > Should I enlarge the thumb hole to the extent that I can easily insert
    > my thumb as soon as I take it out of the bag?

    You might find that as you bowl more, as in tournaments where you might
    bowl more than 3 games, your thumb will swell up again towards the end
    of the day, causing you to have a tight fit once again.  If this starts
    to happen, then take a little out of the thumb, and use tape to
    increase and decrease the size of the hole.
    
    > Should I try removing some of the calous that has developed on the
    > sides of my thumb?   

    I pick at 'em occasionally, but it won't do much good.  They only grow
    back.  When you're first developing a callous on a certain part of your
    thumb (as you probably are upon switching your release point), it may
    be good to 'prune' it.  It'll grow back harder and harder until you
    won't have many problems with your thumb ripping in that area.
    
    -- dg

    Maybe I'll have to try a fingertip, it won't cost much, I'll get my old
    ball redrilled. That's the only good thing I can say about where I
    bowl, we have a good ball fitter. I've always been unsure because I see
    people bowling monster hooks, almost throwing them in the gutter to hit
    the pocket. And this on a night when there is plenty of oil! If a pro like
    Brian Voss can roll a reasonable size hook then I might bite the bullet
    and try it.
    I've been trying your advice Don and it feels better, I don't think my
    hand was properly under the ball before. It'll take some more work
    before I see any improvement, I feel.
    Here's the big question though, how do I tell when I get more power on
    the ball? What makes a powerful ball? Some days I can roll a ball which
    rolls nicely into the pocket and the pins almost explode. You wouldn't
    see a pro get a better strike. Is it just luck, have I hit the pins
    just right? It's easy to convince myself that I couldn't get much
    improvement on that.
    Re:- ball fit. Definitly keep your ball in the house, I've seen people
    with lots of problems from leaving their ball in the car. I used to
    have some bad callouses, but they were caused by bad ball fit.(drilled
    by someone at a different centre) They've gradually gone away how I've
    had the ball fixed. I used to have one on the back of my thumb which I
    fixed by putting some tape along the back of the hole. You can lightly
    rub them down with a nail file or emery board, but like Don says the
    only grow back. I have some trouble with my hand getting bigger in hot
    weather, I like to have the hole a little on the large size and put
    tape in to take up the variation, but thats my own preference.
    BTW the guy in our league with the fingertip ball that I mentioned a
    few notes back, bowled an 88 game last night!  

    Adrian.
    
      I don't know what level you play at, I don't know much about Bowling
    at all. However, I have a friend who plays at Wokingham and has
    had professional coaching, so there must be someone around who can
    teach you anything you want to know.
    
      If you have had coaching, and are looking for something
    better/higher, then fair enough, but if your purely self taught,
    and want a coach, I can try to help you out.
    
    					Wayne Rowell.

    > Here's the big question though, how do I tell when I get more power on
    > the ball? What makes a powerful ball? 
    
    One thing to watch for is the 5-pin on a medium pocket hit.  With a
    not-so-powerful ball, any mid-pocket hit will typically leave a 5-pin,
    or a 5-7 split (5-10 for lefties), or other combinations.  If you've
    really increased your hitting power, the same mid-pocket hit will not
    deflect as much, and, if you watch carefully, you can see the ball just
    nick the 5-pin on it's way by, often times sending it over into the
    7-pin.  This is commonly called "blowing out the 5-pin".  A weaker ball
    would deflect more off the head pin, thus missing the 5 on the way
    by..........
    
    On light-pocket hits, you should also see more pin carry.  Light hits
    that probably always left, say, the 2-4-5 (3-5-6 for lefties) might
    start falling more frequently.
    
    > Some days I can roll a ball which rolls nicely into the pocket and the
    > pins almost explode. You wouldn't see a pro get a better strike. Is it
    > just luck, have I hit the pins just right? It's easy to convince myself
    > that I couldn't get much improvement on that.
    
    Any ball that hits high up in the pocket will carry this way, no matter
    how you throw it.  Anyone off the street can pick up a ball, throw it
    straight, and hit the pocket in just the right spot, and POW.
    
    Not to burst your bubble, but (obviously) getting it there more
    frequently is the key.  And proper timing on your approach is the best
    way to accomplish this, not doing crazier things with your wrist, etc.
    Remember, bowling is a target game.
    
    The goal of increased power is to carry more strikes when you DON'T hit
    dead-flush in the pocket.  Carrying the light- and mid-pocket hits is
    the goal.  One benefit of this is that you can line up to hit
    mid-pocket.  If you miss by just a bit wide, you might carry the light
    hit.  If you miss a bit high, you'll be flush.  If you have to hit
    flush to carry a strike, missing wide will give you a 5-7 split, and
    missing high will give you a wide-open split on the nose hit.
    
    -- dg

    Thanks very much, that last reply is GREAT! That's just what I needed
    to know, I think I'm beginning to see the light.
    I don't think I have too much problem with accuracy, I can hit the
    pocket fairly regularly, but I don't carry very many strikes and so I
    don't get many big games. The problem, as you say, is that I have to be
    exactly flush, so if I pull it even slightly to the left I start to
    leave 4 & 7 pins. Even more to the left, and of course the splits start
    to come. If I could hit the pocket lighter I could probably reduce the
    number of 4 & 7 pins I leave, and this alone would push my average up
    by a fair bit.
    It looks like I can try various things:-
    
    Get the ball flush into the pocket more often.
    Move to a more outside line and hit the pocket lighter.
    Get a fingertip and try to increase the power on the ball.
    
    Or of course any combination of these 3.
    I'll have to try out all these things in practice and see what works
    best. If I get a fingertip, I may not have to crank it too much if the
    other things work.
    I realise now my misunderstanding. I've seen good bowlers bowl what
    looks like a very moderate ball with hardly any power on it, but when
    it rolls into the pocket it almost casually lays all the pins dowm. I
    guess that the bottom line is, it's not how the pins go down but how
    many go down.
    
    Well, it looks like I've got a lot to try out. Thanks very much for all
    your great replies to this note, you've really explained an awful lot
    very clearly. I hope a few more people read them and get as much help
    as I have. I'm going to print them out and keep them for future
    reference.
    
    Adrian

    
    I havn't been in here for awhile, glad to see it's still going.
    
    A few thoughts on big hook vs less hook.
    
    First, if you are going to compare your shot to the pros, you should
    take notice of something.  Usually, the final 5 bowlers have similar
    shots.  They either all bowl down and in, or shoot the big hook.  A
    great deal to do with who makes the championship round is the lane
    conditions.  Those that adjust make it.
    
    For example, I'm left handed and roll the ball down the 3rd board with
    straight lift and it  snaps like crazy on my Wed. night league.  On
    Friday nights, I have to step inside and roll between the 2nd and 3rd
    arrow at a different house.  One is set up for outside, the other for
    inside.
    
    So don't beat yourself if you can't roll the big bender.  I know it's
    pretty, but some times it's not worth the effort.  
    
    Keep it in play and make the easy spare!!!!!!!!
    
    Shane
    

    RE: -.1
    
    You're right -- you don't have to throw a BIG hook to make the ball
    powerful when it hits the pocket.  It surely depends on lane
    conditions.  Guys like Brian Voss can keep their hooks down and still
    carry the light hits, 'cause they throw the ball right and take
    advantage of the conditions.
    
    The pros are surely smart enough to adjust to the shot that the lane
    gives them.  Last week, everyone was shooting around the first arrow. 
    The week before, they were all around the middle of the lane, throwing
    it out to the right and hooking it back.  They often line up on each
    other -- as soon as one guy finds a shot, everyone knows about it, sees
    where he's shooting, and tries that line.  Adjusting is the name of the
    game at the higher levels.
    
    Be prepared to have to adjust constantly if you plan to start hooking
    the ball more.  You'll carry more strikes, but you'll also wind up a
    little more inconsistent at times when the conditions are tough to hit. 
    I think it's worth the trade-off, particularly if you've hit a plateau
    in your scoring and want to improve somehow.
    
    Another interesting phenomenon of late (I'm sure many have noticed) is
    that more and more pros are starting to throw extremely straight shots
    at their spares.  They've found that they can be more accurate that
    way, but it's a tough thing for a once-a-week bowler to do.  It's real
    tough to totally adjust your hand position and release on every strike
    and spare shot.  Pros bowl and practice enough (~100 games a week) to
    make it work -- 3 games a week is surely not enough.
    
    -- dg

    Just like to add a few thoughts to the discussion that has been
    going on about a fingertip grip. 
    
    There is also a semi-fingertip grip or a relaxed fingertip grip
    that can be used. Quite often the person drilling the ball really
    doesn't judge the person's needs correctly and stretches the
    hand too far in drilling the holes. This causes the person to
    lose control of turning the ball consistantly the same way.
    
    The key is throwing the ball the same way every time. I find that
    a relaxed fingertip gives you a chance of fine tuning your release
    and not locking you into an uncomfortable release. This stretching
    may be causing some of the callouses(spelling?) also. 
    
    There are quite a few tricks that can help you turn the ball properly
    also. There is such a thing as palm-under pitch on the thumb hole
    that puts your thumb hole over a bit and places your thumb alignment
    more towards the middle of your hand. There are also various pitches
    that can be put on the finger holes to make it easier to turn the
    ball.
    
    Hope some of this helps.
    
    Does anyone know what kind of a shot is being used at the Champlaign
    International Tournament. We are going up with a team in April and
    we are hoping that the righthanders can throw out near the gutter.
    I'm pretty sure that the lefthanded shot is out on the gutter but
    can you belly the ball out or do you need to ge straight down and
    in.
    
    /Dave

    
    Dave,
    
    The key phrase at Champlian this year is, "Big hook".  Mike L. has
    once again succeeded in having the highest scoring house in the 
    area.  
    
    Both lefties, and those other people, are playing extreme outside line
    with power.  You'll need to pitch it out aways, and ofcourse;
    
                "TRUST IS A MUST"
    
    Shane
    

      My name is Ken and I was really into bowling when I was younger.
    When I was 15 I won the Mass. Stat Jr. Bowling Tournament By rolling
    a 624 series.  I then came back the next year and came in second.
    Also when I was 16 I went to Windsor Locks Conn. and Bowled in a
    tournement in the Bradley Bowl and made it to the finals where I
    rolled a 270 and finished 2nd to an 18 yr. old who rolled a 277.
    Pretty tough rolling your best game of your life and coming in second.
        My point is I got my first serious girlfriend soon after this
    and just lost interest in it.  I was told by a couple of pro's that
    I was not to far away from making there level. I just wish I had
    kept at it.

Hey Ken, 

Girls'll do that to ya.  To succeed in SPORTS (as in Software Engineering)
you must be pure and chaste and have a focus of purpose.

Nexted(tm) time a woman comes on to you, remember what you really want
in life....throwing away your true goals for a little tail can be
downright depressing.

Just ask the Hawkster, he'll tell ya (right Hawk).  Or look at guys
like Mike JN.... 8^)

Bowling Alleys are full of libertine men, and scarlet women just waiting
to steal a young boys dream.  Why I remember one time when lightening
hit this tree, and I made a bowling ball out of the part that fell
off, and then I met this women in a bowling alley who wound up shooting
me....I tell ya, you coulda made a movie out of it...


Chainsaw_(The_Pure_And_Chaste)

    
    Well, I just got back from 2 days and 6 events at the Schnectady Press
    tournament.
    
    I didn't set any records, but I had an OK tourney.
    
    We did have a few exciting moments though.
    
    My brother rolled a 289, got the first 10, then left a ringing 10 pin
    in the 11th frame.
    
    Our sponsor had a 278, got the first 9, then missed wide right in the
    10th.
    
    If anyone is headed to Reveere lanes bring some extra muscle.  They
    seem to have a shortage of lane oil, and power and speed is the name
    of the game.
    
    Shane
    

Thanks for the comforting words chainsaw I only wish I had access to this
notes file six years ago.  
     I wonder what she's doing now.  Probably married to a professional
baseball player or something.

Hey Ken --

Boy, did I take some heat from my female friends (and as Billy Crystal
would say:  "You know who you are" ) for that reply....

Anyway, Ken, just grab a ball, go back to the alley, and, in the
words of the immortal HoF-er Paul Hornung, "Practice, Practice, Practice".

Me, I'm just starting out.  Being a lefty doesn't make it any easier,
but I'm gonna be bowling about once a week, so we'll see if I can't
get some consistency etc.  Now if I could just develop a little hook... 8^)

Chainsaw

    I went bowling last night and at the place where I bowl they have a
    satellite tv receiver. Usually it's tuned to MTV and all we get are
    boring pop videos, but last night it was tuned to the sports channel,
    and guess what was on. Yes, bowling, the PBA tour Florida Open and
    Fairlanes Open. What an eyeopener, I see what you mean now, those pros
    hardly do anything, do they? They just keep their hands under the ball
    and just give a small amount of turn and get through the ball when they
    release it. I know that may be oversimplyfing it, but I can see now
    that a simple solid consistent delivery is the best way to go. Most of
    the bowlers I used to think were quite good don't seem half as good
    now. A lot of them have exaggerated wrist turn and do funny things in
    their delivery. I really enjoyed last night, the only disappointment
    was that I didn't see Brian Voss.
    
    	Adrian

I kind of like Pete Weber. 

For such a thin guy he has a monster backswing, and he gets some
awesome power on the ball...

Question for those who might know:

	Are there many southpaws on the tour?


Chainsaw

    
    Re: -1
    
    Lefties are every where on the tour:
    
    He's semi-retired now, but Earl Anthony holds almost every pro record
    there is, and he was a lefty.  IMHO Earl Anthony is to bowling what
    Jack Nicklaus is to golf....simply, the best that ever was!!!!!!!!
    
    For some reason I can't tink of names but believe me,there are plenty
    of great lefties on the tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    Shane
    

    I've seen some of them women bowling on ESPN.  I caint help it,
    but when I do watch 'em, I always feel like BIll Murray watching
    the women golfers in Caddyshack...
    
    JD

"Oh Mrs Green......oh Mrs Green you're a little monkey Mrs Green...
oh bend over....."

A CLASSIC scene....absolutely CLASSIC...

>                            -< Bark like a dog... >-
    
    You haven't seen Leila Wagner yet, have you??
    
    -- dg

    Dg,
    
    The 'bark like a dog' line wasn't casting aspirations on the charms
    of some of them fine young things.  Just remembering Bill Murray
    in Caddyshack.  And yes, I've seen Leila Wagner - nice bit of
    Titles and Acquisitions (tm).
    
    JD

    RE: Lefties
    
    current stars:
    
    	Mike Aulby -- single-season money record holder (~$297K)
    	Steve Cook (Aulby's brother-in-lay, by coincidence)
    
    oldtimers:
    
    	Earl Anthony
    	Dave Davis
    	Skee Foremsky
    	Johnny Petraglia
    
    up-and-coming:
    
    	Parker Bohn III
    	Jess Stayrook
    	Brad Snell
    	Tony Marrese
    	Hugh Miller

    	RE: 93.86
    
    	> Steve Cook (Aulby's brother-in-lay, by coincidence)
    
    	????
    
    	Scott

    Brother-in-laW - typo......
    
    Their wives are sisters.....
    
    -- dg

Okay....

Now, it might not sound like much, and i haven't been bowling all
that long, but on Sunday I bowled a new personal high.  My brother,
his fiancee Pat, and I, were bowling, and after three games, where
we each won one, the 4th game would decide it.

Well, I was really relaxed, and when Pat took off like hellfire, so
did I (and left my brother in the dust).  She beat me by five pins, 
but the competition really forced me to get better...

The score (149) was nothing to rave about.  But considering the amount
of time I've been bowling, and the thrill of a new high, I'm pretty
pleased...

Enough to keep me interested anyway 8^)

'Saw

PS  I swear to Gawd that the guy in the next lane was a pro.  This guy
    was consistently bowling 250-275, and must have been breaking in
    a new ball.  He had a hook like you would believe, and his control
    was superb.  It was fun just watching him....

    Alright, 'saw.  Almost broke � of a perfect game.......
    
    As in any sport, it sure takes time to improve.  Some do so faster than
    others, but it's no easier to excel in bowling as in most other sports.
    Hang in there, the 160 games will come sooner than you think..  :-)
    
    RE: 250-275 bowler -- any idea who he was??  
    
    What lanes do you bowl at?  You're not shootin' in Windsor Locks, are
    you??  I know Pete Couture 'hangs' out there. Lots of good bowlers in
    that house - the pro stops there once a year, the week before the
    Firestone Tournament of Champions.  That's where the PBC camp was that
    I attended.  I also bowled in a Pro-Am there a few years back.
    
    One thing to remember when you watch the pros struggle on the tube --
    most excellent bowlers (even local hot-shots) can get lined up pretty
    good on conditions that they like and shoot like crazy.  Put the pros
    hit very different conditions (and usually more difficult that the
    average house), and still average in the low 200s.  So if you see a guy
    who can average 225 in a local league, he may still not be near good
    enough to make it on the tour...
    
    -- dg

I was bowling at Silver Lanes, in East Hartford.  They have a computerized
scoring system, and the name the guy had up there was Bill.

He had blond hair, thin build.  His approach looked extremely professional
(5 step, steps 2 and 3 were little, and almost just enough movement to
get in the rhythm.)

I think he was breaking in a new ball, because he kept fooling with the
thumb hole (sanding, using tape etc etc).  The control he seemed to
have on his hook was very good.  When he used his other ball, it 
reminded me of a shooter sighting a gun.  His adjustments were that
small, then he just seemed to hone it in and stay there...

He might have been a guy who just looked the part, but it seemed that
the ability was there.

Never been to Bradley Bowl, but I'd love to get there sometime.

I'm thinking of trying to find a summer beginners league.  If not
that then this fall.  Right now I'm bowling straight (no hook), but
if I can get somewhat consistent with that, then I'll start
experimenting...

Thanks for all the encouragement,
'Saw

	I never really got into bowling at all. Rolled a few games as kid, once
in awhile, did okay, usually 160's. But no style, no finesse. 

	While I was away fighting for god, country, and my baby, my little
brother grows up and becomes some kind of bowling fruitcake. he bowls like
three leagues a week, and becomes good. So I come back, and he starts bugging
the crap out of me to go bowling (because he knows he'll beat me, and as a
little brother he had never beaten me at anything in his life). So I always
turn him down. I tell him I don't like it, got other things to do, finger
hurts, whatever ( I just don't want to get my butt kicked ). Finally I get fed
up. I say ` Okay shrimp! One game. No rematch. No I told you so. No nothin!
Winner has bragging rights for life! (I figured I could live with his ragging
me about this, because it wasn't even a sport I especially liked). We go to the
lanes. Dave has his own ball, bag, shoes, towels.... I wouldn't be surprised if
he has his own pins. 

	We start bowling. My method is to pick a ball that fits my fingers,
sorta, then throw it smack dab at the head pin, as hard as I can. I'm not good
enough to hit it exactly, but I get an amazing number of strikes, lot of action
off the ball, and if there's no splits I do pretty good with spares. Anyway,
this day I was totally unconscious. Nothing could go wrong. My brother rolls a
196. I rolled a 220. He immediately wants another game. I just shake my head.
He starts yelling. I just shake my head and start changing my shoes. He starts
throwing my shoes at me and calling me stuff that would piss off our mother to
such an extent that she would pick him up by the ears and kill him a little
bit. I just keep shaking my head, then get out of there and laugh `til I'm
almost sick. I never before or since have rolled a score even REMOTELY close to
that. My brother finally got over it...... a little bit. 

It's still not a very good idea for me to mention bowling in his presence.

Mike JN

    I've bowled tenpins quite a bit as a kid (in NY, no Candlepins) and in
    a league for a couple seasons, several years ago.  While everyone else
    progressed to the point of working on a hook, I stuck with perfecting
    my straight ball.  I found that hitting "the pocket" to the left of the
    head pin (I'm a rightie) produced the most strikes.  My seasons'
    averages were in the mid to high 160's, with a couple games just over
    200.  Also, I'm convinced that bowling and alcohol mix very well since
    I always bowled better with CC in my 7up.  When I didn't drink, I
    almost always did poorly......
    
    Hawk

Sinner H'awk is absobobbly correctable!

	No drinking = Poor bowling

The more you drink, the better you get.

	(In all honesty, there IS a certain point after which your bowling
begins to deteriorate, but it is generally accompanied by a marked increase in
the fun quotient, so all in all, it's a pretty good idea.)

Mike JN

    Anyone see America's Funniest Home Videos this past Sunday night?  The
    way those guys bowled tenpins is what I'd like to try someday!  Of
    course, I'd have to have a few brewskies firsted, which I'm sure, those
    guys did!
    
    For those of you who didn't see it, there was a video showing a group
    of guys running down the alley and diving head-first into the pins,
    with a helmet on, of course!  What a riot, and they were obviously
    having a ball!
    
    H'awk

The second time I ever went bowling was lasted summer with two of
my friends.  We were the only ones in the place, the bar was closed,
but was had a great time.

Between saying lewd things about the ball polisher and what balls it
probably polishes, making fun of the proprieter, bowling with two
balls at once, making inane bets on which pins we could leave standing,
we had a blast.

The evening ended by trashing the rental car my friend had, doing 
backwards donuts and stunts in a deserted parking lot..

A great American fun evening in the summer (w/o women)...

Nothin' like unchecked testosterone, eh?
'Saw

On Saturday's tour, Mazza, the #1 seed, lost to Peczek (sp??).

It was a pretty intesnse match, since they traded strikes for the
first five frames...

Anyone else see it???

'Saw

    Good show - Penzak is really hot.  Mazza looked like nothing could stop
    him the way he started, but you've gotta perform the whole game to make
    it most of the time.....
    
    Love Tommy Baker's style -- smoooooooooth.......
    
    -- dg

    Peg Bundy rolled a 300 last night.

    Poor Al ... the record last about 10 minutes ....

    Anyone got an update on the replacement for the old Maple Lanes
    in Marlboro (the place that burned)?   Someone had mentioned
    a new house for Route 9, back in an earlier ::SPORTS conference.

    They torn down the old bowling alley and are not going to replace
    it..
    
    On Rote 9 about 2 miles north of Spgs there is a bowling alley...
    
          REK
    
    And have a nice day!

    
    	My thumb rubs the ball on my release and because of that it
    	gets torn up pretty good.  Last week I got a blister, and
    	last night after a couple of games I couldn't even hold
    	on to the ball.  The thumb fits in the hole good, but when
    	I release it catches and it hurts like hell.  Should the
    	thumb hole be repositioned, or should I live with it.  I'm
    	a fairly new bowler, and I use a 16lb. Brunswick silver pearl.
    
    						Scott.
    

    
    One more ponit of interest ( I'm not sure if it has been mentioned
    or not ) is that Lincoln Lanes is Worc. will be closing around the
    end of may for good, I guess they lost there lease. 
    
    I know a couple of people who work for Lincoln Lanes which is also
    a Brunswick house ( The same as Maple Lanes ) and the people who
    work there says that Brunswick is not going to build another house
    in the area ....
    
    Jammie

    RE: .104
    
    Thumb injuries are extremely common in bowling.  If you're not bowling
    a lot (more than 5 or 6 games a week), then you shouldn't be having the
    problems you describe.  If you can find a reputable ball-driller in the
    area, have him check it out.  Bring it back to the guy that drilled it
    in the first place and see what he recommends.
    
    The thumb hole should fit snuggly, but you shouldn't have to force your
    thumb in.  It definitely shouldn't be too loose.  If that's the case,
    you're probably 'knuckling' the ball (bending your thumb during your
    approach to hold onto it).  This will certainly cause a blister.
    
    Of course, your thumb changes slightly from day to day (humidity, and
    the like), and during the course of an evening of bowling, also
    (swelling).  
    
    So the best remedy is to have a thumb hole that isn't too snug,
    allowing for the swelling of your thumb as you bowl.  Start with a
    piece of tape (or more) in the ball (ask someone experienced at this to
    show you how and where in the hole to place the tape -- pre-cut
    bowler's tape is available in most pro shops). If you feel it getting
    too tight toward the end of your night of bowling, remove a piece.
    
    Also, if you develop a sensitive area on your thumb, use preventative
    measures by using a gauze patch and New Skin on your thumb before you
    even start to bowl.  Patch kits are also available in most pro shops.
    
    Good luck - I've spent years with my right thumb looking substantially
    different from my left..  :-)
    
    -- dg

    
>    The thumb hole should fit snuggly, but you shouldn't have to force your
>    thumb in.  It definitely shouldn't be too loose.  If that's the case,
>    you're probably 'knuckling' the ball (bending your thumb during your
>    approach to hold onto it).  This will certainly cause a blister.
    
    	That sounds like it could be the problem.  I only bowl 1 night
    	a week at Town and Country during their 12-2am. special.
    
    	For some reason it just seems to be getting worse.  
    
    	If I get a chance i'll stop at their pro shop to try to get
    	that tape.  
    
    	Thanks for the help.
    
    						Scott.
    

                            BOWLING IS A BALL

             by Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist
           copied from The Boston Sunday Globe, April 1, 1990

        If you're looking for a sport that offers both of the Surgeon
    General's Two Recommended Key Elements of Athletic Activity,
    namely (1) rental shoes, and (2) beer, then you definitely want to
    take up bowling.

        I love to bowl.  I even belong to a bowling team, the Pin
    Worms.  How good are we?  I don't wish to brag, but we happen to
    be ranked, in the World Bowling Association standings under the
    heading "Severly Impaired."  Modern science has been baffled in
    its efforts to predict what will happen to a given ball that has
    bee released by a Pin Worm.  The Strategic Air Command routinely
    tracks our bowling balls on radar in case one of them threatens a
    mojor population center and has to be destroyed with missiles.

        But the thing is, we have fun.  That's what I like about
    bowling: You can have fun even if you stink, unlike in, say,
    tennis.  Every decade or so I attempt to play tennis, and it
    always consists of 37 seconds of actually hitting the ball, and
    two hours of yelling "Where did the ball go?"  "Over that
    condominium!" etc.  Whereas with bowling, once you let go of the
    ball, it's no longer your legal responsibility.  They have these
    wonderful machines that find it for you and send it right back. 
    Some of these machines can also keep score for you.  In the
    Bowling Alley of Tomorrow, there will even be machines that wear
    rental shoes and throw the ball for you.  Your sole function will
    be to drink beer.

        Besides convenience, bowling offers drama.  I recently
    witnessed an extremely dramatic shot by a young person named
    Madeline, age 3, who is cute as a button but much smaller.  We
    were in the 10th frame, and Madeline had frankly not had a good
    game in the sense of knodking down any of the pins or even getting
    the ball to go all the way to the end of the lane without
    stopping.  So on her last turn, she got up there, and her daddy
    put the ball down in front of her, and she pushed it with both
    hands.  Nothing appeared to happen, but if you examined the ball
    with sensitive scientific instruments, you could determine that it
    was actually rolling.  We all watched it anxiously.  Time passed. 
    The ball kept rolling.  Neighboring bowlers stopped to watch.  The
    ball kept rolling.  Spectators started drifting in off the street. 
    TV news crews arrived.  A half-dozen communist governments fell. 
    Still Madeline's ball kept rolling.  Finally, incredibly, it
    reached the pins and, in the world's first live slow-motion replay, 
    knocked them all down.  Of course by then Madeline had children of
    her own, but it was still very exciting.

        For real bowling excitement, however, you can't beat Ponch,
    the bowling dog.  I'm not making Ponch up; he holds the rank of
    German shepherd in the Miami Police Department, and he bowls in
    charity tournaments.  He uses a special ramp built by his partner,
    K-9 Officer Bill Martin.  Bill puts the ball on the ramp, then
    Ponch jumps up and knocks the ball down the ramp with his teeth. 
    It looks very painful, but Ponch loves it.  He loves it so much
    that as soon as the ball starts rolling, he wants to get it back,
    so he starts sprinting down the lane after it, barking, his feet
    flailing wildly around, cartoon-style, on the slick wood.  (This
    is a violation of the rules, but nobody is brave enough to tell
    Ponch.)

        When Ponch is about halfway down the lane, he suddenly sees
    his ball disappear into the machinery, so he whirls around and
    flails his way back to the ball-return tunnel, where he sticks his
    head *down into the hole,* barking furiously, knowing that his
    ball is in there somewhere, demanding that it be returned
    *immediately*, and then suddenly - *wham!* - there it is, hitting
    Ponch directly in the face at approximately 40 miles per hour, and
    *he could not be happier.*  He is *overjoyed* to see his ball
    again, because that means Officer Bill's going to put it on the
    ramp and Ponch can hit it with his teeth again!  Hurrah!

        Not only is Ponch a lot of fun to watch, but he's also very
    naive about scoring, so you can cheat.  "Sorry, Ponch," you can
    say.  "I scored 5,490 in that last game, so you owe me a million
    dollars." He'll just wag his tail.  Money means nothing to him. 
    But touch his ball and he'll rip out your throat.

Re Dave Barry and Madelaine...

NOW I know who I was bowling next to last Sunday!  She was little, 
she was cute, and she couldn't bowl for anything....How she
won $5 and a pitcher of beer off me is well beyond me!

8^)

    Your a sick man Frank. 8*)  where were you bowling? manchester.
    
    jimbo

    re .76
    
    Its funny that Shane mentioned the short oil at Revere Lanes in
    Schenectady.  I bowled the weekend after Shane bowled there and I
    didn't notice it.  I moved out to the outside line at Revere
    Lanes like I do every year (I usually stay in the middle) and I
    put the ball down between the first and second dots (not arrows)
    on the lane and talk about consistent....
    
    Shane mentioned the huge hook he was throwing so I was prepared to
    struggle all day to keep the ball on the right side of the lane.
    No problem, in fact in the sixth game (the last game of the day)
    I rolled my best game ever 299.  Sorry, had to stick that in there
    though.  Pretty nerve racking.
    
    Gotta love the lanes in Schenectady.
    
    Peter

Jimbo --

I was bowling at Silver Lanes on Silver Lane in East Hartford.

We did have a little girl (about 6 or so) bowling next to us, and
while she didn't get too many pins knocked over, she did have
a natural hook.  Her grandmother had brought her, and we helped them
figure how to set up the automatic scorers....(Computers it seems
scare the sh_t out of anyone under 8 and over 60...)

Once we told her where to place the ball to make it hook to the
pins, it was okay.

After that, I had to watch the way I talked to the pins in my
own lane...  as in "Drat you pins, falleth down", instead of
"*&^$&^ing god(*&*&* pins, you *&^%-eating*%&^sucker, fall!

Chainsaw

Fellow Kegglers in the Boston area....

I'm currently scheduled to be attending a course in the Boston area during the
week of July 30th and would very much like to do some bowling with anyone
interested. 

So, if someone could arrange an evening during that week I'd be very much
obliged.

Thanks,

Cb.

    Chaim,
    
    You said "Boston area" -- where exactly will you be??  The Bedford
    training facility??
    
    -- dg

Don,

My course is scheduled for Parker St., but I will be staying in Sharon with
relatives and will have a rental at my disposal.

Cb. 

    Sharon -- geesh, can't for the life of me remember what that's near. 
    Just shows how easy it is to forget Massachusetts once you move to New
    Hampshire..  :-)
    
    That's way down by Foxboro, ain't it??  Ugh...  When it gets close, let
    me know what your schedule for the week looks like.......
    
    -- dg

    Is there anyone interested in bowling in a Monday nite handicap
    league in Nashua.  The league cap is 910 and I have three openings
    for regulars. We bowl at 6:15 pm starting August 27th.
    
    I have myself and another guy ready to bowl if I can get a franchise
    in the league.  I finished with a 186 average in the league and
    the other guy finished with a 195 average in the league.  This adds
    up to 381 so 910-381=529 means that I'm looking for any combination
    of 3 bowlers that will add up to this total from last year's average.
    This works out to 176 a man that I have to play with.
    
    The bowling will be somewhere around $12 a nite but there is some
    good money that can be had for the top teams.  There are 36 teams
    in the league and some very good competition.
    
    I'm looking for people who are competitive and want to win but also
    have a good time.  Drop me a line over the tube at Ludwig::Breeden
    or call me at dtn 225-6880 and leave a message.
    
    May all of your splits be babies.
    
    Dave

    Now that this note is rescuscitated......
    
    Did anyone watch the bowling last weekend on NBC? (Saturday, Nov. 24)..
    Marshall Holman won his first match by virtue of his opponents miss of
    an easy 7 pin spare, and then was faccing his next opponent.
    
    First frame---- spare  
    Second frame--- TWO gutter balls!!!
    Third frame--- 9 (missed the 3-6-10)
    ------------------------------------
    Total after 3 frames----->  19!!!!!!
    
    Couldn't believe it......Somehow he ended up with a 186....but he still
    lost. Earl Anthony (who was doing the color analysis for NBC) was in
    shock trying to describe how a pro could do so badly; he kept saying
    how there's no excuse for a gutter ball at this level, etc. I thought
    Earl was going to cry......
    
    Of course I never liked Marshall much, so I wasn't crying  ;^) ;^)
    
    Tim G.

    I have the bowling on tape and need to go back and watch it, but
    Marshall actually threw three gutterballs. I do disagree with Earl's
    statement about no excuse at the pro level, I have seen plenty and
    thrown plenty when playing extememe outside lines, but Marshall was
    playing more inside on the lane. I do happen to be a Marshall fan and
    believe him to be one of the most versatile bowlers of all times. He
    will cash week in and week out on many different types of conditions
    and is one of few "old timers" who can compete with the crankers. I 
    haven't always agreed with his conduct, however. Is there any readers
    of this notes file going to the National's in Toledo this year? I am
    and am looking forward to it. This will be my first National's. Anyone
    bowl Reno last year? What did you think? My wife is doing the WIBC
    Nationals too, in Iowa I believe. Let's please don't let this notes
    file die!

    > I haven't always agreed with his [Marshall] conduct, however.
    
    Not being a big follower of pro bowling, Randy, could you please
    explain about Marshall's conduct that you disagree with?  I'm just
    curious what sort of misconduct can be found on a pro bowler's tour.
    
    He doesn't give scalp massages, does he?  :-)
    
    Hawk

    Has anyone seen or used a wrist support called the Pro Release?  It has
    variable up/down and left/right positions to allow for varying the
    number of revs and roll/spin for different lane conditions.  (Saw it in
    an ad).
    
    I'm curious to know if it can be adjusted quickly without having to
    take it off and put it back on between shots in a frame (e.g. wanting
    to kill the shot for a 10 pin).

    -1 and -2
    
    First, Marshall has long been known as one of the "Bad Boy's" on the
    tour. He has been fined many times and suspended at least once that I
    know of. He got suspended for kicking the foul light and destroying it!
    On T.V. he used to get into it with the audience when they would cheer
    against him, although he has calmed down considerably since he has
    gotten older. I still believe him to be one of the greatest! 
    
    On the wrist device question, that in itself should generate some
    comments in this notes file. I am a user and believer in wrist devices.
    To me anything that will maintain your wrist in a firm and powerful
    position will help your bowling. I've not used the Pro Release, but I
    know several people who do and like it because of it's versatility. It
    seems to be easily adjustable and very durable. I currently use a
    device called a "Weapon" by Rollstar. I picked up about five more rev's
    on my ball and have bowled my highest series ever with it, a 777 and
    I've had several games over 270. It however is not adjustable for the
    amount of "cup" you want. It does have removable finger aids and a
    removable palm pad. It's pretty high tech actually. It makes me roll a
    very powerful rolling ball. I carry a lot of hit's that I won't carry
    without it. They are kind of hard to find, at least in Denver. It seems
    like on today's conditions, REV's is the name of the game. I am seeing
    a lot of guy's now who don't even put their thumb's in the ball, but
    that takes a lot of practice. The guy on TV Saturday, Mike Miller,
    doesn't even have a thumb hole in his ball! I've seen him bowling the
    regionals here in Denver and he can really create area to the right!
    Well, let's get the wrist device debate started!!!!

I Would love to be able to increase the number of REV's that I get, but I don't
seem to be able. I do use a wrist device, called the "Kranker King". I ordered
it from an article in Bowling Journal. It is very similar to the Robby wrist
device, the difference being two adjustable straps, under the palm and on top
of the hand, which alter the amount of "cup". I think I get around 10 REV's.

What would you say is the "normal" number of REV's these days? 

Thanks,

Cb.