TenPin Alley. Informing and Entertaining bowlers everywhere from Las Vegas, Nevada The Bowling Tournament Capital of the World!

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1 A tournament for active and retired law enforcement, fire fighters, men & women from agencies that serve our communities worldwide and their guests For information and brochures, call us! TenPin Alley In This Issue * Bill Spigner answers a question on Chicken-Winging * PBA Television Schedule for is set * Rolf Gauger examines the Curved Ceiling Informing and Entertaining bowlers everywhere from Las Vegas, Nevada The Bowling Tournament Capital of the World! OCTOBER OBER 2011 No matter what situation you are in you must have confidence; even if things are not going according to plan. I really enjoy bowling on really tough conditions because it challenges me to stay consistent. If I were to become a professional bowler my goals would be simple: capture two PBA titles and beat Chris Barnes and Norm Duke for the titles. An exclusive interview with Teen Masters Champion Zack Hattori PBA World Series of Bowling ESPN TV Finals to be Conducted Nov at South Point Arena and Events Center The third annual PBA World Series of Bowling will showcase the world s greatest bowlers and introduce new events and new concepts in ESPN coverage when it returns to South Point Casino, Hotel and Bowling Center Nov The World Series will culminate with a four-day television extravaganza Nov which will be conducted on lanes constructed in the South Point Arena and Events Center. Admission to all 12 of the ESPN-taped telecasts will be FREE TO THE PUBLIC! The World Series of Bowling is a two-week multi-event competition including the Viper Open, Chameleon Open, Scorpion Open, Shark Open, PBA World Championship, Carmen Salvino Classic Championship, PBA Exempt Players Championship, Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship and World Bowling Tour Finals. Among the PBA stars competing in the World Series hoping to earn berths in the finals will be reigning PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi, Hall of Famers Walter Ray Williams Jr., Norm Duke and Pete Weber, as well as Chris Barnes, Kelly Kulick, Bill O Neill and Rookie of the Year Scott Norton. The strongest international presence ever will include representatives from six countries plus the United States: Australia (Jason Belmonte), Finland (Palermaa and reigning PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi), Canada (Dan MacLelland), Sweden (Martin Larsen), Colombia (Andres Gomez), and Venezuela (Amleto Monacelli). PBA Hall of Famer Monacelli, a 19-time PBA Tour champion and two-time PBA Player of the Year, will return to full-time exempt player status for the first time in five years based upon his competition points performance as a non-exempt player last season. And PBA Senior Tour standout Kerry Painter of Henderson, at age 58, became the oldest player ever to earn a PBA Tour exemption when he finished eighth in the 2010 PBA Regional Players Invitational in Reno, Nev. In 2010, the PBA World Series of Bowling reaffirmed its position as the sport s most popular and prestigious event for the international bowling community, with a sold-out field of 256 players representing 14 countries. For additional World Series of Bowling coverage, schedule and information visit pba.com. Senior Thanksgiving Classic Adds a New Feature For Players That Made The Cut! A shorter and more compact format is offered for Thanksgiving week in Las Vegas as Sam s Town hosts their final Senior Classic! The Senior Classics will be moving to Suncoast Hotel, Casino & Bowling Center, home of the U.S. Senior Open, for Easter of The new Thanksgiving brochure is up on our website Just click Brochures. The dates are Monday, November 21 through Friday, November 25 and the event features some changes from the familiar format used for most of the Classics. There is a new feature just added that didn t make it into the brochure. For those players that make the cut, they can compete to win 2 Byes in Match Play! Those players can re-enter a qualifying squad, at a discounted fee, bowl another 3 games for a 6-game total, including their original qualifying score. After the final squad on Friday, the players with the top 6-game scores in each age Division will earn 2 Byes in the Match Play finals - a huge bonus! Senior Classic week will start with a practice session and Sweepers on Monday, featuring separate sweepers for age 50 to 59 or aged 60 & over. Then qualifying starts for the main event on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday with a Friday Finals with $15,000 for 1st. Each age division is guaranteed a minimum of $5,000 for 1st. But there are many goodies and additions before we crown the last Sam s Town champ! Although just one main event, qualifying for the match play finals is still in 3 age divisions (50 to 59, 60 to 66 and 67 & over) but this time the leader of each division will appear in the Championship Round! The customary Early Bird Tune-Up tournament will be replaced by 3 separate purses for those same 3 age divisions, each with a $1,000 top prize instead of just 1 prize list. Just prior to the finals on Friday, there will be one last qualifying squad and then a special event for all of those players that did not make the cut! That event, with a list of prizes and no cost to bowl, has a special caveat as the top bowler of each of the 3 divisions advances to the finals! Different, interesting & competitive! Of course there is still bonus qualifying for our 70 year olds plus their own event during the Tune-Up tournaments. Other events include Quick Cash Sweepers and a Champs-Only event. Now you can receive TenPin Alley in your Inbox! Send your address to tenpinvegas@cox.net Southern Nevada USBC Association 7231 W. Charleston Blvd. Suite 130, Las Vegas, NV am-4pm Mon-Fri

2 2 TenPin Alley October 2011 FROM THE PUBLISHER Frenchy Letourneau Tournament Bowling Facts - Fiction - Fun It s tournament time again, folks. Events ranging from weekend 5-gamers, handicap clubs right on through to PBA will continue to take up a lot of lane space for the bowling season. FACTS: The Bowling Tournament Capital of the World will host gazillions of low, intermediate and high level tournament action just about every weekend throughout Southern Nevada. And the good thing about that is there is something for everyone, and you are only limited by your wallet, ego and natural ability. Handicap clubs are excellent starting points for those who really love bowling and love to compete, with minimal embarrassment for first timers, and plenty of room to grow for those who choose to take whatever efforts to get better at the game and move up the standings as time progresses. For those of us who are not so eager or unable to play, the spectator value is limitless. Watching some of the area s greatest scratch bowlers compete in weekend scratch tournaments can, and often does, present some exciting moments when the race for the top money tethers on execution and carry, and a little luck. Even handicap tournaments have a lot of excitement and precious moments. Watching a low average bowler progress to the cash round for their first time is priceless, and a first time win at any level ranks extremely high in emotion for the bowler, their supporters, and the fans who witness the event. I am grateful for having the opportunity in my younger years to experience all of these. And, I still have good feelings for a first time winner on the PBA Tour, no matter who it is. Let the tears flow, young man. You worked hard to get there. FICTIONS: Many low average bowlers really love the game, and their participation in two or more leagues a week is a testament to that. How often have you heard someone say they were not good enough to bowl tournaments? Handicap clubs are not inundated with sharks who are out to steal your money. Sure, there will always be sandbaggers, but the best promoters and directors can smell them, and they are quickly expunged. Another misdirection is that tournament bowlers are snobs. Actually, they are ordinary folks like you who love to bowl. Hall of Famer Don Carter was often mistaken for a snob because of his intensity while competing. While other bowlers might try to make small talk or idle comments, Carter would appear to ignore them, when in actuality he was focused on the job he was there to do. Granted, this was bowling at the highest level, and that intensity is very rare among us common folk bowling in friendly tournament action. I have no chance should be purged from your brain if you show up just for: FUN: Low level tournaments are not expensive and have a ton more reward than risk. If you show up with a mindset that you are not a threat to anyone, and you re just here to enjoy some exciting competition, then fun will be the order of the day. It is extremely rare that an individual will win the very first tournament they enter. (Don t confuse this with winning a PBA title on their first try - this has been done before. But that individual probably bowled a thousand other tournaments prior to getting there.) Your very first goal is easy: have fun, chalk it up as an experience. As you enter more events, goals should progress to * not finishing last * cashing * making the finals * winning * winning again * and again PBA players are very vocal about winning. Ask any pro any question you want, but the one answer they will always have in their forethought is what it was like winning that first title. Non-winners remember their first cash, and it trickles down all the way to just not embarrassing oneself. Find a tournament somewhere that fits your love of bowling. Bowl. Have fun. You will be back for more. Subscribe to TenPin Alley NON NEVADA RESIDENTS ONLY One Year (12 Issues) $22.00 Postpaid CANADA & Foreign Rates By Postage Name Address Joyce Letourneau We may not have it all together... but together we have it all. Reality Bites! The Bowler wler s Guide to Rip-Offs and Scams Joyce Letourneau has dealt with consumer fraud, scams and commercial schemes all her life, as an auditor, data processor and a savvy consumer who refuses to be ripped off. She is joint owner of TenPin Alley. With several grandkids in school, I soon learned that there are products out there that help the consumer contribute supplies for schools. My daughter Christine introduced me to Box Tops For Education, little coupons that appear on many grocery items from General Mills, Betty Crocker and Green Giant, to name a few. In no time at all, Frenchy was buying products with the Box Tops, and even his boss at Santa Fe Lanes, Joy Francomano, sends me a tassle of these now and then. The Box Tops help buy school supplies, and I understand there are a lot of families with kids in school who are saving these as well. Not suprisingly, other manufacturers are becoming aware of the volume sales these little coupons are producing, and they are jumping on the bandwagon. Right now, I have one called Labels for Education. I m not sure what products are involved. You can check out labelsforeducation.com to see where to look for these. Frenchy likes Raisin Bran, and the General Mills box has the little coupon. While at the store recently to renew his cereal, he discovered a Kelloggs box with a banner stating Happy School Year! up to $100 Cash Card Inside - see back for details. Gee, a hundred bucks! We would need a lot of those little coupons to match that. On the back of the box, You could find up to in small print, followed by a giant $100 Cash Card Inside. The selling point was... You could find $5, $10, $25, $50 or even $100. That s OK, even if it s only $5. So, foregoing one little coupon for a chance to contribute some real folding money to the school, Frenchy empties the cereal into his vacuum container and hands me the empty box. The offer is printed on the inside of the box. Sorry, this box not a winner. Try again. So, being the savvy consumer I claim to be, I decided to read the fine print: Odds of winning Grand Prize ($100) 1:24,800, First Prize ($50) 1:20,667, Second Prize ($25) 1:17,714, Third Prize ($10) 1:15,500 and Fourth Prize ($5) 1:12,400. That means I could conceviably buy more than 12 THOUSAND boxes and NEVER WIN A PRIZE! No thanks. Our new address is tenpinvegas@cox.net Check or Money Order Only Please Start My Subscription with: TenPin Alley Month Year 4705 Pacer Ave. North Las Vegas, Nevada As soon as they see me lift this, I will OWN the sandbox!

3 TenPin Alley October FREE ADMISSION TO ALL TV SHOWS Watch the greatest bowlers in the world live at South Point Hotel & Casino BE ON TV all shows to air on ESPN South Point (Exhibition Hall A) NOV. 17 TH 5:30 PM, 6:30 PM NOV. 18 TH 1 PM, 3 PM, 6 PM, 8 PM NOV. 19 TH 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM NOV. 20 TH 10 AM, NOON, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM for more details New PBA Regional Players Doubles Championship Set for Las Vegas Regional major championship includes two berths in PBA Tournament of Champions Elite Field LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Sept. 22, 2011) The Professional Bowlers Association has announced its 2012 PBA Regional Players Doubles Championship will move to Las Vegas where it will be hosted by Casino, Hotel and Bowling Center Feb The RPC-Doubles, which replaces the PBA Regional Players Invitational which was held for several years in Reno, will immediately follow the February High Roller, a megabucks tournament that has revised its eligibility rules to allow many PBA Regional-level players an opportunity to bowl both events. The High Roller also will be held at. Because the RPC-Doubles also is the second PBA major championship for PBA Regional players, the winning partners both will earn spots in the Elite Field at the season-ending PBA Tournament of Champions. Scott Newell of Deland, Fla., earned his berth in the TOC Elite Field in late May when he won the Regional Players Championship-East at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich. The RPC-Doubles will be open to all non-exempt PBA members. Entry fee is $295 per player/$590 per team. Bowlers will compete for a $10,000 first prize (based on 100 teams) and for enhanced competition points toward qualifying for the Xtra Frame Dick Weber PBA Playoffs presented by Hammer which will be held May 30- April 1 at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis. The top 16 points leaders in each of the PBA s seven regions as of Feb. 26 will qualify for the PBA Playoffs. All RPC-Doubles teams will bowl eight qualifying games on Saturday, Feb. 11, with the top 25 percent of the field (maximum 32 teams) advancing to Sunday s 12- game, Baker format round-robin match play finals. The Baker format requires each player to alternate, bowling five frames per game. The RPC-Doubles will be covered live on pba.com s Xtra Frame as part of a season-long package of more than 250 hours of live online, video-streaming coverage of PBA competition. To sign up for an Xtra Frame subscription, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo. For RPC-Doubles entry information, visit pba.com. For High Roller eligibility and entry information, visit high-roller.com. For lodging information and reservations, visit orleanscasino.com. Southern Nevada USBC Association 2011 Senior Singles Championship Tournament October 22 & 23, October 29 & 30, 2011 Santa Fe Lanes 4949 N. Rancho Age Divisions: 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and Super Senior 75 & older Entry forms available at all area bowling centers and at SNUSBC Offices Handicap 90% of 220 Entry Fee $35 Reserved entries close October 15 Walk-in entries close 1 hour prior to squad

4 4 TenPin Alley October 2011 Chuck Pezzano Some modest bowling proposals * I was amazed when I read that a very ambitious firm was studying the possibility of in some way listing the title and contents of every book ever published. One of the projects I have proposed to the Bowling Writers Association of America is to research and attempt to collect a copy of every bowling book ever written, so all could be displayed and available for use at the International Bowling Hall of Fame Jack Reichert library. I don t know how many have ever been published or how many are available but it looks as though some key writers will be working on the worthy goal. * It has been proven over and over that having your own personal equipment for a sport or any other activity enhances and increases the interest and involvement of participants. Why not a drive to make it easier for every bowler, particularly the youngsters, to have an easier path to owning their ball, bag, and shoes. And every time you need a gift for a bowler, or former bowler, thee is a great list from the bowling list for every gift occasion. * With the merges in bowling groups, many an esteemed veteran of teaching, organizing, and most important, praising the merits of league and tournament play under sanctioned conditions, have sort of been left outside looking in. A little attention to them in the areas they love and know best in bowling would help everyone in bowling. And some thought should be given to modest fees to these experts, many of whom would welcome a call that could utilize their experience and their lifetime love of their sport. * Too many times in too many ways rules are passed with so called penalties attached for those who break or ignore the rules, and when penalties are not applied, the rules are not only useless but a sign to encourage the rule breakers to overstep their bounds. * One of the best mottos ever used in bowling was the simple, Bring A Friend advice to current bowlers. Yes, bring a friend, or a relative, or even an enemy, but bring someone. * What the high scoring trend in bowling over more than enough decades has brought is average bowlers closer in average to the world s best. When the margin between casual bowler and the top pros narrows too much, respect for the game as a sport, is lessened. Remember, the best you can do in bowling is come up with a strike, all 10 pins with one ball. At times a pre-schooler can do it as well as a seasoned pro. The best you can do in most sports is be a poor imitation of the best. At times it is great that a lesser bowler can match a star that has given his life to study, practice, and wide experience, but those times should be rare and headline happenings, not commonplace. * Why not color specific lanes. Red for the most difficult scoring, pink for the easiest lane scoring conditions, black in the middle scoring range and any other colors you like for any reasons you like. * Too many tournaments, in the attempt to gain as many entries as possible, are too lax in letting almost everyone bowl. City and county and state championships should be just that, limited to that city, county and state bowlers that truly live or bowl there. * Be proud of bowling. It, the sport of Tenpins, is one of the few American sports born, bred and developed from versions of the activity that were practiced thousands of years ago. Idle Bowling Thoughts * A team s lineup positions can be very important. All-time great Parker Bohn lll feels that your leadoff individual should be a deadly spare shooter, one that can mark when it counts most and one that can spark the spirit of a team. The anchor, or final bowler in the lineup should be your best allaround bowler, but not necessarily the one with the highest average. A top anchor can hit the pocket when the pressure is on, is a good solid spare bowler, but one better known for coming up with that strike or two when needed in a tight game. * There is no such thing as an easy spare, unless it s the one you don t have to face because you got a strike. * Did you know that up until 1994, from 1958, pro bowlers had to follow strict limits on the length of hair, pony tails, braids and beards. * In the more than 50 years that pro bowling has been on TV, the happening causing the most comment was not a big win, not a particular match, not a perfect game, but Mark Roth s first ever TV conversion of the 7-10 split. * You hear about the 300 games rolled in bowling. But a real rarity in bowling is a 291 game, and the rarest of them all in the upper category is a 292 game. * Bowling does have some power to make people much more attentive to dates. The same people who make medical and business matter appointments mere days in advance often enter bowling tournaments two years prior to the competition. * The move to Texas by most integers in bowling will take time, particularly such attractions as the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum, but it has to be one of the most forward thinking bowling ideas in the history of the sport. * The more you study bowling history the more you realize that the negative of bowling has been expanded and repeated much more that the more prevalent positives of the sport---at every level. * Many long years ago John Petraglia was asked who he saw as the future stars. His selections were Parker Bohn lll, Dave Ozio, Amleto Monacelli, Pete Weber, Brian Voss and Del Ballard. That s what you call a super crystal ball. All became top stars and all have been elected to the PBA Hall of Fame. * The good old days were when you were pretty sure you could bowl your weight. * When you discuss smooth bowlers the name of the late Joe Joseph comes to mind most often. For a fairly big man, he moved to the line with all the grace and balance of dancing legend Fred Astaire. One big difference, Joseph carried a heavy bowling ball, not a light hat or cane. * The head pin of a bowling setup probably has more strange remarks directed to it than any other inanimate object in the world. * Any league secretary or tournament director will tell you that the people who know all the bowling rules and let you know they do are not nearly as bad as the bowlers who think they know all the rules. Southern Nevada USBC Association Honor Scores 300 Matthew Becker Strike Zone Matt Bowcutt Brian Cenci Gold Coast Mike Clemence Gold Coast Bernard Curtis Pahrump Nugget * John DeBenedetta, Jr. South Point Vaughn Doody Red Rock Lanes James Eklund Age 81 Gold Coast Jeff Gooding Terrible s Town Andrew Graff Marty Hinton Santa Fe Lanes Robert Hodge Gary Johnson Frank LaBruyere Gold Coast Nicholas Marquez Ken Porter Kawika Rosier Tim Sam Wildfire Lanes Chris Sharpe Jeff Springer Gold Coast Paul Steiner Gold Coast Don Sutton Red Rock Lanes Ken Young Nellis 300 Bowl Joyce Cummings Rex Johnson Howie Loosbroock Gary Seney DJ Stevenson Kurt Trotter Gold Coast Gold Coast Gold Coast Red Rock Lanes 845 Andrew Graff 821 Rodney Sutherland Gold Coast 814 James Eklund Age 81 Gold Coast 813 Matt Bowcutt 813 Rex Johnson Gold Coast 810 Gary Seney 809 Kevin Couch Gold Coast 808 Adam Ishman Gold Coast 805 Erik Gonzalez Gold Coast 803 James McCoy * Member, SNUSBCA Hall of Fame Information provided by Southern Nevada USBC Association

5 TenPin Alley October Jeff Gooding ABSOLUTELY... the BEST 1/2 pound burger in town!! Casino Workers and Military Discount bowling! $1.75 per game All day... every day! Seniors $1.50 Games Anytime!!...unless you re a league bowler... Then it s only $1.25 per game... anytime! Henderson s Friendlies riendliest t Place! Has It All! Casino & Bowling Center 642 South Boulder Highway Henderson, NV ESPN-PBA TOUR Schedule (PST) Dec. 4, 10 a.m. World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (men), Las Vegas. Dec. 4, 11 a.m. - World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (women), Las Vegas. Dec. 11, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA World Championship, Carter Division, Las Vegas. Dec. 18, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA World Championship, Hardwick Division, Las Vegas. Jan. 1, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA World Championship, Petraglia Division, Las Vegas. Jan. 8, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA World Championship, Aulby Division, Las Vegas. Jan. 15, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA World Championship finals, Las Vegas. Jan. 22, 12 p.m. WSOB Bayer Viper Open, Las Vegas. Jan. 29, 9:30 a.m. USBC Masters, Las Vegas. Feb. 5, 1 p.m. Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational, New Orleans. Feb. 12, 12 p.m. WSOB Chameleon Open, Las Vegas. Feb. 19, 12 p.m. WSOB Scorpion Open, Las Vegas. Feb. 26, 12 p.m. 69th U.S. Open, North Brunswick, N.J. March 4, 12 p.m. WSOB Shark Open, Las Vegas. March 25, 11:30 a.m. WSOB Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, LV April 1, 10 a.m. WSOB Carmen Salvino Classic, Las Vegas. April 8, 10 a.m. WSOB PBA Exempt Players Championship, Las Vegas. April 15, 10 a.m. PBA Tournament of Champions, Las Vegas. Vast goals are never reached with half-vast preparation TenPin Alley From Las Vegas, Nevada The Bowling Tournament Capital of the World Our 16th Year! Since March, Pacer Ave., North Las Vegas, Nevada (702) Phone & FAX tenpinvegas@cox.net Editor, Publisher, Sales V.A. French renchy Letourneau Member Bowling Writers Association of America Member Southern Bowling Writers Association Southern Nevada USBC Association Hall of Fame Owner and Inspiration Joyce Letourneau Member Bowling Writers Association of America Member Southern Bowling Writers Association Cancer Survivor Contributing writers: (USBC Hall of Famers underlined) John Jowdy Chuck Pezzano Jeanette Robinson Bill Spigner Rob Mautner Bob Korth Mark Miller Bobbi Hoven Rolf Gauger Lee Arnold SNUSBCA Photographer Kathy Prange TenPin Alley is published and distributed monthly to Southern Nevada bowling centers and pro shops as well as bowling centers in Southern Utah, Laughlin (NV), Reno, some areas of California and bowling centers and Pro Shops around the U.S. TenPin Alley is recognized as the official bowling publication from Las Vegas, Nevada, The Bowling Tournament Capital of the World. TenPin Alley is available by subscription for non-nevada residents. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. TenPin Alley assumes no responsibility or liability for errors or misrepresentations from advertised products and prices,or assumes any responsibility for advertiser or contributing writers opinions. TenPin Alley is free and not offered for sale, with the exception of expenses relating to back issues.

6 6 TenPin Alley October 2011 Bill Spigner s Bowling Clinic Q. I don t slide when I release the ball, and my arm flies up like a chicken wing. How do I correct these Problems? A. Not sliding is usually caused by taking your last step with your heel hitting the floor first, followed by your sole. The problem with this type of last step is that your body weight has to wait for the foot to land flat so the body weight can be transferred to the left leg for a righthander or the right leg for a lefthander. You need to have your upper body over your last step when you stop so you have leverage to move the ball into the release area and execute a proper release. To illustrate, I ll use a right-handed bowler (lefthanders, reverse the information). When the last step is taken heel-to-toe,the left leg usually straightens out, the upper body straightens up, and the weight is trapped on the right leg for too long. This can cause the spine angle to be too veftical, with the ball reaching the bottom of the swing behind the ankle. In the era of soft plastic, rubber, and urethane balls, there were some very successful professional bowlers who took their last step heel-to-toe, with no slide. All of these players released the ball on the upswing with a lot of loft. With today s bowling balls and the To avoid chicken-winging your release (left), imagine the tips of your fingers first pointing at the floor as you release the ball, then extending out to your target. amount of oil that is put on the lanes, you have to release the ball more parallel to the lane. In order to do this, the ball has to reach the bottom of the swing at the ankle or right in front of the ankle. This allows the ball to come off the hand when the arm and hand are traveling their fastest, because they are moving downward with gravity. If the ball hits the bottom of the Forcing your toe to touch the floor just as it passes your right foot (left) and leaning forward with your upper body to facilitate a quick weight transfer from your right to left leg [right] sends you on your way toward a successful slide-step release. swing behind the ankle-which is very common for heel-to-toe bowlers-there s a danger of releasing the ball on the upswing by the time the ball gets in front of the sliding foot. Changing from a heel-totoe last step to a slide is very difficult if you have been bowling heel-to-toe for a long time. You not only have to try to slide, you have to position your upper body over the sliding leg-and all of this has to happen just before you release the ball. To make the change, you have to forget about where the ball is going and totally focus on learning how to execute the slide step. There are three things that you can do, and to try to do them all at the same time is not easy. It s difficult enough to try to change one thing. But the good news is that all three are related, and learning to execute them in combination will improve your Play. The first change comes on the last step. Force your toe to contact the floor just as it is passing your right foot. Second, lean forward with your upper body so your weight can transfer quickly from your right to left leg. The third concerns your release, which can remedy your chicken-winging. Think of the tips of your fingers pointing to the floor when the ball comes off your hand, then extending out to your target with a very low follow-through. This will help keep you from grabbing the weight of the ball and will make it easier for you to transfer your body weight to your left leg for the last step. The heel-to-toe last step is often the result of muscling the ball from the top of the swing, where your spine angle straightens up to be vertical to the floor. When that happens, your body weight is actually moving in the opposite direction of your ball. This causes the toe to come up on the last step and the heel to hit the floor flrst. To sum it up, go into the last step toe first, keep the same forward tilt in the spine (or increase it), and release the ball down into the lane with a very low follow-through. Practice this and you will be on the way to curing your slide and chicken-winging problems. Q. My ball driller tells me my pin is four inches from my axis. On the outside of the box of the ball I bought are three figures: 15 pounds, 6 ounces (weight), 3-4 inches (pin), and 2 ounces (top weight). Does he choose a ball that begins with the pin in a certain location before drilling, or does he choose any ball of the brand that I want, and then drill according to my specs? lf I were to order a ball over the lnternet, are these three figures all the information I need? A. If you were to come into my pro shop and say you wanted a Virtual Gravity, for example, and you had no questions for me and I didn t know you at all, and you weren t interested in anything but the ball, I would have a few questions for you. I would ask if you had a ball with you, where you bowled, and what you were looking for the new ball to do in relationship to the ball you have. If you were only interested in the ball you asked for and didn t want help in selecting the ball, I d drill what you asked for. If I have a ball to work off of and a history with the bowler, then I make sure I have a ball that fits the needs of the bowler. If I don t have a ball in stock that is close to what needed to be done with the requested ball, I do one of two things: I recommend another model that is as good a ball, if not better, based on my knowledge of the player, or I ask if he or she can wait a couple of days so I can order the desired ball. If I feel the desired ball is totally wrong for the person, I will speak up. Then it s up to the bowler to decide whether or not to take my advice. I know many professional pro shop operators who work this way. It s our job to help guide you through your purchase. Your second question is about ordering over the Internet. The model of ball, weight, pin placement, and top weight are all you need to know when ordering a new bowling ball. Keep in mind that if the ball doesn t come with the specs you requested or has another problem, you will have to send it back to the place you bought it. Q. I have been teaching myself how to bowl for the past 20 years, and I try to get as much advice as I can. I average more than 200 and my game is pretty solid (l still get lazy and miss a 10-pin every now and then). Right now I am on the Amateur Bowlers tour and have started to cash on a consistent basis, but I m still having a problem with my mental game. I can put my last game behind me, but my problem is with the game I am bowling. Last week I had seven taps, two 10s, and the 2, 4,7, 8, and 9 in one game. I wasn t happy at all. Is there anything I can do to not get so upset? I m angry with the bad breaks more than anything else. And how can I get into regional events? I can t seem to find them listed in the paper. A. Stop looking at nine counts as bad breaks. Instead, start looking at the reason you are leaving them-there s always a reason the pins are left standing. The pins are telling you that the way you are getting to the pocket is not right. You are bowling at the level where understanding why you don t carry is the secret to getting better. You already have to be very consistent to keep hitthg the pocket and average more than 200. Start to leam more about your ball rotation. Seek out a good instructor in your area, or consult with your pro shop operator and have him or her watch you roll some shots. Such a seasoned observer might be able to help you understand what your ball is doing on the lane that is keeping you from carrying. To get information about PBA regionals or anything else about the PBA, go to While you re there, check into the PBA events on Xtra Frame video. You can actually watch the top eight players matches live each week, with commentary. The commentators discuss what s happening on the lanes and what each bowler might need to do to perform better. You can learn more about playing the game by watching these shows. Earlier tour events from this season are archived for viewing. Q. I have a question regarding the number of finger holes a bowling ball can have. I use a full fingertip grip (thumb and two fingers) and would like to have a conventional hole drilled (ring finger) in my current bowling ball, which is a full fingertip. The ball would have four holes: thumb, middle, and two ring fingers. The fingertip ring finger would not be used when I use the conventional hole. What is the USBC rule on an extra hole? Would drilling a ball in this way be in violation? I have arthritis in both my middle and ring fingers, although it is most severe in my ring finger. A. The USBC rule book states, The following limitations govern holes in a bowling ball: (1) Holes or indentations, not to exceed flve for gripping purposes; (2) One hole for balance purposes, not to exceed 1and1/4 inch in diameter; (3) One vent hole for each flnger and/or thumb hole; and (4) One mill hole for inspection purposes, not to exceed 5/8 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch in depth. The way the USBC rule reads, you could drill up to 12 holes in a bowling ball and it still would be legal. Many times there are misunderstandings about holes in balls. The rule says that you can have five holes for gripping purposes, but it does not say you have to use all five holes at one time. For example, if you had a hole drilled for each of your fingers, including the thumb, you would have five gripping holes. If you were to take all your fingers out of the ball and just rolled the ball with your thumb, the ball would be legal. But the five holes that are drilled for gripping purposes have to be able to be used by all four fingers and the thumb at one time. The holes have to be clearly drilled in the ball to be used at the same time. You want to drill an extra hole for balance, which is prohibited because the four holes you have drilled for gripping purposes can t be used at the same time. When you use the conventional hole, the fingertip grip hole is considered an extra hole for balance, and vice-versa using the fingertip grip hole. So you can drill your ball the way you plan to and your ball will be legal; just don t have a balance hole drilled in the ball. If you don t have a copy of the USBC rule book, ask one of your league officers for one to look at. Or you can read the rule book online at wwwbowl.com. Reprinted from April 2003 Bowling Digest Bill Spigner is a 3-time National, 9-time Regional PBA Champion and is a member of 6 bowling Halls of Fame including the USBC Hall of Fame. One of the first 20 Gold Level USBC Coaches, Bill wrote Bill Spigner s Bowling Clinic for Bowling Digest magazine from 1983 until the magazine folded in Since 2008 he s written The Pro Approach for Bowlers Journal magazine. Bill teaches privately and for more information go to or Bowling Lessons by Bill Spigner on facebook.

7 TenPin Alley October An Interview With 2010 and 2011 Teen Masters Champion Zack Hattori of Las Vegas This is life-changing for me. I m excited and shocked. I was struggling thinking about college, but it s all coming together now. My whole goal was to bowl in college. Bowling has been my gateway to get there, and now it s more real than ever. - Zack Hattori during his post-match interview after winning an unprecedented $64,000 full scholarship, courtesy of Ebonite International, in the 2011 Teen Masters at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. After qualifying for Junior Team USA at the National Junior Gold, Zack agreed to do an interview with TenPin Alley for September. He then went on to win the biggest scholarship ever, and getting ready for college and letting it all soak in took an understandable toll. We selected questions that we felt would let Zack talk freely as a bowler and a true champion. The last two questions were asked after his Teen Masters win. Frenchy Letourneau Zack Hattori Age: 18 Silverado High School graduate GPA 3.7 Parents:Thomas and Debra Hattori Siblings: Ben and Terri La-Haise Family members who bowl: Grandfather and Grandmother still bowl. Mother and Father do not bowl anymore. Other hobbies, Interests: Xbox, Golf, Basketball Career aspirations: Complete college with graduate school and hopefully a masters degree in the medical field. TPA: What do you think are the key factors which separate elite bowlers who rise above the rest and consistently occupy the top spots in major events from averageto-good bowlers who never seem to make it? Zack: I believe the biggest factor in bowling is not only your knowledge of equipment, but how strong your mental game is. The bowlers with the stronger mental game will be able to grind through the toughness and score when the shot is open. Being able to consistently repeat shots to get the correct read of the pattern is another crucial factor in determining what part of the lane to play. TPA: Rank these in order from most to least importance: knowledge of equipment, natural talent, mental toughness, commitment to excellence, confidence. Briefly explain you reasoning. Zack: 1. Confidence 2. Mental toughness 3. Knowledge of equipment 4. Commitment to excellence 5. Natural Talent No matter what situation you are in you must have confidence; even if things are not going according to plan. The mental game is one of the biggest parts of the game which is why I put it second. When it is tough, the bowlers with the best mental game are in the top a majority of the time. You also must know your equipment to strive in today s game. With all the technology out there, you must stay on top of your arsenal in order to obtain the most pins possible. Being committed to the sport of bowling is also a big factor, but these other factors are just as important; maybe more important. Natural talent is at the bottom of the list because natural talent will only get you so far. Understanding the game comes with experience along with the rest of this list. TPA: Should you choose a professional bowling career, what would be your first and foremost goals (as many as important)? Also, should you make it to a PBA TV finals, who would you like to beat to earn your first pro title? Why? Zack: If I were to become a professional bowler my goals would be simple. My only goal would be to capture two PBA titles and beat Chris Barnes and Norm Duke for the titles. Also, my other goal would just be able to compete with the professionals because those guys are good; they strike on everything. I would want to beat Chris Barnes because I believe he is the best on the PBA Tour. Most versatile player ever! TPA: List three professional bowlers you admire the most, and why. Zack: Norm Duke- He is my favorite bowler of all the PBA players Jason Couch- He is a great guy and a great friend Brad Angelo- No one is more professional than Brad Angelo and is also one of the nicest friends I know on the PBA Tour Is there any one person or persons you give credit to that helped you transition from an average bowler to being among the elite? Explain. Grandfather because he was the one who got me into bowling. Don Evans which was my first coach and helped me form a physical game Parents for all the support they give me with everything I do. Gary Oatis, author of True Bowler Adjustments, helped me with understanding lane play Mark Baker because he is the best coach in the world and he always gets me out of a slump Jeff Hemer for running the local JBT tournaments because those help you stay on top of your game and win scholorship money! TPA: What does making Junior Team USA really mean to you? Zack: Making Junior Team USA means the world to me. It has been my dream to make the team since I was 12. It feels great that all the hard work I put in has finally paid off. I will proudly bowl for my country. TPA: If you won a $50 million lottery, what would you do for bowling? What would you do for Zack? Zack: If I won 50 million dollars, I would help the youth program and Special Olympics bowling because that would benefit them so much. I would be very happy that I could pay for my schooling and not have to worry about student loans when I get out of college. (Ed note - This question was asked and answered following his success in Junior Gold before leaving for NY to defend his Teen Masters title.) TPA: If it were up to you, would you make high level tournament conditions easier so spectators can see high scores, tougher so bowlers have to perform or go home, or somewhere in between tough for competitors, but higher scoring for spectators? Zack: I really enjoy bowling on really tough conditions because it challenges me to stay consistent. When its easy it isnt that fun to me to just strike all day. The grinding part of bowling is the best part of the sport. It shows who can stay in when it gets tough. TPA: What does it tell you when you see a PBA TV match with Pete Weber bowling Norm Duke end with ? Is this good for professional bowling? Zack: It all depends on what they are bowling on. If that was the score, I bet they were bowling on something really tough, because those two bowlers are two of the best on the Tour. Also, when it comes down to one game matches, who cares what the score is; the only thing you have to do is stay ahead of your opponent. TPA: Who do you think are the most respected National Junior Gold players? Why? Zack: I believe Andrew Koff and Kyle King are the two people who have bowled Junior Gold that I respect. Andrew has proven over 4 times that he deserves to be on Team USA and that takes a lot of talent. Kyle is a bowler that I have the most respect for; we have been friends for quite a while and he has always been my idol. He is also one great bowler. TPA: After Junior Team USA, where will you take bowling in your life? Zack: After Team USA, I would love for bowling to take me to college so I can get a good education and I can plan towards my career. TPA: Now that you have back-to-back Teen Masters titles, did you compete against anyone you would consider World Class? Who and why. Zack: In the round of 4, I bowled against Ryan Ventillo. I had recently met Ryan not to long before this and we became good friends over the week. Ryan had shown the most class of the bowlers because he held his head high and he was a very smart person. TPA: With very little opportunities for professional women bowlers, what is it that you think makes a girl want to bowl at the highest level? Zack: I believe girls should always strive to perform at the highest level because women have a better chance at getting more scholorships for bowling in college than men do. (Ed note: Women s Bowling is a recognized NCAA Sport) Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z SCRATCH SINGLES TOURNAMENT Sat., Oct. 15 Noon Sun., Oct. 16 2:00 PM Must be a member of National 600 Club, 600 Club of Southern Nevada, and USBC Entry Fee $ Must wear 600 Club Uniform Three divisions based on verified averages Rosalie East

8 8 TenPin Alley October 2011 UP YOUR AVERAGE Rolf Gauger Instruction to Help Raise Your Score THE CURVED CEILING WHY MANY BETTER BOWLERS CAN T GET BETTER The word ceiling is used to describe the barriers people often face in their efforts to improve. When a career woman has trouble getting a promotion, that s referred to as hitting the glass ceiling. True, such barriers, or ceilings, are sometimes imposed by others, but many are self imposed. In bowling for example, many better players reach a sticking point they just can t seem to break through. By better bowlers I refer to those who are stuck anywhere from the 180s to the low 200s and nothing they ve tried has helped. I say such a bowler has hit the curved ceiling only because the bowling ball, being a sphere, is curved. You might be surprised how many people suffer from this curved ceiling disease. Desperate bowlers have come to me after having invested months working on their games, spending fortunes on equipment, listening to other higher average bowlers, reading books, watching pro tournaments on TV, sometimes even having doubled their weekly practice time, all to no avail. While individual bowlers have different problems of course, there are a few, which in my experience, seem to be more common than others. I see them repeated again and again. So here we ll cover a few which I ve seen result in the most dramatic improvements when corrected. These are not necessarily in order of importance. THE TILT/UNTILT APPROACH I m sure you ve seen this one among higher average bowlers, because it s quite common. During an otherwise reasonably correct approach, the bowler over-bends (tilts) forward from the waist on the next to last step (power step). Then, on the last step the bowler suddenly straightens up in preparation for the release. Often this over-bending is deliberate, to increase the height of the backswing. Even more often, I find that the bowler isn t even aware of doing this tilt/untilt behavior! Then, when shown a video of this waist bending, many can t believe that s what they ve been doing! Well, if so many better bowlers do it, why isn t it OK? The fact is that many bowlers seem to get away with it. But getting away with something doesn t mean it s necessarily the best way. Actually, when most such players have learned to overcome this habit their armswing, release, accuracy, power and consistency and scores all improve. What to do to overcome it? Well, the first correction is mental, believe it or not the realization that the biggest reason for this overbending from the waist on the power step is usually an unconscious attempt to increase backswing height. Body bending is an easy way to accomplish this. Another is to pull the backswing higher behind you, which also often causes such tilting. Some of you can already see where I m going. Right! By increasing the length, height and speed of the pushaway, the backswing height is automatically increased by just the weight of the ball, without any ball pulling or waist bending! This is so simple that most who try it are astounded by how easy that unassisted backswing really can be. This can be practiced by repeated deliveries with a mental focus on keeping chest/shoulder area absolutely quiet during the last two steps of the approach. Sort of letting that arm behave like a doggie door, where the hinge stays still and merely swivels, while the doggie door swings back and forth. This obviously also helps with staying solid at the line, as we discussed last month. The illustration shows the best possible modern position at the line, everything it its correct place. EXCEPTIONS? That having been said, remember the caveat that some successful pros also make this tilting error. When a winning pro does this and keeps winning, how can it be wrong? Obviously it s not wrong for that individual! As I keep stressing, when a touring pro successfully does something that causes problems for others, it s usually due to those hundreds of practice games per month, which the amateur with a day job can t match. But even among most pros, over-tilting is a no-no! Every experienced coach trains athletes in the most correct possible processes, knowing that certain talented individuals can sometimes get away with breaking those laws. But even most of the best still follow them. Basketball s Michael Jordan didn t do it wrong and get away with it he just did it better than anyone else. The same is true of Tiger Woods. He doesn t break the laws of golf s physics and somehow punch through them; he uses them correctly and just does it better. So while there are always those successful athletes who break some of the laws, it s not what bowlers striving to improve should copy. THE FLYING BACK LEG One that is so common even among tournament bowlers that I often find myself watching them in disbelief. You can t dismiss the importance of being solid at the line for a consistent release. Letting the back leg lift upward at the line is one sure way to make such a release more difficult. Again, this may be something some bowlers seem to get away with, but I repeat; getting away with something isn t the best way. True, this was considered correct in the past and many great pros did it (admittedly, a few still do). It was part of what was called extension, which was important back then. Even today this flying leg position can be seen on bowling book covers and bowling center entrance signs all over the world. But it s incorrect for today s equipment and lanes. Keeping that back foot on the floor definitely helps to eliminate this problem. Again, looking at the illustration will provide a visual of the correct modern position of the back leg So, such an upward pumping back leg at the line allows the torso to lunge right through the release. Lunging makes it impossible to keep the head still. It also breaks one critical modern bowling rule don t allow the chest to go forward past the front knee! Again there are a few current champs who bend at the waist and achieve wins, but most do not. Mike Aulby, the youngest PBA pro to ever be inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame, used this style. But he kept his head still, so you never saw him lunge. Earl Anthony s great record was also achieved with a forward bend but it was said of him that a glass of water on his head would never spill also that he could split a board into three parts and hit any one of the parts. Such outstanding players are difficult, if not impossible, to emulate. They are the exceptions that prove the rule. HITTING UP ON THE BALL For years we were taught lift. I was taught it, even during the first coaching certification seminar I attended. It was also mentioned in bowling books, so it was pretty prevalent. I mention it only because lift was considered an important part of a proper release before the early 1990s.With my old Manhattan rubber ball from 1960 it worked pretty well, too. But if the thumb remained in the hole a split second too long, lift became loft. Revs would be drastically reduced and the shot ruined. Unfortunately, many still consider lift as a desirable technique. It s not! THE PROBLEM Even back in 1987, in an excellent instructional tape featuring Hall of Fame coach John Jowdy and the great PBA Hall of Fame pro Marshall Holman, the subject of hitting up on the ball was rejected. The reasons make even more sense today and include the following: 1) It makes the ball bounce on impact with the lane, thus slowing down revs and reducing torque; 2) with revs developing before the ball lands, it may jump ½ sideways on impact and cause high pocket hits or splits; 3) with modern equipment it often causes erratic length, making break point shooting much more difficult. THE SOLUTION It s relatively easy to avoid hitting up on the ball. Timing is the answer. Prior to the late 1980s, bowlers were taught that the foot and the ball had to arrive at the line simultaneously. This is no longer true! Today, it s important to get to the line slightly ahead of the ball! Why? Because today, it s important to release the ball more like an airplane coming in for a landing. Once more, the illustration shows the correct modern method. It s easier to create this arm/hand release point with slightly faster approach steps, to allow the finishing foot to get to the line a split second before the ball reaches the bottom of the swing. The late, great Bob Summerville once made reference to the importance of the elimination of lift in modern bowling something like this, The optimum swing pattern used to be back, down and up (lift); now it is back, down and flat (project)! Like Jowdy, Summerville had it right, ahead of most others! In the near future we ll cover some additional reasons why some better bowlers don t get better. If and when you bump up against such a curved ceiling it s usually high time your game is checked for flaws in fundamentals. Like when Tiger Woods revamped his golf game after winning the Masters. You d think that, plus all his other great wins, would leave him satisfied with his game. But somehow he must have felt he had reached a personal ceiling of his own. So guess what he reportedly worked on? Fundamentals! In doing that, he obviously broke through and raised his own ceiling. So can we all!

9 TenPin Alley October Instructors, Teachers & Coaches Joani Emery - USBC Silver Certified Coach coachjoani@cox.net Wally Fellman - Certified instructor. Former touring PBA member. Group and private classes. Video analysis Jerry Francomano - IBPSIA Certified instructor. USA Bowling Certified Silver Coach. Super School Instructor. Texas Station Lawrence Frey - Certified Bronze Coach LFrey3@cox.net Becky Herman - Certified Silver Instructor - Private/Small Group Lessons and clinics available at Gold Coast, Orleans, Sam s Town and Suncoast. teninthepit@cox.net Cordova Hicks - Certified USA Bowling Silver Level Coach Bud Horn - 2 time PBA Champion, USBC Hall of Fame, Southern California Hall of Fame, first to roll 300 in ABC Masters for appointment. Wendy Macpherson - Professional instruction by 4-time PWBA Bowler of the Year By appointment Rob Mautner - SILVER Level Certified Coach Bob Duffy McDonough - USBC Silver Certified Coach - Group & Private Lessons, with or w/o video analysis, $15 - $50. Two Sunday morning Gold Coast group sessions only $15 for 90 minutes (incl. lineage). 8:00 am to 11:00 am. More info at , duffy@learntobowl.com. Gary Oatis - USBC Silver Certified,PBA member - Private and Group lessons, $20per person. Learn to Adjust! Advanced bowlers learn to string strikes! Call or text ,or truebowlers@aol.com. David Pierce - Available for coaching at the Suncoast Cell Fridays 4:00-5:30pm - Juniors Saturday mornings 7:30-8:45 Sundays 7:30-9:00am and 9:00-10:30am Mike Procaccino - Private instruction Jeanette Robinson - Member of 7 Halls of Fame. Coached U.S. Team in Europe. Teaching Pro at Joe Salvemini - 3-time National PBA champion, 9-time PBA Regional champion, 28 years PBA member, 15 years Pro Shop experience Rose Smith - USBC Senior Queens Champion, Golden Ladies Champion Bowling lessons for all ages by appointment or Kieth Thode - USBC Bronze Level Certified or Robert Walters - Bronze Certified Coach Cell: bwalters4@embarqmail.com Ron Winger - 5-time PBA Champion, member Southern California Hall of Fame Available for instruction: cell Ask Bob Bob Korth Q. This is my first year in a scratch league. My average is 187 and recently my ball has been hooking early, causing me to go high. One of my teammates told me to aim at the break point to help stop the ball from rolling early. I have heard of the break point before but I really don t know where that is. Can you help? A. That was good advice. Sometimes, looking at the break point will get the ball down the lane further. The break point is the area down the lane where the oil stops and the dry begins. So it will be different in every center, to some degree. It could be at 35 feet or 40 feet. You will need to watch others in your league. Watch the place where the ball makes a definitive move toward the pocket. This is the break point. The break point will be in nearly the same place for everyone at your center no matter what angle they use. Just by watching, you will quickly pick up where the break point is. Q. Can you give me the basics of how to play lanes? I do well in my home center but struggle at other bowling centers. I know I would be better if I just knew how to move on the lanes. BOWLING FIRST, THEN IT S FOOTBALL We can create only so many wordsearches with bowling terms, so we decided to give you your next (or maybe your first) love... Football. CLIPPING CONVERSION DEFENSE DOWNS FIELD GOAL FLANKER GOAL POST INTERFERENCE KICKER LINEBACKER LOSS OF DOWN OFFSIDES PERSONAL FOUL QUARTERBACK ROUGHING SAFETY SCRIMMAGE SPECIAL TEAMS SUPER BOWL TACKLE TAILBACK TOUCHDOWN YARDAGE A. Here is a short method I use to play lanes. 1. Take a few shots just to get stretched out and warmed up. Then shoot a 7 pin to get an idea of how much oil is in the center of the lane. 2. Then shoot a 10 pin or two watch where the ball stops skidding and grabs the lane. This will give you an idea of the distance of the break point. 3. Try different arrows and observe what kind of reaction you get from each one. Don t forget to watch other bowlers to see where they might be playing the lanes. 4. If you have time, try a couple of different balls with different surfaces to see how they react. 5. Remember, you get no score for strikes in practice, so try lines across the lane till you find one that works the best for this session. Q. In one of the leagues I bowl in, many of the scratch bowlers have bowling balls with 4 and even five holes in them. How many holes can a bowling ball have in it? A. The answer to this question is technically 11. You may have one gripping hole for each finger (5). Plus you can have a vent hole for each gripping hole; the vent hole relieves the air pressure in the hole for a clean release. No Suction. Then, you may have one weight hole. Most have only the standard 3 gripping holes and sometimes a weight hole. And some like me have 4 gripping holes, and sometimes a weight hole. I have not seen the use of vent hole for a long time. They have been out of style for some time. However, if your thumb swells quite a bit during league or a tournament, the vent hole in the thumb can cut down on the swelling. To ask a question write askbobk@gmail.com this is a new address.

10 10 TenPin Alley October 2011 Humor Me Seeing is believing... Four men, well along in years, had bowled as a foursome every Sunday morning, until one of them passed away. The other three asked the house pro if he could find them a compatible gentleman to fill out the foursome again. No problem, answered the pro. But, you have to understand, one of the guys, named George, explained, that Ralph, who died, was like our eyes. We re all getting some cataracts, and have trouble seeing the ball. Ralph s eyesight was perfect, and he was our spotter. The pro promised to see what he could do, and, when the others returned the following Sunday, he introduced them to a truly ancient looking gentleman, named Walt. How old are you? George asked. I m ninety-four, Walt responded. Fabulous, said George. But how s your eyesight? At this, Walt blew up. Don t insult my eyes, he yelled. I may be old, but I ve got vision. I have eyes like an eagle. Don t insult me! Okay, okay, the others said. Let s bowl. George started on lane 10, and he hit light, leaving a washout. He turned to Walt. Did you see where it went? he asked the ancient one. Did I see where it went? I told you not to insult my eyesight. Of course, I saw where it went. I ve got eyes like an eagle! Walt yelled. Okay, I m sorry, said George. Where did it go? Walt dropped his head, and muttered, Ummm...I forgot. A man asked his wife, What would you most like for your birthday? She said, I d love to be ten again. On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a theme park. He put her on every ride in the park, the Death Slide, The Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear. Everything there was, she had a go. She staggered out of the theme park five hours later, her head reeling and her stomach upside down. Into McDonald s they went, where she was given a Double Big Mac with extra fries and a strawberry shake. Then off to a movie theater, more burgers, popcorn, cola and sweets. At last she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed. Her husband leaned over and asked, Well, dear, what was it like being ten again? One eye opened and she groaned, Actually I meant dress size.

11 TenPin Alley October fli side p with Rob Mautner Steroid Bowling Balls... and the Great Wall Wishy-washy: an individual who finds it to be so uncomfortable to state an opinion that he would rather be perceived to have no opinion at all. No one will ever accuse me of being wishy-washy! Serious bowlers have long had discussions about the true cause of bowling s demise. Some, including me have said that it s modern steroidal bowling balls that virtually hook by themselves that is causing weekly scoring fests in virtually every center in the country. Others say that it is the fact that the USBC allows bowling centers to wall the lanes. For those of you who hear this term and really don t understand it, please permit me to explain. Each day, and in most cases, twice each day, the oil machine is run down each lane in the bowling center. In a complex series of events, with one pass of the machine, the lane is stripped of old oil, and new oil is added to the clean lane. Initially, oil was used to protect the wooden lane investment of bowling center proprietors, by limiting the amount of wear on the lanes caused by the bowling balls. To really simplify the roll of the oil on the lane as it affects modern bowlers, when your ball encounters oil on the lane it skids, and when it encounters drier boards, friction is created that allows the ball to hook toward the 1-3 pocket (for right-handers). Different oil patterns are used that vary in terms of length (forty feet is about average in most bowling centers). The one thing that a great majority of house shots (the oil pattern that is put down daily for leagues and open play) have in common is that there is a very heavy volume of oil put down on the center part of the lane, usually from the second arrow on the right, to the second arrow on the left. The amount of oil is then gradually decreased to as little as the three unit minimum USBC requirement, on the first board next to each gutter. Since the USBC only requires three units minimum of oil from gutter to gutter, bowling centers are free to add as much oil in the middle part of the lane as they want. The resulting typical house shot allows bowlers to miss to the left (right-handers) where they encounter more oil that results in more skid to keep the ball on line to the 1-3 pocket longer, or to miss right where the ball encounters more friction earlier, and hooks back towards the pocket. While steroidal bowling balls have definitely contributed to the incredibly highscoring house shot environment by making a great release less important than ever before (it s now harder to keep a ball from hooking too much, than to get it to hook at all), the lack of regulation of oil ratios has had as much, if not more of an effect on the scoring environment. When you take steroidal bowling balls and walled lane conditions, and you combine them with synthetic bowling lanes on which the oil moves very quickly, and bowling pins made with modern materials using designs that encourage them to fly around when struck by a powerful bowling ball, you have the recipe for the possible demise of the sport that so many of us love. This winter season, as an experiment to see just how much lane conditions and bowling balls affect scoring, I decided to bowl two leagues in two different local bowling centers. In my Tuesday night league, and sometimes on the weekend when I practice or bowl in senior pot games, I take one urethane bowling ball, a Storm Natural, and use it exclusively for strikes and spares. I must admit that it s really fun to walk into a bowling center with the single ball bag that I scrounged out of the clutter in TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL Whether you are a beginning bowler who is ready to take the game more seriously, or a high average bowler who is ready to give the PBA a shot, call me. I can help. Affordable individual lessons at the Las Vegas Center of your choice. COACHING SILVER LEVEL my garage, take out my shoes, my towel, and my ball a get down to the business of bowling. It s sort of like Roy in Tin Cup after he broke most all of his golf clubs, This looks like a perfect shot for my seven-iron. Substitute urethane bowling ball! So far, a month into my experiment, I m finding some very interesting results. First off, for the most part, I average about the same with the urethane ball as I do when I bring four or five reactive balls. The difference is how I do it. As a lower rev player, I rarely bowl really high games with the urethane ball. On the other side of the coin, I rarely bowl a really low game with the urethane ball either. The differences between individual lanes are minimized with a less reactive ball, with a big difference being around three boards rather than eight or nine. Similarly, once I find a shot with the urethane ball, it rarely changes more than a board or two during a three game set. Perhaps the lack of regulation of lane conditions is the problem after all. So what s the big deal about out-of-control scoring in bowling? Doesn t it just give bowlers a chance to bowl some high games as they are out for their weekly entertainment? Sure. The problem is that way too many people are taking this game way too seriously thinking they are so much better than they really are. It seems that unsportsmanlike behavior is on the rise. Just in the last month, I ve seen a fistfight narrowly averted over lane courtesy, heard about several bowlers who quit bowling part way through a set or even a game because they re bowling bad, and know several fickle pot game bowlers who ve stopped participating because, for whatever reason, the house shot got more difficult. I ve seen bowlers kick ball returns because they didn t carry the ten pin on their way to a 250 game; never mind the three strikes they threw that should have missed the head pin but hit the wall and came screaming back to the pocket. Come to think about it, bowlers seem to love to complain. For many years I ve bowled in handicap leagues, sometimes with my wife and sometimes by myself. I like the camaraderie of handicap leagues, and usually reserve any serious bowling I do for the weekends. For years I ve heard accusations of people sandbagging in handicap leagues. I m sure it goes on, but I like to think that it s pretty rare and that most people have more integrity than to do it. Recently I heard an incredible whine from the other side of the coin. A bowler in a handicap league was complaining that it s not fair that all of the bowlers on the first place team average 200. I have only one thing to say to that: they are 200 average bowlers because they ve worked on their bowling. They ve taken lessons, and they practice. Let s try not to lose sight of the fact that bowling is still a sport, regardless of how easy it has become in recent years. To end on a positive note, the Vibes Tournament that I ve talked about in the past is scheduled for October 23, at 10:00 a.m. at Red Rock Lanes. The tournament is being contested on the PBA Shark pattern, and is being held in conjunction with a Storm demo. The tournament winner, along with another random tournament participant will get to bowl with the Storm pros and have a chance to win a new Storm bowling ball. Sounds like fun! Contact Rob Mautner * * robbob5@embarqmail.com

12 12 TenPin Alley October 2011 Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. A breakthrough in coverstock technology rarely happens due to the complex nature of chemistry and polymer science. Yet our new release will glide through the heads more easily than the original Virtual Gravity Nano yet still handle heavy oil. Scan this QR Code with your mobile device to learn more about Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl In looking for different ways to expand the benefits of nanotechnology, we explored several additive options to the base NRG coverstock and found that adding mica to this shell material created a cleaner glide through the heads without sacrificing any of its ability to handle larger amounts of oil. You ll see increased entry angle with the new Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl with simultaneous amplified oil traction usually reserved for textured solids. stormbowling.com