When was the last time you rolled a ball?

[9andaWiggle]

Since this is technically a bowlimg forum, when was the last time you bowled?

I think it's been 4 or 5 years for me. Went to some bar/bowling alley/club thing with some friends. It was pretty horrible. I'm glad I didn't bother taking my own stuff and just used the house ball. A lady in our group brought her ball (a Storm, because it was pretty and smelled good). She was more of a stroker release, definitely not a cranker nor even a tweener, and she couldn't keep it on the lane. They had NO conditioner out there at all. As soon as she set it down it went immeduately left. Wound up just having a "who can throw it the fastest" competition instead.

So yeah, that pretty much did it for me - since everything within 90 minutes of shitty traffic from my house are all "entertainment centers" I've basically given up the game. I've culled the equipment down to just 4 balls and my 4 ball roller, and have considered getting rid of all that too. All it does is take up space, and I don't see me bowling again any time soon. If I do, it'll be unlikely I drag this stuff out for drunken glow bowl, and if I move somewhere that has a competitive scene and start bowling league again I'll likely need to upgrade anyway...

So, what's your situation with bowling?

 

[sevenpin63]

I bowl twice a week, average anywhere from 210 to 220

 

[Greg T.]

In December of 2009 I slipped and fell on my way to the lanes. Herniated a disk in my neck. Bowled like shit that night, and that was the beginning of destroying my 239 average that year. Nursed it along with doctors, injections and therapy, and ended the year with a 199. Then, in June of 2010 I injured my back at work which resulted in major lower back surgery. April of 2010 was my last ball rolled. I now have a lifetime 20# weight limit in close proximity. 4# limit if I reach. So, getting close to 10 years for me. I miss it.

 

[Scolai]

I went bowling with my family on Father's Day in 2017. That was the last time I threw a ball. I haven't bowled in league since 2011 or so. I do miss the game and the competition.

I spend most of my time these days learning the finer aspects of Isshinryu karate (hence the image at left). All the magic that happened for me on the lanes has been transferred to the mat.

 

[9andaWiggle]

I bowl twice a week, average anywhere from 210 to 220

I remember those days... but I was more of a 205-215 avg. bowler on the THS. I do miss it - especially the short 12 weeks sport league I was in the last couple years I bowled. It was the first time I had the opportunity to try such conditions. It was humbling at first, but I improved and did pretty well IMO for a non-pro hack - think I got up to around 190 avg there.

 

[AlwaysWrite]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Here's a bowling column I wrote several weeks after I was forced to quit bowling, and it's self-explanatory.]

Date: Friday, October 13, 2006
Edition: All
Section: SPORTS
Page: C2
Type: COLUMN
Column: Bowling

Source: Bill Herald
Headline: I'm going to miss being able to compete in bowling

The reality has set in. The reality that I likely will never be able to bowl again.

When I shoed up behind Lanes 37 and 38 at AMF Gulf Gate Lanes on Sept. 5, I certainly had no idea that I was about to bowl what was probably my final league session. Had I known, I may have been too melancholy to compete.

In a way, I'm glad I didn't know when my last game would come. As it was, I ended on a good note, rolling 225 and finishing my career with 19 consecutive clean frames.

But, unknown to me, bowling was starting to take its toll on my feet, which will soon become the subject of a surgeon's equipment. The actual condition is Charcot foot, which leads to "foot trauma" associated with neuropathy and diabetes-type symptoms.

I suppose I could rationalize that I'd rather hang it up now when, despite gradually fading skills, I could still roll the ball somewhat effectively. The alternative would be to continue bowling for years to come, eventually becoming only a shell of what I used to be -- a true has-been in every sense of the word. But even having said that, I would have preferred the latter scenario.

[subhead]Elusive 300 never happened

I'm disappointed in one regard: Even though I twice strung 17 strikes in a row over two games, I never rolled a perfect game. In fact, I never started a game with more than nine in a row.

Just once, I would have relished the opportunity to stand on the approach with the first 11 in a row and have the knowledge and feeling of being one single strike away from perfection. Even had I failed, it would have been a memorable experience.

I'm thankful to be the defending association singles champion, in addition to having won three association senior titles (singles, all-events and team) in the past three years.

I was one of the area's best bowlers for a time, but my game and style just never meshed with the modern-day high-scoring era. Although the game has evolved to an era of much-easier lane conditions, modern-day "atomic" balls and pins that are easier to topple, I'm not bitter. I had my time. I just wasn't effectively able to fine-tune my game to the higher-scoring era.

I don't know the best way to put it, but sometimes the result of a delivery hinges on fractions of inches. And the same fractions of inches that were so kind to me in my prime years weren't quite so kind in recent years.

God blessed me with excellent hand-eye coordination, and I've always had mental toughness. And, indeed, so much of the game is mental.

[subhead]Final frame comes to all

Every bowler eventually rolls his or her final frames. But the sport continues, although an individual's final frames come all too quickly.

Bowling has taken me to many places. I've bowled in 31 consecutive national tournaments, 39 straight state tourneys, and I've bowled tournaments in 28 of the 50 states. I've bowled in almost every Florida city, including many as a member (circa 1970s) of the Florida All-Star Bowling Association.

It's tough -- and yet not so tough -- to say goodbye (as an on-the-lanes participant) to a game I enjoyed playing for five decades, including 43 years in league play, with most of them in this area.

[subhead]A privilege to bowl

Regardless of their ability level, people should consider it a privilege just to be able to bowl. I expect that I'll come to the realization as to how precious it is just to be able to walk.

My last team, with which I started my aborted final season, will continue, and I wish them luck. And I plan to continue writing this column, though I realize that a time will come when my final column is written.

Yes, the end comes to everything in this world -- often, much sooner that we would hope.

I'm fortunate to have had so many good teammates over the years, and space precludes naming them all, but two of them deserve special mention: Pete Yerem and Joe Urban.

Yerem's career and life were snuffed out by a rare and cruel disease six years ago, and Urban has been an exceptional teammate almost every year for the past four decades. And both of them are as fine an individual and teammate as you'll ever meet.

Bowling is something I've always looked forward to, ever since my father took a bright-eyed 14-year-old youngster to bowl his first game -- which turned out to be a 108 -- back in 1956.

And from that 108 game to the 225 on Sept. 5, it's been an enjoyable, interesting and unforgettable 50-year ride.

 

[WAMO]

I JUST STARTED BACK THIS YEAR AFTER A 2 AND A HALF YEAR LAYOFF. WAS PUT ON A TEAM THAT I KNEW NOONE. BOWL IN A LEAGUE THAT I KNEW ABOUT 4 PEOPLE GOING IN. 2 AND A HALF YEARS AGO WAS WHEN I MOVED FROM DALLAS TO MINEOLA. SO INSTEAD OF 20 MINUTES DRIVE TO BOWL, 1 HOUR TRIP TO LONGVIEW. I USUALLY AVERAGE AROUND 215. I HAVE RAISED MY AVERAGE TO 195 AFTER 9 WEEKS. GETTING BETTER, BUT STILL ALOT OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD LEFT KNEE (SLIDE FOOT) ISSUES FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS NOW. I THINK I AM JUST TO TIMID AND SCARED IM GOING TO HURT IT WORSE. BUT I JUST MISSED IT TO MUCH NOT TO TRY. I KNOW THAT MAYBE SOMETIME SOON I WILL BE DONE. BUT UNTIL THEN...SHOW UP AND BLOW ME YOU NO BOWLING BITCHES!!! THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS UP 9!!!

 

[WAMO]

GOOD ARTICLE AW. BOWLED WITH AND AGAINST MANY OF THE OLD TIMERS FROM THE DAY AND ALOT OF THE KIDS FROM TODAY. WOULD NOT TRADE ANY OF MY BOWLING DAYS, GOOD OR BAD, FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

 

[AlwaysWrite]

GOOD ARTICLE AW. BOWLED WITH AND AGAINST MANY OF THE OLD TIMERS FROM THE DAY AND ALOT OF THE KIDS FROM TODAY. WOULD NOT TRADE ANY OF MY BOWLING DAYS, GOOD OR BAD, FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

Dear WAMO:

I've also bowled against many of the old-time greats. As a member of the Florida All-Star Bowling Association, I competed against such stars as two-time PBA Tournament Of Champions winner Jim Godman, 13-time PBA titlist Bill Allen, 1967 Masters champion Lou Scalia and others.

In 1973, I had the opportunity to bowl an exhibition match at my home center (Sarasota Lanes) against Godman, when proprietor Bernie Levkoff hosted a celebration of the center's 15th anniversary, and he chose me to bowl Godman because I was the highest-average player in the center, even though I only averaged about 197 in a much-lower-scoring era.

I couldn't quite beat him, but I came close, losing 592-581. And I couldn't have received a better compliment than when Godman told me, "If you can average nearly 200 on a shot like this, you're a hell of a bowler."

 

[9andaWiggle]

I JUST STARTED BACK THIS YEAR AFTER A 2 AND A HALF YEAR LAYOFF. WAS PUT ON A TEAM THAT I KNEW NOONE. BOWL IN A LEAGUE THAT I KNEW ABOUT 4 PEOPLE GOING IN. 2 AND A HALF YEARS AGO WAS WHEN I MOVED FROM DALLAS TO MINEOLA. SO INSTEAD OF 20 MINUTES DRIVE TO BOWL, 1 HOUR TRIP TO LONGVIEW. I USUALLY AVERAGE AROUND 215. I HAVE RAISED MY AVERAGE TO 195 AFTER 9 WEEKS. GETTING BETTER, BUT STILL ALOT OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD LEFT KNEE (SLIDE FOOT) ISSUES FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS NOW. I THINK I AM JUST TO TIMID AND SCARED IM GOING TO HURT IT WORSE. BUT I JUST MISSED IT TO MUCH NOT TO TRY. I KNOW THAT MAYBE SOMETIME SOON I WILL BE DONE. BUT UNTIL THEN...SHOW UP AND BLOW ME YOU NO BOWLING BITCHES!!! THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS UP 9!!!

Maybe try switching hands like you do with Imogen videos! Then your good knee becomes your slide leg, and you could bowl another 50 years. Plus, the left side is super cheated-up and easy, you should be averaging 230+ within a month.

 

[WAMO]

I HAVE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF SWITCHING HANDS. OR EVEN THE 2 HANDED BOWLING. EVEN THOUGH THE 2 BEST 2 HANDERS EVER ARE REALLY GOOD FREINDS. CHUCK LANDE (THE ORIGINAL) AND ANTHONY SIMONSEN. LOVE EM BOTH. ITS NOT MY RIGHT HAND THAT CAUSED MY LEFT KNEE TO GIVE OUT. BUT IM HARD HEADED THAT WAY. LOL. NOR WOULD I LEAVE THIS SITE BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDNT AGREE WITH SOMETHING I SAID. IM HARD HEADED THAT WAY TOO. LOL.

 

[WAMO]

YOU LEAVE IMOGEN OUT OF THIS! SHEEP BOY.

 

[9andaWiggle]

 

[Greg T.]

YOU LEAVE IMOGEN OUT OF THIS! SHEEP BOY.

She said to tell you howdy, Wamo.

 

[WAMO]

IMOGEN G!

 

[Djarum300]

Last year we threw a few games. We hadn't bowled since 2014. I was way out of bowling shape. Sparked me to do weights at the gym we joined. Might try to get back into it.

I just read that Brunswick bought ebonite. Really surprised the ftc allowed it since storm is really the only player still left.

 

[WAMO]

HELL...AMF / BOWLERO BOUGHT BRUNSWICK CENTERS.

 

[WAMO]

THATS NOT USUALLY A GOOD SIGN.

 

[9andaWiggle]

Last year we threw a few games. We hadn't bowled since 2014. I was way out of bowling shape. Sparked me to do weights at the gym we joined. Might try to get back into it.

I just read that Brunswick bought ebonite. Really surprised the ftc allowed it since storm is really the only player still left.

I don't know for sure if bowling has kept declining, if it's leveled off, or gotten better. I suspect one of the first two and there's just not enough $ in bowling to support very many companies these days.

Let us know how it goes if you start bowling on a regular basis again.

 

[Djarum300]

I don't know for sure if bowling has kept declining, if it's leveled off, or gotten better. I suspect one of the first two and there's just not enough $ in bowling to support very many companies these days.

Let us know how it goes if you start bowling on a regular basis again.

Part of the problem is choice. One center burned down a few years ago and another closed down. I live in a city of 180k with a metro of 500k and we only have two centers. We have a fun/recreational center but no leagues. We also have one in base that's prey nice but wierd hours.