Here we go!!

I used to watxh rhat show regfularly way back when, and I certainly enjoyed it far more than watching the modrn-day game of walled-up lanes, atomic balls, two-handed deliveries, etc.

The old-time bowlers had to earn their scores on far-tougher conditions, and when you watch such shows nowadays, most of the time, they are just carry contests.

Thanks for (posting) the memories, Greg!
 
I believe what most of the elders believe. Equipment and two-handers have destroyed the game. I say level the playing field. Make balls all nearly the same with non-reactive covers, and use one hand. Oil patterns may vary so that a bowler has to figure out a path to the pocket.
 
Greg T. said:
I agree 100%, as should be all the new tech for coverstocks and oil. It's just turned into a rev game. Accuracy doesn't mean shit anymore.
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Dear Greg T:

Obviously I agree. I never rolled a strong ball, but I was deadly accurate, and trough most of the 1970s, I was the best local league and tournament bowler in an association of more that 7,100 membrs.

Galaxy Lanes opened its doors in 1976, and for the first three seasons in that house, I carried the highest average in the center. In the 1978-79 season, I averaged 197 which was rhe early house record, and I also averaged 197 in 1979-80.

However, for the 1979-80 season, Galaxy Lanes unveiled "the Great Wall Of China" and scoring went through the roof. In the Friday Night Scratch League, my 197 average was about 30th in the league! The lane man (Tommy Evans) averaged 224 and one of his teammates averaged 220.

Even on a "super wall" I wasn't able to increase my average a bit. I was already accurate, bu suddenly, many of the league members who rolled a stronger ball were just as accurate as I was.

What a joke! The other area centers hadn't walled-up their lanes yet, and I was able to maintain pper 190s averages in thouse houses, but all of those Galaxy "wall shooters" showed their true colors outside of Galaxy. Some of them still averaged as low as the 160s and 170s if they bowled at any other house.

But everything worked out for my team at the end of the season. When we rolled off for the league championship, we were able to rout the team with the 224 and 220 shooters. The lanes were the easiest I'd ever seen to that point, but it didnt help me mucxh, as I only managed a 629. However, my national doubles partner Pete Yerem, who had never shot a 700 series, shot 755 and two other teammates were also well over 700.

When the dust had cleared, so to speak, my team set the all-time association record with 3.382 -- a score higher than any team in the history of the ABC national tournament -- including teams with Dick Weber, Don Carter, Earl Anthony, etc. -- had shot. In the last game, our wall-shooting opponents had three games over 254 and we srill won the game . The difference was that we could still make our spares while they had massive trouble making spares when they didn't strike.

And once most centers ent to "the wall" the game was never the same!
 
We had the same here. The old oiler they had would lay down a 15 foot shot and then blend from there. That was it. Flat. Then the reactives came out and all went to hell. After the first horrible season of reactives, the houses went to new oil and machines. I managed to adjust because I began bowling late in life and was able to make the transition. Although I never had the chance to really see how far I could go because of my injury, My best year was the the year I got hurt, and carried a 239 ave for the first part of the year. I should have quit at the point of injury, but i kept trying and going downhill until I finally gave up.

And now, they're goin to string pins, so lets have half the game in the 21st century and the other half in the 19th century. Make balls with more and more power and carry, and then fuck up the pins. SMFH...
 
I'll have a lot to say in various forums in three days (June 20), which will be exactly two decades since Bowling Headquarters officially approved two 900 series that were "supposedly" rolled by Robert Mushtare in pre-bowled sessions without witnesses.

How can anyone have faith in bowling's so-called leaders when they turn down Glenn Allison's 900 and allow two 900s to Mushtare? And actually, Mushtare rolled a third 900, which was turned down because th league wassn't proper;y sanctioned at the time.
 
My son was on a youth league team with Kyle Troup when they were kids. Kyle and his brother, Tyler, were two handed- so naturally my son wanted to do the same. I said no, you are doing fine and no need to change now. So he continued traditional bowling until college and decided to try two handed. He had a 300 game within a year. I was happy for him as it was his decision as a young adult. Looking back, I ponder my decision regarding one vs two. No regrets.
 
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