8
- December 2016
50 Bones In The Human Foot!
At last count, there are 22 bowlers who had recorded 900 three game sets. It took 102
years to have the first one approved. An interesting invitational event would be to gather
the tri-perfecto to shooters together for a competition made up of one ball rounds. Where
only strike shooters and ties move on to another round but only if they come to a round
in which none registers a ten fall.
. . . Before it was Time square, the busy, busy area in New York City was known as Lon-
gacre Square. In 1895, the same year the American Bowling Congress was founded,
Oscar Hammerstein of show biz fame erected an immense complex of four theaters, a
roof garden,, a Turkish bath, restaurants - - - and you guessed it - - - a bowling alley.
. . . Yes, the Al Trautwig, who does a fine job on so many major sporting events, is the
man who was the lead announcer for the pro-tour when it was featured on USA TV.
. . . Most sports and other organized activities are having difficult times for a number of
reasons. However the main aim should be for bowling leaders to hang together as much
as possible or they’ll all hang separately. .
. . . Most bowlers aren’t slow learners. Sometimes teaching comes hard to their instruc-
tors.
. . . It’s always a temptation to kick the rack after a bad shot or bad break until you realize
that there are more than 50 bones in the human foot.
Timing and Coordination
You’ve seen servicemen marching and counting cadence: “Hup, two, three,
four; hup, two, three, four...”
Drill instructors have found that counting in unison teaches recruits timing and
coordination. Bowlers should count cadence, too, although not aloud. Form the
habit of repeating to yourself EVERY time you bowl: “Out, down, back, roll.” On
the first step the ball is swung out; the second step, the ball goes down; the
third step, the ball swings back; and on the fourth step, the ball is delivered and
rolled. This sequence helps you synchronize the four-step bowling delivery,
which is the easiest to learn.
The ball is moved to each of the four positions during delivery. If arms, legs,
body and bowling ball are coordinated at each step, you have timing and coor-
dination...and should hit the target.
Start by reviewing hints in an earlier lesson. Pick up the ball correctly, hold it
at approximately waist level, shift it to the bowling side so it will clear the hip.
Now, push the ball out toward the pins on the first step. It is rounded out and
down to the second step, swung to the rear on the third, and moved forward
and rolled on the fourth step. Don’t forget to count to yourself: “Out, down, back,
roll.”
The first step is short, slow and easy. Push the ball away in a short, easy
movement. I’ve found that most bowlers get into timing and coordination trouble
right here—at the first step. If you swing the ball out to arm’s length before or
during the first step, this will cause a lunge.
Do you push the ball out to arm’s length, THEN take a short step? You’ll find
that the weight of the ball and its pendulum effect pull you down during the sec-
ond and third steps, causing you to raise up automatically at the foul line in time
for the delivery. This is wrong. Don’t do it.
Take it easy. Keep the knees bent slightly all the way to the foul line. This will
make it easy to slide and keep yourself from rearing up during the delivery. And
take it SLOWLY. A speedy approach doesn’t bring a good delivery.
Don’t forget to check to see if you walked straight to the foul line or to your
target.
Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
(reprinted in honor of his dedication to bowling)
PBA Plethora’s
Gary Faulkner Jr. to defend World Championship title:
In 2015, 25-year-old Gary
Faulkner Jr. of Memphis, Tenn., made history winning the PBA World Championship for
his first Tour title by defeating EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind.
,
216-178
,
in the title match
and becoming only the second African American to win a PBA Tour title.
Other young players making their mark in PBA Tour history:
In February,
Jesper
Svensson of Sweden became the youngest player to win PBA’s signature major, the
FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions, eight days before his 21st birthday. Now with
five career titles, he also is the first player to win five Tour titles by the age 21.
A week after Svensson’s historic win, Anthony Simonsen of Princeton, Texas, became
the youngest player to win a major when he captured the United States Bowling Con-
gress Masters title at the age of 19. Both young stars are two-handed players. Svensson
bowls from the left side, Simonsen from the right.
Beginning with Faulkner’s win in the 2015 PBA World Championship, the last five majors
have been won by players age 25 or younger and each of those players had never won
a major previously.
Premier two-handed player, three-time reigning Player of the Year Jason Belmonte
hopes to reach winners circle:
After several top-10 finishes in 2016, Australia’s Jason
Belmonte hopes to visit the winner’s circle for the first time this season. The 12-time PBA
Tour winner is recognized as the premier player who uses the unique two-hand delivery.
His highly-successful technique led to three dominating seasons in PBA competition and
if he can put together a strong WSOB performance he could return to the Player of the
Year conversation. Two other two-handed players to watch, in addition to the aforemen-
tioned Svensson and Simonsen, are Shawn Maldonado of Houston and Finland’s Osku
Palermaa.
Race to 100 PBA titles:
In their more than three decade careers in PBA competition,
legends Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber have both won a combined total of 99
titles in PBA Tour, PBA50 Tour and PBA Regional competition. Unless one of them is
successful in a PBA Regional tournament prior to the World Series, that landmark also
may be up for grabs.
Reno’s role in professional bowling history –
Reno has hosted many topflight bowl-
ing competitions since 1977 when the Reno-Sparks Convention Center hosted the
American Bowling Congress (USBC) Championships Tournament for the first time.
Since then, Reno has hosted many PBA and USBC events which have been some of
the biggest bowling events in history. The National Bowling Stadium is marking its 21st
year of hosting topflight competition after opening its doors in 1995.
The Power Within
(From page 7)
A few years ago Walter Ray Williams Jr. told me he had to learn to win. First
he had to learn to make the cut, then he had to learn to win during match play
and then learn how to win on television. I think he meant that he had to learn to
have faith in himself and his abilities. That he had to learn to have the determi-
nation or THE WILL TO WIN. The will to win is deciding to win.
It took Walter Ray four years on tour to win his first tournament. He has gone
on to win forty-seven titles. He learned to win, he beat the best. WINNERS
ARE MADE, NOT BORN.
Finally, BALANCE and PERSPECTIVE. There is more to life than bowl-
ing. Your pursuit of a bowling career should not be an end in itself. It should be
a means of living a balanced and fulfilling life.
While becoming a professional bowler, a winner, and a champion will be an
exciting journey it should not be the sole purpose of your existence. There is
more to life. Ultimately, your happiness will depend on maintaining a balanced
life with equal emphasis given to the spiritual, emotional and physical.
About the spiritual. I am not going to tell you what to believe or not be-
lieve. That's a personal decision. I will tell you that if you don't develop some
principles to live by you will eventually have to face life's crisis on your
own. People with a moral rudder tend to handle difficult times better than those
without such guidance.
You need family and your family needs you. Remember, you are you because
of the nurturing and support you received from family and friends. They were
there for you when you were nobody and you should remember them if you
become somebody. Don't deny yourself the love, support and pleasure family
and friends provide.
