8
- MARCH 2014
Are You Square to Your Target at the Foul Line?
How many of you know what you look like at the foul line after delivering your
ball?
If you hurry in your approach you have to put on the brakes at the foul line, caus-
ing your sliding foot and body to turn away from the target. A hurried approach
causes the body to reach the foul line before the arm and ball, which makes you pull
the ball through the delivery.
Every time you pull or force the ball at the release, you invariably miss your target
or arrow to the left. When you pull the ball, think about the position of your thumb
and you will see why the ball will hook too much. Remember, your thumb steers the
ball.
Has anyone ever told you to lift the ball at the foul line? Well, if you use your
whole body to do it, you will look like the Statue of Liberty at the foul line. This ex-
treme position generally is caused by what you did on your very first step.
If you push the ball out too far in your first step, the weight of the ball will cause
you to lean over and go down into a crouching position on the second and third
steps. Now you have to rear up at the foul line to put lift on the ball. Result: So much
lift that you miss your target to the left again.
Solution: Try doing this at home with your ball. Take only two steps as in a regular
delivery and see where you and the ball are. If you are leaning forward and way
down on the second step, try to eliminate it by doing this. Work your way down to
the foul line smoothly from an upright position. Imagine an airplane coming in for a
landing—they come in at a gentle angle, not an abrupt, steep angle.
OK. What should you do?
Find your point of origin on the approach. Hold the ball comfortably in line with
your bowling shoulder, supporting it with your non-bowling hand, eyes on your target
all the way to the line.
Push the ball our slightly toward the pins as you take your first step. Both our foot
and the ball should move gently and easily. Then continue walking and swinging
your ball and looking toward your target.
If you keep both knees bent all the way to the foul line, it will help you walk
straight, too. You will be more relaxed at the delivery point, and, above all, you will
be able to slide at the foul line. So many say, ―I can‘t slide.‖ If you follow these in-
structions, you will be able to slide easily. It helps, too, to think of it as shoving your
toes toward the target.
Now, here‘s the key to the whole picture frame, you can be square to your target.
Walk...swing...lean forward...reach and follow through...slide with bent knee. Try to
keep in mind that if your bead is over your sliding foot at the foul line, you can keep
your balance for the few seconds it takes the ball to get to the pins. Now you have
control of the ball instead of the ball having control of you.
Baseball and Bowling
The two have had many connections, such as Jerry Coleman, the longtime Yankee
and Hall of Fame broadcaster who died Jan. 5 at age 89. Coleman was the host of a
taped bowling series at Paramus Bowling.
Other baseball notables and broadcasters who were behind the microphone in bowl-
ing telecasts were Chris Schenkel, Jack Buck, Bud Palmer, Mel Allen and Leo Duro-
cher. Many regular sports staffers on sports series have been called upon to host
top bowling shows.
Briefs
Ryan Shafer has been named Eastern Region Player of the Year for the third con-
secutive year, winning four Eastern tournaments.
Former Paterson resident Bob Perry is on a book-signing tour of his recently pub-
lished volume with detailed stories of his life as an action bowler, winner of major
high-roller events and his shot at some of the big-money tests. Many surprise
names pop up regularly in these pages.
Major positions remain at the Bowling Proprietors Association of America, Interna-
tional Bowling Hall of Fame, and United States Bowling Congress. Special commit-
tees are taking up the slack, but there are plenty of veterans ready to take over.
The best tip any bowler can heed is not to leave your bowling ball in a frigid car or
other cold place overnight. As the ball thaws out, it reacts differently.
Helen Duval‘s Bowling Tips
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
"THE GRAY BOARDS
DON’T HOOK"
If you‘re looking for the gray boards, you won‘t find them! When
bowlers say this phrase, they are talking about the gutters.
Whether the gutter is gray or blue or orange, the ball won‘t
hook once it enters the gutter.
In most cases, the bowler will have missed their target wide
and hope for the ball to hang on.
