8
- MAY 2015
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips
Why Spread Your Fingers on the Ball?
Which way do you position your fingers on the ball? Or do you really know where
you position your fingers?
I have talked to and watched many bowlers deliver balls. And I’ve seen hand posi-
tion ruin a delivery. Can you believe that?
First, you must determine whether you roll a full-rolling ball or a semi-roller.
Consistency in delivery is something we all strive for—to roll the ball the same each
time. So if your delivery is consistent, your ball develops a track or marking on it in the
area where it rolls. This is caused by the friction of the ball sliding, rolling and hooking
on the lane’s surface.
There are two areas of ball tracks related to the full-roller and semi-roller types of
balls. Look to see if the track is in the
center
of the ball rolling at an angle between
the thumb and finger holes. If the track is there, you are delivering a full-roller. Most
bowlers roll a semi-roller (or three-quarter). The track from a semi-roller will be out-
side the three finger holes and at an angle. This gives the ball the
lean
into the pins
with three-quarters of the ball doing this.
It seems easier to deliver a semi-roller and many of the pros have changed from a
full-roller to a semi. The reason is the rotation of the hand in delivery and follow-
through seem to be more natural.
Let’s analyze the relation between finger positions and what good and bad can re-
sult from them.
For a full-roller, spread the little finger, keeping the others close together. Why?
Because you have to rotate the hand (thumb) from right to left. Therefore, the little
finger helps to lift and rotate. If you want better pin action and a better ball, try this. Be
sure to keep your thumb pointed toward the audience in the backswing, then rotate it
in a right to left motion. Your thumb, remember, must come out of the ball at the re-
lease point at the 10:00 or 11:00 position no matter what kind of ball you roll. If your
thumb is at 10:00 or 11:00, then your two lifting fingers (knuckles) will be at 4:00 or
5:00.
If you have a ball that has a definable mark behind the two finger holes, learn to use
it. How? That mark when it hits the pins will be in the position where your thumb came
out of the ball. Thus the mark, when it hits the pins, should be at 10:00 or 11:00. If the
ball is thumping down the lane, it should tell you that your thumb came out at 12:00
and the ball will not be effective because there is no hooking action into the pins. Your
thumb
controls the hook and no matter what kind of ball you roll, the thumb should
come out at 10:00 or 11:00 (for right-handers).
Now to get to the semi-roller. Spread the forefinger to achieve this. As indicated,
more people can deliver this type more naturally and, it seems, with better results. It’s
easier to control and there is less possibility of ―thumpers‖. The thumb or hand rota-
tion in the forward swing is from right to left (for right-handers) with the thumb
still
coming out at 10:00 or 11:00.
So you see, no matter which type of delivery you prefer, the secret of a good re-
lease is getting that thumb out at 10:00 or 11:00 and
knowing
it. How? After you re-
lease the ball, stay at the foul line. Where is your hand and thumb and in what posi-
tion is the thumb?
Good luck with either delivery. The
main thing is, try what comes naturally.
Brush-up hint: Firm up all fingers to keep
your wrist straight, so you feel lift at the
delivery.
Pins And Puns
Two people, one a struggling professional bowler, won a million dollars in a lottery.
When asked what they were going to do with all the money the first happily de-
scribed how he was going to quit work at once, spend a lot of time fishing and
playing golf, take life easy, and live on the new found wealth.
The bowlers scratched his head, thought a bit, then answered, ―I guess I’ll just
keep bowling on the tour until the money is all gone.‖
The reason many bowlers fail is because they keep trying to teach the other
bowler when they should be teaching themselves., and that’s why bowling instruc-
tion is cheap. The supply exceeds the demand. For every bowler, there’s two in-
structors.
Any tournament director will quickly tell you that most bowlers are honest. Then
why do they have so many strict rules? Easy answer. To keep the bowlers honest.
Nothing shortens a long bowling story as quickly as the unexpected arrival of the
bowler who unknowingly was the central figure of the former long story.
You don’t have to learn where all the bad spots or bad areas are on a bowling
lanes. Just learn where the good ones are.
The nightmare that haunts all top bowlers is that their last big games will be their
last big game.
Eventually there will be a bowler’s head on some mountain. Even if they are
forced to enlarge the mountain —- or shrink the head.
Bowling World will continued to honor Chuck Pezzano by printing his articles.
New York Bowler Set National Record During
State Tournament
By Terry Bigham
ARLINGTON, Texas – Jessica Aiezza of Mechanic-
ville, New York, set a United States Bowling Congress
women’s national record for nine games with an all-
events total of 2,388 at the New York State Women’s
Championships last weekend.
Aiezza, a 34-year-old left-hander, competed in the
tournament held at AMF Strike ’N Spare Lanes in
Syracuse on April 11-12. She had games of 247, 290
and 279 for an 816 series in the team event April 11.
She then posted an 802 series in doubles with games
of 278, 277 and 247, and a 770 series (266, 235 and
269) in singles April 12.
Caren Park of Seattle previously held the nine-game women’s record of 2,373,
set in the 1991-1992 season. Eugene McCune of Munster, Indiana, holds the
Open record for nine games at 2,468.
―It means a great deal,‖ Aiezza said about breaking the record. ―I was taken back
by the longevity of the previous record, given the amazing talent there is today and
in recent history. It was an amazing feeling to be able to put together three high
series as I did back to back to back.‖
She said it was after the first game of her third set that a teammate mentioned
Aiezza might have a shot at the state record.
―In an attempt to look that up, we also saw the national record,‖ she said. ―While I
knew the state record was well within my reach, there was only an outside chance
of surpassing the national record. It came down to the wire. I needed the first strike
in the 10th frame of the last game to eclipse it and ended up getting all three.‖
A two-time USBC National Standard High Average Award winner, including the
2011-12 season when she posted a 241 average for 112 games to claim the
women’s title, Aiezza now has 22 800 series for her career.
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