Half perfect

In the 2nd game of today’s practice session (152-204-187=543), I had a split and missed 2 other spares and was only on a 164 pace through 6 frames, but ended the game with 6 strikes in a row for a 204 when I found the correct line to play on the lane, setting up between the 12 and 13 boards. I also had a turkey in the 3rd through 5th frames of the 3rd game, but that was the extent of the run, getting mostly spares the rest of the way for a 187. Also in that game, I just missed converting the 3-7 split when the 3 pin wrapped around the 7 pin off of the side wall. The 543 matches my best series so far, and comes on a day when I might’ve had less sleep than usual because of the celebration of the Boston Red Sox’ World Series win the night before.

Running average (15 games): 157 Last 9 average: 172

Practice summary, 10/22/07

Nothing really stellar this week (122-176-168=466), but it was a decent practice session for the first one with a new ball. I didn’t get many breaks in the first game, but I was coming in high, so I wasn’t expecting many breaks, including leaving the 4-6-7-9-10 split. I had a turkey in the 3rd through 5th frames of the second game, but the best thing I took out of today’s practice was that I was making my single 7-pin more consistently, getting the spare 3 times out of 4, and only missing one because my thumb stuck in the ball. My main problem today seemed to be making my right-hand corner pins, so hopefully, I’ll get that back on track next time.

Running average (12 games): 151 Last 9 average: 162

Another old friend: It turns out that the bowler I didn’t face in the finals when I won the LBT tournament back in October of 1989 (I was the third seed, and he lost the first stepladder match), Bob Hamilton, now works at Westgate Lanes as the lane maintenance person. I reintroduced myself, let him know I was on my way back, and asked him to let his brother George (who I also knew) know I asked about him.

Having a ball

After checking the bank balance and doing a little mental anticipation of possible future spending on other things, I decided that now was the time to make my next major equipment purchase: a new ball!

After consultation with Chris Mark at the USA Bowling Pro Shop on the premises (they are also located at Boston Bowl), I went with a blue 15 lb. Circle High-Voltage, which was on closeout because the ball is no longer being manufactured, but which I was told was still an awesome ball for these lanes. My fit was checked using the U-Dot with modifications (Chris wanted the thumb all the way in the ball), the ball was drilled, and the grips glued into place.

A trial fit of the ball revealed a problem with the thumb…the thumb release was resisting in the back of the thumb. A vent hole was first drilled to see if that would correct the problem, and when it was found that that was only a partial answer, Chris used a sanding bit that attaches a standard hand drill to make the thumb hole larger at the back. We eventually got the problem corrected and I was ready to try out the ball (which was my first brand-new ball, BTW…I had been used to buying all of my balls used).

The nice thing about this pro shop compared with the guys I knew when I was last bowling seriously is that the new guys give you a complimentary game of bowling with any ball purchase, so I was able to try out the new ball without breaking out my sister’s gift card. A lane was turned on, I put on my shoes, got my other equipment ready, and I prepared for my first shot with the new High-Voltage.

I fell in love with this ball from the first shot…a solid strike. As the game progressed, I noticed that the ball had more back-end action than the U-Dot, and I ended up adjusting by moving my feet 2 boards left to the 12 board on the approach. I ended up shooting a 167, with a double in the 6th and 7th frames. I intend to retain the U-Dot for my right-hand spares and on unfamiliar lane conditions, and use the High-Voltage for all other shots. My thanks to Ray, the pro shop owner, and Chris for doing an excellent job on the ball…I hope to be working with you guys in the future. (Note: the 167 will not count toward my “official” practice average, as the only purpose of the game was to try out the ball.)

League found: Checking the other standings sheets, I noticed the Brockton Ten-Pin league, a 4-man league running on Tuesday nights, had a couple of openings, so I intend to join this league after the holidays.

Tournament scene: Along with the monthly “King of the Hill” tournament at Westgate Lanes, an operation called “The People’s Tournament” runs occasional handicap tournaments at Westgate Lanes, as well as the Northeast Amateur Tournament (EDIT: I originally couldn’t find a site on their flyer, but found a full one from them that had their site listed on the back) and the TNBA’s Boston Bowling Senate. Thus, it appears I’ll have as many opportunities to compete in tournaments as I did when I was last active (I used to bowl occasionally with the Amateur Bowlers Tour and National Amateur Bowlers, Inc., but neither tournament club operates in New England currently.)

I’m back!

Well, not back in a league yet, but I took a major step forward today. I had thought from the start of my return that I’d be fully back to form when I had a game over 200. It has happened, and sooner than I expected. In my third game of practice today, I started out with a double, left a 1-2-9 leave that I picked up, shot another double, picked up another spare (this time the 2-4), then had a turkey before leaving the 6-9-10. I had a brain cramp and only knocked down the 9 pin from that leave, but that was really my only big mistake of the game. 218!!! 😀

An earlier sign that I was back to form came in the 6th frame of the second game. In that frame, I left the 5-7 split, but I converted it, my first split conversion since coming back. Summary of the practice: 157-168-218=543

From this point on, with 9 games under my belt since I started practicing regularly, I’ll also be tracking my practice average, both running average for the league season and the last 9 games:

Running average: 150 Last 9 average: 150

Talking shop: The pro shop is usually closed when I am practicing, but the pro shop owner, Ray DiSanto, was in to do some things when I arrived, so I stopped before practice to chat him up a bit while the shop was open. I had told him that I was using my old U-Dot, and he said that ball wouldn’t really cut it on today’s lanes, which he told me were now a synthetic surface instead of the wood I had been used to bowling on. He said a reactive resin ball would be good on the lanes now, and that one can be had for around $100, but that he would have to watch me bowl and look at the track on my current ball before recommending one. I also priced bowling gloves, which are running around $30.

League update: I found the standings sheet for the Friday night TNBA league, but I was dismayed to learn that all of the current teams have a full compliment of 4 persons. My search for a league to bowl in after the holidays continues, but I will definitely join the TNBA league next season.

Final note: Looking at the score sheet I took home, I calculated that if I took it off the sheet in that third game instead of having the open frame in the 10th, it would’ve been a 255, which would’ve been my second-best game ever.

Relatively speaking

I had forgotten to post about this, but I was told by my favorite aunt and uncle at my sister’s 40th birthday party a couple of months ago that one of my cousins, David Randall, bowls in a league at Westgate Lanes with his wife, Debbie. I finally contacted the wife today and found out that they bowl in the Friday night league. She had forgotten the name of the league, but I was able to deduce from the league schedule as posted on the lanes’ web site that it was the TNBA mixed league. I am now leaning toward joining that league after the holidays (provided I can replace a dummy on one of the teams), as I’m used to the format (4-person teams…the league I spent the most time in, the Tuesday night His & Hers mixed league, is now a doubles league) and I’d be sure of getting a ride home from my cousins. My only question is if the TNBA league is also sanctioned by the USBC, as I’d like my average in the league to count as an entry average for tournaments down the road.

Turkey shoot

I had what I thought was my best overall practice session since my return to bowling today, posting a 135-142-173=450, which was only 6 pins off my best series since my return, and the 173 represents my best game in that time. My spare shooting continues to improve slowly, but the highlight of this practice session was closing out the last game with a turkey (three strikes in a row), my longest string of strikes in quite a while. That’s what I call finishing with a flourish! 😀

After practice, I caught up with an old bowling friend, Ron Lawson, who had been my doubles partner in the city championship tournament many years ago, who was practicing on another pair of lanes. I told him it was my intent to return to leagues, about the adjustments I had to make due to my heel fractures, and that I was blogging all of my bowling stuff. I hope to see him again frequently in the near future.

Other notes:

I have been set up with a locker at the lanes, which means I won’t have to lug my gear around on the bus, and also that I can take my bicycle to the lanes when the weather is good, thus getting in my aerobic exercise.
Next Monday is the Columbus Day holiday, and Westgate Lanes does not offer half-price bowling on holiday Mondays; therefore, I will not practice next Monday.