Bowling, The Wright Way - May 6, 1996 by Don Wright
Arena Bowling - Is it Professional Bowling, or Professional Carry?

Bowling on television needed a shot in the arm. Although the PBA on ABC has carried one of the highest ratings of any sports telecast, the ABC folks decided to shorten the schedule, fans were complaining of the same old format, and what could be done do rejuvenate our favorite sport. Well "Holy Backends, Batman," let's try an arena setting.

Arena bowling became one of the most exciting things to happen to bowling in many a year. Large crowds, fan and player interaction, music, cheerleaders, it was an event. In every center that I bowl in, and travel to, I heard the praises for the arena setting. Now, I hear different opinions.

In a time when bowling scores are going through the roof and no one really seems to care, I read in nearly every bowling newspaper, magazine and tabloid that the sport is broke. Bowling balls have changed the game to the point that credibility is questioned, the sport is compromised, and bowlers with minimal skills are competing like their professional counterparts. The scoring issue has been addressed numerous time by Jim Goodwin, Editor and Publisher of Stars and Strikes Bowlers Magazine and Bob Cosgrove, President, Bowling Writers Association of America, addressed the issue at the ABC Delegates meeting in Salt Lake City as recent as March 15, 1996.

Over the past few years (since short oil), I have written about the changes in scores. I have watched league averages climb, and bowlers show vast improvements in average without practice and in many cases even less bowling. However, I have always tried to differentiate between the professional and the amateur. I also think there is a difference between the league/tournament bowler and the recreational player.

But, I also think that the professional bowler has it too easy, also. I think that what was supposed to be the shot in the arm for bowling on television, the arena setting, will be the downfall of the sport if something isn't done. It's no longer, who will bowl the best, it's who will carry!

The Erie finals saw Bob Learn roll games of 300-270-280-279 for a 1,129 series. He easily could have rolled four perfect games, but for carry. Was he that good? Well, his opponents rolled games of 279-268-279-257. You tell me.

I'm not done. Let's look at Dave D'Entremont's scoring at the Brunswick World Tournament of Champions. Big D's first game was 259. He followed it with a 258, finished the tournament with a four game total of 971, or a 242.75 average.

The losing scores beat the four game television record of 1,070 rolled by David Ozio just five months earlier, also in an arena setting. The record Ozio beat was 1,050 rolled by Nelson Burton, Jr., that held for 12 years.

I have heard several reasons for the high scores in arena settings. The gutters are shallow, pins are new, the lane surface is more consistent and pin decks are more even. Bottom line, folks, it's boring! The only wonderment is who will be the first not to carry.

The very thing devised to save the sport, will ultimately be its demise.

If you think that scoring isn't broke think about this - There were 14 - 300 games in the Quaker State. It took nearly a 228 average to make matchplay. In the Brunswick World T of C, Norm Duke rolled three consecutive 300 games.

Do you think that ABC will do anything about the glut of high scores? Well, consider this, one of the amendments passed by the ABC delegates "allows ABC members to receive one 900 series award per season," changing the once in a lifetime award. Oh yes, ABC is doing all they can to maintain the integrity of the sport.

TEXAS BOWLING MEDIA: Texas has many great bowling newspapers and do a remarkable job of covering bowling not only in Texas, but Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The Bowling News, Joe Gennaro, Publisher, and Pete Moore, Editor has been serving the Southwest for 39 years. The Stars and Strikes, Jim Goodwin, Editor and Publisher covers the Southwest from Rockwall, Texas. GulfCoast Bowling News, Jerri Bailey, Editor and Publisher covers the sport from Houston. The newest paper is Across The Lanes, Stacy Pennington, Editor and Publisher, covering the San Antonio area.

These are award winning writers and papers. The Stars and Strikes won the 1995 PBA Media Award for General Excellence-Periodical and Ms. Jerri Bailey won the Wood Award for Excellence by the Texas Women Bowling Writers' Board of Directors.

I'm proud to be associated with all of them.