Bowling, The Wright Way - May 24, 1996 by Don Wright
Is The Game of Bowling Broken? Is Scoring Out Of Control?

WHO IS KIDDING WHO? - Skyrocketing scores, inflated averages and a sense that bowling is shooting itself in the foot, seems to be the major topic of conversation among bowlers who really care about the integrity of the sport. Yet, some people still don't get it.

Bob Cosgrove, President of the Bowling Writers Association of America, in a speech to the ABC delegates in Salt Lake City, said "this game is broken." He described today's scoring as "out of control." Most, and I emphasize most, lovers of the sport agree with him.

However, many simply think that we should just let things go as they are. You only have to look at things like allowing a person to get a 900 series award once per season versus once per lifetime to realize it's out of control. I don't care if they never give out a 900 series, it's the mindset behind today's scoring.

Everyone has a different reason as to why scores and averages continue to climb. In a recent article in Jowdy's Journal, PBA Hall of Famer John Jowdy states the principle influence in the high scores are the way the lanes are dressed, the type of pins, and "other incidentals not visible to the naked eye." He goes on to say that the ABC National Tournament alternates between Brunswick and AMF, and since 1989 and other odd years following, 300 games and 800 series, and all events scores have skyrocketed, all on AMF lanes. Jowdy says that blaming the new bowling balls is "the most unjustifiable fallacy and misconception in the bowling game."

Now I have nothing but respect for Mr. Jowdy, but after all he has been employed by Columbia 300 since 1962 and is credited with organizing Team Columbia, top PBA players, hand picked by Jowdy to represent Columbia 300 on tour.

But, let's for the sake of argument say that Jowdy is right, the blame lies with lane maintenance, pins, balls, and those "other incidentals not visible to the naked eye." Wasn't it just a few short years ago that something called the "System of Bowling" was supposed to fix the high scoring?

I recently spoke to a bowling proprietor that I respect and admire for her bowling abilities and she said "Don, you're the only person that ever mentions the System of Bowling." When you mention the SofB to those that are supposed to be in the know, their shoulders come up, their head drops down and you get a look like a deer caught in the headlights. The SofB was supposed to take in all the factors in bowling - lane dressing, balls, pins, decks, and I assume those "incidentals not visible to the naked eye."

I was asked by a sports editor how I could justify bowling as a sport, rather than recreation. He said, "I read Bowlers Journal, how can you classify bowling as a sport when a once a week bowling can average over 200 and roll an 899 series?"

I admit the question caught me off guard, but after a lengthy discussion I at least got him to see it slightly different. But, even the PBA is caught up in the high scoring. Look at the Erie Open. Records were set even by the losers. It's no longer who will execute the best, it's who will carry best.

When I was defending bowling as the Rodney Dangerfield sport, I never thought it would become the Casper sport and be just a ghost of what it once was. But, if someone doesn't do something soon, bowling will be in the same league as 8-tracks, record albums, bell bottoms and old bowling balls.

QUEEN FOR A YEAR- It was the 1960-1961 bowling season in up-state New York and 32 ladies rolled into The Sportacade in Honeoye Falls to compete in the annual Sportacade Queens tournament. It was March 26 and it proved to be a record setting day for the tournament and the tournament winner, Betty Pratt.

Betty, a twice a week bowler, was visibly nervous as was her husband Jack who came along to cheer her on. As the night progressed, the nervousness went away and Betty rolled 207 and 212 for her third and fourth games and finished with a 919 series to capture first place money and the Sportacade Ladies Singles Championship, giving her a one year claim to the Bud Druschel Trophy.

The 919 series was the highest series rolled in the nine year history of the tournament.

An automobile accident in 1965 ended Betty's chances of ever bowling again. But, she still enjoys the sport and watches her children and grandchildren as they compete.

In 1971 the Sportacade was sold and is now Brongo Bowl. The Rochester Women's Bowling Association has no historical data regarding the tournament, or the whereabouts of the trophy that had to be won twice before it became a permanent possession.

For Betty, it's something she will always remember. For me, I wish I could have seen it, but I was stationed in Germany at the time. So, when my sister set that record the best she could do was send me a picture. She still has the record and I still have the picture.

BOWLING NEWS - In about one week the Dallas based The Bowling News will publish and distribute a paper marking their 40th year. Joe Gennaro is the publisher of The Bowling News and can usually be found in some bowling center in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He's the guy in the brown cowboy hat with the pronounced New York accent.

To Joe, award winning editor, Pete Moore, feature editor Jim Woodruff and all the folks at The Bowling News, congratulations and here's to 40 more.