BOWLING ON THE MLK JR. HOLIDAY

Our league is not taking the night off for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Since we're not working that day, The Coach and I decided to go in early at 4:00 for a little spare shooting practice. Sharon says she will be there, too. We won't overdo it and wear ourselves out for our league games. We'll shoot spares for about an hour then take a break and get something to eat before our league bowling starts.

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #19



Blockheads:         4

Belles of the Bowl: 0

 The Coach was back in action this week and we leaned on him like he was Bill Withers. Our opponents were Belles of the Bowl to whom we had to spot a handicap of 270 pins per game. That's right, 270!

The first two games went down to the wire with each requiring the Coach to mark in the 10th frame to pull out a win. Thankfully, he was up to the task and we pulled out wins by 2 and 8 pins. The third game was pretty tight also but we gave The Coach a little cushion in a 20-pin victory. It was our first sweep in a long, long time. Well, on the winning side anyway.

Our record in the second half of the season is 5-3. Let's keep it going! 

  Blockheads       Belles of the Bowl      
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  709   0   709    437 270   707
2  661   0   661    383 270   653
3  711   0   711    421 270   691
T 2081   0  2081   1241 810  2051

WEEK 19    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    170 129 169  469  41  6301 153.7 201  511   1   2   0
Sharon    186 161 160  507  57  9516 166.9 233  584   3   8   0
Mark      209 204 201  614  57 10671 187.2 279  656  20  14   3
Gary      144 167 181  492  54  8432 156.1 220  515   1   5   0
Stephanie                    9  1040 115.6 166  366   0   0   0
Total     709 661 711 2081 218 36410 167.0 757 2096  25  29   3

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #18

Blockheads: 1 - Ball Breakers: 3

The Coach was home with the flu but Stephanie came out to sub in his place. Our opponents were the Ball Breakers and we received a handicap of 23 pins. 

We had a good shot at taking this series 3-1 but I was buried in a deep funk through most of the first game. It was enough to cost us the game and the point for total pinfall. Sharon came very close to popping a 600 series while Stephanie was a spare shooting mahcine in the final game. We could have fared much better if I didn't wait six frames to start bowling.

  Blockheads       Ball Breakers      
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  585  23   608    659   0   659
2  679  23   702    629   0   629
3  695  23   718    764   0   764
T 1959  69  2028   2052   0  2052

WEEK 18    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    154 182 139  475  38  5833 153.5 201  511   1   2   0
Sharon    199 187 198  584  54  9009 166.8 233  584   3   7   0
Mark      139 203 192  534  54 10057 186.2 279  656  17  14   2
Gary                        51  7940 155.7 220  515   1   5   0
Stephanie  93 107 166  366   9  1040 115.6 166  366   0   0   0
Total     585 679 695 1959 206 14329 166.6 757 2096  22  28   2

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #17

Blockheads: 3

Pin Crew:   1

Olivia was out sick but Stephanie was able to bowl in her place. This was the position round to wrap up the first half of the season. We were matched with Pin Crew who had to spot us a handicap of 18 pins. It was a good night for us Blockheads as we put up our highest series of the season. It was definitely needed because Pin Crew bowled well, too.

The Coach and I each topped our previous high game and series while Sharon contributed a rock solid 572 series. Stephanie played through a sore knee and hit some big shots when we needed them. She also won $25 in the 50-50 raffle. We were within 10 pins of a sweep but Kathy's 216 paired with Alex's 207 for Pin Crew put them just beyond our reach in the second game. We came out of it with a 3-1 series edge and finished the first half with a record of 33-35. We start fresh next week as the second half of the season begins. If we can carry the energy we had this week the rest of the way, we have a good shot at the seizing the second half title.

  Blockheads       Pin Crew      
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  677  18   695    661   0   661
2  684  18   702    712   0   712
3  735  18   753    665   0   665
T 2096  54  2150   2038   0  2038

WEEK 17    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia                      35  5358 153.1 201  511   1   2   0
Sharon    191 198 183  572  51  8425 165.2 233  580   3   6   0
Mark      214 166 279  656  51  9523 186.7 279  656  16  13   2
Gary      147 220 148  515  51  7940 155.7 220  515   1   5   0
Stephanie 125 103 125  353   6   674 112.3 125  353   0   0   0
Total     677 684 735 2096 194 32370 166.9 757 2096  21  26   2

FORMER BASEBALL STAR PAUL BLAIR DEAD AT AGE 69

Paul Blair

You might wonder what this has to do with bowling. Paul Blair collapsed and died while warming up to bowl in a tournament at AMF Pikesville Lanes in Pikesville, Maryland. I looked him up on the USBC's website and found that he's been bowling in two leagues per week, averaging 185-197 over several years.

I saw Paul Blair play many times when I was a kid. He was the graceful centerfielder on the great Baltimore teams that also featured Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, and Davey Johnson. Those Oriole teams and our A's, led by Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, and Campy Campaneris, were usually battling for supremacy of the American League in those days. I'm saddened by Blair's death but I'm glad to know he was a bowler and a pretty good one.

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #16

Blockheads: 3 - Sound & Fury: 1

The lane conditions were difficult but we were able to win two of the three games and earn the point for total pinfall. Spare shooting proficiency was a necessity because strikes were few and far between most of the night. We stumbled through the first game, searching for a way to reach the pocket consistently on two vastly different lanes. I never did find the answer but thankfully the rest of the team worked it out.  We rebounded in the second game and with Sharon and The Coach getting hot, we took the third game with ease.

Our 3-1 series score improved our record to 30-34. We're back within striking distance of .500. Since The Coach changed his set up, he's averaging 180. Now is the time to start building some momentum for the second half of the season.

    Blockheads       Sound & Fury
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  598   0   598    529 112   641
2  667   0   667    522 112   634
3  746   0   746    528 112   640
T 2011   0  2011   1579 336  1915

WEEK 16    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    129 170 172  471  35  5358 153.1 201  511   1   2   0
Sharon    139 157 218  514  48  7853 163.6 233  580   3   5   0
Mark      180 170 158  508  48  8867 184.7 256  613  14  13   1
Gary      150 170 198  518  48  7425 154.7 198  518   0   5   0
Stephanie                    3   321 107.0 113  321   0   0   0
Total     598 667 746 2011 182 30274 166.3 757 2074  18  24   1

THE COACH'S EXPERIMENT



Red: Before

Black: After

You might have noticed The Coach experimenting with a different line to the pocket on Monday night. The past few weeks he was getting lots of splits resulting mostly from shots hitting high on the headpin. He was setting up far to the right on the approach and rolling over the first arrow which put his ball outside the oil.

After suffering with splits again in our first game this week, he tried moving to his left to get his ball in the oil and rolling over the second arrow at a slight left-to-right angle. Going through the oil helped the ball to skid longer before going into its roll and hooking. The change in the angle also helped to keep the ball from hooking past the pocket. The results were good with scores of 190 and 192 in the second and third games. Perhaps we can get out this weekend for some practice and further experimentation with The Coach's new approach.

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #15



Blockheads: 1 - Team 8: 3

As one might expect, The Coach was thrilled when he saw we were bowling on lane 13. The way things started, it appeared there may be something to his disdain for that lane. The first game was a disgusting mixture of gutter balls, splits, and missed spares. As if that wasn't enough, our opponents bowled well and we were beaten by 128 pins. Not only were we down a game but it looked like the most we could hope for was a split.

Then in the second game, our roles reversed. We had the hot hand and scored 783, our highest game of the season. With 22 pins of handicap, our total was 805 and we won by 116 pins. So after the second game, we were even at a game apiece and we had pulled to within 12 pins for the series. If we could win the final game by 13 pins or more, a 3-1 series victory would be ours.

The third game was close through the first six frames but we tailed off just as our opponents got hot again. We lost the final game and the series, 1-3. We put up our second highest series score of the season but it wasn't quite good enough. It was very much the same story last week. We bowled well and exceeded our team average but our opponents were a little better.

Even though we came out on the short end, I was proud of the way we battled back after the brutal beating we took in the first game. As I noted earlier, we had our highest game and second highest series scores of the season. Olivia scored her high series and after a miserable start, The Coach topped his previous high in the second and third games. We may be out of the running for the first half of the season but we're rounding into shape for the second half which is just a few weeks away.

     Blockheads       Team 8
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  586  22   608    736   0   736
2  783  22   805    689   0   689
3  673  22   695    744   0   744
T 2042  66  2108   2169   0  2169

WEEK 15    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    172 170 169  511  32  4887 152.7 201  511   1   2   0
Sharon    122 205 154  481  45  7339 163.1 233  580   1   4   0
Mark      179 218 158  555  45  8359 185.8 256  613  14  12   1
Gary      113 190 192  495  45  6907 153.5 192  503   0   3   0
Stephanie                    3   321 107.0 113  321   0   0   0
Total     586 783 673 2042 170 28263 166.3 783 2074  17  21   1

WIN A FREE BOWLING BALL

This week bowlingball.com is giving away a Hammer Cold Blood.

52 Weeks - 52 Winners. We Give Away A Bowling Ball Every Week

Who wouldn't take one for free?

'via Blog this'

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #14

Blockheads: 1 - Silent Storm: 3

We pulled out the first game by three pins but we fell short the rest of the way. We were in each game until the end but Silent Storm were a model of consistency with scores of 719-717-718. They took the second and third games along with the point for total pinfall. Our 1-3 series was a setback for our ongoing pursuit of .500. We held onto fifteenth place but with our record of 26-30, it will take a sweep to get us to .500 this week.

LEAGUE STAT SHEET

  Blockheads       Silent Storm
  PINS HCP TOTAL   PINS HCP TOTAL
1  706  16   722    719   0   719
2  648  16   664    717   0   717
3  670  16   686    718   0   718
T 2024  48  2072   2154   0  2154

WEEK 14    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    201 162 135  498  29  4376 150.9 201  504   1   1   0
Sharon    157 137 156  450  42  6858 163.3 233  580   1   4   0
Mark      180 202 202  584  42  7804 185.8 259  613  13  11   1
Gary      168 147 177  492  42  6412 152.7 184  503   0   3   0
Stephanie                    3   321 107.0 113  321   0   0   0
Total     706 648 670 2024 158 26221 166.0 757 2074  15  19   1

PBA USES BLUE DYE TO ILLUSTRATE OIL ON ITS LANES

Did you watch the World Series of Bowling the past two weekends? We've seen some exciting matches and the PBA's latest innovation -- blue dye in the oil so the viewers can see where the oil is on the lane. Click the link below for a report from ThePostGame.com.



PBA Uses Blue Dye To Illustrate Oil On Its Lanes

Next Sunday's telecast of the PBA Chameleon Championship will be the third of four telecasts to feature the dyed oil. Tune into ESPN at 10:00 AM (PST).

MOTIV SIGMA STING CONTEST

Sigma Sting Contest:

Enter by December 15th

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #13

Blockheads: 3

Team 24:    1

Olivia returned to action and did so with her high game and series of the season. With victories in the first two games, we had visions of a sweep that would bring us back to .500. However, we tailed off in the third game while Joseph of Team 24 went PBA on us. Still, a 3-1 night is a step in the right direction.

We improved our record to 25-27. We take on Silent Storm next week. It looks like they will be spotting us 19 or 20 pins. A sweep would give us a winning record for the first time since September.

  Blockheads      Team 24

  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL

1  692   0   692   624  28   652
2  663   0   663   597  28   625
3  638   0   638   683  28   711
T 1993   0  1993  1904  84  1988

WEEK 13    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia    196 155 153  504  26  3878 149.2 196  504   0   1   0 
Sharon    137 145 173  465  39  6408 164.3 233  580   1   4   0
Mark      205 217 172  594  39  7220 185.1 259  613  11  10   0
Gary      154 146 140  440  39  5920 151.8 184  503   0   3   0
Stephanie                    3   321 107.0 113  321   0   0   0
Total     692 663 638 1993 146 24197 165.7 757 2074  10  16   1

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #12

Blockheads: 2 - DaFamily: 2

Olivia was out of action again this week but we were able to round up Stephanie to bowl in her place. We had a tightly contested series with DaFamily but came up 16 pins short in each of the first two games. That meant to earn a split, we would have to take the third game by at least 33 pins. It was another struggle but we caught a few of the breaks that eluded us in the first two games. We won the third game by 42 pins and the total series by 10 to break even for the night. After being down 0-2, the split was quite satisfying. 12 weeks into the season, our record is 22-26.

  Blockheads     DaFamily
  PINS HCP TOTAL PINS HCP TOTAL
1  648  30   678   694  0   694
2  544  30   574   590  0   590
3  678  30   708   666  0   666
T 1870  90  1960  1950  0  1950

WEEK 12    01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia                      23  3374 146.7 188  488   0   0   0
Sharon    186 148 190  524  36  5953 165.4 233  580   1   4   0
Mark      203 154 256  613  36  6626 184.1 256  613   9   9   1
Gary      149 129 134  412  36  5480 152.2 184  503   0   3   0
Stephanie 110 113  98  321   3   321 107.0 113  321   0   0   0
Total     648 544 678 1870 134 22204 165.7 757 2074  10  16   1

PBA LEAGUE CAN USE A LITTLE SHOWTIME

Have a peek at page 11

I got a little ink in the November 2013 issue of Bowling World magazine. This was actually a reprint of Fred Eisenhammer's column in L.A. Bowling Examiner. The subject was the upcoming PBA League season and the absence of women in the league. If you're interested you can read it through one of the links above or by picking up a free copy of Bowling World at the bowling center.

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #11

Blockheads: 1 - Team 23: 3

The outcome of this series was unclear at the time we bowled it because we didn't know the amount of the handicap. Team 23 had a new bowler, Pam Collins, who was establishing her average. She replaced a bowler with a 150 average and she averaged 145 for her three games. The scoresheet showed a handicap of 15 but with Pam's lower average, the handicap turned out to be 19.

We didn't bowl well, averaging only 158.5 as a team for the three games. We won the third game by three pins to avoid being swept. After 11 weeks, our record is 20-24.

  Blockheads      Team 23
  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL
1  584   0   584   598  19   617
2  653   0   653   652  19   671
3  665   0   665   643  19   662
T 1902   0  1902  1893  57  1950

WEEK 11 01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG  HS 200 500 600
Olivia 125 173 168  466  23  3374 146.7 188  488  0   0   0
Sharon 146 180 137  465  33  5429 164.5 233  580  1   3   0
Mark   173 195 203  571  33  6013 182.2 241  599  7   9   0
Gary   138 105 157  400  33  5068 153.6 184  503  0   3   0
Total  584 653 665 1902 122 20334 166.7 757 2074  8  15   0

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #10

Blockheads: 2 - Team 25: 2

We started hot, winning the first game by 205. However, we fell flat after that and lost the next two games. Fortunately, our margin of victory in the first game was enough to earn us the point for total pinfall. We split the four points leaving us with a record of 19-21.

  Blockheads      Team 25

  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL

1  757  62   819   614   0   614

2  640  62   702   768   0   768

3  677  62   739   794   0   794

T 2074 186  2260  2176   0  2176

WEEK 10 01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia 188 139 102  429  20  2908 145.4 188  488   0   0   0
Sharon 166 181 233  580  30  4964 165.5 233  580   1   3   0
Mark   241 169 189  599  30  5442 181.4 241  599   6   8   0
Gary   162 151 153  466  30  4668 155.6 184  503   0   3   0
Total  757 640 677 2074 110 18432 167.6 757 2074   7  14   0

BOWLING ON TV

Here is the PBA television schedule for the upcoming season. All of these events will be televised Sundays on ESPN. The times are Pacific time.

DATE         TIME      TOURNAMENT
Dec 01 2013  10:00 AM  WSOB PBA CHEETAH CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 08 2013  10:00 AM  WSOB PBA VIPER CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 15 2013  10:00 AM  WSOB PBA CHAMELEON CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 22 2013  10:00 AM  WSOB PBA SCORPION CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 29 2013  10:00 AM  WSOB PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan 05 2014  10:00 AM  WBT WOMEN'S FINALS
Jan 05 2014  10:00 AM  WBT MEN'S FINALS
Jan 12 2014  10:00 AM  PBA RPI FINALS
Jan 19 2014  12:00 PM  INTERNATIONAL JAPAN CUP
Jan 26 2014   9:00 AM  PBA LEAGUE
Feb 09 2014   9:00 AM  PBA LEAGUE
Feb 16 2014  12:00 PM  PBA LEAGUE
Feb 23 2014  12:00 PM  USBC MASTERS
Mar 02 2014  12:00 PM  PBA LEAGUE
Mar 23 2014  10:00 AM  PBA LEAGUE - POSITION ROUND
Mar 30 2014   1:30 PM  PBA LEAGUE - WILDCARD ROUND
Apr 06 2014  10:00 AM  PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Apr 13 2014  11:00 AM  PBA LEAGUE - ELIAS CUP FINALS

WSOB = World Series of Bowling
WBT = World Bowling Tour
RPI = Regional Players Invitational

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #9

Blockheads: 1 - Bowling Buddies: 3

Except for The Coach, we were brutal in the first game and lost it by 49 pins. We rebounded in the second game but came up two pins short. To earn a split, we would have to win the third game by 52 pins or more. We won the third game but by only 44 pins. Thus, our record for the night was 1-3 and we dropped to 17-19 for the season.

    Blockheads      Bowling Buddies

  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL

1  568   0   568   579  38   617

2  628   0   628   592  38   630

3  663   0   663   581  38   619

T 1859   0  1859  1752 114  1866

WEEK 9  01  02  03  SER  G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600

Olivia 119 139 116  374 17  2479 145.8 178  488   0   0   0

Sharon 119 161 190  470 27  4384 162.4 191  533   0   2   0

Mark   150 183 179  512 27  4843 179.4 219  595   5   7   0

Gary   180 145 178  503 27  4202 155.6 184  503   0   3   0

Total  568 628 663 1859 98 16358 166.9 715 1990   5  12   0

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #8



Blockheads: 3 - Clobberin' Time: 1



When our opponents showed up, one of them said it looked like they had some easy pickins'. Olivia was absent but three-fourths of us easy pickins' managed to win three-fourths of the points. Putting down one's opponents in their presence is not a very wise practice. Then when one fails to back up the boast, it only serves to make one appear a chump.

  Blockheads      Clobberin' Time
  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL
1  657  72   729   706   0   706
2  671  72   743   764   0   764
3  662  72   734   687   0   687
T 1990 216  2206  2157   0  2157

WEEK 8  01  02  03  SER  G  PINS   AVG  HG   HS 200 500 600
Olivia 150 150 150  450 14  2105 150.4 178  488   0   0   0
Sharon 165 163 170  498 24  3914 163.1 191  533   0   2   0
Mark   173 174 195  542 24  4331 180.5 219  595   5   6   0
Gary   169 184 147  500 24  3699 154.1 184  503   0   2   0
Total  657 671 662 1990 86 14499 168.6 715 1990   5  10   0

A HOUSE DIVIDED

Today I was thinking about Abraham Lincoln's famous House Divided Speech that he made in 1858. Do you remember that one from history class? Here is part of it:

"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."

RENO INVITATIONAL - WEEK #7

Blockheads: 3 - Banana Splits: 1

We took the first two games but came up five pins short in the third. With the point for total pinfall, our series score was 3-1. Ordinarily, we'd be a bit glum after losing a potential sweep by a mere five pins. However, after losing 11 of 12 the past three weeks, a winning series of any kind was a huge relief.

  Blockheads      Banana Splits
  PINS HCP TOTAL  PINS HCP TOTAL
1  667   0   667   410 191   601
2  626   0   626   425 191   616
3  613   0   613   427 191   618
T 1906   0  1906  1262 573  1835

WEEK  7 01  02  03  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG  HS 200 500 600
Olivia 156 178 154  488  14  2105 150.4 178  488  0   0   0
Sharon 151 169 162  482  21  3416 162.7 191  533  0   2   0
Mark   189 150 160  499  21  3789 180.4 219  595  5   5   0
Gary   171 129 137  437  21  3199 152.3 180  503  0   1   0
Total  667 626 613 1906  77 12509 162.5 715 1985  5   8   0

DROPPING IN AT RAY'S CLINIC

Ray Spackman held one of his drop-in bowling clinics at Diablo Valley Bowl on October 5th. Sharon handled the bowling this time while I observed and shot some video. The clinic was very well attended. I counted ten lanes of bowlers. For $20, each attendee bowled for two hours while Ray roamed from lane to lane, providing instruction and encouragement.

My impression was that Sharon made some substantial improvements in her game. Ray worked with Sharon primarily to smooth out her first two step to resemble regular walking steps and to stop muscling the ball with her forward arm swing. Sharon kept an open mind and made a strong effort to work on the things Ray showed her. By the time the two hours were up, Sharon had a smoother, less strenuous delivery that will be easier to repeat consistently. Here are four shots taken during various points in the lesson. In the first you'll see Sharon is muscling the ball less than before and in the three subsequent shots, a vast difference is detectable.

BTM GOES OUT OF BUSINESS



BTM's "Ball Talk"

Bowling This Month magazine has ceased operations. This is most unfortunate. BTM was a great resource and it will definitely be missed. There are other bowling mags but none that offered such in-depth technical information about technique and equipment. You can read more about BTM's demise at 11thframe.com. 

HOW IT'S MADE: BOWLING PINS

Here's another one you may have seen on Discovery Channel.