| Remember where you are rolling the ball and turn it. | | | | took his first step, did a low dip as he took the second |
| Understanding the alleys where you are playing is also | | | | pace, came back to normal on the third step, and then |
| very important. And understanding your movements to | | | | made another low dip and delivered the ball. This |
| your left or right is also very important as well as the | | | | unusual procedure completely mystified the spectators |
| way you roll the ball. | | | | and there was immense curiosity over the reasons for |
| When and where should one turn the ball? Many | | | | it. Investigation brought out the fact that each bowler |
| bowlers mistakenly believe that the place to turn the | | | | from this team's home town bowled exactly the same |
| ball to get a big-breaking hook or curve is when it is still | | | | way, and for a very good reason. It seemed that the |
| in back of them on the backswing. But actually the | | | | only bowling establishment in this particular town |
| proper place at which to put "stuff" by means of a lift | | | | unfortunately had two low-hanging steam pipes fitted |
| or turn, etc., is after the ball has passed your left foot | | | | to the ceiling just above the approaches, and it was |
| at the foul line. This eliminates side arming, turning too | | | | strictly a case of duck twice or risk a fractured skull. |
| soon and, to a certain extent, overturning. It also helps | | | | All that particular town's bowlers had performed this |
| to eliminate the chance of the ball rolling over the, | | | | same rite so often that they continued to do so even |
| thumbhole. | | | | when there was no necessity for it. |
| Some thoughts on playing alleys Proper adjustment to | | | | The action of the ball A ball does three things after it |
| alley conditions means moving to your right or left from | | | | leaves your hand. First, it skids, then it rolls and finally it |
| your starting angle according to how the alley affects | | | | "takes the stuff." An average ball skids about fifteen |
| your natural delivery. If your ball is not "finishing" (that is, | | | | feet, then rolls about twenty- five feet, and finally turns |
| it misses the headpin on the right) your proper change | | | | for the last twenty feet. The first part of this twenty |
| is to move to your right in order to get a sharper angle. | | | | feet finds the spin motion gradually overcoming the |
| If your ball finishes too much toward the 1-2 pocket or | | | | forward motion of the ball. One of the main reasons |
| on the left-hand side, the proper adjustment is to move | | | | why a speedball is so ineffective is that it skids farther, |
| toward your left. Even though you change position on | | | | rolls less because it is still in a semi skid, and hooks little |
| the approach, be sure to aim at the same spot. | | | | or none at all, thus giving little opportunity for the pins to |
| Remember that in moving to your left you may end up | | | | mix. With the curve, a much slower delivery, the ball |
| using more of a curve ball than a hook ball. Be careful | | | | does not skid so much and rolls about the same as an |
| not to move so far that your body is to the left of the | | | | average ball. The roll turns into a curve sooner and the |
| headpin, for at that angle it is very difficult to make | | | | ball takes more spin at the finish. If your curve |
| strikes because of deflection. I know that it is difficult to | | | | occasionally dies out, it is because it has started to |
| change a person's game once he has become set in | | | | hook too soon. |
| his ways. | | | | The above tips hopes have given you some new |
| For example, a few years ago a team appeared in | | | | things to learn on how to play the blowing game. You |
| the ABC tournament and confounded the spectators | | | | may find some of these things to practice initially, but |
| with its queer approaches and deliveries. Each bowler | | | | you can overcome your flaws slowly by practicing |
| on this team went through a weird sort of ritual. He | | | | and working on them. |