Proper equipment
Tonight was week #3 in the Palo Alto Bowl Summer League. Now that things are in full swing and all the rookies like me are in tune with the rules, traditions and culture of the league, things are much more comfortable. And much to my chagrin, I even have to admit I'm getting used to all the touching that goes on during the games. All the high fives, low fives, fist pounding and other congratulatory fondling is getting downright comical. I feel like I've just won the Super Bowl after every toss of the bowling ball. I hope I don't let all this loving go to my head!
This week we played a team of regulars who have been playing the the league for a long time. How could I tell? Well, one tip was when one of our opponents, Mohammad, rolled up a rack of nine bowling balls to our lane.
"Are those all yours?," I asked.
"Yep," said Mohammad. "A man needs the proper equipment."
Mohammad proceeded to try several different bowling balls during warm up, but he couldn't seem to narrow it down to less than seven different balls. In fact, most league players use at least two balls; one for their initial toss, and a different ball used to pick up spares.
"Are these all of your bowling balls?," I asked Mohammad.
"Oh no," he said.
"How many do you have?" I asked.
"Over 40," he said. "You need different balls for different conditions."
"Yeah, like for when it's raining, right?" I asked, with a sarcastic tone.
As he sipped a glass of Tequilia, Mohammad went on to tell me the differences between the lanes on the Professional Bowlers Tour and those in you average alley. I wished I had never asked. Luckily for me, the call then came over the bowling alley intercom to start the match.
We began to bowl. Lynne, one of our team's two veterans, began her game with a strike. Then she got another on her next frame. Then another. Then another. Lynne started her game with four consecutive strikes.
"Well, I can't talk to you anymore," I said, acknowledging her perfect game. The next frame Lynne missed her strike. Maybe I whammied her. Nevertheless, Lynne hit strikes in 8 of her 10 frames, even capping the 10th frame with strikes in her two extra balls. She ended up with a 245, shattering her previous high game of 206.
I'm starting to get into this. I might need to buy me a ball and some shoes rather than using the house gear. I can't wait until next week...
This week we played a team of regulars who have been playing the the league for a long time. How could I tell? Well, one tip was when one of our opponents, Mohammad, rolled up a rack of nine bowling balls to our lane.
"Are those all yours?," I asked.
"Yep," said Mohammad. "A man needs the proper equipment."
Mohammad proceeded to try several different bowling balls during warm up, but he couldn't seem to narrow it down to less than seven different balls. In fact, most league players use at least two balls; one for their initial toss, and a different ball used to pick up spares.
"Are these all of your bowling balls?," I asked Mohammad.
"Oh no," he said.
"How many do you have?" I asked.
"Over 40," he said. "You need different balls for different conditions."
"Yeah, like for when it's raining, right?" I asked, with a sarcastic tone.
As he sipped a glass of Tequilia, Mohammad went on to tell me the differences between the lanes on the Professional Bowlers Tour and those in you average alley. I wished I had never asked. Luckily for me, the call then came over the bowling alley intercom to start the match.
We began to bowl. Lynne, one of our team's two veterans, began her game with a strike. Then she got another on her next frame. Then another. Then another. Lynne started her game with four consecutive strikes.
"Well, I can't talk to you anymore," I said, acknowledging her perfect game. The next frame Lynne missed her strike. Maybe I whammied her. Nevertheless, Lynne hit strikes in 8 of her 10 frames, even capping the 10th frame with strikes in her two extra balls. She ended up with a 245, shattering her previous high game of 206.
I'm starting to get into this. I might need to buy me a ball and some shoes rather than using the house gear. I can't wait until next week...
posted by Leroy at
11:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home