From: ak331@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Jerry A. Jelinek)
Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling
Subject: To sanction or not to sanction
Date: 8 Jan 1993 21:28:28 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc12.ins.cwru.edu


To sanction or not to sanction, that is the question....
 
ABC has had various policies over the years to determine whether honor
scores should be sanctioned or not.  The two I'm aware of have occurred 
during the past 5-10 years. 
 
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:
 
        Policy about 5 years ago (My interpretaion, not ABC's)
            On the same night or following day of a honor score,  an
            ABC representative must come out to inspect the lanes.
            The ABC rep must inspect the lanes before anyone else bowls on 
            them for a honor score to be sanctioned.  If the rep determines
            the lanes were not within spec, the score will not be sanctioned.
            (Personal note - my brother LOST 2 300's due to this policy)
 
        Policy starting 2 years ago (Again my understanding)
            All honor scores are automatically sanctioned subject to the
            following rules:
                 A ABC rep must inspect the house within 1 month of a
                 honor score being bowled.  If the rep determines the house
                 is not within ABC spec, any honor scores bowled will not
                 be sanctioned.
            (Personal note: I bowled my only 300 last year with this rule)
        (If others understand the rules differently, please let use know)
 
A TALE OF MICE AND BOWLERS: (bad pun I know!)
 
The question of sanctioned scores recently come up in conversations while
I was bowling.  Lets face it there is only so much you can talk about
between frames.  During the last month, one of the houses I bowl league
in changed its oil pattern.  I haven't spoken with the lane supervisor, but
from bowling on the lanes I and others have observed the following:
 
        Condition Sept-Nov:
             Even oil from gutter to gutter.  Carry down occuring in the
             middle of the lanes during the second game in the second 
             league (7:00pm start).  The outside (11 board out) becoming 
             very dry, with gradual build up of oil in the middle of 
             the lane.
 
             Highest score 289 game, 779series
 
        Condition Dec-today:
             Much heavier oil in the middle (10 board in) of the lane
             with light oil out (10 board out). What I call a typical
             "block shot".  This pattern remains through out the night
             because the carry down occurs in the middle of the lane, wear
             oil is already present.  Little carry down outside.
 
             Highest score (two 299), 802 and 805- These occurred in the
             last 2 weeks.  I personally bowled 705, 720 during the same
             weeks, not the same night or lanes.
 
ABC hasn't inspected the lanes. Should the above honor scores be sanctioned?
Comments from you fill here........
 
Here is my two cents worth.  All honor scores SHOULD BE sanctioned by ABC.
A bowler should NEVER be penalized for bowling a honor score on a lane
condition which he or she has little or no control over.  If a condition
is found to be "walled up", should the house be penalized?? I believe that
the house should be penalized - but how???  If a house puts up a "easy" shot
then people score higher, have more fun, buy more beer, bowl more often - ABC
MAY NOT sanction as many scores.  If a house puts up a tougher shot, bowlers
bowl lower score, cuss more often, kick ball returns more often, buy less
beer, bowl less often (aka less profit), but ABC will sanction more scores!
 
Which do you prefer?  I prefer the tougher (ABC sanctioned) shot.  I'm always
more satisfied when I score at a shot were the lanes require execution to
score.  When I bowl low score, I know I bowled bad!!  When I go to strike
fest houses, sure I can score, but am I a better bowler than Joe Striker?
Give me a "fair" tough shot over strike from any angle, any speed shot.


Jerry
Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling