From: aki <aki@atlas.worldbank.org>
Subject: Re: "Killer" bowling balls
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A6D60C6B33012631@akidamme-233324.worldbank.org>
X-Xxdate: Fri, 11 Sep 92 13:42:19 GMT
Organization: World Bank
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d8
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:48:40 GMT

In article <26226@dog.ee.lbl.gov> Terry Chan, twcaps@tennyson.lbl.gov
writes:
>
>This is a weird one.  Most balls that I've seen are drilled with one
>of several methods:
>
>  - Conventional three hole where the hand fits in easily,
>  - Fingertip where the upper finger holes are drilled further out
>    to facilitate control (in some people's eyes) and commonly seen..

In SOME PEOPLES EYES?  3400 pro bowlers can't ALL be wrong....
besides, there is no room for argument here, fingertip drilling DOES offer
more control, I have yet to see anyone (I've drilled out literally
HUNDREDS
of bowling balls, many of them for new fingertip bowlers) who bowled
better conventional once they learned the proper fingertip release..


>  - Two holes which are used for specialty strikes (heh) such as
>    picking up spares.

...I don't understand...what's a specialty strike if it is a spare?????

>
>I suppose if you bowl with very bad technique coupled with a great
>deal of force, you can hurt yourself.  I doubt you can actually do
>it such that the ball only comes off a certain way but if you're
>wearing a "Cobra", IMO you deserve it (0.5 :-)).  I have found that
>you can hurt yourself with fingertip drilled holes but the pain is
>usually in the fingers, not the wrist.  I don't see how this combo
>could work, but I'd be interested in any comments.
>
...I disagree on two points...(1)...most arm/hand related bowling injuries
are the forearm/wrist, NOT the fingers.  The most serious injuries that
are normally seen on the fingers/thumbs are blisters, hardly a serious
enough injury to warrant medical attention.  However, wrist/forearm
injuries are not uncommon.  Pulled tendons in the forearm are common
among bowlers who "crank" the ball with great force.  Hence the reason
for the bowling splint.  Additionally, a common malady among bowlers who
bowl alot of games is "bowlers elbow" which is similiar to tennis elbow
and
is quite painful and usually requires medical attention.  Wrist injuries
(which
are not isolated to "fingertip" bowlers, are also not uncommon.  This type
of injury is normally caused by bowlers who prefer to "cup" the ball in
their wrist.  Any number of wrist supports help to prevent this type of
injury.  and (2)..the Cobra wrist support is no more radical than many
other
full length wrist supports available on the market.  What is unique about
the Cobra is the extended index finger for outer support of the ball.  The
theory of the finger support is to support the ball during the swing to
relieve
pressure on the fingers to allow more lift and turn.  One problem with
this
type of support is that it forces the bowler to roll a "full roller".  In
order
to bowl a full roller, the release must be almost perpendiculiar with the
lane (e.g. wrist pointing straight down with the fingers/thumb pointing in
toward the lane).  To facilitate such a release and to allow for
proper/smooth
thumb release, the thumb hole is usually offset by as much as 1/2 inch AND
there is radical forward pitch to "grip" the ball harder since the
natural 
reaction of the hand is to drop the ball.  This will severely damage the
wrist/
forearm if the ball is not released properly because the thumb will not
cleanly leave the ball, thus pulling the thumb/fingers and because the
Cobra will not allow the hand to adjust to the radical misadjustment of
the hand, it will damage the tendons in the wrist/forearm.  The guy who
damaged his arm may now have a classic case of "bowlers elbow"...

-Aki
The Worldbank Wash. D.C.
E-mail: akidamme-233324.worldbank.org
(202)458-1112
DoD 0628
PBA 2294
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"How come the best bowling ball for
me is always the one I don't own?"
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