Where and how did static weights originate?

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Arkansas
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Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by Arkansas »

Does any know the history of static weights? How was it decided to use that method of weighing a ball to determine imbalance and why?
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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by Mo Pinel »

Arkansas wrote:Does any know the history of static weights? How was it decided to use that method of weighing a ball to determine imbalance and why?

To control the amount of weight adjusted to compensate for the weight removed by the drilling holes.
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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by guruU2 »

Arkansas wrote:Does any know the history of static weights? How was it decided to use that method of weighing a ball to determine imbalance and why?
Without doing the research and off the top of my head the rules were established around the turn of last century, as Mo wrote,
Mo Pinel wrote:To control the amount of weight adjusted to compensate for the weight removed by the drilling holes
.

This rule was established when all the cores were pan cake in shape. With today's evolutionary technology the current rule seems dated. As I understand it the USBC is doing research on the possibility of changing the rules based on the new technology and updated data.
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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by TomaHawk »

The pancake was employed to compensate for the weight removed from the ball when the finger and thumb holes were drilled. Why? Because it was realized that a ball containing top weight retained it's rolling characteristics for a longer period of time.

There was a study done by Ebonite quite a few years ago. The participant in the study was Earl Anthony. I was lucky enough to have been one of only two people present when the "on lane" study took place. The other person was the vice president of Ebonite.

The tests were conducted in the Arena, Thunderbowl Lanes (Allen Park, Michigan) on a new ball Ebonite was releasing, the Mag 6. Several balls were drilled by the pro shop at the Thunderbowl location, again, I happened to be in the pro shop when the balls were being drilled. The bowling balls did not contain any labels of any kind. Simply, there were marks on the balls identifying were the gripping holes should be placed. The balls were drilled and placed on a cart. I was a 20 year old at the time, my job, roll the cart into the Arena and lock the door.

Awaiting in the bowler's area were Earl and the vice president. I hope, all who are reading this understand, I was about to witness the most impressive display of bowling the world would never see. Also, it made me the luckiest bowling / person alive.

I watched as Earl picked up each unmarked ball, roll a couple of shots, then strike from the first arrow to the fourth arrow, consecutively. What I thought to be unusual, the first two shots with each ball appeared to be flagrant, in other words, the ball never came close to the pocket. On the third shot, with each and every ball, Earl struck. Amazing. Even more amazing, witnessing Earl change shoulder and hand angles to create the necessary roll / speed / angle to strike.

What I had just witnessed was being charted by the Ebonite VP. After rolling each ball, Earl would tell the VP about the physical adjustments he needed to make in order to get the ball to strike. The information collected that day was used to create a chart / poster that was distributed by Ebonite. On the chart, there were descriptions suggesting the necessary physical adaptions needed to roll bowling balls with certain types of weight patterns effectively. The bowling balls I had seen Earl roll were weighted 1oz finger, 1oz side, and almost 3 top, to 1oz thumb, 1oz negative, almost 2 bottom, and everything in between. Truly amazing!

Now, I knew that Ebonite had a machine that could have rolled those balls. Curious, I asked the VP why they didn't use it.

His answer: "Because Earl was better than a machine".

Nobody will ever be that good again.
Last edited by TomaHawk on October 31st, 2015, 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by kajmk »

Tomahawk, thanks for sharing that experience.
This piece belongs in a book somewhere or perhaps a segment in the wiki.
I hope many eyes feast upon this bit of Bowling history you have shared.

You deserve a click on the GREEN PLUS for Kudos.

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and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by stevespo »

TomaHawk wrote: His answer: "Because Earl was better than a machine".
Apparently one of Earl's nicknames was DSM or the "Doomsday Stroking Machine".
Hilarious, but that kind of consistency is something to aspire to (but never reach)!

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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by snick »

Not sure if the following article is related to the evolution of modern static weight rules, but it seems like it might be, since the Kaufman scale is often referred to as a "dodo scale".
http://www.kegel.net/v3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=63
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Re: Where and how did static weights originate?

Post by marlont »

Of course the ancestor of static weight specifications was a rule passed by the ABC that prohibited what at the time they called "loaded bowling balls." The time was 1913.
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