Why are most bowling balls multi-colored, or "swirled"?

[Monte]

I've noticed that most balls on the market now are multi-colored, or "swirled". I'm just wondering why. Whatever happened to single-color, or solid-color balls (aside from the logo)?

I've had a few different balls like this. When I was much younger I was given a Columbia 300 yellow dot that looked very much like this:

1195

I graduated from that, to a black Hammer, that basically looked like this:

1196

However, a lot of balls these days aren't these "solid" colors. They're all multi-colored and "swirled".

Is there any real reason for that? I'm simply curious.

[Mike White]

Bowling with a single color ball is like bowling with one eye tied behind your back.

The ball need to enter the roll phase shortly before hitting the pins.

The ball starts going down the lane in somewhat of a spiral appearance, and then changes into a forward roll.

If it never changes, you either need to play on a different part of the lane, or select a ball with a rougher surface.

If it changes too early, you need to find oil, or a polished ball.

That transition is very hard to see if you have a single color ball.

[Monte]

Mike:

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. I used to just use some sort of "marker" on my ball to determine what it was doing. When I had my Columbia 300 yellow dot, I'd basically have to watch the dot as best as I could. With my black hammer, I had white finger inserts, so I would watch those.

[bowl1820]

However, a lot of balls these days aren't these "solid" colors. They're all multi-colored and "swirled".

Is there any real reason for that? I'm simply curious.

Saying they made them swirled so you can see the ball transition is ludicrous.

The closest thing to a company doing that was AMF with the tracers dots on the old classic S3D ball.

The real reason is Marketing and Shelf Appeal.

[Mike White]

AMF had the magic line (red circle on perimeter of the ball) and Manhattan Rubber had a ball with green swirls, and another with yellow swirls.

The magic line (or circle) was completely about how it looked when thrown, not on the shelf.

[bowl1820]

AMF had the magic line (red circle on perimeter of the ball) and Manhattan Rubber had a ball with green swirls, and another with yellow swirls.

The magic line (or circle) was completely about how it looked when thrown, not on the shelf.

I saw a magic line back when I started, And yes the magic line and the S3D tracer dots were not about shelf appeal.

But they also were just a couple of specialty balls and made 40-50 years ago Marketing has changed a bit since then.

[RobLV1]

The other day I was throwing a Brunswick Melee Cross and someone on the other team asked why I was using that old Teal Rhino. I guess people just think that solid colored balls look old.

[Amyers]

I have never overly liked solid colored balls. I do think it makes it more difficult to read what the lane is doing.

[MICHAEL]

The other day I was throwing a Brunswick Melee Cross and someone on the other team asked why I was using that old Teal Rhino. I guess people just think that solid colored balls look old.

yes and to people like Aslan, old stinks! :rolleyes: You will always be SOLID in my eyes Bob,, I mean Rob!!! :)

[MICHAEL]

When are they going to come up with a ball that as it spins, it creates a cool image as it goes down the lanes!http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/imagine686868/300px-Phenakistoscope_3g07690a_zps95a2cd53.gif (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/imagine686868/media/300px-Phenakistoscope_3g07690a_zps95a2cd53.gif.html)

[MICHAEL]

I have never overly liked solid colored balls. I do think it makes it more difficult to read what the lane is doing.

I agree, for the same reason. Have they ever made a ball with a design specifically for better being able to read your ball? I am not a ball engineer,
but seems like that could be incorporated into the design outer surface of a bowling ball. I am talking about some combination of geometric lines with the idea of seeing the ball motion in a new way, vs. just color swirls?

[Aslan]

Why does Storm "scent" their balls? Same thing.

Since I'm not "certain" of this, I will say it's a "guess"...but I believe older balls were rubber and rubber tended to be black. When urethane came into the market, it was suddenly very easy and not very costly to produce balls in different colors. The market liked the idea = more colors and eventually when things switched to resin...just as easy and even less costly to make them in colors and they eventually went to swirls and people again responded positively.

I agree with Mike that having a swirled ball helps to see the different roll phases, count rpms, etc... And I think there are a significant number of bowlers that for those reasons wouldn't throw a solid color unless it was a plastic spare ball. But Columbia's Eruption Pro was quite popular and it was a solid orange which was hard to look at much less notice roll phase. The Dude, the Ringer, Melee, Melee Cross...all solid color balls released recently that have been at least sort of well received. The LT-48 as well although I don't think people really took to that ball as much.

So I'd guess 88% marketing, 12% function.

[RobLV1]

Actually, the story goes that the wife and co/owner of Storm really hated the smell of the factory, so they came up with a way to scent the balls to make the processing smell less offensive. I don't know if it's true, but it is a neat story.

In terms of seeing the roll of the ball, the only reference I've ever heard to that was Brian Voss saying that, at one point, he would only use solid black bowling balls so that other bowlers could not see the roll that he was putting on his ball. Again, don't know if it's true, but another neat story.

[circlecity]

I like how the solid balls look going do the lane better. They almost look like they are gliding and not rolling.

[bowl1820]

urethane came into the market, it was suddenly very easy and not very costly to produce balls in different colors.

Actually, it was in 1950 when the ABC sanctioned the use of plastic (polyester) balls made from a mold. Which made it easier to produce balls in different colors.

[bubba809]

I have a Jet Black Taboo (solid black) and hesitate to use it because it doesn't look as pretty rolling down the lane as my other swirled balls. Funny thing is I LOVE how the Taboo moves and is so well controlled on the lanes.

[Aslan]

Actually, it was in 1950 when the ABC sanctioned the use of plastic (polyester) balls made from a mold. Which made it easier to produce balls in different colors.

Anyone know the first colored bowling ball ever made and the first pro bowler to throw a colored/non-black ball??? Interesting trivia!

My guess...I 'think' all balls prior to 1956 were black. And the first pro bowling event I remember seeing on the internet where colored bowling balls were used was 1968. HOWEVER....telecasts before that were in black and white...so harder to tell. I imagine some of the balls used prior to 1968 may have been colored and just appeared balck. So I'll guess 1958 for first time used by a pro and I'll guess Dick Weber.

[Aslan]

I have a Jet Black Taboo (solid black) and hesitate to use it because it doesn't look as pretty rolling down the lane as my other swirled balls. Funny thing is I LOVE how the Taboo moves and is so well controlled on the lanes.

I could give a fat fart how it looks rolling down the lane. I'm interested in how it looks falling off the back of the pindeck after knocking over all 10 pins.

[Shaneshu87]

Anyone know the first colored bowling ball ever made and the first pro bowler to throw a colored/non-black ball??? Interesting trivia!

My guess...I 'think' all balls prior to 1956 were black. And the first pro bowling event I remember seeing on the internet where colored bowling balls were used was 1968. HOWEVER....telecasts before that were in black and white...so harder to tell. I imagine some of the balls used prior to 1968 may have been colored and just appeared balck. So I'll guess 1958 for first time used by a pro and I'll guess Dick Weber.

i'm not sure about the pro's bu my grandfather just told me he in 1955 he had a blue columbia, it wasn't swirled but it was like a dark navy blue

[bubba809]

I could give a fat fart how it looks rolling down the lane. I'm interested in how it looks falling off the back of the pindeck after knocking over all 10 pins.

I guess I can't "see" the revs as much but you are right, the scores are what count.

[bowl1820]

Anyone know the first colored bowling ball ever made and the first pro bowler to throw a colored/non-black ball??? Interesting trivia!

My guess...I 'think' all balls prior to 1956 were black. And the first pro bowling event I remember seeing on the internet where colored bowling balls were used was 1968. HOWEVER....telecasts before that were in black and white...so harder to tell. I imagine some of the balls used prior to 1968 may have been colored and just appeared balck. So I'll guess 1958 for first time used by a pro and I'll guess Dick Weber.

Seeing that the ABC approved the plastic balls in 1950 there more than likely have been some kind of balls colored other than black before 56 (maybe not in wide spread use or swirled multi colored ones.)

Now of course it would take time before they came into wide spread use which would be in the 60's. that's when Columbia started pumping out the polyester columbia 300

According to Don Johnson, Him, Don McCune and Don Helling were the only PBA tour players to use plastic ball for several years.

They looked at plastic balls back then , like we look resin balls today. Don Johnson talked about how they snapped into the pocket (which shows how much lane conditions have changed ) and Glenn Allison made the comment back then that plastic carried more garbage hits than rubber.

Don McCune in the early 70's worked with Chuck Hamilton, who invented the "soaker" when they were trying to make the balls softer so they hooked more. So plastic balls were in wide spread use by then.

[MICHAEL]

I could give a fat fart how it looks rolling down the lane. I'm interested in how it looks falling off the back of the pindeck after knocking over all 10 pins.

How would you KNOW what that look, LOOKS like!!! LOL FAT FART,,, coming from you,,,, Mr. HOT AIR!!! LOL

[MICHAEL]

Balls with a multi colored swirls, are for a fact obviously much,, MUCH easier to see the 3 transections, skid, hook, and roll! I might be old, but I do have the eye sight of a 20 year old with vision problems!

I can clearly see any swirled ball especially with huge contrast colors, like my marauder madness bluish and yellow, go through the stages to the pocket,,, where as a solid ball is almost impossible for mere mortals to see, without night vision glasses!

[Aslan]

How would you KNOW what that look, LOOKS like!!! LOL FAT FART,,, coming from you,,,, Mr. HOT AIR!!! LOL

He must have thought I said "Old Fart" and had to chime in. LOL

@Bowl1820: I agree. I know plastic balls of varying colors were around sometime between 1950 and 1956…I'm just not sure how widespread it was. As for the PRO level, I just don't recall seeing the pros throw anything but black until the late 60s. But, as I said…it's hard to research because until the late 60s, TV coverage was black and white so if they were throwing dark green or even blue…you wouldn't know it. I researched it using old advertisements because print was in color.

[Big Merl]

I personally prefer solid color balls, I think they just look better.

[rico]

There are only so many colors which can be used for one-color bowling balls....with mixing three or four colors in one ball, it makes it easier to diversify appearances of bowling balls for as many as are on the market today....agree with Mike's comment that multi-color bowling balls makes it possible to observe the ball rolling and transitioning in the mid-lane easier than a solid color ball.....