What do you do with your old equipment?

[billf]

Some sell, some give away, some keep forever.

How about donating it to your local high school team or youth program?

[bowl1820]

I clean them up and take them down during the high school travel league and give them away to the kids.

[JaMau24]

Just keep all the old balls in the basement.. Good suggestion to get rid of them to a high school team, however most of the balls in my basement are from my youth days years ago that only weigh 12 lbs, also, I don't think there are any high school leagues in my area.

[chrono00]

i don't have any old equipment to give do anything with yet.

I do have half a ball though that sits behind my bed as decoration.

guy on my team, his ring finger was drilled into the pin, came back from the ball return with a crack like 3/4 of the way around the ball. me and another guy took it to the bar with us after and took turns smashing it against the train tracks behind the bar. it took like 12-15 throws to crack the dam thing in half. we each took a side

[martin]

i have just bowled for a year or two, so no equipment that is old enough to give away.. lol

[eugene02]

bowling started 2 mths ago.. don't think i'll have anything to give away any time soon :(

[JerseyJim]

Most of my old equipment I end up giving to my teammates if they can use it. I still keep my old Ebonite Red and Grey Wolf pearls.

[MICHAEL]

Giving them away, would cause Pain. (:) (lost memories, and good times
Made with your balls!!! It would be hard ,, for me to give any of mine away!!
Balls should be kept, and played with on occasion.... belive me, i think you would miss them if they were gone!

[eugene02]

You know what this old retired Iron Worker would say: ( If you got the balls, Keep em)!! Giving them away, can cause Pain. (:) (lost memories, and good times
Made with your balls!!! It would be hard ,, for me to give any of mine away!! Mine have names!! One is called Left, the other Right. They are beautiful,,,,, all bowling
balls should be kept, and played with on occasion.... belive me, i think you would miss them if they were gone!

keep em in a room and look back at how many bowling balls have you own/used.. which were your past favorites.. that would be awesome memories!

[billf]

What about the inner satisfaction of knowing you could be helping a young bowler who could one day end up being the best of all time?

[MICHAEL]

that's a noble, good deed to giving your balls to somone! I just feel more comfortable keeping mine! lol...LOL....

[eugene02]

What about the inner satisfaction of knowing you could be helping a young bowler who could one day end up being the best of all time?

true that you can help a young bowler.. different people different perception i guess.

[MICHAEL]

billf, Next to my Wife,,,, I just love my balls!! I would find it very hard to part with them, Not selfish,,,,,,, just a strong connection, if you know what I mean!? I would be the fist to want to help young bowlers in any way possible......but I just can't give em away!!! I still use them,,, maybe after I die, I will donate them to some young bowling team (:)

[billf]

I understand and I'm not talking about any equipment you still use either. When I bought my SST5s I donated my old shoes. They were fairly worn out but they lasted another kid a month so he could bowl while he and his parents saved the money to buy a new set. Now the team has them if another kid happens to wear a size 13 and doesn't have shoes. I have also donated a 16lbs ball I didn't use anymore. It was plastic and worthless but it did allow the kids a chance to throw a 16lbs ball and see if they could handle it. One girl, after trying it, went from a 10lbs ball to a 15lbs. She is only 14 but raised her average from 130 on the junior high team to 206 as a freshman after the jump up and matching a ball to her style.

If you can use it, sell it or let a friend/teammate use it that's one thing. I was thinking more of the people I know who have all sorts of stuff (balls, bags, shoes) sitting in the basement or garage that they don't want, don't use and just haven't done anything with. I know a guy that ticks me off for many reasons but one being he gets mad at a ball, no matter the cost or age, and throws it into the river! His Hammer Jigsaw had less than 10 games on it when I went into the river after it and gave it to the team. The splash it made when he threw it off that bridge was cool but still, come on now.

Bowling is the fastest growing sport in high schools in the USA. Most of that has to do with the other sports being more established but I want to do what I can to help keep it growing. If we all don't do a little to help grow the sport then all the centers will end up closing. Bowling has been on the decline in recent years and it's time to give it a kick in the pants and get it going again. If Guinness World Records approves my attempt, I plan on getting as much media coverage for the sport as I can. The money raised in conjunction with my attempt will be going to build a new helipad at Dayton's Children's Hospital. Hopefully the attention goes there and to the sport. I'm just hoping to direct the attention, not be the center of it.

[eugene02]

I understand and I'm not talking about any equipment you still use either. When I bought my SST5s I donated my old shoes. They were fairly worn out but they lasted another kid a month so he could bowl while he and his parents saved the money to buy a new set. Now the team has them if another kid happens to wear a size 13 and doesn't have shoes. I have also donated a 16lbs ball I didn't use anymore. It was plastic and worthless but it did allow the kids a chance to throw a 16lbs ball and see if they could handle it. One girl, after trying it, went from a 10lbs ball to a 15lbs. She is only 14 but raised her average from 130 on the junior high team to 206 as a freshman after the jump up and matching a ball to her style.

If you can use it, sell it or let a friend/teammate use it that's one thing. I was thinking more of the people I know who have all sorts of stuff (balls, bags, shoes) sitting in the basement or garage that they don't want, don't use and just haven't done anything with. I know a guy that ticks me off for many reasons but one being he gets mad at a ball, no matter the cost or age, and throws it into the river! His Hammer Jigsaw had less than 10 games on it when I went into the river after it and gave it to the team. The splash it made when he threw it off that bridge was cool but still, come on now.

Bowling is the fastest growing sport in high schools in the USA. Most of that has to do with the other sports being more established but I want to do what I can to help keep it growing. If we all don't do a little to help grow the sport then all the centers will end up closing. Bowling has been on the decline in recent years and it's time to give it a kick in the pants and get it going again. If Guinness World Records approves my attempt, I plan on getting as much media coverage for the sport as I can. The money raised in conjunction with my attempt will be going to build a new helipad at Dayton's Children's Hospital. Hopefully the attention goes there and to the sport. I'm just hoping to direct the attention, not be the center of it.

very good thinking billf! although i don't know you real life. I guess your just an awesome people that not much people would be willing to give things up on.

[chrono00]

what record are you going for?

[billf]

Total pin fall in 24 hours. I figure 8 games an hour average, averaging 150 per game would get 28,800 pins. Not great scoring but how many would or could bowl for 24 straight hours?

[eugene02]

Total pin fall in 24 hours. I figure 8 games an hour average, averaging 150 per game would get 28,800 pins. Not great scoring but how many would or could bowl for 24 straight hours?

if i'm not wrong.. my country had organize a bowling which consist of 36hours... can't remember much though.. only remembered its 36 hours or so..

[billf]

I tried looking it up on the internet but didn't have any luck finding a certified record. Whatever the folks at Guinness say is what I will do.

[eugene02]

I tried looking it up on the internet but didn't have any luck finding a certified record. Whatever the folks at Guinness say is what I will do.

Good luck bro! wish you all the best!!

[martin]

If you can use it, sell it or let a friend/teammate use it that's one thing. I was thinking more of the people I know who have all sorts of stuff (balls, bags, shoes) sitting in the basement or garage that they don't want, don't use and just haven't done anything with. I know a guy that ticks me off for many reasons but one being he gets mad at a ball, no matter the cost or age, and throws it into the river! His Hammer Jigsaw had less than 10 games on it when I went into the river after it and gave it to the team. The splash it made when he threw it off that bridge was cool but still, come on now.

what??!! throwing into the river? for real?

[billf]

That's for real. He has a hitch in his delivery that causes him fits. He doesn't know he does it either. I would tell him if he wasn't such a jerk.

[martin]

OMG that's crazy.. i struggle to get enough money to even buy a ball.. and he has enough money to toss it into the river like that? might as well give it to me.. :(

[eugene02]

OMG that's crazy.. i struggle to get enough money to even buy a ball.. and he has enough money to toss it into the river like that? might as well give it to me.. :(

same! i'm also struggling to save for a ball and he just threw a ALMOST brand new ball into the river! SIGH!!!

[billf]

Oh don't worry. He acts like a big shot but he has less money than brains. Which given this guy is really saying something.

[martin]

i'm praying he never wins anything.. lol..

[eugene02]

even if he wins, he'll waste it!

[americantrotter]

I've only had one move out of the arsenal. Gave it to my wife. i have my mutant cell now, but I'll probably sell that for 50.00. We don't have high school teams and we have a good youth set up at the lanes which i participate in tourneys for.

[Hampe]

I've got my old 16 lb. plastic ball that I started with that I don't use anymore. I live in Switzerland so there are no high school teams around to donate to. I was planning on holding on to it for any new team members we might get, but if it doesn't look like we are going to get one soon I might give it to one of the newbies in the league I play in who doesn't have his own ball. It's not doing anyone any good sitting in my house.....and I didn't play with it long enough to have any real special memories with.

[eugene02]

I've got my old 16 lb. plastic ball that I started with that I don't use anymore. I live in Switzerland so there are no high school teams around to donate to. I was planning on holding on to it for any new team members we might get, but if it doesn't look like we are going to get one soon I might give it to one of the newbies in the league I play in who doesn't have his own ball. It's not doing anyone any good sitting in my house.....and I didn't play with it long enough to have any real special memories with.

oh.. what did u change ur plastic ball with? o.O

[Hampe]

I started with a Global Link (entry level performance) when I was learning to hook, and then once I got the hang of it I added a Virtual Gravity. I still use both those balls (I use the Link as the spare ball) and recently added a Brunswick Massive Damage (waiting for it to be drilled). I guess I could also keep my 16. lb ball in case something happens to my Link.....since I would be without a spare ball in that case. Hmmm....now that I think about it I might hang on to it a bit longer :D

[got_a_300]

I have started plugging some of my old bowling balls to give away to some of the younger
bowlers around here that can handle the heavier balls and can not afford the price of new
balls as I can not throw a 16lb ball any longer without causing myself some real pain in my
lower back.

I have had several that have cracked in half on their own from setting around from back
in the late 80's early 90's getting hot and cold I guess in my ball room. I have 2 bowling
balls that I will never part with my Ebonite black Turbo 299 game ball and my Brunswick
Teal Rihno Pro 300 game ball I always say that I want to be buried with them even if they
crack in half also LOL!!!!!

[TheSheibs]

I would love to donate my ball to a youth league or high school team. Only problem is that my initials are engraved on it. I do have a second used ball that I don't use any more that could make for a good starter ball for someone. I have been meaning to take it into a local shop for them to try to sell. Just havent gotten around to it yet.

[billf]

Engraving can be filled in real cheap if the bowler doesn't want them. Some of the kids are so grateful they don't even care. Usually it's the boys who have a problem if the ball has a women's name on it. Let have let up on the color of the ball since seeing me throw purple/orange and a purplish pink ball. When they ask I tell them the truth; I care more about how it scores than how it looks doing it.

[eugene02]

as long as it does the job.. No further comments shall be given to the ball.. :)