Does Walter Ray Williams have a "modern release"?

[Aslan]

My favorite bowler is Walter Ray. I like his demeanor, I like his accuracy and skill, he has more accolades than any other bowler alive, and he's similar to me in height. He's like Mika except with more titles and a less dramatic approach.

Anyways, as was watching him in this video: http://youtu.be/cVbClQwDASM

I noticed that he doesn't seem to stay behind the ball. He doesn't seem to start his hand on the inside quadrant. At times, almost a suitcase release. And I compare his approach/release to mine, and it seems like other than a less dramatic 2nd step, more forward spine tilt, and setting the ball down earlier (less loft)…I see a lot of similarities.

So is everyone else seeing what I'm seeing? Or do you see something in his release that I'm just missing?

[noeymc]

he prob changed up his release for the shot at hand yes people can do that shocking i knoww and thats a god release hes behind the ball

[Geneo2u]

Walter's the man. Wonder if pitching horseshoes has a lot of the same techniques.

[RobLV1]

Bowlers who utilize a "modern release," keep their hand on the inside of the ball and use the unloading and loading of the wrist to generate revolutions. The modern release generates more revolutions and more turn. Good bowlers, and Walter Ray is undoubtedly the best bowler that the world has seen to date, whether they utilize a modern release or not, have always stayed behind the ball. This is what allows him to "roll" the ball to knock down the maximum number of pins. Combine his ability to roll the ball consistently with his amazing accuracy, and you have more PBA titles than anyone else on the planet.

[swingset]

He's certainly not behind the ball in that video...he's coming around the side quite a bit at release. He's always played that "side" of the ball, not nearly as behind it as a lot of the PBA players with a modern swing.

I kind of view his release as a "hybrid" that's between the old and new. In this video you can see he's behind it a bit more, but his fingers are just at or above the equator....another sign of that "in between" the old and new.

http://youtu.be/oAQj2H1u25U

Walter Ray stands as a testament to a freaky-god-given ability to play this sport to it's highest level. His approach is fundamentally flawed (especially at the line), yet he can deliver awe-inspiring consistency and accuracy, and has the perfect "head game" to be a champion.

Like Mika, he's a guy I'd never tell a single soul to emulate, yet you can't argue with their results.

[noeymc]

i disagree swingset he is beind the ball it comes off his palm in in the slight on the side but also depends on what shot cuz ive seen more then one release theres one where he bowls like the every day joe then hes got ther ok thats a solid let go and hes almost got a pro let go

also my ideal Norm Duke is better

[RobLV1]

If you pause the video from Thailand, you'll see that his hand is behind the ball until after his thumb exits. Many bowlers who think that they are behind the ball are actually turning early in making an effort to hook the ball. Modern balls are much better at hooking themselves without any help at all from the bowler. If you can learn to let the ball do what it was designed to do, you'll find that you can hook a ball much more than you ever did when you were trying to help it.

[noeymc]

If you pause the video from Thailand, you'll see that his hand is behind the ball until after his thumb exits. Many bowlers who think that they are behind the ball are actually turning early in making an effort to hook the ball. Modern balls are much better at hooking themselves without any help at all from the bowler. If you can learn to let the ball do what it was designed to do, you'll find that you can hook a ball much more than you ever did when you were trying to help it.

i agree 100% i was told when i was little to let the ball do the work and that was from a pba bowler who has bowled with walter he said the man is a good guy he is just socially awkward lol like he said the man trys to be funny its just not him hahahaha

[Aslan]

It's an interesting discussion. But I agree with Swingset...from the video, I can't see his hand behind the ball. Not like the modern release video (I can't find the link) where it shows all the modern bowlers like Rhino and Chris Barnes, etc..

I don't know. I just found it interesting when I came across this video, which I believe is "fairly" recent, that his release didn't seem to "jive" with a "modern" or even "transitional" release.

I'll try to ask him on his website (if it's still in existence).

P.S. I can't find the link to ask him a question. I don't think he still does it since the newest answered questions are from 2007. Anyone have his private number/email??

[RobLV1]

No, he doesn't have a "modern release" like Chris Barnes or Rhino Page (God how I wish that we, the bowling writers had never even mentioned modern or transitional styles). He does, however, stay behind the ball until his thumb exits. One of the things that define coaching ability is that we can see some things that the untrained eye can't. I know it's tough, but if you can't see it, I guess you'll just have to take my word for it.