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

[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.