A interesting read about gambling and howling

[Blomer]

A fun read about gambling and bowling back in the day.
http://http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/sports/when-thugs-and-hustlers-ruled-bowling-alleys-in-new-york.html?_r=1

[fortheloveofbowling]

He just published a book not long ago about action bowling and it is a pretty good read. If you liked those stories pull up actionbowlers.com.

[LyalC52]

Back in the 90's, I bowled on a 3 man scratch/baker league with 2 guys that made a lot of money in the 60's and 70's action bowling out here in the west.
It was a lot of fun listening to their stories.
My favorite was the time one of them and 2 of his buddies got jumped and robbed by a pimp and his girls. They were mad that they'd been cleaning out the jons at a house the hookers worked.
One of the guys owned and operated a barber shop during the day. He said the shop paid the mortgage on his house and little else. He fed, clothed, and sent three children to college on the money he made action bowling.

[NewToBowling]

From the article:

Steve Harris, a former pro shop owner from Neshanic Station, N.J., said he would drill a hole in a ball, pour mercury into it, then plug the hole with a liquid that hardened overnight.

“As the ball rolled, the mercury would shift in the ball and it would go sideways and kill the pins,” Harris, 71, said. “I would also get lead sinkers from the fishing store and do that. But you could not control them. You just played with them.”

The advent of the modern bowling ball

[bubba809]

From the article:

Steve Harris, a former pro shop owner from Neshanic Station, N.J., said he would drill a hole in a ball, pour mercury into it, then plug the hole with a liquid that hardened overnight.

“As the ball rolled, the mercury would shift in the ball and it would go sideways and kill the pins,” Harris, 71, said. “I would also get lead sinkers from the fishing store and do that. But you could not control them. You just played with them.”

Please don't give Aslan any more ideas

[foreverincamo]

I played for money in the late 80's. Only did it in cities where no one knew me. Would play for $20 to.......well, much higher. Was interesting trying to bowl while trying to figure out who was armed and a threat if you won. Good times.