something worse happened to me. My wife and I were bowling together and had just been assigned a single lane. I placed my Brunswick Ultimax on the ball return and went to get my wife's bag to place her balls on the return. I looked and my ball was not on the return. I remember placing tape in the thumb hole before I stepped away. I looked on the chairs and all around. No ball. I thought maybe someone in that party used it and it would be returning shortly. But my ball did not return. Finally I asked the bowlers in the next lane who shared the ball return.
One guy looked around at his party and then said, I think we may have put it back on the ball rack. He explained that one of his party tried to use it, but there was something wrong with the finger holes. He thought it was a broken house ball and returned it to the ball rack.
He retrieved it from the ball rack. No harm, no foul, but somehow I felt a tad upset - my personal ball - but I got over it. It was totally understandable.
It brougt to mind the time when I was wearing retainer and accidently left it in the restaruant. Missing it, I went back, looked around and did not see it. I asked the waiter who said it was in the the trash.
Do they know how much these things cost, I remember thinking
I live by three simples rules:
1. Don't ever ask about my business
2. Never discuss business at the table
3. Don't ever side with anyone against the family
At least he got it back for you. I would have had a moment of panic as well and it would have taken me a minute or two to readjust and continue bowling.Originally Posted by GeoLes
Luckily, even though there are those horrible round carousel type racks where I bowl, there is a bottom rail now.
I've had this happen a few times with kids and people next to me who are just there to have fun. All I had to do is politely point out it's mine and that's it.
The story by GeoLes is frightening to think about somebody snatching it off the rack and running.
I have never ... repeat, never ... had that happen to me, even when I was bowling with a house ball on a crowded open bowling night. And I've been bowling, off-and-on, since 1973.
Never.
As a corollary, this is why Storm needs to come up with some really rancid scents for their balls, so that when somebody picks yours up through carelessness, they get a snootful of Armageddon. Really -- unless somebody's throwing the exact same ball as you, telling them apart ain't that hard. Just. Pay. Attention.
A lot depends on where you bowl too. I'm usually around pretty friendly people so I'd expect that they pay attention. Other people may not always be so fortunate and may have to deal with the occasional people that just start chucking any ball on the rack down the lane.
Of course. I'm just scratching my head because, apparently, I'm the odd duck here, in that it's never happened to me over the course of 40-odd years.
I've had casual bowlers try to reach for my stuff a lot...they generally think that if there's more than one ball on the rack...and I'm the only one bowling...then only one is mine.
Usually...they quickly realize they aren't house balls and are not drilled like house balls...and they figure it out. But, sometimes, like yesterday early afternoon...I had to tell the kid, "nope, those are all mine".
But like I said before...I'd almost like to see the kid try to throw one just out of amusement. My hands are big so I have a very long span...and even if they can sorta fit...if they've never thrown a fingertip ball...it's going to be entertaining to see how that works out.
In Bag: (: .) Motiv Trident Odyssey; (: .) Hammer Scorpion Sting; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Radical Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 186; Lifetime Average = 171;
Ball Speed: 14.4mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 181
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
And the next youtube video: "Stranger tries to throw Aslan's bowling ball". Most people would have no clue that people actually own multiple of their own bowling balls unless they see a giant rolling bag next to the person.
A lot of open bowlers are of the mindset, why would ANYONE buy a ball when the bowling centers provide them for free.
speaking of house balls , our house tends to attract grown men that love to throw a 6# house ball down the lane as hard as they possibly can. This past Saturday one of these men (bowling with the bumpers up I might add) was on lane #1 and threw a 6# ball so hard it jumped the bumper and went through the mechanic's door. When it hit the concrete in the back it sounded like it shattered and he still kept doing it. I just shook my head and ignored him.
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