Is there luck in bowling?

[J Anderson]

The sad thing is that when a bowler crosses over to the Brooklyn side and doesn't strike, he often thinks it's bad luck. When he crosses over and does strike it never occurs to him that it's just good luck. LOL

Doesn't the existence of good luck imply that at least sometimes there's such a thing as bad luck?

[Cdolcejr]

So what about when you leave that 10 pin and the messenger slowly rolls over and takes it out at the last second? How is that not luck?

[J Anderson]

So what about when you leave that 10 pin and the messenger slowly rolls over and takes it out at the last second? How is that not luck?

On those rare shots when I get a messenger that's moving with enough momentum to knock anything down it usually goes to the wrong address

[rv driver]

You've got 10 pins over ten frames with a possibility of two shots to knock all of them over (with the exception of the 10th). You've probably got at least two balls, each of which may differ in weight, characteristic and drilling slightly or radically. You've got 4 or 5 steps on approach, each one of which could be off. You've got an arm swing, involving shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers, back, legs, hips, neck, any of which could be slightly (or more) off on each of a possible 21 swings. You've got shoes that could grip/slide differently a possibility of 21 times. You've got a release that involves arm, shoulder, neck, wrist, fingers, feet, etc. that could be off a possible 21 times. You've got lane degradation and oil carry-down. So many variables. No one -- I don't care if you're Earl Anthony, Chris Barnes, Belmo, or WRW -- can control all those variables every time. If that were possible, EVERYBODY would be throwing consistent 300s. I've seen the pros get strikes off of bounced and flying pins many times. I've seen people hit the pocket consistently and miss a perfect game with one stubborn pin.

Yeah, I'd say that constitutes "luck involved."