Can Strokers compete?

[Stormed1]

I was a cranker for years but have been working at becoming more of a stroker and it has opened up a ton of options as to where to play.

As far as the greater entry angles the cracnkers have you can create some of that with drill patterns. An angle to the VAL of 20 degrees will create the most angularity that any given ball is capable of.I drll for several rev challenged bowlers and we use 4 1/2 x 60x20 for length and snap

[WAC4504]

I believe a stroker has the advantage when it comes to adapting to lane conditions. And there are no extra points for the way the ball looks going down the lane, it's pin count only.

[Steven B]

You bet you can. Ever heard of straighter is greater? There are lots of conditions that you can score higher on than the "crankers" can. I don't have a huge hook, but mine is effective for me. I'm more of a tweener but I prefer the down and in shot! Good Luck!

[tracy]

i think the stroker is more consistant overall.i think that we can play more consistantly on different conditions than a cranker.

[JAnderson]

Yes - and there are times strokers** have a definite advantage just as at other times crankers** have a definite advantage. The ability to repeat shots is the best bet for high scores, regardless of physical style.

** There seems to be a general lack of agreement on what these terms mean in bowling today. To me, having a high rev rate does not make a bowler a cranker any more than a low rev rate makes a bowler a stroker.

[J Anderson]

Yes - and there are times strokers** have a definite advantage just as at other times crankers** have a definite advantage. The ability to repeat shots is the best bet for high scores, regardless of physical style.

** There seems to be a general lack of agreement on what these terms mean in bowling today. To me, having a high rev rate does not make a bowler a cranker any more than a low rev rate makes a bowler a stroker.

So Jay, how do you define the terms?
I think of crankers as staring way inside, sending the ball out toward the gutter, and getting a very sharp, strong hook into the pocket. Strokers play a more direct line to the pocket, usually starting the ball off outside and parallel to the boards or angled slightly toward the pocket.
John

[bowlerdawg]

crank for show, stroke for dough

[JAnderson]

For me, the terms cranker, stroker, tweener have nothing to do with:

• Rev Rate
• Line (swinging or playing up the boards)
• Accuracy

Crankers can play up the boards with a low rev rate and pin-point accuracy. Strokers can hook the entire lane while hitting a different target on every shot. Tweeners can out rev crankers and have more accuracy than strokers.

Before I define the terms, consider a couple of current bowlers from the PBA tour: Ryan Schafer, Chris Barnes, and Mike Scroggins. I classify Schafer as a cranker, Barnes as a stroker, and Scroggins as a tweener. Generally Barnes has the highest rev rate, followed by Schafer then Scroggins.

I judge by a combination of (purely physical) swing and release style.

Strokers tend to have smooth swings and smooth, clean releases next to or even slightly behind the ankle. They can have lower rev rates like Brian Voss or higher rev rates like Michael Fagan or something in between like Pete Weber. Today, the players with the higher rev rates that fit this category are often called "power strokers". "Smooth" does not mean accurate. It is difficult to find an inaccurate player on the tour, so it is difficult to give a well-known example.

Crankers tend to have jerky swings with more moving parts (bent elbows, hands that change position from one place to another in the backswing, etc). There is large amount of effort in the release, again with more moving parts. The ball is released later, usually in front of the sliding ankel and the bowler tends to "hit up" on the ball or create a release action that looks like the ball is being launched from a shovel. Look at the tremendous effort Mark Roth (the classic cranker) put into his swing and release. Ditto with Ryan Schafer, Jason Couch, Eugene McCune, and even Walter Ray Williams at times. Though nowhere near as much effort as Roth, compared to many bowlers today, these bowlers often have later release points, put more effort and snap into the release motion, and have more complex swings with effort. These are all outstanding bowlers, very accurate, who can play up the boards as well as cover the entire lane.

Tweeners - well that should be easy enough to guess. Maybe it is a bowler that puts effort or some complex motions into their swing but have a clean, smooth release like Mitch Beasely or Tommy Jones. Or maybe it's someone with a clean, easy swing with a hitch in their release (me) like Ritchie Allen or Mika Koivuniemi.

[J Anderson]

For me, the terms cranker, stroker, tweener have nothing to do with:

• Rev Rate
• Line (swinging or playing up the boards)
• Accuracy

Crankers can play up the boards with a low rev rate and pin-point accuracy. Strokers can hook the entire lane while hitting a different target on every shot. Tweeners can out rev crankers and have more accuracy than strokers.

Before I define the terms, consider a couple of current bowlers from the PBA tour: Ryan Schafer, Chris Barnes, and Mike Scroggins. I classify Schafer as a cranker, Barnes as a stroker, and Scroggins as a tweener. Generally Barnes has the highest rev rate, followed by Schafer then Scroggins.

I judge by a combination of (purely physical) swing and release style.

Strokers tend to have smooth swings and smooth, clean releases next to or even slightly behind the ankle. They can have lower rev rates like Brian Voss or higher rev rates like Michael Fagan or something in between like Pete Weber. Today, the players with the higher rev rates that fit this category are often called "power strokers". "Smooth" does not mean accurate. It is difficult to find an inaccurate player on the tour, so it is difficult to give a well-known example.

Crankers tend to have jerky swings with more moving parts (bent elbows, hands that change position from one place to another in the backswing, etc). There is large amount of effort in the release, again with more moving parts. The ball is released later, usually in front of the sliding ankel and the bowler tends to "hit up" on the ball or create a release action that looks like the ball is being launched from a shovel. Look at the tremendous effort Mark Roth (the classic cranker) put into his swing and release. Ditto with Ryan Schafer, Jason Couch, Eugene McCune, and even Walter Ray Williams at times. Though nowhere near as much effort as Roth, compared to many bowlers today, these bowlers often have later release points, put more effort and snap into the release motion, and have more complex swings with effort. These are all outstanding bowlers, very accurate, who can play up the boards as well as cover the entire lane.

Tweeners - well that should be easy enough to guess. Maybe it is a bowler that puts effort or some complex motions into their swing but have a clean, smooth release like Mitch Beasely or Tommy Jones. Or maybe it's someone with a clean, easy swing with a hitch in their release (me) like Ritchie Allen or Mika Koivuniemi.

I like your logic on this. Now if we could only get the 'expert' commentators to to stop using Walter Ray Williams and Mike Scroggins as their typical strokers