Samdasham Pin Crashin' Assassin

[samdasham]

11/23/14
Twenty-five games w/high of 160 [game #13] and average of 120.

Couple of weeks or so ago I bowled my current high of 176. A week later I bowled a 170 sumpthin' [game #5].

One day a week I bowl 13-25 games and 3-5 days later I bowl a different house for 4-7 games. I average lump sum games instead of series.

Still using the '99 era K-mart special, Brunswick Eclipse Reactive Urethane, that appears to have taken as many licks as Joe Louis resembling Manuel Noriega. Weighing in at 15-4 I had the fingers drilled and the thumb(2X) though the span is a mite cramped for me mitt. I have a 15 & 16 pounder, same manufacturer different mid-performance models w/similar specs, enroute.

Soon, it will be too late to prevent me from hurling the balls of whoop arse as I'll bust 200 by the end of the year. It's only a few pins a frame and several weeks are left in the year.

How hard can that be? Besides, as a product of the '50s, I don't have an abundance of time to reach my peak.

ETA: Snagged another for three balls, same manufacture, all differing models. Two are very close in performance, primarily differing in length one 15 one 16, the other a 15 has more hook. Two are closeouts w/one coming out earlier in the year. Interestingly to me is two of balls performance values practically mirror new offerings from the same manufacturer.

[samdasham]

Nineteen games today. High game was 150 sumpthin'. After eighteen my average was 119. It took a 144 on the last game to bring me to 121 average for the day.

At least I rallied.

[samdasham]

Had a fingertip w/insert drilled for the middle finger w/bare fingertip & SE for the third digit. Went from around an 1/8" positive thumb to 1/16" negative. Things started well. 141/108/121/116/156/159 for a 133.5 average.

Then, several frames after starting the seventh game I'm pulled off that lane because of mechanical issues. I had already reset several different times. Still, I trudge through the mire.
125/125/122/112/102/124/99

It's obvious I'm tiring missing some spares I usually pick up /clipping corners on a full rack, throwing wide both sides, and what little spin I had has headed south. I've used the SE for spares and no insert fiingertip for full rack. I decide to go full time SE. My spin came back w/vengeance and my speed picked back up to 16.5-17. Last three games are 136/121/168. I was encouraged to play another game, but figured I might as well leave on the high note.

Sixteen games, moved me to another lane and several games, including the last three, were kids/dads, three different sets all on my immediate right, teaching next to me. I had a split on the last game and the little rugrat grabbed a ball and headed down my deck w/whole crowd of his family hollering stop! I laughed telling them he had a better shot at making the split. I ended up w/2 out of three and open frame. I did get my turkey on 16 and was one pin shy of a 4 bagger. All totaled 16 games average 127.

I'm still tweaking the ball and I picked up some #10 soles, so at least I'm sliding w/ease now.

[samdasham]

I was too sore, nursing a left hip muscle, to hardly walk much less participate in my mid week routine. Skeptical still I didn't wish for more than a week to transpire 'twixt games. Right out of the shoot I felt the left hip muscle and favouring it threw the first ball left in the gutter.

-/ 45 8/ X 9/ 7/ 9/ 9- XX6 169 Highest game spirits raised then reality rears it's ugly head

96- 2/ 0X[two spares zero strikes]
124- 1/ doubleX
128
150. 5/ 2X
144. 2/ 3X
116. 3/ 1X
127. 3/ 2X
103. 3/ 1X
94. 0/ 2X
101. 1/ 2X
135. 0/ 5X
129. 4/ 1X
126. 1/ 3X
120. 2/ 2X
102. 2/ 1X
104. 2/ 1X

I'm surprised that I could bowl 17 games considering hobbling around all week. Left quad sore along w/right Achilles heels, yet I'm moving well this morning. Last week I felt my right elbow a bit though that's gone and I barely notice my right knee today. The sliding soles have taken some strain off the left, but I'm still feeling some from pushing off w/right. As well I had a sore right forearm, due to new second digit fingertip/insert, and that's gone as well.

This marks the first time I used the SE exclusively. I'm still going to need to have the ball plugged/drilled again as I'm forcing myself more or less to adapt to the ball. However, the semi SE combined w/more relaxed second digit has proven to be more comfortable than my first outing. Where I was digging my second digit joint into the insert causing it to bow under the strain and sinking the third digit in a conventional SE.

I did show a mild rally of sorts w/135 in the twelfth no spares/five strikes and 129 in the thirteenth four spares one strike. I was surprised I could bowl, so I;m not about to beat myself up over low scores. Interesting to me, as I love patterns, is the strong showing, minus the second game, in one through six. As a rule I usually throw better later.

I dabbled w/bowling my highest game of the year and I'm more than content that me body responded well. I anticipate mid week games w/bated breath.

ETA: I did pick up a 4/7/10 split w/ball return on my left. There wasn't much room left after stepping in front of the the return, but I managed to shorten my 3/4 spare approach to next to nothing. Being familiar w/starting that backswing, w/ball down/by my side pulling back unassisted by any pendulum motion, certainly helped. It was sweet for a change to pick up that split.

[mc_runner]

What kind of spare leaves do you have? Mostly single pin, hard mutliple pins (like 4 or 5 counts), etc?

Not to criticize, but 17 or 19 games at one time is a TON. We get on Aslan for throwing 9 at a time... do you notice any fatigue setting in? Most folks I know who practice usually do around 3-6 at a time and slow their pace down to match league pace (throw a shot/spare, then wait for a minute or 2, then throw again) which also helps you avoid the fatigue.

[samdasham]

Thanks for the reply MC. Most spares I leave are one or two pins unless I completely miss the pocket or in a rush do not have a good grip and I inadvertently release early. Sometimes the ten or five or seven in that high to low order of frequency. At times when I'm too head on I leave two w/pin on each side, or two one one side one on the other, next to last or back row.

If the pin light is working, my ball doesn't become stuck or the pin machine doesn't malfunction I sit down to put on my shoes and sit down again when I'm done to change shoes. I stand the entire time bowling my one one ball, right after it returns yielding to neighboring lanes, and when I finish the game I walk over to the fountain for a drink of water. I come back check my average and start all over. I'm not worthy of sitting. Plus there's 2-6 people on each side & I'm on the ready to bowl between them as an opening becomes available. At times it's as speed bowling.

About ten days ago I stunk it up really bad. My average over 15 games was around 123. Two games failed to break into triple digits w/one coming in a 85. I went later than usual and in short time the place was packed. So, no midweek sessions as I'm still nursing my slide leg. One of the few excursions that failed to see a turkey.

Couple of days ago I go back for what has become weekly only. However, my slide leg is becoming better. Oddly enough I noticed the last time or two that the slide cap on my right shoe was detaching on the left/inside. Acting as a spring when I came around w/foot it would start to slide then grap and usually hold my right foot behind me. I bought some cheapo contact/super glue, but never got around to tending to the matter.

Yep, by the second game it came off and I asked, as the time I needed fingernail clippers, at the counter to no avail. Sadly, I was just starting to bend my knee working into one aspect of the approach and ended up changing. Still I managed to leave several hash marks on the deck before finishing.

No game came in below triple digits and for a while I was averaging in the 130s. As I tired I post a 108 & 113 and that brought me back down. Picked up two, two pin splits, so my confidence was bolstered a mite even though an earlier game saw me leave 4 splits of two pins that all resembled a goal post.

Game seventeen rolls up and I manage a 144. I figure I'm done and might as well leave on a positive if not really high note. I pull the velcro off me glove and stop. I feel as if I have one more left. The velcro goes back. What a mediocre bunch of hurling. What was I thinking? The fifth frame finds me taking out 9 and missing the spare. I'm halfway through on an open frame and fifty pin count. A bad turn and my only game not to bust one hundred looms as my not so grand finale.

But, I am a closer. I need two turns to warm up before heading down the stretch. Sixth frame X, seventh frame X, eighth frame X, ninth frame 9 /, tenth frame X 8 2. For a total of 166 and average of 129. If perhaps I had rolled a four banger instead of the turkey maybe I could of manged 130 for the session. That's OK. Fatigued and spent physically I rallied mentally.

My sliding leg is better. Yesterday a pair of orthopedic style shoes arrived. Where I could notice the difference in concrete and the ground in Rockports in these the Rockports are the concrete. I guesstamate I'm half of the way through lower body strength and form in approach. As soon as me sliding leg is up and running I'll be able to implement the final step of approach.

Doesn't appear that I'll see that 200 game this year. Anything 180 up would be a personal best. Yet, the last six month of pain and suffering shan't be for naught. Besides overall improvement stage two requires that I drop twelve to fifteen pounds whilst still adding bulk. It's a slippery slope as muscle is heavier and that goal will push me into late spring.

Let the madness begin.

Too late, it started in the summer. Though me gait in the backstretch is breezing I know full well the turn ahead separates the wheat from the chaff. I'm close. I can't taste it though a whiff that lingers, but for a fleeting moment wafts across me lane on rare occasions.

[samdasham]

I stopped going to cheap bowl-a-rama day for a couple of weeks. I bowled 5-7 games once a week and started doing more physical activity outside. Both times I stayed out of double digits, but 134/35 was tops. I was trying to reduce my approach whilst favouring my sliding leg. Didn't quite work out as it threw my timing off. I'm still winding up w/large backswing and when I make it to the line I'm having to shut it down. Dropping a lot of balls right at the line due to slowing down. Plus having to throw on the breaks to stay behind the line.

Yesterday, has been a week, I bowl 12 games. I was fired up when I arrived and first game was 152. Which is very good score for me. Early w/light traffic there was a guy coaching a couple of lanes to my right. About mid way through a gent w/two kids was on my immediate left teaching them. No big whoop, but I couldn't continue unfettered. Still my leg was in much better shape and I could take a full approach.

The soreness moved from hip to quad & starts all over. It was nice for a change to bowl w/limited discomfort. I was a pleasure to bend my knee, slide and support my body allowing my pushing leg to come around behind clearing space for the ball. I feel it a little bit today, but I plan on working it out by raking a few leaves. I should be OK to bowl a few 12 or under Sunday.

Of course being able to take a full approach, slide and clear my leg is a differing mechanics than what I was using as I built upper strength suffering trough the tender slide leg.

152/99/116/100/131/141/127/128/126/125/157 for an average of 124.

I'm not 100% and I'm not trying to impart any spin w/suitcase release, but I'm happy for the time being. Both the 152 & 157 had at least 4 open frames. The later w/5 as after rolling a strike in the tenth I left a 2 pin split & only picked up half. Both had double strikes. Both 1st frames were 61 & both had two rolls missing for a -.

Overall, under the conditions, starting w/152 and ending w/157 made for a nice start & finish.

[samdasham]

Next two outings generated poor scores. Only the second trip produced a score in the 150s. Me slide leg still has issues & when I'm not bowling I'm raking leaves. That introduced me to tennis elbow momentarily though was helping the leg. I wasn't allowing enough rest betwixt bowling/raking.

I bowled more games than I needed to in the next outing which was supposed to be a tune-up for my cheap day marathons. All that did was leave me tired/sore. Even so combined w/raking the old body is slowly responding. I try stretching & taking it easy for the first couple of games though the hip/quad continues to raise it's ugly head.

It will work out before the session is through though I'll certainly feel it in the morn. Such was yesterday. Several times I buckled at the foul line. Starting approach too close coupled w/sore muscle has me looking as a horse gone lame skipping across the foul line. I back up and slowly work my way out of most of the soreness most the time. When you have a tender muscle it's easy to feel when the approach is smooth/in sync. When it isn't right it talks to you.

I bowl three games in double digits that I remember and 2-3 more by the 5th-7th frame i have to hustle to get to 100. I'm averaging right at 18.5 mph. [Three days earlier I was tagging 19.5 after warming up & before tiring.] I averaged 118 over 17 games, but I did shine a mite on 17.

63 X 9/ X X X 9- 9/ X 44 182

What I like most was being one pin shy, save 1st & 10th frames, of having eight frame run w/o open. I also like that in spite of starting out w/open frame I rallied for seven good rolls before missing the spare. Of course picking up the lone pin in the eighth for a spare followed by a strike, two bookmarks sorta around the turkey, helps solidify that the turkey was no fluke.

I could have squared up w/me spare approach starting the tenth and probably have scored higher. I considered it, but was hoping for one more strike to insure two more ball, but I pulled the shot. That's OK as 182 is my new high score. And it leaves eight possibilities in the 180's for a higher score.

Sure. I would have loved to break 200, but I now have a much better chance at busting 182 as my high score. I'm not very sore at all today and perhaps in the afternoon I'll rake just a few leaves to stretch a bit. I also dropped a pound and my weight matches the new high score.

Score's going up/weight coming down is a win/win combo platter. I look forward to pegging 20 mph. Then truly, in me mind, I will be a pin crashin' assassin. Of course I'll need to have another ball drilled and move up a half a pound to 16. After me trunk catches up w/torso. No sense in placing the cart before the horse.

[samdasham]

Bowled five games yesterday as midweek tune-up of sorts. Sadly, I pulled the left quad at the house, Tuesday as I recall, and it showed in my game. I tried stretching/walking before bowling and it felt swell, however on the lane was a differing tale.

A couple of older gents, enjoying a cold beverage, were the only other bowlers when I started. One remarked, after I came up lame at the foul line, that I didn't need to throw the ball so hard. I know he means well & I replied, "That's why I'm not paying you for lessons". Then again preceded to tell a well meaning soul of my Fred Flintstone philosophy of throwing at my limit waiting for me trunk to catch up w/torso.

Speaking of speed I dropped a mite over a mile per hour to 1st ball 17 second 17.8. In pin count my first ball averaged 7.3 and my five game average was 130. First game was high score at 136 followed by 117. The final three came in 133/130/134.

All over the board, but I did strike out, for only turkey, in the third.
63 3/ 7- 7- 8/ 8- 9- -/ 9- XXX 133

8- 7- 72 X 5/ 8- X 7- 7/ 9/7 130

8- 6/ X 9- 3/ 61 9/ X 71 27 134

Better my quad than my hip and I even tried dropping to my right knee, w/limited success in picking up a spare, resembling a curler on ice. I threw two balls to start a sixth game and withdrew that notion. The whole deal behind the mid week session is to maintain a level, work out a bit whilst leaving me fresh for the Sunday mini-marathon. Which I've set the limit at thirteen to seventeen.

In the meantime I'll attempt to continue rehab on the sliding leg w/limited leaf raking & electric blanket. I'm happy w/results playing under the condition of my left quad. Even though I missed a lot of spares I picked a few up including a 6-10 split. And I tried adjusting my approach on spares to work around the sore quad. Too many open frames for sure, yet I kept on plugging away on other frames instead of having a complete meltdown to double digit games.

The gentleman was correct, after seeing me come up lame and trot over the foul line, that we have to take care of ourselves as we become older. I suppose I wasn't too far off base when I replied, "Too late for me". When I get my legs under me I'm going to have me some kind of fun pushin' 20 mph at the pins. Right now, left leg issues notwithstanding, I feel as if I should be averaging in the 160s. I'm making enough strikes, fairly high pin count on first ball, picking up spares and high pin spares when I throw a first ball fluke. Time will tell I suppose.

[samdasham]

Sunday marathon has me hurling 14 games. Three times the ball stuck and the mph never worked. Got a late start and enjoyed loud participants and rug rats galore. Good for me concentration skills I suppose.
108/134/108/129/87/111/161/116/125/168/103/110/148/104

The 161 started w/more potential. For a change I get a turkey up front.
X X X 9/ 81 9- 9- 36 8/ 9-

the 168
5/ 8- 9- 81 8/ X X 8/ 9/ 7/ X After picking up the spare in the 10th the ball stuck though I managed after the wait to nail all ten in my bonus toss.

No excuse for the 87, I actually picked up two spares, but when noisy/hectic I tend to throw faster. I can't throw any harder. I need to back off my spare shot, but I'm in the habit of throwing w/everything I have be it my full length buried in the right corner strike shot or my 3/4+ approach on spares that's usually in the middle.
Ball return on me left and once I had a three pin spare w/two on the left one to the right. I moved in front of the ball return took one mini step and hurled down the left side. Kicked the first pin to the right taking out the straggler and me ball continued on a left slant picking up the last pin. That was sweet.
Yet, I convert usually only one split. My heel is sore and I feel a little of the same on my quad, but no pain. The hip discomfort is no more. Working in the yard seems to have helped rehab the sliding leg. I did feel a muscle a few times and that effected my swing, yet nothing as before.
Overall I'm happy w/two games in 160s and a 148. Same ole story. When i couldn't miss a spare I couldn't throw a strike. When I throw strikes I'm picking up one pin of two or missing the single pin. All in all w/different stance & backswing dependent upon strike or spare shot I'm content.
If I can continue to bowl w/o leg issues then it will become stronger & I can incorporate a slightly different move that should help me put some more torque on the swing. All in all I'm maintaining upper body strength/speed whilst improving me trunk strength/flexibility. For a guy that pays no attention to dots/boards or arrows I'm rolling some fairly decent shots.
Most would cringe seeing two different stances, footwork, swings though for the time being it's working well enough.
Looking forward to see what the midweek tune-up has in store. Started feeling the ole tennis elbow in the 14th game, so I'm limiting games now to 13.