Chapter 3. Bowling Fundamentals

There is no such thing as a "perfect bowler." By this, I mean that there is no one bowler who does every one of the fundamentals exactly right every time. Some stars have a very high backswing, some take a zigzag approach to the foul line, and still others use no slide. Yet they succeed, because they have learned to overcome the otherwise bad effects of such procedures and to integrate the "fault" into their game so smoothly that it remains only a style that sets them apart from other bowlers.

Many persons have asked me about the easy way to become a star bowler. I can't help but smile when that question is put to me. When I think back over all the time I spent (and am still spending) in practice, I know, along with every other star, that there is no "easy way" to bowling stardom.

With a little practice, almost any bowler, man or woman, can roll a fairly good game. That's what makes the sport so enjoyable. Even the dubs on occasion get a thrill out of a 200-plus score-a thrill that is intensified because the big game usually comes as a surprise.

But consistently high scores are not the result of hope or accident. They are rolled because the bowler has attained a high degree of tenpin skill-skill based on a thorough knowledge and application of the fundamentals of bowling form. Unless the bowler has mastered the fundamentals, he will never achieve top rank as a pinman.

Mastery of the fundamentals requires knowing what they are, a desire to make them a natural part of your bowling form, and a willingness to practice until your approach to the foul line is a well-co-ordinated glide, and your delivery of the ball is a grooved swing with a smooth follow-through. Let's examine the fundamentals one by one.

THE FIT OF THE BALL

The first thing I do when a bowler approaches me for advice is to examine the ball he is using-to determine if it is properly fitted to his hand. Proper fit is most important, for a badly fitted ball handicaps any bowler.

If your bowling ball fits properly, your hand does not feel cramped. If the ball doesn't fit, your hand is not loose and comfortable, and the results at the pin-end of the alley will not be to your liking.

To determine the proper fit for your hand, insert your thumb almost its complete length into the thumb hole of your ball. The thumb hole should be comfortably loose. The hole should be sufficiently largeto allow for a slight expansion of your thumb-for the thumb islikely to puff up during a bowling session. The finger holes may be snug.

After you insert your thumb into the ball, lay your hand flat on the surface of the ball, with the fingers extended over the finger holes. The second joint from the end of your finger (or fingers), should extend at least one quarter of an inch beyond the near rim of the finger hole. If your hand is bulky and not too flexible, the second joint should extend to the middle of the finger hole. This extra span allows you to manipulate the ball better.

After you have selected a ball according to the method described, make a further test to complete your diagnosis. Place your thumb and fingers into the proper holes, pick up the ball, and then insert a pencil into the space between your hand and the ball. If the pencil fits snugly without strain, you are fitted correctly.

When the fit is right, you can carry your ball comfortably upto the foul line. Your hand has a natural feel to it, there is no straining

TOP, LEFT-The first joint should extend just past the inside edge of the finger hole.
TOP, RIGHT-The finger holes can be snug
BOTTOM, LEFT-You should insert the thumb as far as it feels comfortable to you
BOTTOM, RIGHT-The thumb hole should be comfortable and loose
of the thumb or fingers, and you do not squeeze to hold the ball.

You may use either a two- or three-finger grip. If you have reasonable success with a two-fingered grip, stick to it, and vice versa.

The proper fit is the important thing.

BOWLING SHOES AND BAG

Bowling shoes are, of course, a prime necessity. One cannot expect, or even hope, to develop correct footwork and timing without them. While most bowlers are aware of the fact, many persons unfamiliar with the sport do not know that bowling shoes are made differently for each foot. The reason for this is that the sliding shoe is equipped with a sole that permits a slide, while the other shoe, which acts as a brake for the slide, has a rubber sole to accentuate the braking action.

A right-handed bowler slides on the left foot while the right foot acts as a brake. In all of our discussions we are referring to right-handed bowlers. Left-handed bowlers wishing to apply the lessons to themselves need only transpose the word "right" to "left" and vice versa.

A bag in which to carry your ball and shoes is necessary.
With a ball properly fitted to your hand, and a pair of comfortable shoes, you are ready to begin your campaign for a spot in the top bracket of bowlers. If you are able to walk naturally and possess natural co-ordination, there is no limit to the bowling" heights you may attain. Many star bowlers are small men, positive proof that muscle is not the determining factor.

A HINT ON SAFETY

Before we get into the methods of bowling, I want to take up a most important safety feature which cannot be overemphasized-the matter of correctly picking up the ball from the rack. Two good rules to remember are: "Never turn your back to the alley," and "Never pick up a ball by inserting your fingers and thumb when lifting it off the rack.".

If you always face the alley, you are able to see balls passing swiftly through the ball-stop or balls that might roll toward you in the gutter and seriously injure a foot or ankle. Always face the lane when you pick up your ball, and take the ball from the rack by placing one hand on each side of it.

After you have picked it up, transfer the weight of the ball to the palm of your left hand. The ball can then be carried easily, held against the body near waist level, as you walk to your starting position. All this time your right hand is relaxed but held lightly against the ball in a steadying fashion for additional safety. In this way your right hand is under no strain, and when time comes to insert your thumb and fingers into the ball, you are assured of a dry, comfortable grip.

STARTING POSITION

There are no hard and fast rules on how to address the pins. Some star bowlers violate all the accepted standards of stance, approach and delivery. In my opinion, they succeed not because of their peculiar styles, but in spite of them.

I advise the bowler to stand approximately twelve feet in back of the foul line, in a relaxed position, with the weight of the ball resting on his left hand. The bowler should be calm, his complete attention focused on the alley. His eyes should be directed at the target-the 1-3 pocket, or a spot in line with it. When standing at this distance, the bowler has sufficient space in which to develop a forward momentum that permits a smooth, easy approach to the foul line and a grooved delivery of the ball.

After you have determined the correct starting position for yourself, make certain that you start your approach from that spot every time. If you start too far back, you won't get up to the foul line.

If you start too far forward, you will slide over the foul line, unless you try to adjust your footwork as you move forward-and such an effort will get you into trouble, since it throws off your timing.

Just how to decide on the proper starting position puzzles many people. First of all it is necessary to determine how many steps you wish to take. Some bowlers use a three-step approach, but this type, in my opinion, places too much of a "weight burden" on the arm. The four- or five-step approach allows the bowler to develop a flowing motion which seems to make the ball lighter as it is delivered over the foul line.

I use the four-step approach, as do most champion pinmen. Either the four- or five-step approach is all right since the first step in the four-step approach and the first two in the five-step variety are only short steps which start the bowler off smoothly.

The four-step approach is the most popular and the one that I would recommend.

When you have decided how many steps you are going to take, go to the foul line and do an about-face, so that you are facing toward the seats. Taking your natural stride, walk the number of steps you have decided to use. When you have completed your paces, add another half-step to compensate for the slide. After you have done this several times, note carefully the spot at which you have arrived. That is your starting position.

Make a mental note of this spot, observing how far it is from a distinguishable point, what spots are in line with it, or whether there is a particularly dark or light spot on the approach that will serve as a guide. After you have practiced from this position for a while, you will become so familiar with it that you will go to it automatically.

HOLDING THE BALL

In the starting position you may hold the ball in front of you at any point from chin to knee level, but the ball should be squarely in front of you, and not off to one side or the other of your body. Do not hold the ball above the level of your eyes, for you will strain yourself. Hold the ball in both hands, with the thumb and fingers of the right hand in the ball, and the weight of the ball resting mainly on the left hand so that the right is under no strain.

It is not necessary to stand absolutely erect in the starting stance. You may stand erect, or partially bent forward, or bent from the waist. The knees should be bent just enough to be relaxed.

FOOTWORK

Footwork is one of the fundamentals on which a bowler should concentrate. Without a co-ordinated approach to the foul line the bowler is under a handicap.

Perhaps you haven't thought of it this way, but actually, everything that happens in bowling depends on what you do on this side of the foul line. If your approach is smooth and rhythmical, your delivery well-timed and your eyes directed straight forward, chances are that the result will be a good one. Perfect your footwork. You can practice at home. Merely pacing off your steps with a bowling ball in your hand helps a lot.

The bowler using a four-step approach steps forward on his right foot. The five-step player begins on his left foot-that is, if he is right-handed, of course. So, after deciding on how many steps to take and where to start, practice the approach with a bowling ball until your footwork and the swing of your arm are perfectly coordinated. The ball should come forward for delivery at the exact moment that you slide up to the foul line on your left foot.

THE PUSHAWAY

The approach begins with the pushaway (the pushing of the ball outward from the body). The pushaway itself is the trigger that starts you off with perfect timing. As you aim the ball out toward the pins, your feet should move forward naturally and easily with no conscious effort on your part.

Take your stance on the right side of the approach. Move up to the foul line in a straight line, not in a zigzag or a curving path.

Begin with a short, almost a half-step on your right foot, and at the same time push the ball forward and outward in a smooth, easy motion. This co-ordinates the movement of your hands and feet and sends you forward in a smooth glide. At this point, make certain that you are not starting too fast. The short first step usually helps to keep your speed natural, and makes your approach short enough that you do not cross the foul line.

As you complete your first step (in a four-step delivery), the ball should begin to drop into its backswing. Hold your left hand outstretched for balance. Hold the ball easily, but firmly, without pressing. When you take the second step on your left foot, the ball, swinging in its backward arc, just passes the right knee or thereabouts.

Your body should be wholly relaxed, with the ball swinging from the end of your arm like a pendulum. Be sure that your feet are pointed forward and that your eyes are directed in the line in which you plan to have the ball travel.

Your right arm should swing, as mentioned above, like a pendulum of a clock. It should be close to the body, with your right shoulder serving as a pivot base. Contrary to the belief of many bowlers, it is not wrong for the right shoulder to be dropped a little, since the weight of the ball is entirely on the right arm. The mistake lies in allowing the right shoulder to be pulled back, which shifts the body into a sidewise position.

The third step, taken on the right foot, is a bit longer than the second and is known as the "backswing step," since on this step the backswing reaches its peak. Too high a backswing is one of the cardinal errors of bowling. The best way to avoid the mistake is to take the swing no higher than your shoulder. In doing so you develop plenty of momentum for the downswing and can deliver an effective ball with good natural speed.

Don't get overeager when you reach the backswing. Remember that your original intention was to build up a smoothly flowing motion. Keep your footwork and the swing of the ball smooth. Your knees should be bent a bit, and your body bent forward from the waist to compensate for the weight of the ball.

Many star bowlers do not even take the ball as high as the shoulder, yet they build up all the momentum necessary for the down-swing. In addition, they assure themselves of correspondingly greater accuracy than the fellow who tends to overswing. Don't force the backswing-ever.

The fourth and finishing step is actually a step and a slide on the left foot. The length of the slide varies according to an individual a footwork, number of steps, and the speed with which he comes up to the line. The average slide is about one foot in distance.

At the end of the slide, your left foot should be approximately two to six inches from the foul line. It is on this finishing step that all efforts to achieve proper timing succeed or fail.

TIMING

I have often been asked to define "timing." Timing consists of the ability to co-ordinate the forward motion of your body with the swing of your right arm so that as you take your last step on your left leg, your body moves ahead in a smooth flowing movement and the right arm swings forward ready to deliver the ball.

Any discussion of timing naturally brings up the question of "natural speed." Natural speed comes from proper timing, the height of your backswing, and the length and speed of your footwork. Once you have acquired natural speed, you can keep it up indefinitely without strain. If you proceed too slow or too fast, you are forcing yourself. If you maintain a natural speed you can deliver the ball with less effort than if you deliberately try to throw it hard.

A proper finish at the foul line is a necessity. The left foot, pointing straight forward, should be close to the line. The shoulders should be squared to the foul line, the left knee bent, the body bent forward from the waist, and the right leg behind the bowler, acting as a brake.

In the accompanying photograph, little strain or tension is visible, mute evidence that the experts themselves realize the value of "taking it easy." This angle of the game cannot be overemphasized.

A bowler looks better and scores better when he consistently comes up to the foul line in a smooth, easy glide.

THE FOLLOW-THROUGH

Perfect bowling form demands a correct follow-through. After releasing the ball, your hand should come up until it passes in front of your eyes, and is directly in line with the pins at the point you want the ball to strike. As you finish, your hand should be outstretched as though reaching for the target.

Discussing a good follow-through recalls an occasion on which my Chicago team bowled in Springfield, Illinois, the first time a Windy City quintet had bowled there in a tournament. We were naturally anxious to make a good impression before the large crowd that was on hand.

Our leadoff man took his position and approached the foul line smoothly. But, just as he was in the act of releasing the ball, it stuck on his thumb and sailed upward to disappear in the heavy smoke near the low ceiling. Then it came crashing down again, landed heavily on the lane, took three bounces and crashed into the pins for a perfect strike.

We all sat there, flabbergasted, but not nearly so much as an elderly lady in back of us who dazedly said to her companion, "Is that how they bowl in Chicago?".

CONTROL AND CONSISTENCY

Control and consistency are the keys to bowling fame and fortune. If you have them, you can become a champion. If you have not-well, you simply will have to develop them. You may become a fair kegler and occasionally shoot a good game or even a good series, but you will never reach the top without developing these two skills.

What do I mean by control? I mean control of your feet, body, right arm, your arm swing, your release, and of the ball itself. Sounds like a pretty big order, doesn't it? Well, it is.

And consistency? Consistency is the ability to do the same thing, time after time after time. It's as simple as that.

To illustrate the meaning of control and consistency, let me take a moment here to describe what to me is the most amazing example of these two virtues that has ever occurred or may ever happen again in the bowling game: In Lockport, New York, on October 25, 1939, a little fellow named Allie Brandt, just five feet, one inch tall, and weighing 122 pounds sopping wet, was bowling in a league series. As you know, in five-man league competition, you bowl once and then sit on the bench while your four teammates bowl. There is no chance to "get hot and keep shooting" as there is in doubles or singles play.

But tiny little Allie, bowling against men up to twice his size and taking his prescribed waits between turns, delivered his medium-speed ball down the lanes that evening for three successive games of 297-289-300 for the towering and almost incredible total of 886, a score never matched before or since in sanctioned play.

On that evening in 1939, little Allie Brandt possessed control and consistency to the ultimate degree, and was as close to a machine as any bowler has ever been.

You can imagine my reaction when I hear bowlers say, "Oh, I can never bowl well in league play. Getting up there every fifth time instead of every other time throws me off my game." With the example of Brandt and that amazing series at hand, it is fairly easy to impress upon these bowlers that league bowling is largely a state of mind.

I know some top bowlers who bowl much better in five-man events than they do in individual matches. They have learned to adapt their control and consistency to the game as it is played.

They remember the peculiarities of the lanes, and their game is so grooved that they can make their approach and delivery almost identical every time. They do not make the mistake of many bowlers who feel that their game is better when bowling fast.

The story of Allie Brandt epitomizes practically everything I know to be true about bowling. To begin with, it is obvious that if the game required brawn and muscle, no little man could ever hope to succeed at it. If it demanded a "powerhouse" ball that practically drove the pins through the back wall, weight lifters and wrestlers would completely dominate the sport. The little man from Lockport refutes all these ideas, and in an unmistakable manner.

But even Brandt has no monopoly on the laurels of the small competitor in bowling. Outstanding performers like Hank Marino, Tony Sparando, Ray Schanen and many others, all of whose deeds are legend, are positive proof that control and consistency breed topnotch performance.

In order to acquire control, footwork is most important. The bowler must practice-and practice some more-to perfect the rhythm of his steps so that he can put his feet in practically the same identical place every time-even if he is blindfolded.

Now, placing the feet in the same spot time after time cannot be accomplished overnight. Don't expect it to be. Practice your run to the foul line whenever you happen to have a few minutes of spare time. Practice in front of a mirror whenever possible, and practice with all the concentration you possess.

Footwork, of course, is timed with the movements of the body and right arm to produce a smooth swing. The more correct your foot-work and the more smoothly your body and arm move in relation to it, the more effortless and effective will be your swing.

Accuracy comes naturally when your delivery slips into this grooved state. You can bowl well and you can bowl for long periods of time without tiring, for you are repeating the same process until it becomes almost second nature.

Allie Brandt of Lockport, NewYork, holder of the world's record
high series in sanctioned competition, a set of 886. Games were 297,
289 and 300. He weighs only 122 pounds.

I am not going to try to tell you that control comes easily. It takes time-everything good takes time. But meanwhile, you will experience the real thrill that comes with the knowledge that you are succeeding at a sport that is very difficult to master.

Some bowlers, however, are never satisfied. They get a poor hit, get eight or nine pins on it, and still complain that they should have had a strike. Even though splits are a part of the game and everyone can figure on one or more over a period of three games, these players are loud in their wails every time they encounter one.

Which brings to mind a statement attributed to one of these perpetual crybabies. This particular fellow, a star bowler by the way, was hitting strikes one after another until he had finally tallied twelve in a row for a perfect 300 game, the dream of every bowler.

One of the first to congratulate him was the proud and beaming proprietor, who was astounded to hear the star reply, "Say, you'd better get that alley in better shape. I almost got tapped on that seventh strike!".

1. Shown from the opposite side, the bowler presents this picture of relaxation in the starting stance. Note how the weight of the ball rests on the left hand, the right being used only to steady the sphere at this stage.
2. Taking the first step, the bowler pushes the ball forward and outward simultaneously with the first step, the left hand leaving the ball.
3. Note the attitude of ease as the bowler begins to bring the ball down from the peak of the back-swing. The left arm is now well out in front to compensate in balance for the right arm being behind the body.
4. Just after the first step has been taken, the left hand drops to the side as the ball passes the right leg on the way into the backswing.
5. As the bowler prepares to release the ball at the foul line, he is looking straight toward his target. The left leg is well bent, the left arm has now moved to the side since the ball is now opposite his right side.
6. The ball has been released, and as shown in the photo, will land just over the foul line on the polished wood of the lane. The right arm is beginning to come up in a follow-through. The right leg has now swung around and is doing its braking action.
7. A perfect follow-through. The right arm is well out in front and on a line between the bowler's eyes and the target. The left foot is now at the foul line, and is pointed straight forward. The right leg has done its brake action. Pictured here in perfect balance, the bowler could remain in this position for some time with no strain whatsoever.

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