How Old PBA Pros Used to CHEAT at Bowling

[@johnsantiago2272]

Well that was 14:40 of my life spent learning you can bowl. Even with two hands. WIMP!

[@ScottGunMag69]

Came to say the same thing.

[@TheHouseBowling]

@@johnsantiago2272 we are just glad you stuck around for 14:40 😉

[@klouisi]

Man not only using 2 hands, but he's left handed too. How could you miss the left handed part??? Lol. About 12yrs ago, before I was forced to stop bowling. I wouldn't have cared what they threw. I would have still bowled them for a $100 or more. But I will say this, in the 20 some odd years of bowling, the game has changed a lot. When I started bowling the best ball on the market was a Brunswick Phantom and the Blue Hammer. Then the Rhino Series came out. I won't forget the first time I saw the original Excalibur ball. The Excalibur bowling ball was like the first resin bowling ball and even someone with a little bit of hand in the ball back then could hook the entire lane. Man typing this has made me realize how much I miss bowling and most importantly, all the friends I made along the way. This is my sons KZbin account and I use it cause I'm to cheap to pay for premium and he isn't. Lol. My name is Jason Webb and my sanction number if I remember right is 960-2505. Take care and peace out.

[@klouisi]

@housebowling Where do you bowl league at? Not trying to start anything, I'm way to old for all that. I'm just more curious then anything. I bowled league in Baton Rouge, so there you go. Lol. Anyway I wish you and everyone else the best. Keep it rolling and maybe they won't shut down every bowling center in America and turn them into rock n bowl or whatever they call it today.

[@joshua2304]

@@klouisiKansas

[@lockedonlaw]

The reason soaking balls worked back in the day is because the only weight block in the ball was a "pancake" that was there to account for the loss of top weight from drilling finger holes. The cover was more important than the core until the advent of two piece balls. Balls were soaked in everything from alcohol to acetone to ketones. So long as they balanced on the dodo scale, they were legal until the rule changes.

[@MonkeyFreeZone]

and met the durometer requirements

[@g.k.1669]

In the 80's I was on a couple of leagues and I would keep plastic bags with paper towels soaked with 99% alcohol and would wipe my ball down every 3 frames. Other players would throw a fit and complained. There were no rules against it at the time so I would dry out my little track on the lane and the ball would hook nicely. Didn't know that was illegal now, but I haven't been on a league since 1990.

[@lockedonlaw]

@@g.k.1669 I did all kinds of things to balls back in the 1970's and 1980's but I never used them in sanctioned leagues or tournaments. I can only imagine the PBA finding out I had drilled a 1.75 inch hole on the positive axis point of a Yellow Dot and filled it with mercury or lead. Or machine washers. People did a lot of crazy things once upon a time.

[@g.k.1669]

@@lockedonlaw That's funny. I was surprised that so many people were upset at me at the time. I wasn't trying to be malicious, the lanes that we were at for some reason would put down a lot of oil. It was very apparent when compared to any other location that I bowled at. Oh well, that was a long time ago when we could smoke a cigar while bowling. Things change.

[@steveekstrand6699]

Don McCune allegedly used Methyl Ethyl Ketone or MEK.

[@eddylives131]

That lt48 is a rubber ball , not urethane, and if I remember correctly they soaked these in M.E K.

[@pfexpress300]

Both statements are correct! I loved my LT back in the day. Brings me back to my teens.

[@lockedonlaw]

The LT48 was reissued as a urethane ball. If Packy says his is urethane, it's urethane. He knows the difference.

[@ripvanrevs]

@@lockedonlaw Didn't know that. I took 20+ years off from bowling. I used the original Lt-48 when I was in junior leagues.

[@lockedonlaw]

@@ripvanrevs I had the rubber one as well and I thought I might buy one to use as a spare ball when they reissued it. Then I found out it was urethane.

[@SealofPerfection]

@@lockedonlaw When was it reissued? I remember a "Vintage LT48" about 10 years ago that was reactive. He said this one was an original, so it's rubber.

[@doug7451]

The soaker days were early to mid 1970s. The Brunswick Crown Jewel, plastic ball, was soaked in toluene. Kevin McCune’s grandfather, Don, was notorious for soaking.

[@RubikMaster2010]

same with Earl Anthony too

[@traviskirk3834]

@@RubikMaster2010 my dad when he was growing up watched Earl Anthony on tv and he found out then when I was like 5 in 2005 he said Earl Anthony used a yellow dot if memory serves me correct one dull off tv and dry up his area then use a shiny one when on tv playing the same line both not soaked .

[@lanceschaina3084]

Earl Anthony did not throw a soaker. The two big culprits were Don Johnson and Don McCune. Don Johnson went from being among the top bowlers to bowler of the year in like 1972 while McCune went from being a middle of the pack guy to bowler of the year in 73.

[@richletts4131]

@@doug7451 Sure D was softest to start made great soaker

[@Just-Steve]

The BYU bowling team is known for soaking too.

[@jasonsmith3537]

Nails....I had a guy in a small non-sanctioned league I was running a couple years ago who brought a ball in that was "very noisy" going down the lane. After a couple nights when we bowled against him, I rolled his ball down the return to get it our of the way and my hand hit something "not right". I look down...nails. This ball had nails pounded into it and the heads were even with the surface. They were put into about a 20yr old ball and into spots that made them extremely hard to see. When I confronted him and told him they need to be removed, he said it was his dad's old ball and he was a pro back in the day... I couldn't believe what I saw... There were a good 10-12 in there that were out there in the days of wood lanes just cutting into that lane surface.

[@2pugman]

In the early 1960's, we drilled a hole on the side and put mercury into the hole and then plugged it. The ball would make a left turn. SHUR D balls were super soft.

[@afhostie]

Wouldn't that leave a bunch of visible marks on the lane?

[@wzpu3283]

​@@afhostieDon't believe what you read 😂

[@jasonsmith3537]

@@afhostie Yes, if you got down to about level you can see them.

[@TyPhenirW0LF]

Good god! At a certain point it's not even about cheating for advantage, it's just doing a modification that wrecks the lane.

[@chasbari]

I think the reason you are seeing the plastic ball hook so much more has a lot to do with a dynamic core versus a pancake block in the LT-48. Yes, it makes that much of a difference. They used to mill a spot to test for hardness below the surface to get a supposed accurate reading. That LT 48, as others have noted, was a soft rubber compound and not a urethane ball if it's an original issue. I had that and the green polyester Tommy Hudson lt-48 (not the later TH LT-51.) I couldn't keep the Johnny Petraglia on the lane unless there was a ton of oil (well, realtively speaking back in the wood lane days) but the Tommy Hudson lt-48 is tha ball I threw my first 300 with back in 1977. No soaking needed.

[@MakeMoneyWithAIVideos]

Maybe people cheat is either because they want an Edge over the Competition or because they SUCK at Bowling. Paul

[@johnpasc]

@@chasbari I used a green LT-48 on certain conditions on tour. You have no idea how many people argue that there was no green LT-48 only a LT-51. That I never could have used a green LT-48 because they never made one. Happy to see your comments.

[@chasbari]

@@johnpasc I still have one.. I KNOW they exist! It was a great ball for me back then.

[@outlawjn]

as a former kart racer and crew helper on many dirt cars we would dope our tires. You would become a certified chemist. There are so many formulas out there today. One in particular was SST Purple. It would not change the durometer of a tire much but would add elasticizer to the tire. Makes me wonder what some of these tire dope combinations would do... 🤔

[@TheHouseBowling]

Hmmm me too, now you got me curious!

[@silentferret1049]

I expect the plastic ball is soft enough to start absorbing the oil into it. The acetone would have stripped out a bit of oil out of the surface for the Urethane ball which will restore hook to it and make it a bit lighter. My dad would soak his bowling balls in hot water over night to pull out the oil and they would indeed be a bit lighter and would hook more. So I don't necessarily think its making it softer to hook as much as pulling oil out of the surface that has built up after a while. Now when I bowl I use car wax on the ball to stop it from absorbing oil from the lane, It does not change how it hooks but it does make the ball stay more consistent over the course of a day which would be 3 games of league bowling with 2 teams of 5. And we did check with the bowling association and the specific car wax was indeed legal to use but that was like 5 years ago so that might have changed.

[@tomhalliley8546]

MEK -- methyl-ethyl-ketone is what was used back in the '70s. It's a commercial solvent.

[@lear1980]

We'd use a drop or 2 on the wick of our Zippos back in the day if it ran dry at work. Very volatile stuff. Most industry phased it out in favor of MPK, methyl propyl ketone. We haven't used where I work in nearly 40 years.

[@BobZoom2U]

Used it myself. Way back then.

[@NateCraven318]

If I'm not mistaken it's also carcinogenic, so I would not be surprised if that's why Packy opted to use acetone instead of mek.

[@lanceschaina3084]

Just a reminder for the O-Chem buffs: acetone is methyl-methyl-ketone ( (CH3)-(C=O)-(CH3) ) while MEK is methyl-ethyl-ketone ( (CH3)-(C=O)-(CH3CH2) ). Very similar compounds.

[@Atochabsh]

right MEK not acetone.

[@shaunmcisaac782]

I know of a guy who stuck a roll of dimes into his ball and then plugged over the dimes. Obviously the metal "core" allowed for a lot of hook. He was banned.

[@XenoGuru]

That's why plugged equipment isn't allowed on tour anymore.

[@waynehamberg9248]

What you really need to do with this is to have bowlers bowling one handed throwing the same speed and rev rate that the old pros did.

[@johnpasc]

Packy, an LT-48 is rubber and it came out when Litch was already drilling mill holes so the surface was never altered with chemicals. Also McCune used MEK on old Crown Jewels.

[@leemccauley721]

Back in the day the Mercury Marine plant (owned by Brunswick) in Fond du Lac, WI sold the LT-48 to employees for $25. The original had a "secret" additive in it. Crushed walnut shells. The ball would track out and when sanding the ball on a spinner to get rid of the track, it would ruin the effectiveness of the walnut shells. Sanding it made the crushed walnut shells to smooth. Only old guys like me remember this.

[@johnslugger]

*The new 'secret' is DMO. DMO is no toxic oil that dissolves most plastics except PP and PE. People still drink it in small amounts for health reasons but it will strip the printed lettering off any printed plastic surface in seconds. Put a few drops in the special corner of your cleaning rag and good to town in public. Nobody one will ever know.*

[@20alphabet]

Nope, untrue.

[@oliver299d]

Lt 48 are rubber, they hook a lot for the Era, it was usually the plastic balls that were soaked, lots of white dots and yellow dots. then there were the bleeders of the late 70's those balls were amazing

[@davejones9758]

Calling a rubber cover bowling ball "urethane"....he didn't learn much at Wichita

[@rex8255]

And in today's episode of Damn, I'm old! I remember when poly urethane was the new, hot thing for skateboard wheels, skate wheels, even entire skating rink floors.

[@kevinolsen73]

Please don't go try this. This fad was destroying the machines in bowling centers even into the 90s. People got wind of this old trick and started doing it with the early resin balls. The dipped balls were so grippy they would get jammed in everything. They would tear up the rubber parts in the machines very fast. We had to loosen up the ball lifts to let them through. But then the oily old plastic balls and house balls wouldn't be gripped enough and they would slip. It was a nightmare.

[@SealofPerfection]

Soakers were in the 70's, and they were not illegal initially. But there were also only plastic and rubber balls then. Urethane didn't come out until the early 80's, and nobody was soaking by then. And the original LT48 is rubber, not urethane.

[@sams2960]

Yup on the MEK and the ball of choice was a Columbia 300 ..... Then when they cracked down on the cheating, out came the Columbia 300 yellow dot and the LT48. And the trick to beating the durometer test was to stick the ball in a snow bank before going to tech. LOL Then they started drilling the "dimple" to see what the true hardness was. yes it was illegal as hell ..... but until the penalties became harsh enough to make it not worth it, a lot of people were doing it. I don't know of anyone who ever soaked an LT48, it was built to hook like a "soaker".

[@kingwood207]

I still have a Columbia 300 Yellow Dot. Bought it in 1977. Pulled it out about 15 years ago and my son’s coach saw it and said I couldn’t use it! So I asked him why? Said it won’t work on these lanes! I proved him wrong on the first game I rolled while he watched me. 267. He walked away and never talked to me again!

[@markwukoman6847]

LT 48! It used to stink like hell when you drilled them. You could always tell when you walked into the shop when one was being drilled!😮

[@NipkowDisk]

Nothing smelled anywhere near as bad IMO as an old AMF ball being drilled! You could smell those things a mile away. One time, someone requested a warranty refund because the ball stunk FAR worse than even a typical AMF ball... probably a bad batch of cores where they didn't get the composition right.

[@sarcofaygo6218]

​@@NipkowDisk 😂😂😂😂

[@Thumper1968]

That's an original LT-48 and is rubber, not urethane. But they most definitely did the soaking like this back in the day.

[@zacharyvandervegt7536]

5:49 that black ball made the clunking noise the first time it went down the lane

[@THX-vb8yz]

Yeap.... I was just about to write that.

[@steveboguslawski114]

Soaking a polyester ball to increase the hook became a thing in the early 1970s. But when the manufacturers found out about it they realized there was a market for a softer ball and began producing them. The PBA instituted a hardness requirement of 75 or over which was in effect by 1974. The American Bowling Congress (pre-USBC) took longer mainly because any rules change required a vote at their national convention, and generally took effect the following season. The ABC hardness limit was 72+ and went into effect prior to the 1976-77 bowling season. I suspect the PBA rule was as much for safety and liability reasons as to remove a competitive advantage. When soaking began soft-shelled balls were not available. The chemicals used are potentially hazardous. The ABC rule was aimed more toward manufacturers who began producing ultra-soft covers. But since temperature affects hardness on a hot day there were many balls which would not pass a durometer check.

[@sealance]

This is the second realease of the LT-48 with JP's signature on it. The older block-letter LT-48's (aka the sponge) was too soft and deemed illegal. It is very much a rubber ball. Sand it with abralon, smell it and tell me i'm wrong. Oh, and drill it with 3oz side weight for some extra hook.

[@trailtreats]

I want to say it was the 1973 Columbia Yellow Dot that was pretty soft back in the day. Lot's of soakers back then though before Urethane and weight blocks and reactives ruined the game. A 300 game meant something at one time.

[@txmako]

Yellow dot!!!...forgot all about that one. It was one of my favorite balls I ever owned.along with the red pearl hammer.

[@stormchaser735]

The LT-48 in the video is the original rubber coverstock from the early 1980s. That "FN" serial number was one of the sought-after shells from that period, and was rumored to have pulverized walnut shell in the coverstock. It also had a unique core, in that it was cork-like, so most of us would "paint" the thumb hole with clear nail polish, to create a slicker surface and prevent thumb-blistering. The rubber coverstock is also why the Acetone had limited (if any) effect on the LT-48, versus the plastic coverstock. "MEK" (methyl ethyl ketone) is what they were using to soak plastic balls on the tour in '73, before the ABC got wise.

[@fredhoss1662]

Columbia made the sur d before the yellow for. It's durometer reading was 68. I believe they stopped production when the hardness rule came about

[@waynerice9836]

I still have an LT-48 in the basement - there is nothing like that smell . It brings back some good memories!

[@gregcochennet385]

Good video. Back in the day the LT48 was the ball.

[@bd0821]

I was bowling a regional one time back in the day and the lanes were scorched, everyone was throwing white dots over the gutter. I had some deodorant in the bottom of my bag and I tossed a ball into it and broke the plastic around it. When I put the ball I was using into the bag to switch lanes I didn't realize what had happened. When I got to the next pair and pulled it out it was really slick so I wiped it down, my first shot went about 20-25ft before it ever even thought about hooking, I moved back to the fourth arrow and finished out the tournament "wiping" down my ball every shot. Finished 2nd.

[@lokiva8540]

What standards exist for surface hardness of bowling balls, and using what criteria, from which organization(s)? It'd be interesting to see lab imaging or manufacturer design data on the materials and layers of different balls. What effect does temperature have, or use of alternate solvents like hexane, isopropanol, ethanol, methanol, MEK, acetone, etc? How about mixtures? Does an air dry and water soak change traits much? How about if balls are heated or cooled, or if centers only are heated (easy to do, via an embedded element, or induction sensitive implant with no obvious external connections)?

[@matthewneufeld8854]

These are the kind of balls that my house owner buddy tell me big fish stories about soaking balls back in the day so they'd hook. Love those old stories.

[@paracentric6188]

Used to hit the track of my LT-48 with rubbing alcohol back in the day. I still have it.

[@30adamh]

one thing that helps the pros with their hook is a different lane oil pattern only used for pro comp. when we used to set up for shows we would also shim the heavy rubber flat gutters next to the pin deck so they would bounce the pins around more.

[@christianharris8974]

Are those a pair of the strykers? What about a possible video of the shoes you have from dexter? I have been trying to find any videos on the strykers and I cant find anything on them. As a wide footed leftie, its hard to find shoes that look good and fit right

[@robertkelly5025]

Is it common to throw a hook without the thumb in? I did that when I bowled and if I could adjust to the lane I would do well but I'm curious if as I get older, should I start adding the thumb?

[@randywollin5732]

This reminds me, as a circle track racer, of tire softener that has been used for years. To cheat that is. It was gone after a given amount of laps but was very effective to that point. The track would grind it away so the evidence was gone. Certain classes allowed this kind of stuff, even grooving and siping tires. Same principle different medium.

[@TerbullSpuller]

Isn't there a line at the front of the lane that means something like "Stop your feet before you hit this"? Where did that line go?

[@HerbieHerbHerb]

I was thinking the same thing. FOUL! 😂

[@nordattack]

LT48 is Rubber mixed with Walnut shells to give it more traction. It seems a total shame to subject that classic winning ball to this test, especially since it already looked so good on the lane. The plastic ball's surface was softened significantly by the acetone but just the surface, the underneath only reduced a small amount. The Durometer pin is going through the surface so easily it is only measuring the underneath.

[@BigTarchetype-4u]

That ball was clicking before he soaked it

[@PtylerBeats]

I know next to nothing about bowling, so most of this went over my head. But it was fun watching you have fun.

[@marveloussoftware4914]

Im with ya. I never broke 200. I went mainly for the beer.🥳

[@PtylerBeats]

@ breaking 200 sounds like a dream lol I average around 100

[@marveloussoftware4914]

@@PtylerBeats i was around 100 for the longest time. Then i learned i wasn't keeping my hand straight. When i concentrated on keeping my hand straight no matter what i improved slightly. Then i would remember which dot i stood at. If my ball went to the left then i would move one dot to the right. If my ball went to the right then i would move one dot to the left. All the while trying to keep my hand straight. I wiuld then get around 150-160. Its only a game and if we have fun then we win! 🥳

[@TwilightxKnight13]

Back in the day the LT48 was the ball of choice for most, but things changed quickly with the advent of urethane. The original U-dot line was an amazing breakthrough that dominated for a short time. I still remember the start of the two-piece offset core balls because the pro shop guys had to travel to a training seminar just to learn how to drill them properly. What a great innovation that took the industry by storm. Good memories.

[@PendragonDaGreat]

Yeah... Don't just dump acetone into a random plastic bucket, it attacks several common plastics including ABS, PVC, and Polycarbonate to different degrees (and yes, also polyurethane). If that bucket was incompatible and slightly damaged it could easily attack it.

[@hoytoy100]

Good to know. Would the soaked balls leave the chemicals in the lanes and did owners mind having their lanes messed up?

[@mpbc48]

"Columbia Yellow Dot soaker" was the ball to use in my neck of the woods.

[@ripvanrevs]

The Yellow dot was the ball to use even if it wasn't soaked. My dad went to a different house to bowl a league in and pretty much every single bowler in the league was using a yellow dot. The manager told my dad if his team doesn't get yellow dots, they will never be able to carry the 10 pin. I think he was right.

[@edwardranno7119]

That was my favorite ball

[@tomhalliley8546]

@@mpbc48 it was called "The bleeder"

[@SealofPerfection]

@@tomhalliley8546 Some were. Not all Yellow Dots were Bleeders. They were pretty highly sought after back in the day.

[@tomhalliley8546]

@@SealofPerfection true. But I had a bleeder 😁

[@Fools_Requiem]

Oh hey, fellow lefty bowler. Do you also have issues when the machines are to the right? I always request an even number lane when I go bowling because I had difficulties bowling when the machine is on the right. Is it easier for you because you bowl with both hands?

[@michaelsaindon4394]

I had a Brunswick Manta, super soft, around 73-75. Bowled super well with it.

[@NovaCorpLive]

You gotta do all of them now, like weight holes, added weight with fill plugs, illegal drillings.

[@norman1907]

80a durometer is what the wheels on old school rollerskates for skating on a similar surface were. 66a durometer is softer than longboard wheels for downhill. If you go much softer you may experience skipping rather than sliding

[@jerryhamer]

They say you learn something new every day. I'm not sure about that but today i did learn what a durometer means.

[@joshuategeler3419]

You laugh about that line with the plastic. I have the viz-a-ball and was standing on 27 throwing to 15 at the arrows to stay on the correct side of the head pin in my travel league Saturday. The lanes were so dry and broken down that bad.

[@ripvanrevs]

I used an LT48 when I was in junior leagues in the early 80s. It hooked a lot more than the plastic house ball I had been using. As long as I can throw my 🟣🔨, I don't need to soak any balls in acetone🤣🤣

[@lumberlikwidator8863]

If that black ball is an original LT-48 it’s not made of urethane, it’s soft rubber. I drilled a ton of these when they first came out and a lot of people I know threw their first 300, 700, or even 800 with these balls. Prior to the introduction of the LT-48 the rubber balls were as high as 90 on the Shore-D hardness scale. The LTs were much softer, and they had a lot of little pores in the cover. They were legal, and there was a Dave Davis model and a Dick Ritger model too. Hard throwers loved them because they hooked so much on the harder urethane lane finishes that had been introduced a few years earlier. They generally outperformed anything else available at the time, except for the notorious plastic Columbia 300 Yellow Dot “bleeders” that everyone wanted. If you drill into an original LT-48 it smells really bad, like burning rubber tires. My father and I both had those balls, and they performed way better than the best balls that Ebonite, AMF and Columbia were making at the time. The worst thing about them, besides the smell, was if a customer wanted you to plug and redrill one. They were so porous that the plugging material kept soaking into the ball before it set, and you’d have to do four or five pours before the holes were filled up to the top. Those balls, as popular as they were, were rendered obsolete in 1980 when AMF came out with the first urethane ball. If I recall correctly, the Brunswick LT-48 cost about $50 at the time. When someone came up with the idea of using urethane for cover stock they offered the idea to Ebonite first, and Ebonite passed on the idea because they thought there was no way anybody would want to pay $80 and up for a bowling ball. AMF jumped at the chance and came out with the Angle, and the rest, as they say, is history.

[@c7adventures376]

😂😢 i never knew about making them soft. We did have a ball spinner in our bathtub. It was used to change the ball surface. More shiny and smooth or less shiny and rough depending on wanted more or less hook. After testing the lane oil you could choose the ball type that hooks up best. 🤠👍

[@trev6783]

I have an old story. Back when I bowled in a league, maybe half way through the season, I felt like my ball wasn't hooking as much. This was like an entry level reactive plastic ball. So i was clickin and clacking on the interwebs and someone had mentioned that balls can soak up oil and stop reacting so well and you can soak the ball in hot water and like dish soap. Now I don't really understand how this could be illegal to clean your ball, but I'll tell you what, that ball hooked 4 times more than it ever did after, so much I couldn't even hit a pin, it would literally go from right gutter to left gutter and back to the right gutter... and I was a power bowler(like 25mph). I had to actually take the ball back home and polish it smooth just to slow down the hook to something manageable. Now I did read the league rules and technically when I polished it, I put some wax on it and that was I guess illegal.

[@zirocannady9630]

Every Sunday my local bowlero is left with a 60’ Sahara oil pattern on it. Bone dry. I joked that I wish I had a spray bottle of oil like you had for that flooded lane video but then I thought “they won’t like me going up and down the lane spraying” so then I got the idea, “ what if I covered a house ball in oil and threw it down the lane in a few spots to try to add some slip to the lane surface?” Would you be up for making a video trying a pattern put down by throwing plastic balls covered in oil?

[@johnmcclurg3325]

Back in the seventies I bought a Columbia yellow dot out of the box it was 72. At that time anything over 70 was legal. You could put a gallon of oil down on the lanes and all I had to do is just slow it down and the ball hooked

[@David-666gforbid]

My Dad, and My Two Uncles won the League title about 3 times, and they were using The Brunswick [ Johnny Petraglia] LT 48!!!!! Eventually My Dad switched to the Urethane Columbia 300 Udot.

[@J_Smoov520]

I throw with the thumb. Had an Electrical Storm and a Zone Pro active. That I loved but split one summer in my trunk 200 average gone.

[@Tarquin21723]

I love the old stories this video brought up.

[@1WillyK]

If I recall correctly there was a pro who had drilled a small hole through the bottom of the thumb hole of his ball, filled it with barium and plugged it up. Supposedly, it allowed a 16LB ball to strike with the force of a 22LB one.

[@arthurcompton2461]

Ah, the days of feeling like you had it all when you had a Yellow Dot, White Dot and Blue Dot. Then came the black Angle, the Grey Angle the Wine U Dot and it all went off of the rails and the game was never the same when resin came along and i got my Turbo X.

[@Lobo-tommy10]

I worked at an alley and we had pins with lead in the bottom so the heads didn't sit right when they were knocked over.

[@N0_UNITY]

😂😂😂im sure not all were unbalanced.

[@Lobo-tommy10]

@N0_UNITY just 1 or 2 is all it took.

[@dannycollins7341]

How about the acid tone that's on the blacktop?Are you gonna repair that

[@feedmemoreh8458]

Can you do a video on if i bowl two handed as a Left if i make my pink closer to my ring finger will it hook more. Ik one handed bowler tuck their pinky in abd closer. I wanted to know if makes a difference for two handed

[@cahrndt9887]

LT...Lou "Bud" Traxler designed this rubber ball. Designed a few earlier balls with Carmen Salvino

[@CharlesRWJones]

The old LT48's were rubber from memory. To me, it was almost like a sponge, sucking up oil, Back in the day, the guys baked their balls to excrete the oil. Being a cranker, I preferred a 1200 or 1500 grit sanded ball. Red dot, grey angle & Nail were some of my favs. 45 foot of skid & 15 foot of snap. Lots of good memories

[@scottrackley4457]

I used a black hammer, ultra angle, and a nail for spares.

[@charlieromeo7663]

Interesting video for sure. I had one of those JP balls in the late ‘70’s and loved it. I wonder how different the hook is between identically prepared old school wood lanes and the synthetic stuff? My father was a PBA member in the 60’s and the only ball he ever used was a Brunswick Black Beauty??? Anyway, great video, thanks for sharing.

[@2AChef-n-BBQ]

They only did that for league, we couldnt have a ball below 78 on the durometer at events

[@ripvanrevs]

My dad took a ball to a tournament and it tested soft. He told them he had another one in the car. He took the ball outside in the freezing temp for about 10 minutes and took it back inside. It passed.

[@2AChef-n-BBQ]

@@ripvanrevs that's funny

[@Subgunman]

Just a quick question, I used to bowl in the mid 70’s but I heard that the balls we used back then are now banned for use on todays lanes. True or false? If true why?

[@Wallyworld30]

Is it normal for bowlers to use both hands these days? I was in a bowling league from 2002-2007 and if someone threw a ball like this we'd think they were novices. If it works it works and I have very skinny wrists but I threw with tons of force and spin. The first half of the season my average would be 188 by the end of the season it would drop to 166 because my wrist was so sore I could barely throw the damn ball. This is why I quit bowling for good even though when I wasn't hurting I could bowl my ass off.

[@shanecorbin3930]

They also used to set balls out in the cold to harden them to pass the durometer test if they were too soft.

[@alanschroeder1949]

I never had the LT48, but my 1st ball in my 1st ever league in 1977 was the LT51. I think I still have it buried out in the garage.

[@1_Lost_Soul]

A good scrubbing with a green Scotchbrite and a quick wipe down with acetone to clean off any residue and dust and your ball works like new again. At least until 2/3rds of the way through the 2nd game, shooting left handed, and everybody else on both teams are righties.

[@sybergoosejr]

long lanes... bowl from the verry edge of the floor. where ever the wood starts. touching wood is foul (except to get your ball)

[@zhansen19]

What ball do u recommend to use plastic or urethane for curving

[@TheHouseBowling]

I recommend a reactive ball!

[@NipkowDisk]

I believe Don McCune from Muenster, Indiana was the father of the "soaker". I have also heard years ago that toluene could be used in lieu of acetone.

[@bpisler]

I think Don did use toluene

[@TwilightxKnight13]

Yes, he was from Munster IN. I lived in the next town over and visited his pro shop on a regular basis. Bowled in junior leagues with Eugene.

[@kevinhenry70]

Can you use acetone to just clean / wipe the ball and still be legal?

[@christophernodurft1868]

Back in the early 80s, a friend soaked the infamous already super soft Columbia Sur D in MEK. It punched ridiculously low. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I think it was in the 40s. He was an excellent bowler and could actually control it, but when it hit the pins, it would make funny sound and would just appear to mush into the pins. Totally hilarious.

[@gullreefclub]

I wonder what would happen to a ball soaked in MEK and or DOT3 Brake Fluid

[@bosco358]

Back in the 80’s when actuall skill was required to score big , I used to use a scotch brite pad on my black hammer urethane to make it handle the heavy oil they used to put out and it worked great but the scotch pad was a dead giveaway because the black hammer turned gray after scrubbing it .

[@JackSpare-o]

“ I know it’s taking all the oil off my hand, cause it feels like my hands are about to start cracking “ 🤣

[@garry3013]

I have 2 old jp lt48's and an lt51. One one of the 48's was called a mush ball. 58 on hardness. My dad scored high every night. 279 was high with it. But averaged over 200. I have all the ild 70s and 80s equipment. Even the black diamond.

[@patrickdare5356]

You need to understand creep factor. Instead of a normal durometer reading, you need to press and hold and watch the needle drop. Also, you don't have to pour out the acetone, just leave it out and it will evaporate quickly.

[@Xypopcorn]

If one were to take bowling competitive, what kind of ball speed at the pins would you need to be effective?

[@Twiztedgoalie]

It’s not about ball speed. It’s about ball revolutions. With high speed, the ball will slide through the pins and you’ll get more splits. Slow down, don’t force it, and the ball will naturally roll. The roll creates a reaction, which means more chances for pins to knock into other pins.

[@robertheinkel6225]

I used to bowl in a military squadron league. I prefer to roll the ball fast, but when I rolled it slower, my score increased.

[@darrinlindsey]

Original LT-48 was rubber. The LT-48 Legend was Resin.

[@wodenswheelgun3278]

We used to sweat the oil out of our balls. Toss them in the bathtub full of boiling water and keep the temp up until all the oil comes out. Then let them dry out in front of a fan for a day or two.

[@Monk-Amani.]

Used to. 😅

[@jah9253]

Sounds like the do it yourself method of cooking the ball in the oven to get the oil out.

[@emerald3331]

I’ve heard they’ve done that to brand new balls and it was part of the ball coming out of the ball, not oil.

[@lumberlikwidator8863]

Just wrap it in a towel, put it in a plastic bag and leave it in your car on a hot day. CAUTION: it might ruin your ball.

[@RScott413]

I have been bowling with a Hammer my dad bought me in 92 for 30+ years that I couldn't imagine swapping after using it so long. I also use a Grenade my dad bought me prior and the hook is SO much less. I am positive that my brother and dad were screwing with their bowling balls for years after seeing the same balls hook like glue

[@dennisbergendorf5905]

I had a couple of Rags-48s, and then got a Roto STAR RC-5, which didn't hook as much, but I liked the continuation.

[@ChicagoIrishman]

I worked at an old-school alley in Chicago when I was 16-18. We went through a LOT of 50%/50% toluene-acetate and fleece drunk league bowlers after the center was closed. My Yellow Dot was hitting like a train.

[@nicholas104]

What did you do to the surface of that Viz-A-Ball before the video?

[@TheHouseBowling]

I hit it with a 500 pad to change the color of it 😅😂 that was about a year ago tho!

[@nicholas104]

@TheHouseBowling Put 180 grit on it lol.

[@transtrump7762]

Hi NYC I just watched you whole show and I enjoyed it. Cool content. Bowling Alleys are cool places also maybe throw a thing or two about that. They should be your first sponsors because they are marketers also, news ads and such. You'd be giving them great exposure to NEW customers who are pre disposed to Bowling. Newspaper ads maybe 1 bowler sees it. With you 100 into Bowling Seems easy

[@superfreakej]

video is great, very entertaining. you wearing that shirt makes it even better 😂

[@tomthurmon9211]

I tried drilling my finger holes deeper in a plastic ball put buckshot in it the plastic ball hooked like a urethane ball

[@DavidBucciVoice]

Still have my LT-48 rubber ball. It came in handy in wood lane houses that are still around. I remember a house that had a super soft Columbia Yellow Dot and the Tommy Hudson LT51.

[@XenoGuru]

Yep. Made with real Michelin rubber. I still have my grandfather's LT48. It's still in great condition. They last longer than a lifetime for sure.

[@southwestmichiganobserver3511]

Don McCune soaked a Brunswick crown jewel in Methyl Ethyl Ketone peroxide (MEKP) which is used as a catalyst in the manufacturing of fiberglass. It’s very caustic.

[@tenfourproductionsllc]

Lefties also had a huge advantage in the 70s as lane conditions for righties would break down much more quickly. Even more on TV games.

[@SealofPerfection]

Nothing's any different in that way now. The PBA used to try and make the left side unplayable to stop Earl Anthony, but he was so good he'd made the show or at least cash anyway. There'd be all righties and Earl.

[@psymar]

So, regarding your thumbnail, urethane has zero uranium in it

[@TwoPaw-Shapurr]

Nothing about the thumbnail suggests uranium 👀 That is the universal radiation warning symbol. That could be plutonium, uranium, or any other radioactive substance.

[@MadScientist267]

​@@TwoPaw-ShapurrSo.. everything about the thumbnail suggests uranium. Specifically, depleted. OP is spot on. Called an inference. Clearly the goal of the thumbnail was to imply the use of this material. I'd clarify further but I doubt it is understood.

[@sarcofaygo6218]

​@MadScientist267 killjoy 😂😂😂

[@JeffTiberend]

I used to love bowling. I grew up with a father who was and still is a league bowler. I had never heard of this! This is crazy and interesting.

[@Poundcakebowler]

Now: Do this with a purple pin purple and a 78 black. And do it with one non soaked and let’s compare

[@Bassmaster1256]

I used to soak a Columbia 300 yellow and a Sure D Pro in MEK.

[@billflynn8229]

As stated previously the LT48 is rubber, also there was a filler in the rubber to cut costs……crushed walnut shells made it a particle ball.