1981 Showboat - Mark Roth vs. Earl Anthony pt2

[hamsandwichplease]

while the reactive balls of today definitely give an advantage, at the same time you have to realize they didn't put as much oil on the lanes as they do today, part of the evolution of the sport. also the score increases are part of the fact that the sport has evolved and grown over time. it's like how in babe ruth's day, guys pitched in the low 80s, but now throw in the upper 90s because baseball got more competitive over time, as did bowling

[shawnpatrick9111]

If total pins won tournaments, Roth would have won a 100 tournaments easily.

[misterbillylicious]

Mike Anthony.... Dont he bowl ? must have grown up[ collecting BATS or somrthing...Is he a susspect ?

[Polishjazzman]

Mark was my favorite bowler when I was a kid. I often got yelled at by trying to duplicate his style.

[TheBrassHole]

@Polishjazzman lol Same here.

[BettorOffSingle]

@Polishjazzman You're not the only one. I grew up watching both of these bowlers on ABC and I moer oe less combined their styles. Some who watched said I had a great talent for the game, while the coaches (who often pushed their kids) said I was an example of what not to do. I carried a 165 in league, but made money hustling after league with a 190+. Gave it up at 17 due to an injury making me realizer it's too fragile a way to make a living.

[TheBowlingAddict]

Very rarely do you so a Sport that paid more back in the past than it does in the modern day. BOwling is the only sport to have went backwards. Every other sport has increased earnings and payouts to their athletes.

[TheBowlingAddict]

I think its mainly because Bowling has no set star the you can see weekly. You'll be lucky if you can see you favorite bowler, bowl 3 times a season on television. So fans dont really have a chance to connect with any athletes. But xtra frame is making up for that somewhat.

[TheBowlingAddict]

But I still think that if some cable channel broadcasted the qualifying rounds it would help the PBA build a more tremendous dedicated fan base.

[mugo60]

In contrast to Bowler Scott, I believe it is YOU against the bowling lanes. IF you can maintain that mindset, you will win. This of course, is much easier said than done.

[BowlerScott]

I've never seen a bowling lane bowl before. I agree that the lanes are the only thing you have to figure out, and if you can do it better than the other bowlers in the tournament, you'll be victorious. However, you don't have to bowl against the lanes, you simply bowl on the lanes. Your scores are compared to your opponents. All in all, whoever can bowl the best in the given environment will be the winner, and that starts with knowing how to play the lanes the best way possible.

[mugo60]

BowlerScott, I believe that is what I said. Why are you mincing words? Do you remember watching ABC wide world of sports when Roth, Anthony, Holeman dominated and bowling was a true sport? You must be very young. Back in 1970, I remember when you had ONE ball and a 580 was a good series.

[BowlerScott]

You have fun with your one-dimensional bowling and your 580 series' good sir, I intend in no way to discourage you from that. The fact of the matter is that the sport has evolved and overall scoring has gone up. Do not complain about this fact; adapt to it. Walter Ray did, Pete Weber did, Brian Voss did, and Norm Duke did. You can too. When the sport continues to progress and 730 is the new 650, I will not complain about it; I'll be the one throwing the 730's. You can too my friend.

[BOOGE64]

Does the Showboat in Atlantic City still have a bowling alley?

[mrbowling300]

From what I understand, it's long gone.

[ShutupHollywood]

I would put Mark Roth and Earl Anthony up against any of the clowns today.

[stormBIGbowling]

they may hook more butin my opinion it takes more skill because you need to have the right ball to get all 10 pins to fall (these pins are much lighter than todays pins) and it's like how chris barnes describes average, average is only relevant when in using it in that environment (meaning that if you can average 240 it is good if the rest of the guys are averaging 200 or if you average 200 it is not so good if the rest of the guys are in the 240s) and these balls just change that environment

[mrscjcsr]

i can still throw 200s all day long wiyhjmy yellow dot i just have to move about 10 boards right and swing the track area they ruined the game with reactive balls they hit so much harder you can dump the ball and it still hooks and hits

[BowlerScott]

the game certainly hasn't been ruined by reactive balls. Everyone has access to them, so it therefore comes down to who can bowl better with them. Reactive balls have increased the number of 300 games and 800 series, and that leads people to despise the new technology. Other sports are constantly improving their equipment, so bowling SHOULD do the same rather than get left in the dust and become even more of a mocked sport than it already is. If the technology is there, why not use it?

[uberbcs]

It's been ruined by house conditions that put more oil on the middle of the lane and less oil on the outside. That's a major underlying factor that caused the explosion in 300s and 800s.

[BowlerScott]

You're absolutely right, sometimes the lane conditions ARE way too forgiving, and don't necessarily require as much accuracy or consistency as they should. However, bowling is a competitive sport. You don't compete against the lanes or the balls, you use them to compete against other people who are bowling on the same conditions and with the same equipment that you are. Bowling is more fun with higher scores... If you're looking to be challenged, bowl SPORT conditions.

[uberbcs]

No, you're quite wrong. It's one thing to use an easy house shot and another thing to use a moderately challenging house shot.

When you have an error margin of 10 boards as I've seen in many houses then what's the point?

It's fine for leagues to use house shots. That's fine with me. But when it comes to tournaments, I expect the oil condition to be at least somewhat challenging so you actually have to be somewhat accurate.

[BowlerScott]

We were discussing 300 games and 800 series in general. I agree that tournament shots should be moderately challenging. The bottom line is that a bowler should be prepared to bowl on a condition with 10 boards, 4 boards, or 1 board of room. Everyone in the tournament bowls on the same shot. There's nothing wrong with improving the equipment; it's something that every sport undergoes. It's this simple: go find tournaments with difficult shots if that's what you want to bowl on.

[uberbcs]

You fail to see my point. Yes, everyone will bowl on the same condition. But on a house shot that has a large error margin, it gives the very inaccurate bowlers a better chance of winning.

It wasn't always like this. When oiling machines came to fruition, center owners started to manipulate the machines to put less oil outside and more oil inside to artificially create higher scores.

When you take out accuracy, a vital part of bowling, you're giving a bad name to the sport.

[shad0h027]

@uberbcs I don't know, I used to watch the lane mechanic oil the lanes at an old 8-lane house I used to bowl in back in the 80's. He'd pour oil down the middle of the lane, and spread it back and forth with a sort of sponge-mop. Thus more oil in the middle and drier outside, your basic "block" condition. I think the difference is that the machines are more consistent both day-to-day and lane-to-lane... and there is less variation between synthetic lanes than there was with wood.

[uberbcs]

And keep in mind I don't mind when a sport progresses in technology. That is inevitable. I like my reactive balls after all.

[BowlerScott]

No, trust me, I certainly understand your point. There was a guy on my high school team last year who had high average in the state because of easy house shots... I've been a victim of overly-easy oil patterns as well. However, he was capable of carrying more strikes than I was on those easy shots, so I suppose he earned his average in that regard. On sport shots, I usually come out victorious over him though. It's just part of the game.

[aleckermit]

Not Earl's best performance...

[mexfighter]

I would love to see what the players of today would average with a rubber or plastic ball like they threw back then. Today the balls are on steroids, in my opinion Mark Roth was the best ever!

[mrbowling300]

Just wait...the plastic ball PBA tournament is coming up soon.

[upliftmofo00]

If they were to throw the old polyester and rubber bowling balls on today's lanes, they'd do horribly...because oil patterns are far heaver than what was laid down years ago - the ball would just sail straight, unless they slowed way down and cranked the hell out of them. If they were to play on the older conditions with the older equipment, I'd say they'd hold their own. What it really boils down to is that bowling is a game of accuracy and consistancy - always has been and always will be

[kingofgameswww]

yo also back then the lanes were made of wood so its even harder to make adjustments!

[jferg7159]

This was actually a symbolic match, kind of the passing of the torch from precision to power. Two of the greatest ever.

[mocus1]

Roth could really torque it up....

[odiedude]

"I just hope they release the hostages today." O_O

(Those damn Iranians!)

[ambercombie123]

wtf

[DaCaptain924]

The US Embassy in Iran was laid siege in late '79--hence a TON of American hostages. They were actually freed the day BEFORE they bowled this match--same day Regan was inaugurated.  Quite a couple of days...hostages freed, Regan's the new president, and Mr. Roth Legend beats Earl! lol :D

[hoag1964]

Back then Mark Roth scared the pins into falling. Way before Tin Cup he lived, ate and breathed "GRIP IT AND RIP IT"

[stfanboy]

that ford comercial at the end how long was the granada in production

[top2pear]

That's how it was before resin, pins were a lot harder to knock down.

[mrbowling300]

Roth sure made them fly, though.

[BettorOffSingle]

@top2pear They built into the ball what guys like Roth and Anthony used to have to put there. Polyurethane balls and sideweight particularly neutralized Roth's advantage.

[LuaySuay]

The pins seems to move like they are lead.