Me Bowling, Circa 1977

While not my highest game ever (I have six 300 games to my credit, all in practice, and three 800 series, two in practice, including an 847 = 278-280-289, which included 20 strikes in a row), this is the high game I ever bowled in front of a live video camera. Shot with my first-ever video camcorder (they only offered them to consumers in black-and-white back in 1977), this footage was later dubbed to VHS, and then edited (to remove the other guy with whom I was bowling) and dubbed again. So it's a third-generation dub, so pretty awful quality. As I recall, this is about two years before I got my PBA membership. (I got better. It looks like I can't even get my thumb out of the ball here.) And yes, that's a "I'm goin' downtown and lookin' for some TUSH" (ZZ Top) t-shirt that I'm wearing. Quite a fashion statement. Shot at Golden Triangle Lanes in Irving, TX on some weekday afternoon, circa 1977.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• bowling
• pro
• bowlers
• pba

[vanni9283]

Are those A-2 pinsetters? I never thought they were supposed to come down after the 2nd ball.

[BowlingOldies]

Yes they were the first A-2s that had automatic scoring. The rack would come down and "count" pins after each ball. Then there was a bank of two sliders at the ball return that you could slide into position to tell the scoring machine which bowler was bowling on which lane. The rack wouldn't come up for your first ball until you pushed the selector. This was before the figured out how to count the pins with light beams.

[mrbowling300]

nice video...do you recall what kind of ball you were using>

[BowlingOldies]

Might have been a Brunswick LT48. The more I think about it, the more I think this was recorded just before I got my PBA card. I got better. I really didn't yet have a clue what I was doing when this was shot. On this (and the other clip of me bowling that I posted), I can't get out of the damn ball! Funny. But the lanes were so walled up, I just knew how to play 'em. :-)

[tonstad39]

Man that must have been one big camcorder

[rallyden]

first of all, thanks for all your bowling video posts. I love seeing the old ABC telecasts.

Your ball seems revolutionary for the 1970s. Did you ever compete in a PBA event? Pretty good power! With today's technology, I'll bet that you are still striking like you did back in '77!

[dcbandnerd]

267...not bad at all, my friend. I may need to ask you for a few pointers. My game has suffered quite a bit lately.  :-)

[deesyphrr]

I remember every Brunswick center in town having those navy blue "starlight" masking units. Can't find them around here now.

Great vid.

[cardshowman]

Great video! You really have some awesome stuff. Thanks!

[vanni9283]

Hmmm...sounds interesting. I know the GS's do that, but I've never been in a bowling center where the A-2's did it.

[rstp354]

Great bowling!