Picking up 7 or 10 can be troublesome

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October 31, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Sat Oct 31, 2009, 11:10 PM CDT

With the exception of splits, probably the toughest spare conversions in bowling are the 10 pin for right-handers and the 7 pin for lefties.

As a result of reading last week’s column, two bowlers called to ask if either Earl Anthony or Mike Aulby, both southpaws, had any advice for picking up those troublesome pins.

As one who consistently leaves several 7 pins during a series, this lefty knows he needs a refresher course also.

Anthony says, in his book “Winning Bowling,” that the 7 and 10 pins are most frequently missed “easy” spares in bowling. Since the pins are on the back row, a bowler’s ball has a tendency to hook inside the pins. If a bowler gives the shot too much speed, it takes some of the action off the ball and the ball drops into the channel short of the pins.

Anthony recommends practicing shooting the shot a couple of different ways.

First, he says, imagine the pin standing in the channel and shooting for it. Or, he adds, find the spot at the arrows that will take your ball through the 7 (for left-handers) or the 10 (for right-handers).

Whatever you do, Earl says, don’t loaf on the shot. He stresses following through on the shot because the least pull to the left or right will result in a miss.

Aulby, in the notes given me by good friend Bill Byrd, doesn’t delve into spare shooting, but he does have some advice for not leaving so many 7s and 10s.

“The major problem that causes 7-pin (or 10-pin) taps,” Aulby writes, “is too much speed on the ball. My advice is to slow the ball down somewhat. If change of speed doesn’t work, or if you start hitting the pins ‘on the nose,’ and leaving splits, then I recommend that you change your bowling angle. Try moving a board or two to the right (for lefties) and hitting your strike spot. That should bring the ball into the pocket a little lighter and may be the answer to your problem.”

A bit of personal advice if you’re having trouble with the corner pins, bowl a practice game shooting at nothing but the pin that’s giving you the most headaches.

City highlights

Lori Anderson, bowling at the Fourth Street Bowl, and Mark Howerton, cranking out the big numbers at Bowl East, have been on top of their games recently.

Lori, who posted a 703 series two weeks ago, totaled a 639 series this past week and had games of 215, 224, 227 and 202 during the week. Mark rode a 280 high line to a 750 series after totaling 730 the previous week.

But the top stories of the week for the men involve a pair of 300 shooters (Randy Beaver and Joey Davis) and a whopping 794 series by left-hander Gabe Attoun, all at Bowl East.

Gabe, a product of Joplin’s excellent youth bowling program, had games of 279, 246 and 269 in his near-800 series. He already has a career-best 826 series in the books.

Randy’s perfect game and a 257 line led to a 773 total. Joey’s highlight-reel game enabled him to crank out a 768 series.

Jonathan White produced the week’s top series for men at the Fourth Street Bowl, totaling 762 on games of 257, 258 and 247. That was the only 700-plus series at the Fourth Street center, but there were seven other sets in the 690s.

Teri Lankford paced the women at Bowl East with a 684 series that included games of 258 and 237. Candy Brown had the high line of 267 and also posted a 257.

Steve Wiles (224-232-648) and Bill Byrd (604) paced the senior men at East while Glen Patton was high at Fourth Street with 558. Katrina Smith (545 at East) and Bernice Cooke (534 at Fourth Street) led the senior women.

Tyler Meyer overpowered the pins in the major youth league at Fourth Street, rolling sets of 617 and 679 that included games of 242, 239 and 254. Darrell Brisco had 227-639. Junior bowler Zach Fort led his division with 537 and 533 and a high line of 217. Quincy Dutton led the girls with 189-513.

Other highlights:

Fourth Street Bowl

Men—Randy Bell 279, Chris Haase 277, Terry Harlan 275, Jamie Kohler 288, William Lisle, Jr. 274, and Ryan England 273.

Women—Candy Brown 247-611, Carol Dutton 255, Heidi Burggraf 239, Nancy Roddy 223, Denese Stephens 220.

Senior men—Dallas Reynolds 204, Howard Nester 203.

Senior women—Bev Baldwin 223-506, Avis Stiles 519, Taukia Reynolds 511, Jackie Peterson 506-506.

Youth majors—Zack Calton 220-576, Kenny Phillips 223-580.Carl Richard Bowl East

Men—Justin Brisco 739, Ed Israel 713, Kurt Kollmeier 701, Rex Millsap 725, Jeremy Moffatt 279-714, Doug Murray 288, Alan Palmer 274, Kirt Roach 279-739, David Roach 705, Duane Steele 288, B.J. Strickling 290-714, Jeremiah Tripp 703, Ron Woolsey 278-727.

Women—Heidi Burggraf 605, Carol Dutton 238, Becky Lewis 632, Renee Lisle 613.

Senior men—Jim Billman 224-563, Gene Dreibelbis 550, Tom Fortson 235-585, J.R. Jones 223-551, James Lack 220-575, Myron Sisk 550.

Senior women—Kathy Alsdurf 184, Katrina Smith 202.

Address correspondence to Wendell Redden, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802, or e-mail sports@joplinglobe.com.

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Picking up 7 or 10 can be troublesome

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