Guest Author - Gary King

I received a message from a 9-year-old boy who is doing some research for a class project and he asked me some questions which I do not have the answers to. So I approached the bowling manufacturers about obtaining the answers. The responses and the actions by these bowling manufacturers, and some bowling magazines make me wonder what is really going on in the bowling industry?

I have contended that there are problems in the former ABC, WIBC, etc., which is now the United States Bowling Congress, and the questions I asked and problems I pointed out have never been resolved. In most cases, many of the problems are not even addressed in my opinion, and as I have said before, bowling in general needs to get its act together.

The questions I was asked by this 9-year-old boy: questions like: what materials are weight pieces made out of, etc., seem to be questions the manufacturers either do not want to answer or for some reason will not answer.

Are the ingredients in bowling balls or some bowling balls secret or are they such that the manufacturers of bowling balls do not want to release them? Is there some reason they do not want to answer questions for people like this 9-year-old boy?

I am a Senior bowler and I bowl a lot. I bowl in three associations, and I love bowling. I like being a bowling host and trying to help other people with their bowling problems. I also like the TRUTH and I tell it like I see it and like it is, and I do not sweep any dirt under the rug or hum-haw around when someone asks me questions.

If there are any bowling manufacturers reading this article, I would appreciate someone contacting me with regards to WHY you do not want to tell us people who buy your equipment, exactly what bowling balls are made of, like the powders and liquids, or is that a SECRET? What is the problem with answering questions? You do not seem to hesitate when it comes time to charging $200 PLUS for bowling balls, but you like to hesitate when it comes to answering questions, and I am referring to Ebonite, AMF and Columbia 300, for some, who seem to have a problem answering the questions asked by a 9-year-old project. Perhaps he should start asking questions why you cannot tell him what the ball he is supposed to use is made of?

I thank God we have some inquisitive kids out there who sometimes make us work out in order to get the answers and.....perhaps.....make us sit up and take notice of what our responsbilities are with regards to the products we supply in any general area in this society.

I will see if any manufacturerer or anyone will bother contacting me at my personal e-mail address at gking@koreanvet.com