Guest Author - Gary King

In March of 2004, Tom Clark, in an article published in Bowlers Journal tells us that the bowling balls being used today are the steroids of our sport. He further said that it is like bowling has made a trip to BALLCO, wherever that is, and Barry Bonds' mad scientist has made everyone bowl like Mark Roth. Just who, I wonder is the Mark Roth he is referring to. And the rest of you Mark Roths out there, tell me how many 300s you have had with your STEROID?

To say that technological advancements in balls have changed the parameters of the bowling may be, to some extent, correct, however, he also contends that great scores are meaningless. If that is the case, and he was lucky enough to roll his STEROID and have a 300 game, he would not want a ring that is meaningless, RIGHT?

He says it is time to lasso the technology, put limitations on what bowling balls can do, and not allow anything outside DEFINED specifications in competition. Where did this guy come from and what kind of science fiction books has he been reading? I would almost bet he does not bowl, and if he does bowl, I wonder what his average is?

He mentioned the PBA Tour and made comments about Amleto Monacelli and mentioned that his ball barely hooked into the pins. Have you ever bowled on a condition similar to what Amleto was bowling on in that event?

I could go on and on but it would be a waste of effort because guys like this have all the answers and they are obviously bowling masters who know everything about the game. But, if Mr. Clark is right, then I suggest:

All you open bowlers go to your nearest center and get one of the STEROIDS and roll your 300 game. If you do, since it is meaningless, what good did it do. Why do you even bowl? Since bowling, as Mr. Clark says, is sitting idly by, allowing technology to ruin the joy of knocking down 10 pins, why do we have bowling centers; why do we have USBC, why do the pros even bother; and why Mr. Clark, are you not out there on the Pro Tour, since it is so easy?

And GET THIS: He said that "perhaps the PBA enjoys the flying pins and big hooks generated by guys WHO REALLY CAN'T HOOK the ball, and doesn't want to go back.

The only STEROID I see in bowling are the STEROIDS this guy must be taking to write such an absolutely stupid article. But it does show one thing: sometimes it does not take much to con a bowling magazine into publishing your science fiction fantasies.

I am glad I don't bowl in any league or center with someone like Tom Clark. Why? Because, according to him, it is too easy. I wonder why USBC started Sport Bowling and why all these top bowlers out there even bother to roll a ball down the lane. And, since you mentioned the PBA Tour, Mr. Clark, why did you even bother to watch bowlers do something you think is too easy and needs to change.

The word STEROID may require some mediation to correct the problem. But so does articles like the one you wrote for Bowlers Journal--It's TIme for Bowling to GETT Off STEROIDS--it requires aspirins for us out here because your article is one big headache!