Reactives: Who Have They Helped? - effects on bowlers' performance of use of urethane bowling balls

Some bowlers--Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Norm Duke, in particular--would stake their careers on urethane, the ultimate power equalizer

THE DOMINANCE OF TODAY'S power players might lead you to believe that this has always been thus, that inflated scores and drastic hooking forever have been a major aspect of bowling. However, that's simply not the case. In fact, the hook-shot artists of yesterday may well be seen on grainy tape today as straight-ball artists. The development of reactive technology in the early '90s changed the landscape of bowling more dramatically than any breakthrough that came before it.

Reactive bowling balls have enhanced the careers of many bowlers and, in some cases, penalized others. Bowling ball manufacturers employ high-tech engineers in their efforts to "build a better mousetrap." This is generally referred to as progress. They have one goal in mind: creating superior offensive equipment.

The scientific advancements of new equipment have dramatically altered performances in practically every sport. In golf, players who drove tee shots beyond 300 yards used to be few and far between. George Bayer and Jim Dent, two of the biggest players on the PGA tour, and later John Daly, were rare exceptions. This art was reserved for golfers who competed in long drive contests, which usually featured big, muscular players who only specialized in this phase of the game. Long drive contestants rarely made PGA tournament cuts.

During the past 10 years, however, golf club manufacturers have introduced equipment to add greater distance to drives. The club heads on modern drivers are much larger and are designed to add anywhere from 30 to 50 yards on tee shots. These clubs have altered the golf game considerably and present less challenge to long hitters, particularly on par-5 holes. For example, Tiger Woods is a virtual cinch to par, and quite often eagle, a par-5 hole. As a matter of fact, on numerous occasions on long holes Woods has used a 6- or 7-iron for his second shot to the green.

Although Woods is a rare phenomenon, he isn't the only golfer who routinely hits 300-yard drives. David Duval, relatively small in stature, often hits 300- to 310-yard shots, as do Phil Mickelson, Emie Els, and numerous other PGA golfers. Even players on the PGA senior tour are hitting tee shots 25 to 35 yards farther than they did in their prime years.

In baseball, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and other noted sluggers are given huge contracts due to their proficiency at sending baseballs into orbit. But how can one account for the rash of four-baggers in today's game? Although baseball moguls disavow all accusations of "juicing up" baseballs, how can any sports-minded individual overlook McGwire's 70 round-trippers and Sosa's 66 in 1998, shattering a record that had stood for almost 40 years?

And speaking of power-laden equipment, isn't it incredible that so many modern tennis players serve balls at speeds that far exceed 100 mph? Have tennis players improved that much? I think not. Much of it is due to scientifically improved equipment.

The same goes for the PBA, where statistics prove that the vast improvement of some players is primarily due to advanced equipment, particularly since the advent of reactive urethane bowling balls in 1991. Younger bowlers such as Jason Couch and Chris Barnes have been extremely successful in the urethane era. They are products of the environment and have taken advantage of modern equipment in their rise to the top of their profession.

However, the records of Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, Ryan Shafer, and Walter Ray Williams Jr. clearly demonstrate the incredible contrast in players' performances since the advent of reactive bowling balls. Bohn, Duke, and Williams have completely dominated the tour since 1991, garnering 67 titles between them. Prior to 1991, they had a combined total of 11 rifles.

Bohn is an 18-year pro, Duke has been a PBA member for 20 years, and Williams is a 22-year professional. Among the three superstars, Bohn's record prior to 1991 is clearly the best. Although he joined the PBA in 1984, Bohn did not participate on the tour until 1985. He won his first title at Seattle in 1987, added another at Glendale Heights, Ill., in 1989, and captured three rifles in 1990. Bohn's total of six titles in his first seven years as a professional is far better than the records of Duke and Williams in the early stages of their careers.

Duke is generally acknowledged as the most versatile player on tour today and is regarded by many of his peers as the top competitor in the game. However, from his initial year on tour in 1982 until 1990, Norm had but one title to his credit. Since the advent of reactive bowling balls, Duke has amassed 18 titles in an 11-year span, an average of nearly two rides per year.

Williams joined the PBA tour in 1981 and was winless until 1986. That year, he annexed rifles at Peoria, Ill., Baltimore, and Edmond, Okla. In 1987, he won in Miami and repeated in Edmond. Williams' five titles in his first nine years as a pro seem insignificant when compared to his additional 27 over the next decade--an average of almost three per year.

Shafer became a major force on the PBA tour during the 2000 season, when after being winless in his previous 14 years as a professional he captured two rides and pocketed $123,600. He started the 2001 season by adding another title and winning $33,100 in eight tournaments. In Shafer's defense, prior to 1991 he bowled in only 78 tournaments, winning no titles and $106,741. Since 1991, he has engaged in 241 tournaments and added $552,663 to his career earnings total--all with reactive equipment.

Do these statistics indicate all PBA bowlers have benefited from reactive urethane balls? Well, the modern missiles have certainly prolonged the careers of players like Roger Bowker, Emie Schlegel, Butch Soper, David Traber, and many others. But urethane hasn't helped everyone.

Pete Weber, possibly the best raw talent in the game and certainly one of the greatest players ever, has been victimized by reactive equipment. Weber, whose fluid release and devastating strike ball used to be the envy of his peers, won 14 titles without the help of reactive balls. Although Weber hasn't been seriously hampered by urethane equipment, he has been unable to separate himself from those who rely on the modern missiles. Simply put, urethane has supplied other PBA players with enough firepower to equalize Weber's natural ability. Weber's talent has not diminished, and he continues to score admirably as one of the elite bowlers on tour--his inability to continue to dominate as he did in the pre-urethane era cannot be attributed to any deficiency in his game. Weber's loss of supremacy is solely due to modern equipment that has elevated lesser players to his standards of performance.

While Weber's record doesn't indicate the overwhelming discrepancy in titles and earnings between the pre- and post-urethane period, as is the case with Williams and Duke, it is a testimony to his outstanding skills. If not for the numerous suspensions Weber has sustained, he could well have added to his substantial earnings and rifles in the post-urethane era.

Additionally, Weber has been extremely unlucky in ABC Masters tournaments, due mostly to the TV format that has deprived him of two tides in this prestigious event, the most recent in 2000, when Weber led all bowlers in the Masters and entered the TV show undefeated, only to lose in the one-game match to Mika Koivuniemi, 236-235.

Mike Aulby, who's never been regarded as a power bowler, epitomizes the pure stroker. Statistics and records clearly indicate that urethanes have done nothing to enhance his career. Consider: Aulby has 27 championships to his credit, with 19 of his victories earned prior to the advent of teacfive urethane balls, almost the opposite of Duke's and Williams' career tracks.

Earl Anthony, holder of 41 regular tour titles and seven senior titles, won all but two of his championships without a teacfive urethane ball. Anthony--whose forte was effortless accuracy--was never totally comfortable with the hard-hooking reactives. Players who took advantage of powerful equipment were suddenly able to bowl at Anthony's superior level.

Wayne Webb is among the select few bowlers with 20 or more titles. Webb joined the PBA tour in 1977, and in a span of 13 years, from 1977 to 1990, he won 17 titles. In the ensuing 11 years since the introduction of reactive urethanes, Webb has won only three titles. Dave Husted has scaled back his schedule on the PBA tour during the past three years. Nevertheless, he has annexed 14 rifles, including the U.S. Open three times. All but five titles were recorded prior to the reactive urethane era.

Ron Palombi Jr. captured six titles, including the PBA National and the U.S. Open. Palombi, the possessor of one of the most potent strike balls on the PBA tour, had such difficulty with reactive equipment that he not only quit the tour, he gave the game up for good. Del Ballard Jr. has 12 titles to his credit, nine of which were accomplished before reactive bowling balls were introduced.

Rick Steelsmith, who entered the pro ranks as one of the most promising players since Marshall Holman, made a sensational debut in 1987. He led one tournament in Miami, only to lose to Tom Milton on the TV show, and won $38,745 in just 15 tournaments. Sadly, Rick sustained a disastrous shoulder injury in his 15th tournament, an injury that would alter his entire career. Steelsmith's greatest asset prior to his injury was a smooth, effortless arm-swing that unleashed one of the most potent strike balls ever thrown on the PBA tour.

He was sidelined for two years and never fully recovered from the shoulder injury, which made him overly cautious in releasing in his natural manner and forced him to alter his delivery. Although his scoring ability did not suffer, Steelsmith, like Weber, was victimized by reactive urethanes that enabled his opponents to match his powerful delivery and his scores.

Some power bowlers have avoided being equalized in this manner. Steve Hoskins delivers one of the most devastating strike shots in the game but, unlike Weber, has not been hampered by hard-hooking reactives. All of Hoskins' 10 titles have been registered with reactive urethane balls. Bob Learn joined the PBA tour in 1982 and participated in 177 tournaments before notching his first victory in 1992 at Baltimore. He now owns four rifles, all accomplished with reactive urethanes. David Traber--a hard-throwing, straight-shot player--has bowled on the PBA tour since 1986. He won his first title in 1994 at Toledo, and although he has slumped slightly since 1999, he has won four championships, all with reactive urethane balls.

In view of these statistics, which players have been the greatest beneficiaries of reactive urethane balls? The numbers don't lie! They are etched in stone. Coincidentally or otherwise, Williams, Duke, Hoskins, Learn, and Traber,have substantially enhanced their careers with reactive urethane balls. Weber and Palombi, meanwhile, have not been as fortunate.

Reactives by the Numbers

BELOW ARE POWER RATINGS ON THE PBA TOUR THROUGH THE MID-2001
season. The figures show certain players' records prior to
and after reactive balls hit the tour in the 1991-92 season.
Contrast the numbers of Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Norm Duke
with those of the preeminent pre-urethane power player, Pete Weber.

BEFORE REACTIVES

Bowler                          Tournaments     Titles        Earnings

Parker Bohn III                     207            5          $541,252
Norm Duke                           276            1          $541,678
Ryan Shafer                          78            0          $106,341
Pete Weber                          320           15        $1,170,897
Walter Ray Williams Jr.             326            5          $853,970

AFTER REACTIVES

Bowler                          Tournaments     Titles         Earning

Chris Barnes                         76            2          $305,547
Parker Bohn III                     243           21        $1,471,423
Jason Couch                         236            9        $1,108,191
Norm Duke                           187           18          $943,908
Ryan Shafer                         241            3          $552,663
Pete Weber                          213           10          $987,922
Walter Ray Williams Jr.             212           28        $1,686,485

COPYRIGHT 2001 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group