Bowling at NCS Wahiawa

bowling-335180_1280

I join a bowling team

I was in the Navy three years when I transferred to Naval Communication Station Wahiawa, Hawaii. It was here my love for bowling germinated and blossomed. I checked into my new department and was assigned to a watch section. I was invited to bowl on the department team in the command intramural sports program pitting my department against the other departments. I sensed the invitation was not one I could turn down.

bowling-596766_1280

1970’s bowling ball

I used a bowling ball provided by the bowling alley the first season. The ball was black and made of hard rubber. It had the standard three holes and weighed a whopping sixteen pounds. The grip pattern was the conventional grip which is still available today.

My first year performances were ordinary. The second year, I bought my own bowling ball and had it drilled semi-fingertip grip. My scores improved. I scored between 520 and 570 every week in the department matches. I remember getting frustrated no matter how hard I tried, I could not reach a 600 series.

Patience is a virtue, really?

The frustration ate at me.  My teammates told me to be patient. Patience in a virtue I do not practice often. (My wife will attest to that.) But the time came when I had a three consecutive game total over 600. Still not a 600 series in the traditional sense but I didn’t care. It was a 600 total for game 2, 3, and 4 of a six game tournament.

flintstone-bowling

How to bowl 288

I bowled a 288 game a few months later. During this game, my teammates cheered after each strike and gave me a round of razzing. The cheering and razzing got louder as the number of consecutive strikes grew. I think the razzing kept me from appreciating what was happening. A beneficial distraction. The tenth frame is a blur. All I know is all of the pins fell. The bowling format dictated I immediately bowl the 11th frame. I didn’t get the same intermission and razzing. Without a doubt, I was nervous. I pulled the shot, the ball crossed to the Brooklyn side and left me a wobbly six pin. I missed it for a 288.

The 288 is the most exciting score I have bowled.  I used a ball primitive, by today’s standards, on lanes oiled using a hand sprayer and evened using a cloth mop.  I have bowled higher games and higher series but the excitement was not as great. These scores had the advantage technology brought to bowling balls and lane surfaces not enjoyed when I bowled 288.

Technology has brought many wonderful things but has it cost us also? What do you think? Use the comment form to share your thoughts.

 

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to Top
Subscribe to Blog

Subscribe to Blog