Delivery legality

[MinusZero]

Hi all,

just wondered if someone could clear something up for me. There is a guy in one of my leagues who has a thumb hole drilled in his ball but doesnt use the thumb when bowling. he sits the ball in the palm of his hand with the two fingers only in and really gives the ball a rev. he isnt that great a bowler anyway (only about 155-160 ave) but is it legal??

I have been told by someone that it isnt legal to bowl a ball without using your thumb if a hole is drilled for it

Can anyone confirm this? If so, where would i find the information in the TBA rule book at http://www.tenpin.org.au/tba_rulesreg.htm ?

 

[RONALD C]

If you search through the forum i think you will find all your answers because this has been discussed at length.

But in answer to your question, Yes he can do it, it is legal!
The thumb hole can be classed as his weight hole.

 

[bowlrig]

if the balls this person is using have balance holes then the person must use the gripping holes for gripping purposes.

this rule was revised by the TBA on the 10/01/2002 and a paragraph added to clear things up.

Final paragraph of rule 603 states:

If a ball has a balance hole, all holes for gripping purposes must be used. If a gripping hole is drilled and not used, it is deemed to be a balance hole. If a ball has a balance hole and all holes drilled for gripping purposes are not used for a delivery, the ball will be deemed illegal for that delivery and pins knocked down with that delivery will not be counted.

Hope this finally clears it up clears it up.


Rob

 

[KLS84]

It is legal, as i remember this topic coming up somewhere else. Gail Torrens answered the question. I can't remember exactly what she wrote, but as long as the palm of the hand it covering the thumb hole, it is legal. Its something like that, don't quote me on it, so, to be on the safe side, confirm this with Gail Torrens.

Always here to help, anytime.
Kristy

 

[KLS84]

Ok, a little bit more to add.

If the palm of the bowler's hand is resting over the tumb hole then it is a legal delivery. But, if the palm of the hand is resting the opposite side to the tumb hole, then it is an illegal delivery.

I hope this make sense. :roll:

 

[RobbieB]

Two points:
1: If the ball has a alance hole drilled in it, the thumb must be used in the delivery. While I don't see how having the hand simply covering the hole can constitute 'using' the hole, if someone has a definitive ruling I'll believe it. The rule doesn't read that way to me though.

2: If the thumbhole is not used, then the ball may be deemed to be outside the balance rules. The static weights will have to comply with the centre of the bridge taken as the centre of the grip. It is very possible that the ball would be illegal delivered in this way, especially if it starts out with thumb weight.

 

[MinusZero]

Ok, thankx for clearing it up for me. i will check it when i play him on wednesday and make sure he knows the rule on it.

 

[GeorgeF]

Here is an interesting question for you Robbie which I have seen debated on many a forum overseas,

If a no thumb bowler drills a thumb hole in the ball in the usual place and then drills a balance hole it usually deemed to be illiegal because he has 1 extra hole, irrelevant if he is covering it up or not the point is that it is still there

HOWEVER

What if the bowler states that he uses the base of his thumb for gripping which only enters approx 1/16th into the hole? The problem with the rule is that there is no defined definition of the world gripping.

 

[RONALD C]

George you raise a good point there my friend!

As you well know for a couple of my hobbies i only put two fingers in, bowling being one of them.

I have been told that if i use the joint area on my thumb to grip the ball, which i do, then it is classed as being used and therefore i am allowed to have another balance hole.
It would be very difficult to question whether or not a two finger bowler is using the thumb hole for gripping purposes when his palm is covering it because unless you have xray vision you would not be able to tell. I was told this ruling when an old simpleton with nothing better to do complained about my delivery during a tournament that i had absolutely no chance of winning anyway, and the tournament director did some research and deamed my delivery as legal.

As a two finger bowler i would not recommend it to people because it makes your consistency very average, your release is never the same, unless you are the master with two hands on the ball of course! The only reason i do it is because i cant get my thumb out of a three finger drilling, i don't have the flexibility in my thumb.
One good point about two finger bowling is that people seem to start to really care about you and always want to quote rules to you and show a real strong interest in your game especially if you are beating them. I just wish they would realise people are doing it now and get over it. If people spent as much time worrying about there own game as they do about others............................... you know where i am going.

Lets all get over it or go and complain and let an official come and sort it out!

 

[BELMO]

What if i was to drill a ball with a thumb hole and a weight hole......dont use either for gripping purposes but............when i get onto the approach i put my thumb in the ball and then straight out, then bowl my normal ball???

I have used the thumb hole, it was just an early thumb release....really early

Stay cool Jewel

PS- i have been told by bowlers and coaches from around the world this is OK..........As for me doing it......the game is complicated enough for me, i think ill leave my gear the way it is for now

 

[BELMO]

What if i was to drill a ball with a thumb hole and a weight hole......dont use either for gripping purposes but............when i get onto the approach i put my thumb in the ball and then straight out, then bowl my normal ball???

I have used the thumb hole, it was just an early thumb release....really early

Stay cool Jewel

PS- i have been told by bowlers and coaches from around the world this is OK..........As for me doing it......the game is complicated enough for me, i think ill leave my gear the way it is for now