Isn't this the one - I think I remember Belmo describing it on here once - where the rake was being pressed manually by someone down the back as the ball impacted the pins because the pinsetters and sweeps weren't working properly?
It would take umpteen number of seconds to come down and register pinfall/collect standing pins once it was pressed.
But on that fateful last shot for the 300 the person down the back delayed pressing the button for a fair bit longer than he was supposed too, and the pinsetter was even slower in dropping down - giving that slow rolling messenger enough time to take out the last pin?
Having said that, I've seen slower messengers knock out remaining pins with the old AMF 82/30's that Moonah used to have, which used to be very slow in dropping down to collect.
Saw a Peter Van Kempen - Paul Lucock matchplay match in the Australian Masters back in 1991 go to a protest over a very slow messenger and even slower pinsetter which may have/may not have grazed a corner pin Lucock left.
Lucock won the match, Van Kempen protested, match was rebowled, Van Kempen won the replay and went on to win the Masters.
Local crowd got right into Van Kempen for a few games after that I remember.