On the lanes
‘Old Bob’ Sible finally rolls 600 series with a 616 I was able to see something special last Thursday night during my league. It began when I was fortunate enough there was a seat available at the table with Bob Sible. Well, actually, it was with Bob Sible, Bob Sible, and Bob Sible. And if you think that is confusing, try bowling with them every week.
But, to be more specific, I was sitting with Bob Sr., Bob Jr., and Bob III, to whom I refer during league and at the state tournament as “Old Bob,” “Big Bob,” and “Bobbo.” I am not a liberty to say what everyone else calls them.
The first game was nothing extraordinary except I noticed Bob Sr. (Old Bob) tossed a nice 207 game. I would be unfair to him if I said he does that regularly, because he works very hard at his game, coming out to the bowling alley many times during the week to practice. So, I was sure to give him a big “high five.”
During the second game though, things really picked up when he crushed the pocket pretty hard and finished with a solid 215. That was when I knew I might see something special. That two-game total was 422, and Bob has never ever had a 600 series. His high from a few years back was 597. All he needed in Game 3 was a 178.
The stage was set, but I think what really made that last game special was the subtle coaching and support he got from his son, Bob Jr. He never let up. After every frame – whether open, strike, or spare – he was always encouraging. And when the 10th frame came up, he looked as his Dad and told him he didn’t even need to make a spare. You could almost see the weight of the world drop off of Bob Sr.’s shoulders when he heard that.
Consequently, he went up in the 10th and finished strong, ending with another solid game of 194 and a sterling series of 616.
I told Old Bob years back when I wrote about his “almost 600,” that I wouldn’t write about him again. But I lied.
Congratulations buddy, that is some great bowling. And now that you have rolled that first one, I’m sure there is another one not too far away.
BARNES BEATS E.A.R.L. IN AN EPIC BATTLE
In the battle of man versus machine, which I mentioned last week, the newest member of the Equipment Specifications and Certifications team at the USBC showed off its skills against PBA star Chris Barnes at the International Bowling Campus on Tuesday.
While the new addition isn’t a card-carrying professional bowler, it is capable of unmatchable accuracy and consistency on the lanes that no human bowler can achieve. Those qualities make E.A.R.L. (Enhanced Automated Robotic Launcher) invaluable in the many studies necessary to keep up with the ever-changing bowling ball industry.
But, on this special day, members of the media and invited guests were among the first to see what the newest state-of-the-art, bowling ball-throwing robot is all about, which includes duplicating shot after shot at ball speeds anywhere from 10-24 miles per hour and rev rates anywhere from 50-900 rpm, a significantly wider range than its predecessor, Harry, a less-automated robot introduced in 1999 and recently retired.
In the one-game match at the International Training and Research Center (ITRC), Barnes scorched the robotic launcher, 259-209, but afterward, he freely admitted the score does not reflect how significant E.A.R.L. ultimately will be in industry research.
BOWLING NEWS
Uniontown resident Gary George writes a weekly bowling column for the Herald-Standard. If you have any bowling news, contact George, a member of the Professional Bowlers Association since 1997, via email at probowler48@aol.com or fax at 724-438-7290. Information is welcome from all area bowling establishments.