Ebonite owns Hammer so really if Hammer does get bigger than Ebonite then Ebonite is also getting bigger. I believe Hammer will overcome all the companies (in turn) I know of 2 people that are solid Ebonite fans that are buying the Hawg Zilla. (Mainly because they see how My Hawg Wild works but want more hook) The Wild is plenty for me, anyways, People will start seeing Hammers more often because of the fact that they work. All companies (and countries) go and go in power, and Hammer has not hit its' "Golden Age" yet. Ebonite I think is in theirs now because I just came back from a tournament and there was atleast 1 "One" ball on every lane. My lane had 2 and the lane beside us had 4!!! But Hammer can't become bigger than itself, and itself is Ebonite. (diff balls same company)
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Crush them don't knock them down!!!

I have quite an extensive "arsenal" http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/213/img4902ql2.jpg

and up until late last Winter I didn't own any Hammer products. Then a friend in league showed up with the Raw Hammer Doom and I was really impressed with it's angularity so I bought one used off Ebay. I bought another just a week ago and drilled it up today (it's as awesome as the first one and even more aggressive with it's stacked leverage drilling). I'm going to construct a 5 ball arsenal of Hammer stuff because I think their current lineup combines the best of both worlds (length, control and awesome hitting power)

In the days of Urethane Hammers were about all I threw (still have a Blue Hammer that sees occasional use) but when I rentered the game after a 5 year hiatus for some reason I just wasn't attracted to the Hammer line so I threw mostly Storm and Brunswick. I must say though that the Raw Doom has been the first ball in years that truly excites me. It's controllable even when you crank it up. It was made to rev and snap. The carry is awesome.

I live in Minnesota and see very little Hammer equipment being used (mostly Brunswick and Storm). Everytime I pull out the doom-- whether in practice or competition--I'm asked: "what it is? Sure is a nice looking ball." Then they see how long it goes and how many boards it crosses in the last 10 feet and they are simply amazed. Yet, I still don't see anyone throwing it in these parts.

So, brands do seem to be rather regional. Most likely because pro shops become aligned with certain brands and tend to carry only those that they've become familar with over the years. Hammer lost a bit of its mystique when they were acquired by Ebonite and I think many people consider them to be one in the same. I own an Ebonite "Big One" and am not very impressed with it even though it got great reviews online. So, while I'm not much of a fan of Ebonite I sure do like my Hammer and can't wait to check out the Black Widow, Hawg Zilla, Pain and Vibe.



Edited on 8/4/2006 2:02 AM

To answer a question, Faball in a long, round-about way became Visionary.
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That's right. I said it!