I bowl in a USBC Sanctioned mixed couples league on Friday nights that is fun and competitive. I noticed that a younger guy, a two handed bowler who doesn't use his thumb that we were bowling against, had an extra hole in his bowling ball. He had his two finger holes, a thumb hole, and a balance hole. I politely told him that he had an extra hole and I explained the rule. He said that he had no clue about it and since it was his only ball I said not a problem for this week and left it at that. I did not want to make a big deal about it because he was really nice about it and I wanted everything to remain friendly. Let me also state that my ball driller is a two hander, so I have nothing against that style at all.

Here's where the fun starts. The guy I told about having an illegal ball went and told his parents who bowl on another team. The parents went and talked to the President of our league about it. The President told the parents and the son that yes the ball is illegal and he can't throw it anymore. The kid then proceeds to bowl a 279 with the illegal ball and the President explained to him once again that he was warned about the ball and to stop using it or to risk forfeiting his scores. His parents then blew a gasket and got in my face screaming and cussing at me, basically calling me a baby and was mad because he threw a good game. I explained that I wasn't the person who turned him in to the President, but that they essentially did by informing him themselves. The parents have since decided to quit the league over all of this. I even offered for the kid to throw one of my balls. After everyone calmed down I went and talked to the parents and explained exactly how I told their son about his ball and everything seemed fine.

Our league has it's own Face Book Page for posting high scores, league rules, and general league information. After the night was over the parents decided that they will quit this league over this situation and posted it on our leagues FB page. I feel horrible that they are quitting the league all because I told their kid about his ball being illegal. I was never mean or a jerk about the ball and I couldn't have been more polite about it. I just didn't want this kid to go to a tournament and have someone flip out on him. I wasn't even mad that he was throwing the ball because he's 17 and honestly didn't have a clue about the rule. The parents now have been bashing me and the league all over FB. Any thoughts or comments on this or maybe how it could have been handled differently are greatly appreciated.

 If they want to quit, then let them. If bowling is going yo die, I would rather it die with honor by the rules, than to throw all the rules out and have it die as a joke.

People like them cannot be dealt with. They do NOT view bowling as anything other than a past time, and may not even be aware a governing body, or RULES, even exist. As such, they are idiots.

 Trust me, there will be someone at the "new" center that knows the rule too, and they (if the kid goes too) will just end up going through this again.

 I, As the president of the league, having been made aware of the situation, would feel OBLIGATED to let the other league about the situation and why it happened.

 I, as the league president, would also inform the parents that this was going to happen.

 Rules are rules. They could either follow them, or get their sanction cards pulled, whichever they wanted.

Their is never a limit on stupidity.

          

Quote from: amyers2002 on September 27, 2016, 08:30:13 AM

Their is never a limit on stupidity.

          

Lol you can't expect me to type and think at the same time.