This happened in our league last night:

A bowler is up on lane 13.  During his approach, he falls on the approach, losing his ball off his hand.  He fell and landed way short of the foul line.  His ball rolled across the approach toward lane 14, and eventually found its way into the right gutter on lane 14.  The ball eventually ended up going all the way down lane 14 (gutter), causing the pinspotter to cycle and return his ball.

We concluded that since the ball left his hand and rolled across the foul line that he had made a legal (if unorthodox) delivery.  We considered the possibility that it should be considered a gutter ball and he should get zero on that ball (his first ball of the frame).  After further consideration, and consulting the USBC rule book, we reconsidered, determining that he had "bowled" on the wrong lane, so therefore it was a dead ball and should be taken over again.

What do the rest of you think the ruling should have been?

We have e-mailed the USBC and I'll post the results when I hear them.
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RW (THB)

I think he gets zero.  I believe the foul line extends beyond the lane he was bowling on.  The ball crossed the foul line even though it was not on his lane.
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Classic Rock and Blues Net Radio

True the foul line extends from ground to the moon, sort of, and side to side from wall to wall, however, as you stated, he bowled on the wrong lane ( sort of ) and IMO you made the right call in the end.
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az guy aka: R & L Bowlers Pro
  rlbowlerspro@cox.net

He was on the proper approach.  While it is unfortunate that he fell, he did make a legal delivery.  The ball was released from his hand and crossed the foul line.  I don't believe that where the ball ended up has any bearing.
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Classic Rock and Blues Net Radio

Re: original situation.  I think it's a dead ball.  You're right in asking USBC for a ruling, and should have (and perhaps did) have the player bowl a provisional frame.  Bowl it on lane 13.  If USBC rules its a dead ball, the whole frame counts.  If they rule he gets 0 count on the ball, only the first ball of the provisional frame counts.  If he knocks all the pins down, it's a spare - otherwise he gets the pin count after 0 for the first ball.  --  JohnP

Use common sense! Obviously he didn't throw his ball, it sailed out of his hand as he fell on the lane. Either a dead ball or a wrong lane do-over.

Dead ball - since he didn't foul. If he'd fouled, it would have been 0 for the first ball.
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