It was the summer of 1985, I was 12. I had worked at my dads and godfathers large bakery for almost a year to support my vices, RC 1/10 scale, electronic gaming, karate, and bowling - about $25 to $40 a day every Saturday depending how fast I can work in 3 to 4 hours.

That summer I went to the sporting goods store which was near the hobby store and found a Columbia spare ball that looked copper'ish. I don't remember if it was a white dot, or what color the dot was. Anyway, The clerk asked me how I wanted my fingers drilled. Me, not knowing any better pointed at the base of my  middle finger and ring finger. I said, "I want the hole to go this deep." That would put my whole fingers in the hole lol The look on the guys face was priceless. He said, "What?! you're going to break your fingers kid." lol He then explained to me what he was going to do and also explained that I will be growing up fast and may not fit the ball the following year and to return if it doesn't fit.

After paying for it, I headed down the escalator, it was my first time I sincerely felt excited about bowling. Now I can be a legit bowler kid like the guys and gals with their own bowling equipment. My father who I met down stairs asked what I got and was shocked I got a bowling ball, but proud I earned it on my own. After a short lecture about life, finance, and being a man one day, he brought me back to the third floor to buy me a bowling bag to go with my new ball.

(Before we left the sporting goods, I tried to push it with my dad.... I asked if we could go to the martial arts store so he could buy me another pair of nunchuku's. He laughed at me. Instead he took me to another place and got me a "Rambo knife", a survival knife with that compass on top and a freak'n map. LOL)

First ball I used was a plastic 15 lbs plastic Korvettes ball hand me down from my Dad. First ball I bought Black urethane hammer. First 600 2 weeks later!!

I started with hand-me-down White Dots, Yellow Dots (maybe even the Bonanza versions) along with Roto Grips in the 70s.  I fondly remember using the heaviest ball I could hold (16 lbs before age 10) and it would be considered child abuse today.

First new ball I remember purchasing myself and fitted just for me was a blue Brunswick Laser.  I loved that ball.  I loved how the logo seemed 12" long and 6" high.  The first day I bowled so much with it that it looked like it needed to be resurfaced.

I'll play along, too.  It was a 14 pound black rubber ball from Brunswick.  My second ball was an Ebonite Gyro.  Wow, I'm getting old.  LOL.         

Did many of you long timers (old timers) have a hole for your pinky??

Back in the day, I've seen guys with 4 finger holes... I never knew why....

My first ball was a 6# brunswick bantam.  I think it cost 50 bucks drilled back in the early 60's.
I do remember it being cork inside and probably had a rubber cover. It had my name stamped in it in 1/2" letters. As if anyone else would want it.

Brunswick Triple Crown ... If memory serves, it was drilled at KMart. 

The very first ball that was bought for and drilled for me was an Ebonite Gyro 1 rubber.

Brad