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Author Topic: Illegal to use ball with autographs?  (Read 10430 times)

earlyrolling

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Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« on: May 06, 2016, 02:37:07 PM »
Is it illegal to use a ball in USBC league or tournament if there are multiple signatures (in permanent ink) on the ball (including the track area)?

 

AMF300bowler

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #16 on: May 09, 2016, 11:15:27 AM »
Ridiculous at the very least!  There is no way in hell anyone involved with making this rule ever thought about magic marker when they were worrying about foreign substances added to the ball. Go ahead and use the ball with the writing on it, I guarantee nobody will complain.

Who peed in your corn flakes this morning? Obviously , you just dislike the USBC.
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Strapper_Squared

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2016, 07:57:44 PM »
Because someone would create a marker with suspended particles in the ink, which could alter ball reaction...  same as the bowler who hits the surface 5x with the rosin bag before bowling...
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TDC57

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #18 on: May 09, 2016, 10:12:46 PM »
 I fully understand the no engraving left on a ball, because more than likely if the ball has no engraving left on it, it no longer meets the minimum circumference standards. Magic marker on a ball will never in any way affect the way the ball reacts on the lane and the marker will not affect the cover the way acetone does. The USBC including magic marker is just another ridiculous rule on the books. You can put three finger holes in a triangle, use no thumb and grip the ball in several ways and that's legal, but write on your ball with a sharpie and your a rule breaker. Yep, makes sense to me!!

loop_zero

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #19 on: May 10, 2016, 12:23:29 AM »
I'm still not understanding why anyone would be using a autographed ball?! Why in the world would you have it autographed then go ahead and use it afterwords?! Yes we all know how much since the USBC rules make, but why they still rolling it after the sig? Increased hitting power from the autograph? Haha!

earlyrolling

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #20 on: May 10, 2016, 04:16:15 AM »
I was at a tour stop and wanted to get some autographs; but, on short notice, all I had with me for autographs was my plastic spare ball.  I don't like paper goods for autographs - they tend to get thrown away/lost over time.  Given the feedback here, I decided to forego the signing. Thanks.

spmcgivern

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #21 on: May 10, 2016, 07:54:58 AM »
I fully understand the no engraving left on a ball, because more than likely if the ball has no engraving left on it, it no longer meets the minimum circumference standards. Magic marker on a ball will never in any way affect the way the ball reacts on the lane and the marker will not affect the cover the way acetone does. The USBC including magic marker is just another ridiculous rule on the books. You can put three finger holes in a triangle, use no thumb and grip the ball in several ways and that's legal, but write on your ball with a sharpie and your a rule breaker. Yep, makes sense to me!!

I am pretty sure there isn't a minimum circumference requirement for the bowler.  For the manufacturer, yes.  If a bowler has resurfaced his ball enough times to where the serial number is gone, they can engrave their own serial number.  Just as long as it can be identifiable.

And USBC doesn't specifically say a marker is illegal.  They say any foreign substance is illegal, which marker falls under.  As it has been said before, it is significantly easier to enforce a rule that encompasses everything (any foreign substance) than it would be to list all things that are illegal/legal.

Bowler19525

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #22 on: May 10, 2016, 12:14:04 PM »
I fully understand the no engraving left on a ball, because more than likely if the ball has no engraving left on it, it no longer meets the minimum circumference standards. Magic marker on a ball will never in any way affect the way the ball reacts on the lane and the marker will not affect the cover the way acetone does. The USBC including magic marker is just another ridiculous rule on the books. You can put three finger holes in a triangle, use no thumb and grip the ball in several ways and that's legal, but write on your ball with a sharpie and your a rule breaker. Yep, makes sense to me!!

I am pretty sure there isn't a minimum circumference requirement for the bowler.  For the manufacturer, yes.  If a bowler has resurfaced his ball enough times to where the serial number is gone, they can engrave their own serial number.  Just as long as it can be identifiable.

And USBC doesn't specifically say a marker is illegal.  They say any foreign substance is illegal, which marker falls under.  As it has been said before, it is significantly easier to enforce a rule that encompasses everything (any foreign substance) than it would be to list all things that are illegal/legal.

The rule does specifically state marker as an example of a foreign substance that is not allowed. 

The whole rule is definitely silly.  Perhaps it should be rewritten to state no foreign substances that provide a performance advantage to the bowler or cause a disadvantage to other bowlers on the same lanes being used at the time.

MI 2 AZ

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #23 on: May 10, 2016, 01:29:25 PM »
So, after reading through these posts, I decided to ask USBC itself.  I wrote:

Hi,

There seems to be this big debate going on about using an autographed ball.  It is known that a USBC rule bans the use of markers on a ball, but why?

And following is USBC's response:


The use of a marker on a bowling ball would be considered a foreign substance on the surface of a bowling ball which is against USBC specifications.  The surface of the bowling ball must be clear from all foreign substances to protect the integrity of the game.  There is no grey to the rule, it is black and white to make it easy to enforce.

Should you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Spridco
Senior Director
Rules/Bonding
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Six decades of league bowling and still learning.

ABC/USBC Lifetime Member since Aug 1995.

MI 2 AZ

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #24 on: May 10, 2016, 01:31:11 PM »
So instead of continuing to debate this, just contact USBC.  :)

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spmcgivern

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #25 on: May 10, 2016, 01:42:29 PM »
Thank you.

milorafferty

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #26 on: May 10, 2016, 01:53:08 PM »
So, after reading through these posts, I decided to ask USBC itself.  I wrote:

Hi,

There seems to be this big debate going on about using an autographed ball.  It is known that a USBC rule bans the use of markers on a ball, but why?

And following is USBC's response:


The use of a marker on a bowling ball would be considered a foreign substance on the surface of a bowling ball which is against USBC specifications.  The surface of the bowling ball must be clear from all foreign substances to protect the integrity of the game.  There is no grey to the rule, it is black and white to make it easy to enforce.

Should you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Spridco
Senior Director
Rules/Bonding


So if I get a belt mark on a ball during play, and don't clean it off, then the ball is automatically illegal for use?
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #27 on: May 10, 2016, 02:00:42 PM »
So, after reading through these posts, I decided to ask USBC itself.  I wrote:

Hi,

There seems to be this big debate going on about using an autographed ball.  It is known that a USBC rule bans the use of markers on a ball, but why?

And following is USBC's response:


The use of a marker on a bowling ball would be considered a foreign substance on the surface of a bowling ball which is against USBC specifications.  The surface of the bowling ball must be clear from all foreign substances to protect the integrity of the game.  There is no grey to the rule, it is black and white to make it easy to enforce.

Should you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Spridco
Senior Director
Rules/Bonding


So if I get a belt mark on a ball during play, and don't clean it off, then the ball is automatically illegal for use?

Personally, but I am not an official of USBC, I would consider that as part of the normal wear and tear/hazard of the game, much like getting nicks and scratches in the ball track. 

For the official answer, I am PMing you the contact info for USBC.
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avabob

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #28 on: May 10, 2016, 04:13:03 PM »
Belt marks fall under the same category as nicks and scratches from normal use. 

TDC57

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #29 on: May 10, 2016, 07:23:40 PM »
Well, there you have it!! The integrity of the game would be challenged by using a ball with magic marker autographs. Damn, you can legally block a lane so people shoot 900 series and the integrity of the game is intact, but magic marker, nope. And yes, no bowler has ever shot a 900 on sport shot. spmcgivern there is a circumference rule, check it out! Again, put three finger holes in a triangle position on a ball along with no thumb hole so the bowler can grip the ball multiple ways that puts the weight block in different positions and that's ok? Maybe that's why my league is considering not sanctioning any more!!

TDC57

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Re: Illegal to use ball with autographs?
« Reply #30 on: May 10, 2016, 07:43:09 PM »
AMF300bowler, I love a little pee on my corn flakes and don't have some huge distrust of the USBC, but they do have many ridiculous and inane rules. Bowlers shoot 900 series on legally blocked shots or shoot 900 when an individual is prebowling for a team league and it's okay! No loss of integrity there! Bowl in a league and for some reason you decide to leave before the nite is done and they can and usually will suspend you. Magic marker on your ball and you've ruined the integrity of the game! I can go on with those type of things that have made the sanctioning body look like the clowns driving the mini-bike in the parade. The integrity of the game is long gone and not coming back. At least that's what the purists always give as the reason membership is barely a 1/4 of what it was at it's peak!!!