Open letter
to International Olympic Committee
by Larry Matthews and Sam
Baca ( 9/1/98 )
An Open Letter To The International Olympic Committee Subject: Bowling's Inclusion As A
Permanent Medal Sport
FROM EVERYTHING we've read and heard about the subject, it is our understanding that the
International Olympic Committee has four principal objections regarding bowling's
inclusion in the Olympic Games as a medal sport. They are as follows:
1. Bowling is not a sport;
2. Bowling does not present a significant challenge;
3. Bowling competitors are not athletes;
4. Bowling has inequitable conditioning procedures.
Most of those in our segment of the sports community - be they professional bowlers or
committed amateur players - know these objections do not stand up to any true measure of
scrutiny. To make our case, we'll examine each point individually:
1. Bowling is not a sport: This initial point is easily disputed; simply refer to the very
definition of sport, as we did. There, in the concise edition of Webster's New World
Dictionary (copyright 1964), was this definition: Sport - Any recreational activity
requiring bodily exertion and carried on to a set of rules; whether outdoors, as golf, or
indoors, as bowling. Not even the IOC can dispute Webster when he's being that specific.
2. Bowling does not present a significant challenge: Unlike most other sports, your
adversary in bowling is an inanimate object: the lane. Consequently, it cannot be
intimidated by your intelligence, knowledge, experience or physical capabilities. However,
it can, and does, provide a variety of competitive challenges. Namely, as the environment
undergoes its various transitions - push, carry-down, head breakdown - the competitive
dimensions of the game expand to arbitrarily assume different qualities, quantities and
other permutations.
For example, in the pin deck, there are 10 pins placed in a triangular configuration, each
weighing approximately 3 pounds, 6 ounces. These pins are located 60 feet, 6 inches from
the foul line, behind which you must remain while delivering a 10-to-16 pound spheroid, 27
inches in circumference, 8 5/8 inches in diameter. These combinations present a window of
opportunity 4 inches wide, and this opponent - while marginally forgiving - never makes a
mistake. It constantly demands perfection, yet intermittently rewards an excellent effort
with imperfection yielding an 8-count or less (and some seemingly impossible spare
conversions, like the 8-10, 7-9 or 7-10).
3. Bowling's competitors are not athletes: Reverting to the dictionary, Merriam-Webster
(copyright 1974) defines an athlete this way: "one trained to compete in
athletics." In that same edition, "athletics" is defined as:
"exercises and games requiring physical skill, strength, and endurance."
So, does bowling qualify on those grounds? Well, consider the format of a typical
professional bowling tournament as an example: during the course of qualifying (18 games),
finals (24 games), and the championship round (maximum 4 games), a professional competitor
will travel over 6 miles, while lifting, carrying and throwing a composite total of
approximately 21,000 pounds. The ball is delivered at 15-20 mph, while the player expends
sufficient energy to produce 12-20 revolutions on his or her bowling ball.
The stress factors within the confines of our sport are not exactly what the human body
was designed to tolerate. If your desire is to become one of the top bowlers on this
planet, your hand-eye coordination must be excellent; ligament and tendon strength is a
necessity; your cardio-vascular fitness is a must; and a marvelous mental acuity a
prerequisite, due to the cerebral nature of this athletic endeavor.
Exploring bowling's athletic criteria a bit further, many of our sport's finest
competitors have exhibited expertise in a wide variety of athletic arenas. Jim Pencak, the
Professional Bowlers Association's National Championship winner, was a golden gloves
boxing champion. Don Bell, PBA Regional Champion, was a world-class soccer goalie. Steve
Cook, U.S. Open Champion and PBA Hall of Famer, was a national free-style champion in
archery. Earl Anthony, professional bowling's most prolific champion ever, was a
professional baseball player. On the distaff side, Tish Johnson, U.S. Open Champion, was a
high school basketball All-American. Professional Woman's Bowlers Association's Players
Championship winner Marianne Dirupo was a collegiate All-American in fast-pitch softball.
Vesma Grinfelds, PWBA Hall of Famer, was a world-class figure skater. The balance of this
list is long and illustrious.
4. Bowling has inequitable conditioning procedures: This is one area where the IOC has a
point. There is not enough control over the scoring environment, especially in the United
States. This has served to give the whole sport a black eye in this area insofar as what
might be called its "sports quotient."
However, there is also a solution to this dilemma. A very competitive, yet playable,
conditioning and maintenance program can be implemented. These procedures will allow a
right- or left-handed participant to align with the pocket regardless of the particular
style (cranker, 'tweener or straight player) or type of roll (full roller, three-quarter
roll or spinner) being used. This multi-angle condition is established through the
utilization of a "Christmas tree pattern," applied onto a synthetic lane, coated
with a urethane finish. The maintenance and conditioning procedure of such a pattern
entails the following:
1. 1-to-1 light oil for 45 feet; 2. Heavy oil, within an isosceles triangle for 45 feet;
3. Heavy oil 1-to-10 on the left; 1-to-5 on the right, forming a 45 ft. rectangle; 4.
Clean the last 18 1/2 feet; 5. Recondition the first 17 feet, midway through daily
competition.
This process requires the left-handed bowlers to establish an "arc point" (point
at which the ball begins to move toward the pocket) approximately five boards inside the
predominant tracks of the right-handed bowlers. The creation of a more difficult
"angle of entry" for the left-handers is designed to compensate for the
substantial differentials in "lane transition" (when head oil is depleted;
and/or oil is pushed to the outside, creating more definitive concentration of oil outside
the hook spot; and/or the "hold spot" on the inside is diminished; and/or the
oil tracks to the back-ends and pin-deck) predicated upon the disparity in right-handed
(88 percent) vs. left-handed (12 percent) competitors.
Now, everyone has the opportunity of getting to either pocket. However, most inadequate
deliveries will not be rewarded; and, in some situations, an extremely difficult spare
conversion will be the penalty incurred. If the suggested procedure is adhered to
throughout the competition, the cream will rise to the top. The players will not be forced
to endure unrealistic high scoring, where poor deliveries are too often rewarded with
strikes due to an excessive margin for error. Conversely, the competitors will not suffer
through the ignominy of an "inverted block" where a 205 average is seemingly
unapproachable unless the bowler reverts to negative technique.
On the contrary, the prescribed environment spelled out above will require a 215-230
average to win the gold, silver, and bronze. The identity of the medalists will be
predicated upon superb technique coupled with excellent tactics (a combination of weights,
textures, surface preparation, alignments, and adjustments).
Moreover, the excitement level (close matches, with the occasional 300 game), for the
crowd at the venue and the television audience at home, will be maintained.
In summary, the tenpin sport is exquisite in every detail of structure and design. Bowling
is enjoyable to watch, and expert color commentary and analysis make it easy to
understand. The televised finals, in each event (singles, doubles and "Baker"
format team) would take less than two hours to complete.
Provide the greatest bowlers in the world an opportunity to showcase their talents on a
fair, yet extremely playable, condition and the results will be very satisfying to all,
including the spectators.
Not only are bowling's finest players - men and women alike - some of the finest athletes
on earth, they also are intelligent, articulate individuals who will only serve to enhance
the mystique that most of the world's sports enthusiasts have come to associate with the
international spectacular known as The Olympics.
Thank you for your consideration,
Larry Mathews
PBA Regional Champion
Bowling Teacher
Sam Baca
PBA Tour Champion
Bowling Teacher
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