CANTON — Brian Ball has no illusions about the type of player he is.
“I’m an above-average league player that gets away with some stuff every now and again,” said Ball, who just turned 50 on Oct. 1. “I have a funky swing and a funky release. When I’m playing good, I can bowl with anyone. When I’m not, I’m not. That’s just the way it is.”
But the Massillon right-hander, who has recorded over 150 300 games and the same number of 800 series, added to his milestone totals recently in the Liberty Vending league at Eastbury Bowling Center.
Ball had games of 279, 257 and 264 for another 800 series — right on the number. “I know I’ve had a couple of 801s before, but I can’t remember shooting just 800,” the Carter Lumber employee said.
Age has forced Ball into changes in his game, compensating primarily for ball speed and revolution rate.
“It’s not so much that I’m going straighter; it’s that I’m keeping my angles closed,” said Ball, who also had a 300 game the previous week in the same league. “Instead of looking 15 (board) to three, four or five I’m playing a little tighter.
“I don’t have the rev rate to get to the corner any more. If you throw the modern balls that do corner, they corner too much. It’s the adjustments I’ve had to make for the friction we have on the lanes.”
After using a Motiv VIP for his 300 game the previous week, Ball went to “old reliable,” a Storm Fate during his 800 series and “never moved all night.”
“I just changed my hand position and threw it harder and straighter,” said Ball, whose basic target was 15 (board) to 10 that night while starting his feet at 32.
Ball left a 10-pin in the seventh frame of Game 1 en route to the 279. Then he had the front five strikes in Game 2 before “thumbing one” in the sixth for a spare and doing the same thing again in the 10th frame on both his first shot and fill ball.
The one open came in Game 3 when he had the front seven strikes and then “thumbed” a 4-6-7 split. He got two pins and then left a 9-pin on his final shot in the 10th frame.
“Thumbing” it to Ball means “my elbow is out and my thumb is down,” he added. “I did it three times that night.”
Ball is bowling in two leagues at Eastbury and AMF Hall of Fame and explained the contrast between the two centers.
“I’m playing about the same at both places, but Eastbury hooks early and the ball doesn’t come off the spot because it picks up so much earlier,” he added. “Hall of Fame is a little cleaner through the heads with more back ends.
“I don’t like it when the lanes hook early. I feel like Eastbury is really picking up early and I’m having trouble getting through the front part. I don’t have that problem at Hall of Fame, but it sometimes overreacts down lane. But it’s better to have the ball hooking in front of the pins rather than at your feet.”
This month starts a new phase in Ball’s bowling career — as a senior player. He made his debut in the Ohio Matchplay Tournaments and plans on bowling most of those monthly events. As for the PBA50 regional tour, that’s another matter.
“As much as I would like to, it’s just not financially beneficial with the costs of tournament entries, hotels, foot, gas, etc.,” Ball said. “If they are local or area events where I don’t have to pay for travel, I’ll probably bowl them if I can.”
And, with age, his body is showing some wear, especially with his back.
“It’s really nothing that Advil or Tylenol can’t fix. I’ve had some treatment and it’s working itself out,” Ball said. “It’s not the bowling that’s the problem; it’s the stopping and starting in tournaments. Sitting in between it tightens up. I just can’t sit down … I have to keep moving.”
And Ball hopes to keep moving as he moves into senior status.