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As I have mentioned to you previously,
I have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity of writing this column
for my friend, Nick Melnikoff, here at bowlersparadise.com.
I am taking this opportunity to thank all of you who have sent me
e-mails telling me that you have enjoyed the column. Some of you
have told me that you just love the stories, while others have liked
the bowling tips that we have brought to you. Others have sent me
a variety of questions to answer and I have answered each and every
one. I sincerely believe that it is the variety of material that
makes this a popular column. Therefore, this month we will add a
little more variety to the column by featuring a couple of the best
e-mails that I have received, as I feel that they were excellent
questions and I would like to share them both with all of you.
Here is the first e-mail:
Dear Len (or, should I call you Phantom?):
I just listened to your Phantom Radio Show with guest Tom Kouros
and he mentioned the importance of keeping your head still when
properly executing a shot. On a recent PBA Show, they showed a comparison
between Earl Anthony and Walter Ray Williams, Jr. Earl's head was
completely still, while Walter's was not. How can Walter be so accurate
with his head moving as much as it does? Appreciate your response
on this. Thank you, Chuck.
Dear Chuck:
That is a very good observation on your part, and that was mentioned
by the announcer (Randy Pedersen) on the telecast. Earl was a pure
stroker with NO head movement whatsoever; whereas Walter maximizes
his ball speed (on almost every shot) with a somewhat violent release.
However, upon review (using slow motion replay and stop action on
a VCR), you will notice that Walter's head IS still at moment of
release. Then, as the ball leaves his hand, his head does jerk to
the left. I liken that to shooting a shotgun and the kick that happens
upon pulling the trigger. In both cases, the bullet is already gone,
when the movement occurs. I hope that answers your question.
Len
Here is the second e-mail:
Len:
I am writing to you in hopes of some advice. It may sound as if
I am bragging, but my son is an exceptional athlete and he excels
at all sports, with bowling being one of them (baseball, football
and golf are the others). He is just 14 and doesn't really know
which one that he really wants to pursue as a career, because that
possibility does exist. I know of your vast experience and would
appreciate hearing your input on this. Thanks in advance, Keith.
Dear Keith:
Thanks for your question and appreciate your respect. It is a very
difficult question to answer because of ALL of the variables that
are involved. I am sure that you realize that all of the sports
that you mentioned are all extremely difficult to become a Professional
at; as is ANY profession on the highest level.
My first thought is that I believe golf is the hardest to succeed
at. First of all, to become a full time Touring Player on that Tour,
you must go through the PGA Qualifying School, which is very tough
indeed. You should also have a bonafide handicap in the plus 6 (+6)
range at your home course. That means that you would need to average
shooting a score of 66 on a Championship type course. That type
of skill equates to hours, days, weeks and months (even years) of
practicing at a Country Club. Do you have access to one? If so,
then you might consider golf as it could be a very rewarding career.
If it is baseball, then it would require succeeding at several levels
before going on to college for further training before being considered
to be a Major League prospect. There are many more professional
baseball players than there are golfers, but it is still very difficult.Bowling
could very well be the easiest of the three (3) to succeed at. BUT,
to advance to the level of being one of the top players in the world,
is also a very, very difficult task. Keep in mind that "average"
in bowling (especially in today's environment) means nothing.
In closing, I truly believe that the age of 14 is probably too young
to decide on the four sports that you have mentioned. I would wait
a couple of more years to see the further development of your son,
and then decide.
I hope that helps, and keep me posted.
Len |
