Bowling Has Changed A Lot

The game Jim Hainline is about to pursue has changed since Jim Frazier bowled the PBA circuit in the 1970s.

Frazier, 53, owns Jim Frazier’s Pro Shop and Trophy House in the Valley. He also competes sporadically on the senior circuit.

“There are so many variables,” he said.

“The equipment has changed, the lanes have changed. It’s a little different game today.”

When he competed, the lanes dried out and bowlers threw a harder ball. Today they use a softer, more porous one.

“Back in those days you had one ball, threw it and saw what happened,” he said.

Today’s reactive eurethane bowling balls distribute the oil differently on lanes during a match, often forcing bowlers to change the type of ball they throw in the middle of qualifying.

“If a ball is hooking and stops,” said Frazier, “they grab another ball with more velocity and gripping action.”

Other changes, like the higher scoring of the 1980s and automatic scoring, plus the demise of junior programs have hurt the game, he said.

Frazier bowled from 1972 to 1978 when the PBA was the only way to make money. Now, he said, amateurs can do so in sweepers like Las Vegas.

He won one championship in 1976 beating Mark Roth in the New England Open. He shot a 299 along the way, just missing a $10,000 bonus for a perfect game, and finished among the top 20 money winners.

In 1975 and 76 he finished second several times.

, DataTimes MEMO: See related story under headline: Mom’s memory