NEWS FROM THE ALLEY!

    FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH., 2018
       NEWS FROM THE ALLEY

   My wife, three grand kids and I spent
some time in the Alley Thursday,  It was
a Bowling Alley.
    Our granddaughter Jenna was helping
us watch her two small cousins and
suggested it might be nice to take advantage
of the air conditioning at the bowling lanes
to have some fun and beat the heat,
     I elected to watch and take some photos
as the others played.
     I was happy to see the facility's shoe
collection included something small
enough for the three year old. But watching
the little guy try to carry even a 6 pound ball
was rather a humorous sight! I sat close by
ready to help but made sure he didn't have the
ball in close proximity to my feet!
      The game was "Bumper Bowling" which
involves inflatable bags that seal off the
gutters on both sides of the bowling lane. It's
something I would have loved to have had back
in my bowling days.
       The kids were also assisted by a portable
ramp placed at the foul line when their turns
came up. Instead of walking to the line
swinging the ball then rolling it forward, one
places the ball on top of the ramp, which is
generally aimed at the center of the lane, then
pushes the ball off so it rolls towards the pins.
          Even with all these modern assists a
perfect game was not in the cards. At least
not in a "scoring sense." Judging by enjoyment,
however, I'd say they rolled several perfect
games!
           It brought back a lot of memories for
me. Days at the YMCA in Hazleton where I
actually sat above the other end of the alley
then manually set the pins and rolled the ball
back. A really good bowler could hit those pins
with such force they'd fly as us "Pinboys" on
our ledge just above the lane. We dodged a
few close one from time to time.
           Later both my wife and I were in a
Bowling League which we eventually gave
up because, back then, smoking was allowed
and the bowling lanes were usually
filled with a thick cloud from Chesterfields
and Lucky Strikes (not the bowling kind)!
           I may get back to it. Especially if
they let me use the bumpers!
           Hope you read this in your "spare"
time and that all your NEWS is good!