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Author Topic: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"  (Read 15238 times)

nord

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Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« on: September 21, 2018, 07:47:58 PM »
I am interested in picking up a Yellow Dot that is for sale.
I want to know what year it was made and if it is a "bleeder."
The Serial Number is: 4V01159 
Can anyone help me out please?

 

BowlingForDonuts

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2018, 09:35:41 PM »
https://www.ballreviews.com/columbia-300/yellow-dot-bleeder-308133/

https://www.mrbowling300.net/post/yellow-dot-bleeder-6982768

https://bowlingballexchange.com/showthread.php?t=44333

Probably in there somewhere. 

(edit:  Here we go, sorry looks like not a bleeder as bleeders were all 1970s balls but not all 1970s YD balls were bleeders . - The Yellow Dot remained in production for a long time, from the mid-1970s into the early 1990s I think. If the serial number begins with a 3 or 4 it was probably a 1983 or 1984. Later balls had the "Legend" logo on the visible side away from the label, following the practice introduced by Hammer in the early 1980s. By the early 1980s Columbia had figured out how to produce a more consistent ball from batch to batch. The color is one clue. The bleeders were darker, with less scarlet and more purple in the color. Many of the 1970s series balls never bled, and some balls produced before the hardness rule went into effect in mid-1976 were too soft. Bleeders were also prone to cracking around the holes ... )

(edit2:  Looks like the bleeders mostly start with 5P, 6A, 9O(?), 9P, 9Q, and 9R)

Btw if come across a Purple Sumo I can tell you that is a beast of old school polyester ball.  Almost as soft as the bleeders and with a giant core as well (yellow dots all 3 piece).  I can use that bad boy on half the houses in the area even today.  Heard the Ebonite Clear Wolf was a beast as well.

« Last Edit: September 21, 2018, 10:44:25 PM by BowlingForDonuts »
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nord

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2018, 11:03:34 PM »
Thanks for the reply.
So it seems likely this is a 1984 ball?
Were the 80's balls a harder polyester than the 1970's balls?
I also heard that Columbia discovered what made a ball a bleeder and started producing balls that were intentionally bleeders without saying anything on the box.
Not sure what decade they started to do this.

The ball I am interested in is very dark and looks more like a classic Yellow Dot "Bleeder."

Attached is a pic of it:

nord

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2018, 01:23:37 PM »
Just got confirmation from a trusted source that this indeed is a late model (1984) "bleeder."

BowlingForDonuts

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2018, 07:55:25 PM »
Just got confirmation from a trusted source that this indeed is a late model (1984) "bleeder."

Great news.  Didn't realize they made them into the 1980s as well but makes sense as sure was a lot of demand for them until urethane ruined the party.  Definitely looks darker and more super dark purple than scarlet.  Its still 3 piece but very soft polyester so you should find some success with it on right conditions.  Soft polyester does roll different for sure imo.  Good luck.
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JustRico

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2018, 09:56:39 PM »
The first ‘bleeder’ was a ‘75 series or 5pxxxxxx serial number
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avabob

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2018, 11:10:39 PM »
I believe yhe first actual yellow dot of any type was a 5 series.  My recollection could be wrong at this point, but I believe a 4D series of scarlet white dots came out real soft and became the progeny of the yellow dot. 5 P and Y were very good
  I had a 6p that was awesome. 7 and 8.series were junk as they targeted everything to exceed the PBA 76 hardness rule.   Blue Roto Grip made by Columbia was a better ball. 9 p was a bleeder that met the hardness rule but performed like a softer ball.   I also had a 0R that was great.   Incidentally,  Allisons 900 was shot with an 0R series.  Angle came out the next season and pushed the yellow dot to the back.
 
« Last Edit: September 24, 2018, 11:22:23 PM by avabob »

rackattack

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2018, 08:44:04 AM »
My best bleeders began with "0". Out of box they were a purple/red pearl color. The colors would slowly bleed together until they appeared to be a solid burgundy color. The later remakes were produced to appear like the final the end color. I did keep one undrilled one. When I pulled it out years later the ball and the plastic bag had fused together and there was a large flat spot on the bottom.

nord

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Re: Yellow Dot SN# 4V01159 - What year made and is it a "Bleeder?"
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2019, 04:07:34 PM »
Here is a vid of my Bleeder in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xMIhYN5S78

This ball is amazingly dynamic through the pins when there is enough friction on the lane to allow it to do its stuff! My layout is CG/Pin 2 1/4" past my PAP.

My bowling style is Classic Full Roller.