Wow, I never expected to see this from abcnews website... Link to article attached FYI...


http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/bowling-legend-glenn-allisons-decades-long-fight-recognition/story?id=43588135

Add this factor to all of this discussion which I am surprised that no one has said so far.  Glenn is a noted superior "spinner" release which allowed him to stay further right and as head oil depleted and use the angle to carry better than the semi-rollers of the day.  Especially on a 2nd shift league.

I do think he should be in the USBC records with an asterisk as the first 900.  The next recorded 900 was in 1997 with resin vs. a Yellow Dot. 

Anyone know what Series of Yellow Dot?

I agree that in those days a "wall" primarily served to create hold, or a "shim".
It is also true that the polyurethane coatings back then were much harder
than the lacquer (coatings) that preceded them. However, virtually all of the synthetic
surfaces of today are at least as hard, and most are harder than the urethane coatings
of yesteryear.

Also, despite the harder urethanes then, they still would wear down by varying degrees, depending on many factors, including the amount of lineage, type of coating, etc. This would often expose the wood underbase, which was softer. Tracks develop on today's surfaces in a similar way but the resulting increase in the coefficient of friction is usually not even close to being as  high as what would occur with  a similar depletion of the urethane surface coatings back then. In fact, some studies have shown that on some of the first generation (modern) synthetics, the track area
actually hardens with play due to the frictional heat created by the ball and the lane surface, which causes the synthetic surface to actually "fuse", or harden. Also, and again, it is important to remember that in those days frictional forces were further
aided by the much lower volumes of oil that were used-- as compared to today.
The end result is that in most instances a plastic ball in those days was much, much more efficient in pin carry than throwing a plastic ball would be on today's conditions.
It's not even a close comparison.

Let there be no mistake. Mr Allison's 900 was an incredible accomplishment but in gauging the relative difficulty of throwing a 900 today as compared to back then,
the plastic ball's effectiveness is often misunderstood. A Yellow Dot in those days
was a potent weapon. On today's surfaces and high oil volumes, it's an ice skate.
But it certainly wasn't then. Was his 900 more difficult to achieve back then? In all likelihood, perhaps. The bigger question that needs to be asked is if so, how MUCH harder was it to achieve? On this question, I say that it was harder, but not by the degree that a lot of well-intentioned folks believe.

Here is the thing about the hard surfaces, be the urethane finish or synthetic.  Where the oil is they are slicker than lacquer but once the oil is pushed down they actually have higher friction tha in a lacquer track.  That is why you get such an over under on synthetics thatbwe never saw on lacquer.  However it is absolutey correct that the much higher oil volumes used today have made polyester obsolete.  In 1980 ,our first year on synthetics,  I averaged 212 with a yellow dot playing 15 and in on a late shift.  Shot to the hole was incredible but carry justbwasnt there.