Well everyone, I survived my scratch league 4-fingers and a thumb debut. I couldn't respond till now cause we have been without power here in north central Ohio..30-40 mph winds, 3-4 inches snow and 32 deg. Gotta love spring in Ohio.  Ok recap...I got to the lanes early enough to throw a game. The ball I drilled the extra pinky and index fingers at home with my Dewalt was an old Columbia tour boss ti that was cracking around the finger grips. The first few tentative shots were right of the head pin but did seem to roll nice and most importantly did not hurt my injured fingers at all...but boy did this feel weird! I moved right a couple and rolled her up 8 board I'm guessing 3-4 mph slower than my normal release and didn't "hit" the ball at all.  Old blue got to the arrows and started sneaking to the pocket and actually finished fairly strong and struck pretty solidly! I'm thinking hey this could work, left a ten next frame and that spare attempt was not good, as I didn't mutilate my old reliable spare ball. Left a few more tens..moved left and changed angle and picked one of them...ok.. A few guys came over and asked what kind of new ball I got this time and I explained my dilema and showed them my multi-holed ball. They chuckled along with me as I finished my 152 game and moved down to our pair for league with my one ball, (usually tote 5).  I put bowlers tape around the first knuckle of all my fingers and threw a few during warmups with some good, some laughable...League play now begins...I "rolled" the first strike to the hoohaws of those on the near pairs that now knew my situation. They really liked the fact that I drilled the holes at home with a cordless. Next ball was actually a little louder and rang a ten..uh-ohh..amazingly nipped it as it finished on the end...Now if you are still with me here..If I'm lyin' I'm dyin!!! I shoot 219 the first game clean and covered 3 tens and "rolled" some really good looking strikes and actually had a better look than most on our pair. I beat my guy 219 to 201. So not only did we not have to forfeit all our points I actually won the only point on our team first game.  It was even funnier when I started out with the first 4 next game. Every one wanted to know if I was going to punch 2 more holes in all of my balls..."you need to bowl hurt more often"etc.   I tripped a four on the left lane ,and we all laughed..moved a board left in the sixth and rolled a routine strike..you know set it pretty short ( on or behind the foul line) no hit on the bottom but a good up the back roll and follow through into the oil line at 11 and love- tapped the ten out. Tripped another four on the left lane, and now this is hilarious with the front 7.  Moved one more board left in the 8th and this baby came of my hand quick but clean on a bit more inside out trajectory since I was further left..skated out a bit further to 4 or 5 board..I gave up on it just as the skid stopped and began to roll to 45 ft and then turned hard left and blew the rack...Wow!...Now I am hearing.."hey you got that drill in your car, so you can put a couple extra holes in mine too!!" I tugged one just a bit on the left lane,and hit the ball (regular release snuck back in)this one hurt my middle finger,.. caught the oil and looked flat at first but still finished hard and tripped another four pin.  Now if you guys can't believe this so far, imagine how I was feeling about now. My only 300 was in 1991..but have had 'em all but the last one, four times since then. As I step on the approach for the tenth, I am thinking, this is nuts..all these years, all the new balls I've bought,changing my style last year from a muscled out of time stepped approach to a pendulum and timed cadence to increase my accuracy to get that now elusive chance for another 300...and here I am with an old ball with all my fingers in it with lanes that are breaking down and no speed or hand to get the ball back as I moved left another board..Then I hear from my friends who are now gathered behind our pair by the gross and the rest of the house stops bowling ( you know the drill)"Make sure you put some fingers in this one!" I reply that I've got all of them in that I have. I made sure I didn't hit this one cause the last one hurt, rolled her real nice and smooth crossed 13 out to 8 set and rolled perfect in the pocket, ten in the pit.  Just like a Sunday stroll in the park my buddie says. Now I'm really laughing..this is crazy..I didn't get the "put some fingers in it" now.. but it got a lot quieter. This one felt the same, good release, no hit at the bottom, good path, good turn, and the last two down were the 7 and 9....whoooaa...now do I move a little more, give a harder toss and hit (heck with the now sore finger)but then take a chance of over or under by hitting it? Just a stroll in the park my friend says, and I release this one a touch firmer and a bit more direct and since I can't really predict the reaction with my "new ball" I watch with the now entire house behind me as this medium blue beauty hits flush and puts 'em in the pit with the 8-10 visibly goin out last.!!! I got a bunch of high "fives" from all, and then had numerous requests and jokes sent my way about bringing my drill with me next week along with my spade bits and discussion about holding it between legs to drill it.   Finished with a 198 including 3 big splits for a 717 series.  I won 2 of my 3 games and our team will live another week on our push from second and only ten points out.     Seriously, there is something to not overhitting and grabbing it at the bottom. I had a real good look and carry with an older ball on a night where my series was high.  This league usually sees series in the mid sevens and several higher than this one. I finally got that next one but boy with a hilarious story to put with it.That's probably the best part...I won't hear the end of this one for a while and I will be taking that drill with me next week.  OK you can all take a bathroom trip, or raid the fridge, as it is now time for a commercial break.  
                        Alzgarvin