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Author Topic: Visionary = Faball ???  (Read 2707 times)

302efi

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Visionary = Faball ???
« on: February 12, 2006, 06:39:46 AM »
Is Visionary the old Faball (Hammer) people ?
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laner7pin

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2006, 02:47:19 PM »
No Faball was bought by Ebonite. However I believe Visionary uses the old faball plant for manufacturing their bowling balls.
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djones

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2006, 03:29:20 PM »
Ebonite bought the right to use the Hammer name and started the Hammer line; I do not believe they actually bought the Faball company.

Also, the Wonders family do have a link to the original Faball Hammer balls from the 80's. I do not know all the history there, but since Visionary was started long before Faball went belly up, they were gone from Faball in the 90's.
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Mike Austin

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2006, 07:58:18 PM »
Faball had plants in Baltimore and Utah.  Don't recall them having a plant in St. Louis, but that does not mean the machinery that Visionary is using did not used to be Faball's.
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stormerjip

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2006, 08:28:26 PM »
I could be wrong but i believe the mr wonder worked and did a lot of the work for faball and it was there old plant in stl because even as u walk in the plant it still had some of the old faball signs and stuff hanging as well as he has some old nib ones sitting in office
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2006, 07:35:51 AM »
KOTM .. tremendous info .. THANKS!
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scotts33

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2006, 08:06:38 AM »
kotm--Youll probably know this John Fabovich from Racine, WI was the original Faball guy.  Was this before Wonders or with Wonders?  Wondering.  
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chitown

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2006, 03:53:21 PM »
So which company is closer to Fabal now?  I feel Mo-Rich is probably the closest to Fabal than any.
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charlest

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2006, 04:39:42 PM »
quote:
So which company is closer to Fabal now?  I feel Mo-Rich is probably the closest to Fabal than any.


What do you mean "closest to Faball"?
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T-GOD

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2006, 05:44:12 PM »
KOTM, Earl Widman was another one of the 3. I believe he ran the Utah plant. =:^D

Edited on 2/13/2006 6:31 PM
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raiderh20boy

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2006, 06:32:25 PM »
KOTM got it RIGHT!!! When PBA members were first contacted for seed balls I called and the phone was answered with something about a motorcycle shop!!! I was totally confused and apoligized for the wrong number and the person started to laugh and said I had the right number.
Needless to say, Mr Wonders hit on a GREAT product for that era. FAB became the most popular piece of equipment going. Unfortunately when Mr Baldwin took over he was locked into purchasing urethanes from one company and the start of decline I was told.
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Mike Austin

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2006, 03:21:51 AM »
KOTM,

Thank you Sir!  Great info.  Like you said, a little before my time also. I do remember the different serial numbers, but did not know about the St. Louis facility.  Sounds like the guys who came up with the Excalibur, making a few at a time.  I'd like to try that myself!!  LOL!!

There was another offshoot of these guys too, the company that made "The Axe" bowling ball.  It had some similarities to those old Hammers too I think.
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Visionary = Faball ???
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2006, 08:12:51 PM »
Thanks to everyone for this info.  I knew the Wonders were associated with FAB but not much else, so this topic was informative.
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