BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Sub Dude on July 01, 2014, 09:40:27 AM

Title: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Sub Dude on July 01, 2014, 09:40:27 AM
What do you do with retired bowling balls?  Do you toss them in the garbage? Save them for your grand children?  Leave them on the rack at the local bowling alley?  Can you donate them?
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: milorafferty on July 01, 2014, 10:09:26 AM
If it's a ball I can't sell or is not going to have enough value to bother selling, I give them to my Pro Shop guy. He plugs them and sells them for the cost of drilling.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Jorge300 on July 01, 2014, 10:15:52 AM
How about all of the above. LOL
 
I have dumped a few in the trash, some cause they cracked, some just because they were so old or so used that there didn't seem like any better alternative.
 
I have left one or two on the rack at a local alley as well. They weren't as bad as the one's I threw away, but not worth the effort to try and sell or in good enough shape to give away.
 
I have donated some. I had a bowler friend who gave them to jr high/high school bowlers so they could have their own ball and enjoy our sport. Or I have given them to my local pro shop to plug and sell at a cheap price to others.
 
And lastly, you can try posting them on here and try to sell/trade them. I put a list together of what I had and gave it to friends as well and asked for their best offer on anything they wanted.
 
Or you can just keep them. I have a bunch of those, although your wife may not like that idea....trust me on that one, lol.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: bradl on July 01, 2014, 01:08:33 PM

One of the things I've started to do with old balls, especially those that have cracked, has been to give them to my mother-in-law or sister-in-law, who do more of the crafty things with them. In this case, they'd make ladybugs or bees out of them for their garden. they come out looking rather nice as well. Great project for the kids on an afternoon during summer vacation.

There's a couple of DIY sites that show how they can do this, if you search for them.

BL.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: tuckinfenpin on July 01, 2014, 08:13:37 PM
I donate my equipment I no longer use to my pro shop. From there he plugs and redrills for underpriveledged programs. I could probably get a little cash for what I have been donating, but knowing some young bowler could use a ball they would not have the opportunity to use means so much more to me and the future of bowling in my opinion.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Crash7189 on July 02, 2014, 08:38:54 AM
I donate them to high school programs.

I know a couple of programs where the kids have parents who do not  make a lot of money.  I make sure the coach gives them to the kids who like bowling and want to get better and I worked with a local pro shop who will either donate the plug and redrill or at a very low cost. We need the youth to get into bowling. As long as they are not cracked and in good shape this a little thing we all can do to help grow our sport.

just my .02   
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: icon on July 18, 2014, 09:40:05 PM
donating balls is a smart idea, not many places i know will take all the old balls to give to kids. I just leave them on the rack and hope someone takes them and are reuses them
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: mrwizerd on July 18, 2014, 10:09:11 PM
I give them to teammates, other league bowlers, and donate to a high school program.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: MI 2 AZ on July 18, 2014, 11:38:23 PM
I have left some on the ball racks, given or sold some to teammates/friends, a few to youth bowlers, and since I am bowling in a military center, I have given others to soldiers who were open bowling.

Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Steven on July 19, 2014, 09:42:24 PM
I give them to my pros shop guy, and he plugs them and sells them cheap. He knows they're in good shape, so he's always happy to take them.
 
A lot of people can't afford new, so it's a win-win.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Snakster on July 20, 2014, 08:38:49 AM
Or you could declare them 'rare' and list them for sale at 300 a pop.
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: milorafferty on July 20, 2014, 11:18:20 AM
Or you could declare them 'rare' and list them for sale at 300 a pop.

No, you have to also add "Hard to find" to command those prices. :-)
Title: Re: Retired bowling balls
Post by: Snakster on July 20, 2014, 10:15:57 PM
Or you could declare them 'rare' and list them for sale at 300 a pop.

No, you have to also add "Hard to find" to command those prices. :-)
I stand corrected. ;-)