Howdy! I recently came back to bowling after about a four-and-a-half year layoff. I've been using a couple of my old spare balls, but now I am wondering if they're actually legal balls to use. Part of the reason why I'm concerned about this now is because I'm thinking of subbing at Nationals in a few weeks and I want to ensure that I'm bringing legal equipment to use.

Spare Ball #1 - Magic Zebra. This is the black-and-white Zebra ball with the Magic logo on it, not the Ebonite Zebras. I do not see Magic Zebra on the list of approved bowling balls, though they might have been manufactured before 1991 for all I know about them.

Spare Ball #2 - Columbia Vector 2. This is an old urethane ball that I'm pretty sure was originally manufactured before 1991. The ball itself should be approved, but I'm questioning the legality of the exotic layout. This ball has a 1 1/4-inch weight hole 9 inches to the right of my grip center (drilled rather deep, too!). The label is in my pap. I'm pretty sure my ball driller weighed everything at the time to make sure the static weights were legal, but I don't know if super exotic drillings like this are allowable any more. Like I mentioned before, I was away from the game for a while but I recall seeing some scuttlebutt about the USBC possibly changing rules regarding either the size or placement of weight holes.

Any advice on these pieces? I am hoping not to have to buy a new spare ball just to bowl USBC. Also, in regards especially to the Zebra balls - if it's not a USBC-approved ball, does this also mean I can't use it in league play? (I would assume that to be the case, but just wanted to confirm.)

Thanks, in advance.

 
Official Member of the BrunsTrackColumStormHammEboRotoBuzzAMF Nation!

Also a member of ROB STONE NATION

 

Edited by Walking E on 5/30/2011 at 10:54 PM