Integrity ... as defined by
www.dictionary.com - adherence to moral and ethical principles soundness of moral character honesty.
With that definition I would argue that bowling today does not adhere to moral and ethical principles, moral character or honesty. Bowling today is about cheating, finding all possible ways to take advantage of scoring. Whereby, in the "day" scoring was not simply "given" to us (by oil patterens, ball technology and pins) as it is today.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION that today, BALLS GIVE US MORE HITTING POWER? THAT PINS TOPPEL EASIER? THAT PATTERNS PRODUCE MORE MISTAKE ROOM? NO, NO and NO there is NOT any question. That alone suggests that in comparison to the "day" we are cheating or being dishonest if not to ourselves then at least to those who bowled before us.
The only way to turn bowling into a sport is to eliminate the importance of, patterns, ball techonolgy and pins to emphasize the ability of the bowler. Just like in the "day" the bowlers style matched up and produced the best bowler. It should be about the skill of executing a predefined set of skills.
I will argue the golf analogy is not correct. Sure, Golf clubs hit them farther today and provide a minimal correction to errands shots, but the course are the same. Its still about the skill of managing the course with execution. Imagine a funnel to the hole on the green with fairways twice as wide and golf clubs that could not only hit them longer but eliminate 10 degrees of error in direction. Now you are talking about the difference between bowling and golf. The essence of the game of golf is preserved. Not in bowling... without the correct ball in your hand you cant win.
The bowling industry is like a child... only 100 years old under ABC/USBC and can not police itself because it has not defined yet what it is trying to preserve. Just because the industry can find ways to help bowlers score should it? Is that cheating? Does that deminish integrity?
It is easy for all of todays bowlers to see that we are competing with each other and that the scoring pace does not matter because it is fair today, only today. Tomorow as scores rise (artifically due to environmental improvements) they will also be compared to scores of that day just as scores of yesterday were compared to yesterday. And that is a form of integrity for the moment. But what about accomplishments? Should they not be preserved and respected? Allie Brandt 886 without a 300 game in 1939 using two holes in the ball, or the Budwisers 3858. Now both records are not only broken but nearly daily with the scoring engine given too us. That is NOT integrity.
It used to be a real accomplishment to shoot 300. A once ina lifetime accomplishment. Less than 100 a year with more sanctioned bowlers in the 50's. Today there are bowlers approaching 100 of them. Does that say anything about integrity? (even in the now).
Bill Taylor spent his life trying to preach "integrity". No one listened. Soon, there will be bowlers in every association that will have 900's and soon after there will be someone in every league. High averages now in the 260's. There will not be enough pins left before we have nothing left to bowl for.
