I do agree that the USBC rules are a complete joke. I have been called out twice recently for throwing "illegal" equipment.
#1. Just last year had to remove my Ebonite Pinnacle which is around 18 years old from play because someone remembered that they were notorious for punching up too low on the durometer. Sure enough, it punched up only a 69, but it's a friggin' PLASTIC BALL for pete's sake. I was using it for spares only at the time, so you can't possibly say that I had an unfair advantage over someone else in hooking ability.
#2. I bought a Detonator from Danny Wiseman awhile back and was throwing it well on dry lanes. This one I was forced to remove from play as well because the ball was privately poured and therefore not on the approved ball list. However, it should be grandfathered in because it was made sometime in the mid 80's and is only of 3-piece construction and a urethane shell. BUT, it violates current USBC rules because it doesn't have a MANUFACTURER'S LOGO somewhere on it. USBC said it was up to my league officials to decide whether I could use the ball or not. Jerk's said "no" to me, but they do allow others to throw their super high tech hook monsters.
This crap on top of being held responsible for league funds that MY TEAMMATE had stolen, I will never bowl in a USBC sanctioned tournament or league again. (The league held the entire team responsible for missing money, even though it was clear that the dirty work was done by only ONE person.)
