KOTM, thanks for the added info. ASU is a hard company to track down information on. I was born in 1980, and the Orange Cheetah was my third bowling ball. I've only seen a few of the Patriots over the years. I didn't know GemTek made the original balls. I guess they were making quite a few balls back then. They did the manufacturing for JPF as well, didn't they.
I had always assumed that the decagon weight black was their signature like the diamond from Lane 1. I thought one of the old Lichstein's Ball guides mentioned the Cheetahs as having a "ten-sided" weight block, but I must have been remembering the Perfect Piece. I remember hearing a rumor that the Perfect Piece infinged on Lane 1's patent. I guess it wasn't just a rumor.
Are you sure the Orange Cheetah/Perfect Pieces were made by Brunswick. The serial number/engraving look just like the same period Storm balls as well as the box logos. They don't have the really deep engraving like the Brunswick balls. On the other hand, the Black Cheetah has the deep engraving like a Rhino Pro or Phantom, or other ball from that period.
Either way, I still love every ball I've ever thrown by them. I won a lot of junior tournaments with my original Cheetah, it hit like a ton of bricks. I'd still be throwing one right now, but the only 15 lb'er I ever found cracked a few months ago, and I really don't want to punch the last one I have undrilled, especially since it's a 16. I wish I could get my hands on a few more of their balls, especially another Kryptonite and Cheetah. Too bad they all seem to be gone. I guess I'll just have to keep watching eBay.
Mankow