ball death - a thing i don't really understand.  I have been fortunate to have never rolled a ball that failed to hook.

I have read that many have done every thing possible to understand the causes of failure to hook and that experiments were done by the USBC as well as ball manufactures.  1st it was proven that oil absorption would make the ball weigh more but, absorbed lane oil could not  prevent hook.    Today, the cover originally used by Ebonite on the One,  is used on the Cyclone.  The One was sold as an oil sponge.  Today I see that my Hammer Arson soaks up a lot more oil faster than my Cyclone.  Have used the Arson for about 40 weeks on 80 units of oil 46 feet long..it is an advertisement for oil shine - but it still hooks.

2.  It seems to me, if my memory is right...the surface texture of the ball is the key.
The Ra factor.  The lane surface along with ball weight and cover stock toughness and bowler technique --determine how many trips down the lane before the Ra factor is no longer the factor it was.

 I imagine  plastic straight balls may need less attention  than reactive resin balls...but all cover stocks wear down.  I imagine softer equal faster wear rate.  ball hardness limits are set by the USBC.   Perhaps the newer cover stocks are softer and need abralon, neat, or sia more often.  If not softer then a more open pore structure could be breaking down faster, also creating need for attention to surface texture more often.  If it is not an issue now, I can see how pore structure will be a controlled factor just like hardness, and core properties.

More often than not, i see roll out, and ball deflection and my inability to adjust to the  pattern. 

I am sure ball death exists but i am blessed to have not seen it.  To me that means the ball track cannot be refreshed.   Duplicating the factory finish is, for me, not possible - thank goodness i am not dependent on the factory to resurface my ball..