I have seen everything from the tiny "spider cracks" to ones that go all the way around, myself, too.
No company is immune to the cracking issues because it may be a coverstock problem, or sometimes it's a filler material problem. For example, if the filler material gets too much air in the mixture it can crumble, and when it does, the support for the coverstock goes, and the ball cracks.
Whenever I see any "ball cracking" posts I am never surprised, but I also hope that they are isolated incidents instead of a huge problem. The consumers need to have confidence that the manufacturers are trying to rectify any problems that are discovered, as well as the manufacturers replacing the defective balls in a timely manner.
If gone unresolved, these problems can hurt the whole industry because the average guy will be afraid to spend his hard earned cash on a new ball because he's afraid of it cracking (or whatever). Again, it can happen to any company at any time. Luckily, our shop's experience has been positive regarding the manufacturers standing behind their product and replacing, when necessary. I don't doubt that other shops have had similar experiences.
--------------------
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Amateur Staff