Line: Master

Color: Purple/Blue/Teal

Coverstock: Reactive

Core: 2-piece

Updated: 2004-Jul-6

Overall: a good all-around ball for medium to medium-heavy oil conditions, depending on your speed and revolutions of course. As I have it drilled (see below), the ball is somewhere between skid-flip and early roll, leaning more towards skid flip.  Above average length with above average back-end. The ball does a nice job of dealing with carrydown on patterns to 40 feet (short and medium patterns).  Also a nice "benchmark" ball to feel-out a lane during practice.

Ball Specs and Layout:
Surface: Box condition then Green Scotchbrite pad
Layout: 4 1/2 x 5 or "label" or 90 degree)
Ball Weight: 16lbs
Pin Out: 3 inches
Pin Placement: 4 1/2 inces from PAP
CG: 5 inches from PAP, on grip centerline
Top Weight: 3 ounces

Typical house shot, 39 foot pattern: Good reaction and predictability, though it tends to be a better choice when there is some forgiveness on the inside (pulled shots) than on the outside as the ball will recover on its own on a shot thrown wide.

Sport shot, 42 foot flat pattern: Perhaps it is the layout, but even with fresh back ends, the entry angle was too steep for this ball to be of any use, leaving ringing 10's and the occasional 7-10s.  A more up-the-back bowler (less axis rotation) may be able to take advantage of this ball on these conditions.

PBA Pattern-C: This ball stays in the bag for the same reason as the sports shot, too much length and too angular of a back-end.  However, this ball was playable as the lanes began to break down and the backends were stronger.

Comparisons to other equipment

Ebonite Optyx Illusion: This is about the closest ball to the Shock Trauma I've bowled with.  The balls are very similar in length, backend, and overall hook.

Lane #1 C/2 Blueberry:
Both of my blueberry's, both drilled differently, have a much smoother breakpoint and less angular backend with more length.  I'd say the Shock Trauma is slightly stronger in terms of overall hook.

Hammer Diesel Reactive Pearl:
The Diesel RP is "longer and stronger" - more length with a stronger backend but less angular breakpoint than the Shock Trauma.


Updated 2004-Mar-31: I now have somewhere in the area of 700 games on this ball.  While it doesn't react the way it did when new, it still works nicely for medium-light to medium patterns.  The ball has not been resurfaced, though I routinely clean it and hit it with a green scotch brite from time to time.

Picked it uo a few weeks ago. The pin is between the grips about an inch up. I personally don't like this ball. I cant keep it on the lane. I throw it in oil it takes off. I am not impressed because it hooks just way to much.

I LOVE THIS BALL
GOT IT for $25

SHOT 835 (300, 256, 279) my 1st time with it. It wasn't league play though because It was a Monday morning at Waveland Bowl on Chicagos Northwest side. My second time using it i shot 718. There are a few problems however. It DOESNT COME BACK ON BAD SHOTS!! i do make bad shots and this ball doesnt help. I DO RECOMMEND THIS BALL FOR SOMETHING THAT TAKES CARE OF BACKENDS (sometimes too much) and it does leave solid 9 pins for me. ITS STILL A GOOD DEAL AND A GOOD BALL. because of this ball (and alot of hard work) my average has jumped from 173 to 212. Look out Here I Come

My PAP is 4 5/8 and 1/8 up
Layout is 5.5 and MC2 on VAL
 
 
I got this ball as a trade for my Super Charge.  I finished this ball the same way how I usually usually finish everything, I brought it down to 800.  At first this ball really began to roll up fast in the midlane.  I was playing 23-15 out to 8 at the break.  After about half a game the ball started to die out fast.  So I went back to the shop and brought it up to 1000.  Now I tried to play the same line as I was before, and this time the ball retained a lot more energy because of the higher grit, and produce a strong arc in the backends.  
 
I like that way how this ball arc's to the pocket in stead of being very snappy.  I would use this ball on fresh medium-heavy oiled lanes when it is dulled to 800.  Since this ball was used when I got it, I will mainly use it for house conditions and leave it with the 1000 grit.  This ball is one of my more versatile balls on all kinds of conditions.  I use to have an X-Factor the was my most versatile ball on every condition, but this one takes the cake for me.  I give this ball a 8 out of 10.

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Got ONIONS???

Got this ball used at the PBA National stop in Medford a couple of years ago. It was drilled with the pin under the fingers and the CG and mass bias at about a 45 degree angle right and down from the CG. Weight hole was on the vertical axis line and located from the center of grip through the CG. Unfortunetly, I don't have my PAP numbers handy, so I can't give you a pin and CG to axis measurement.

For me, this ball picks up a roll very quick, but is still controllable. A great ball for taming out wet dry as the ball is already starting the roll before it hits the dry. With the early roll, it can get in trouble with 10 pin carry on some shots, but when you get this ball in it's element, you can strike all day with it.

Glad I was able to try it as it wasn't a very popular seller around here. Turned out to be a nice surprise and a nice money maker.