Why should I buy the book?
For the same reason that you would buy a dictionary or history book or geography book, to satisfy your intellectual curiosity, to know a meaning of a word, to know when something happened or to know where it happened.
In this case you obtain the book so as to comprehend what the better bowlers are saying, to appreciate what is meant by lane conditions, to talk knowledgeably with the pro shop people and, finally, to understand your game better.
Will reading this book make my game better?
Yes, but only if you study and apply what is presented. While the glossary is not intended to be a “How to” book, it – of necessity in being a list of terms -touches on all parts of the bowling environment. More importantly, the glossary provides you with the language to understand what more you need to know.
Why should I care about ball drilling or oil patterns?
You don’t have to care if your bowling experience is in 100% handicap leagues with an emphasis on social interactions. However, if you wish to excel, to raise your average, to be the best that you can be, then you need to understand the equipment and the playing field.
The golfer that doesn’t know what clubs are in her bag or how to play out of a sand trap will remain a duffer, playing only for the exercise and social network.
Why should I care about old split-leave names?
There’s no particular reason except delight in the sport, in the same way that the baseball enthusiast knows about earned run averages, double play and foul ball. The purpose of the game for amateurs is enjoyment, pleasure, fun, so the more you’ve invested in the knowledge of the game and its words, the more satisfied you’ll be with the sport. (So says the Glossarist.)
What are your qualifications to write the book?
I’m a retired engineer and a dedicated bowler but not involved as a bowling professional at any level. Nonetheless I’ve had the time, curiosity and interest to try to understand what bowling professionals do and know, from lane construction and maintenance to ball manufacturing and development, to testing and specifications, rules and rules making and all the minutia that surrounds the game.
Where did you get your information?
The Glossarist (Walt McIntosh), has over two hundred books on bowling plus more than 25 pamphlets, some dating back to the 19th century, these all provided input. Some words came from fellow bowlers, some from bowling chat rooms, some from bowling equipment manufacturers (Storm, Kegel and others), some from magazines (the Glossarist subscribes to Bowling This Month, Bowlers Journal International and Stars and Strikes), some from the ABC/USBC Rule books and specifications, some from Tenpin Bowling Australia, some from the British Tenpin Bowling Association, some from the World Tenpin Bowling Association, many from the Internet (over 30 glossaries downloaded) and at least two from television: Hambone and Four Horsemen.
Where did the illustrations come from?
Some were garnered with permission from manufacturers, vendors, and the USBC; some from the Glossarist’s knowledge, some from patents; all were redrawn, copied or created by the Illustrator, Diane Hanson. Diane’s talent is particularly exhibited in the cover art, the book layout and the clever use of the little manikin model displaying delivery techniques.
How many years did it take you to gather this information?
Well, the Glossarist and the Illustrator worked on the project for a period of ten years before the first print run. However, the Glossarist began his word accumulation at least five years before that. In a sense the Glossarist began collecting the words about sixty years ago.
Can I make a suggestion?
Yes, particularly if the suggestion is positive or if it includes new words for the next edition or points out typos and other printing errors. What is especially welcome is corrective material in respect to explanations of a concept or explanation.
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