u/SmokeyFrank

More than two jobs and as many decades ago, an employer set us up with a benefit and each of us had to sit with a rep to enroll.

Eventually he got to me, and went through his standard questions, some of them the same response company wide.

“You’re paid weekly…” with a pregnant pause as he knew the answer, and before he could start the next question, I responded,

“Yes. Very weakly.”

Not an umpire, not even a player but I watch my nephews play. The youngest is 15 and umpires 9U.

A few days ago he was pitching, in a tough situation with bases loaded, a grounder came up the middle, one bounce and hit him hard between the nose and upper lip. He'd later have eight stitches; both parents and other family were also at the game. No injuries to nose or teeth.

SS was able to stop ball, run scored and everyone advanced one base. I saw playback of the at-bat recorded, the plate umpire brought the game to a halt immediately after the SS walked the ball toward the mound. I was impressed at how rapidly the umpire called time.

The games this team plays are competitive but cordial; there, the catcher might hand the bat back to the runner who just got thrown out at first, or the third base coach might throw a foul ball back to the pitcher--despite being on the opposing team, there's no fixed protocol that the pitcher can accept a ball only from his own catcher or an umpire.

In fact, both offensive coaches flanked the mound as nephew's coaches attended to him until he was able to stand and walk off the field on his own, they genuinely cared. I don't know if he'll have to sit out games for two weeks or so, or if he can't ump the 9U games if any are playing.

Again, I wrote this to express my admiration for the umpires' quick halting of the game in the name of first aid.

Edit to add: The replacement pitcher couldn’t initially warm-up mound-to-plate as first aid was on the mound for a while, so they used the third base path to approximate pitching distance to begin that—the opposing coach/runner on third allowed enough space for that necessary event, no interference. Again, the teams are cordial and while everyone played to win, the teams respected each other.

Well, maybe left behind, far far away.

Have any of you ever left a thumb insert behind at a tournament some distance from your home center? If so was it recovered? If lost, what did it take to get back to being able to bowl?

For those who work in a center or pro shop, and discover(ed) a stray insert, what do they have you do?

I'm in eastern New York (upstate) and drove multi-day each way to an Omaha tournament, bowled in every event possible, last Thursday morning through Sunday mid-day. I didn't make the cut for the stepladder in my division, so I packed my gear. I decided to help by being a lane monitor for the division of bowlers where none of them had so much as bowled a tournament before, so they would go through the stepladder process properly (PBA style).

My trip home started after all was done, arriving home close to midnight Tuesday. My only summer bowling is a drop-in Sport/Challenge experience league at a particular center...on a Thursday evening. As a wheelchair user, it takes me a bit of effort and time...I brought in five bowling balls as well as the two portable ramps I have with me because this center doesn't have their own (yet).

Once inside, I go through my bags...there is no thumb insert. The proprietor who helped me said the pro shop was open, so I was able to at least get an insert--albeit quite loose--so I could at least try last night's pattern.

I subsequently searched all of my travel belongings and my vehicle itself, found nothing.

Now, it's Friday mid-day, and I left the center Sunday afternoon. I'm going to call the center to see what I can learn. But I can't imagine that I would not leave the insert in the last ball that I used Sunday.

At least I'm not in a committed league over the summer....

EDIT: I called the center, they found what could likely be mine as it has the tape I left inside. They suggested just getting a new one which might cost less than it would to ship, but I mentioned how I have it carved to my thumb. I agree about having a spare (thank you u/GanacheUnited3878), I did have two at one time, slightly different sizes, but I eventually worked down to just one for whatever reason, it goes back a few years. The one I have at home is too tight to use but I may be able to have that one enlarged.

I was both surprised--and not surprised--to see my ex's name on a list of at-large members of a bowling organization, NEBA. I'm on the board of another significant group, AWBA. Both monikers end with "Bowling Association," and operate multi-day tournaments.

We are both board members of organizations older than both of us,having been established in the early 1960s. Mine deals with wheelchairs and is nationwide; his is a large multi-state area. There may not be much overlap due to abilities and scores, but we're both committed to growing our sport within our communities.

I'm very proud of him and wish him and both of our organizations well. He gave me the "Smokey" moniker and is why I'm on Reddit, particular this sub, in the first place.

Unless I wear sweatpants, I’m wearing Carhart pants, I like the durability.

Thing is, as a wheelchair user, very often I’m carrying objects—some fairly heavy—on my lap. That can be a meal, paperwork, laptop, groceries, and at most a bag holding three bowling balls.

Now, I have a couple of pairs where the lap area is showing wear. I’ve probably had them awhile. I used to have different ways in which clothing would wear to a point of not wearing (at least in public) but seven years of wheelchair use (starting at age 53) this is the first wear of this kind.

I’m not really looking for a solution—everything wears out over time. But has anyone encountered significant lap wear?

I’ve gone to the Abilities Expo in greater Chicago in past years. I won’t be able to make it to this one and doubt I’ll be able to go to the others despite being closer to New Jersey.

At Chicago, I’ve seen a vendor that sells, even installs, replacement casters for wheelchairs. Some are just necessary replacements for wear, some might be a different diameter to change the roll one’s chair has, and most notable is a variety of color and decorative options such as lights.

Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of the vendor, and as I look through the Expo’s vendor listing, the names don’t tell me they’re the one I’m seeking here.

For those who have attended any of the Abilities Expos such as the recent New Jersey, or will go to the Chicago one in a few weeks—could you please let me know of the vendor name if you can remember or think of it?

EDIT: Title "Dubious Anniversary".

Seven years ago today, a key item that would become key bowling equipment was delivered to my office. It was my first wheelchair, with the main goal being able to go from place to place rapidly rather than hobbling with trekking poles.

I would bowl with that chair that evening, scoring 279*, and I joined the #awba American Wheelchair Bowling Association that day.

Over seven years I’ve won two tournaments, one Team (trio) event, and Doubles, twice. And I’ve mentioned that I’m already in my fourth year as AWBA secretary.

My second chair came a year and a half later, and I’ve met people from age 18 to 80 with an assortment of disabilities and difficulties that manage to bowl.

Where will wheelchair bowling take me next?

*72, 100, 107 across three games.

I bowled my association tournament tonight. The center has a wood moulding bridging any gap between the settee and synthetic approach. Wheelchair in use, I have my ball on my lap as I wheel to the foul line.

I can manage to get over that moulding without issue, but I do have to get my casters over it first. I had a close call and had to pull back…one frame, I almost lost the ball off my lap without even getting onto the approach.

Not only would that be declared a delivery because the ball would leave my possession, but all holes would be empty and such would make the game in process subject to forfeit.

I spoke to an association board member afterwards and was reassured they wouldn’t declare me disqualified if that happened.

As secretary of the American Wheelchair Bowling Association, emails set to our web form or to our “info@“ address arrive in my inbox. Spam notwithstanding….

Within the hour I received an invitation for my “athletes and community” to enter the Wheelchair National Championships…for USA Pickleball.

Nothing detrimental is intended by my sharing this. Pickleball is a legitimate sport and I delight in the ability for wheelchair users—athletes, one might claim—to participate and compete.

But for now I only have one sport that I play, that being bowling.

I wonder, if my Storm or Brunswick equipment would be eligible for play? Is 14 pounds at 10.5 mph and 160 rpm sufficient?

Should I forward that email to my members, or better yet, send USA Pickleball our email list?

TL/dr Vent post about how one bus fare turned into three.

This morning I dropped off my vehicle for a routine oil change. There's a garage close to the midway point between home and work, and I have a co-worker who will pick me up there so I don't have to rely on a bus to get to work (although I've had no problems with that). I planned on taking a bus home, stopping near the garage.

I reminded the guys at the counter to park my vehicle face-in. They always park them facing out so that the driver picking up can just pull out, but I need to get to my hatch to stow my wheelchair. Then, I told them I'd be picking up my car with my spare key after hours and they initially offered to keep it inside overnight, but I told them that I'd want to pick it up on the way home. I've paid the following morning at the same garage, they've done most of the oil changes over nine years, two brake jobs, twice replacing the battery, safety inspections, you name it. I'm definitely not a stranger there.

I got dropped off as expected, had to cross two busy streets via wheelchair and once I got in front of the garage, I didn't see my vehicle. So apparently they decided to stow it inside...I had to wheel back to the bus stop and wait in the sun, I wasn't expecting this so I wasn't as hydrated as I should have been. And I had to pay a second bus fare--I don't use bus transportation often enough to use any kind of payment plan because they are all based on full months, not an incidental trip or two.

Now, tomorrow morning I have to leave home earlier than usual so I can catch the most appropriate bus--a third fare--to get me back to the garage so that I can pick up the car, pay, and then get to work. At least the weather will cooperate even if the garage didn't.

If they make any kind of crack like, "At least you got some exercise," I will lose it.