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My Friend Bob: Fouling over three lanes on one delivery
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Beamus

by Tony Campos

The place was San Marcos Lanes in Santa Barbara, California.  The time was 1975.  It was the nine o'clock Friday league.  My old buddy was Bob Zimmerman.  He was about 15 years older than me, and he was handicapped with a disability (epilepsy).  He was on my team.  We talked a lot over drinks and coffee, and we were close friends.   As a matter of fact, he was the only one that represented me at my wedding.

On this particular night of league play the following occurred.  By the way, he was left handed.  As he delivered the ball, he stumbled at the line.  He then came to a standing position but lost his balance and began tipping onto the lane next to him.  As he tottered over the gutter onto the next lane, he stepped over the foul line of his own lane.  He then side stepped sideways over the next lane all the way across.  Then, he stumbled and fell onto the second lane over.  Essentlially, he had fouled over three lanes on one delivery.  If he had rolled a little more, he could have made it four lanes.

We had a big laugh over this for years, and it became a standing joke.  I never forgot the event.  Of course, he is no longer with us, but my memory of the event stays with me. 

Okay, so he was not a very good bowler.  He averaged about 158.  Afterall, he was considered legally disabled.  However, he was awarded a patch (which is in my possession) by the ABC for an accomplishment that not many of us can get.  I remember it well.  He had a 7-10 split.  He threw the ball.  He turned his back to the pins in disgust.  That's right.  He picked up the 7-10 split, and he never saw it happen.  That was Bob, my old bowling buddy.