One thing I really appreciate about the Guinness Book is that it’s a global collection of the wild, weird and extraordinary. You can read about feats that you could never have even imagined. For example, I’ve been juggling for decades and yet never thought of using gravity boots to hang upside down off a bar and juggle until I saw a photo of an Australian fellow doing it in the 2007 book. If it weren’t for Guinness, I also would never have discovered frog jumping, constructing stilts out of cans and string, or backwards bowling. And that would have been a shame because backwards bowling is one of the coolest, most fun sports ever invented!
All the rules of regular bowling apply to backwards bowling except, when you release the ball, your back has to be facing the pins. Since you can’t see the pins, you have use the floor in front of you as a guide. It’s difficult, but when you get a strike or convert a difficult spare, there is a huge feeling of satisfaction. When I first spotted this category in the 2005 Guinness Book, the record was 139 for a single game. I was never a great forward bowler, but I thought that bowling backwards might just be crazy enough to fit my personality! I kept thinking about going to the bowling alley and testing my ability but, for some reason, I kept procrastinating. Finally, I made a promise that, in a week, I would go to the bowling alley, no matter what.
As it turned out, when the day of reckoning arrived, New York was in the midst of a major snowstorm. Not one to renege on a promise, I bundled up, strapped on a knapsack containing an unused bowling ball someone had given to me, and hopped onto my bicycle. The mile ride to the bowling alley was memorable. Not only did I skid all over the place but, since I was cycling into a headwind, the driving snow blinded me and stung like heck as it lashed my face.
When I finally made it to the bowling alley, I stopped into the pro shop and asked the owner, Joe Conigliaro, if he could prepare my bowling ball. I must have been a sight to behold, coming in out of the storm, face bright red and covered from head to toe in snow. However, Joe wasn’t fazed in the slightest and when he heard about the backwards bowling challenge, he was totally into it. Joe is an excellent bowler and a fierce competitor in bowling tournaments, but he has the enthusiasm and energy of a 7-year old. In fact, Joe is one of the most positive people I have ever met. He was sure I could break the record, but not with my excuse for a bowling ball that I had risked life and limb to bring in! He not only gave me another ball, but accompanied me to the lanes and helped me figure out how to aim at ten bowling pins that I couldn’t even see!
As the weeks went by, I made good progress, but Joe saw room for improvement. Once, he set up a giant mirror on the lanes so I could observe my delivery. Other times he would think of a training technique, but then immediately realize that it wouldn’t work unless I had eyes in back of my head! Joe also wanted to teach me to perform under pressure. Sometimes he would be bowling next to me and turn to his bowling partner and say, “I’ll bet you a dinner that Ashrita’s next ball will be a strike.” I pleaded with Joe not to do this, but he seemed to enjoy it and, luckily, he only had to treat someone to a meal once!
I eventually felt ready to make the attempt and Joe offered to be there for moral support. On the day of the event, the official witnesses got settled in, and the Reuters Press Agency sent a camera crew. I found the whole situation very distracting and it didn’t help that several lanes were taken up by a surprisingly raucous league of older ladies! I was also having difficulty with the bowling lane itself. According to the Guinness rules, the lane had to be oiled as if for an official tournament, and I had very little experience bowling on a freshly treated lane. I bowled game after game and yet couldn’t crack the 139 mark. It was extremely embarrassing.
By the middle of my seventh and last game, the Reuters crew was packing up and I had virtually given up. Joe saw what was happening and told me to snap out of it. “But Joe,” I protested, “Look at my score.” Suddenly, Joe started bouncing on his toes and clapping his hands. “What are you talking about, Ashrita, this game is far from over. Just take your time and focus.” Joe’s positive energy was contagious and his advice invaluable. I took a few moments to meditate and my performance improved dramatically.
I got spares in the next few frames and, with 2 frames to go, Joe yelled out, “Okay, now give me 3 strikes in a row and you’re home free!” My next ball was a strike. Joe went bananas and the ladies in the bowling league somehow got clued in and they began cheering as well! I threw the second ball and it was another strike. The ladies erupted. Finally, I said a silent prayer and threw the third ball, another strike! My final score was 160. Joe was dancing around, high-fiving everyone in sight, and the old ladies were going nuts! If someone had been writing a script for a movie, they couldn’t have invented a better ending!
Recently, I found out that a bowling coach from Maryland broke the record by bowling 175 backwards. However, I’m not at all disappointed. In fact, the guy did me the biggest favor. For the last few weeks, I’ve been back in the bowling alley practicing and visiting Joe, learning not only about bowling, but about life as well.
