Expert: Chip Aki - 2/17/2011

Question
Hello Chip. I love Storm equipment and I know that you are staffed by them. Well my question is about my thumb hole. I'm a cranker and bowl similar to Sean Rash and Tommy Jones I guess. I would like to know why I cut open the base of my thumb? Could it be that my pitch is off? I'm a short player so I have small hands. My thumb hole pitch is at 0 maybe a 16th reverse? I would like to correct this issue to eliminate grabbing the ball and getting out of the ball cleaner.

Answer
The span may be a touch too long.  You might add a very small amount of bevel to the front edge of the hole to see if that helps.  if it does, and you dont like the extra bevel, then you can plug or slug the ball and just shorten the span.  I dont think it is a pitch issue.
Chip