Expert: Russ King - 9/21/2007

Question
At our last league game a bowler, on his first ball, caused a "5" pin to move over to almost the "6" pin position. The machine failed to lift and respot the pin. My question is where should the pin be manually respotted? On the original "5" pin spot or on the "6" pin spot? Quite a discussion occurred and both sides of the question were "sure they were right" ???

Answer
If the 5 pin is pushed by another pin or the ball, it should stand there in that spot as long as the machine picks it up & sets it down in the same spot. If the pin is falling & the machine hits it, then that pin needs to be reset into its original spot(in this case 5 pin spot).If the pin is pushed away from its spot too far, the machine will not pick it up & will stop the machine or the machine will continue its cycle & sweep the pin away.The pin should be set (5 pin) in its original position (in this case on the 5 pin spot.

If a pin (5 pin) is pushed far enough(by ball or other pins) to be picked up in another spot say the 6 pin spot & the machine accepts the pin & places it down directly in the same position as it picked it up, the pin remains in that spot.

If the machine does pick up the 5 pin off spot & then sets it down then the pin falls, the pin (5 pin) should be respotted in its original spot (5 pin).

The machines respot cells will accept pins off spot up to a 1 1/2" radius from the spot.Some AMF machines will even pick up pins 2" off spot.

IF THE MACHINE IN ANYWAY COMES IN CONTACT WITH A PIN OR PINS & KNOCKS IT OR THEM OVER, THE PIN OR PINS SHOULD BE SET BACK UP IN THE ORIGINAL POSITIONS ( IN THIS CASE 5 PIN).
NOT ESTIMATING THE OFF SET .BUT, DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER OF THE ORIGINAL SPOT (5 PIN).THIS SHOULD BE DONE BY THE MECHANIC DOWN BACK EITHER RESETTING A FULL RACK OF TEN PINS & KNOCKING ONE BY ONE OVER WITH A POLE (CALLED A PIN FORK) UNTIL ONLY THE 5 PIN STANDS OR A GOOD MECHANIC CAN SET ONLY THE 5 PIN ON A NEW RACK & CYCLE THE MACHINE TO ITS SECOND BALL CYCLE.

IF THE MECHANIC FAILS TO CYCLE THE MACHINE TO ITS SECOND BALL CYCLE & THE SPARE IS EITHER MADE OR MISSED(5 PIN), THE SCORER MIGHT MESS UP.IN THIS CASE (5 PIN) THE SCORER SHOULD BE CORRECTED TO EITHER A 9- if missed OR 9/ if made.

 >> THIS SHOULD COVER ALL SITUATIONS ON THIS PROBLEM.<<