Ebonite

Jun 19, 2012

Ebonite Amateur Staff member Michael Bixler fired a 300 game on his way to first place at the 44th Annual Lilac City Tournament in Rochester, N.Y.

The 33-year-old from Troy, N.Y. used the Ebonite Elevate to start his Singles competition with a perfect game. He followed up his 300 with games of 257 and 279 to record an 836 series, leading the Handicap Singles division. First place offers a top prize of $30,000.

“Near the end of the Doubles event, I felt that I had found something,” said the left-handed Bixler. “I got up the first game of Singles, and just kept striking. I felt like I was in a zone.”

Bixler used the Ebonite Elevate for his 836 series. He says the Traxion Reactive Hybrid cover and the Ebonite V5 core gave him the reaction he was looking for.

“The Elevate is an amazing piece!” he said. “It gives me the control of the breakpoint and the continuation off the spot that matches up well with my game.”

Of the offerings from Ebonite, Bixler says he’s partial to the Elevate, Game Changer, Mission 250K, and the new Innovate.

“I really like the Innovate,” said Bixler of Ebonite’s latest bowling ball release. “It is a totally different motion than anything else in my bag. Ed Gallagher, Joe Farley, and all the great people at Ebonite International really did a great job with this one.”

An eight year member of Ebonite’s Amateur Staff, Bixler said he didn’t know what the event’s high score was, and as he was bowling, his only goal was to make good shots.

“I blocked everything else out, kept my emotions in check, and my timing, release, and ball reaction just fell in place,” he said. “I didn’t know the number to beat, which was probably a good thing. But I knew I had a chance to shoot a big number.”

Bixler, who is a general manager for the Bowl New England chain of centers, is the owner of 83 perfect games, and 56 series of 800 or better, with a career high of 868. Although his work and family commitments keep him from bowling full-time, Bixler says he still has a passion for competition.

“To me, it was just proving to myself that I could still perform at a high level like I did at one time,” he said. “When I compete, I bowl with Ebonite, and I Bowl to Win.”

—  Ebonite Bowling Balls & Bowling Equipment - Ebonite is a brand of Ebonite International, Inc. Based in Hopkinsville, Ky., Ebonite International is a privately-owned company that services bowling centers, distributors and retail outlets domestically and internationally. In addition to Ebonite, the company’s consumer product brands include Hammer,Columbia 300,Track, Robby’s and Powerhouse™; its commercial product brand is Ebonite Bowling Center Direct.

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