SOAKER/SOAKING THE BALL

In the 1970’s, Don McCune, a PBA player, discovered that if you soaked a ball with a particular solvent (Methyl Ethyl Ketone, aka “mek”) it made the surface of hard polyester balls softer, resulting in more hook and higher scores. He won several events that year; the PBA and ABC ultimately banned this practice and initiated a standard for the hardness of a ball.