BowlingFans.com Bowling Glossary

M

Maple -

1) The hard wood used for the head portion of the lanes (foul line to arrows.)

2) The pins.

Mark -

Point on the lane at which the bowler is aiming.

Marshmallow -

1) A soft hitting ball.

2) ineffective ball.

Mass bias -

Weight in a particular area of the ball.

Match play -

A type of competition in which bowlers are pitted directly against one another; usually the winner gets a bonus for winning and/or the loser is eliminated.

Medic -

1) Called out when a solid corner or 5-pin is left.

2) Sarcastically calling for a doctor because the bowler hit the ball "so hard" there must be blood on their fingers.

3) The ball is near death and needs assistance.

Messenger -

The name given to the pin that rolls across the pindeck into a pin or pins to either get a strike or break up a split.

Medal play -

1) Only total pins count.

2) Only medals will be awarded to the league or tournament winners.

Mid-line -

Line that perpendicularly bisects the center line of the grip. A horizontal line halfway between the fingers and thumb.

Mid-plane -

A line perpendicular to the midline that passes through the bowlers positive axis point and the negative axis point when extended completely around the ball. Separates top of ball from bottom of ball on the bowler's axis of rotation.

Mid or half weights -

A ball whose net weight is more than .35 or below .8 of an integral weight.

Minus -

In competitive play, the amount of pins (including bonus, if any) that a player is scoring under a 200 average.

Miss -

1) An error.

2) A blow.

3) Usually does not refer to an unmade split.

Mister 900 -

Glenn Allison had the first 900 series but it was rejected as not being in compliance with the lane conditioning rules at the time.

Mixer -

A light pocket hit that scatters the pins resulting in a strike.

Mixed doubles -

A two person team competition in which one is male and the other female.

Mojave desert -

1) Very dry lane condition.

2) "arid".

Moment of inertia -

The amount of force required to spin an object.

Move in -

To adjust your approach farther towards the center of the lane; towards higher numbered boards.

Move out -

To adjust your approach farther towards the edge of the lane; towards lower numbered boards.

Morphed -

When a pin moves across the deck and does not fall, perhaps changing from an easy spare to a much harder spare.

Multilingual -

When a player is able to score well from a variety of lines/angles.

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