American Council of the Blind of Colorado-Longmont Chapter

BOWLING RAILS FOR THE BLIND ARE AVAILABLE by Harry Cordelllos

Apr 22, 2000

*Please note that these rails are still available. They are hand-made and we've seen bowling scores greatly improved when the bowler begins using this rail as a guide. 2002)

I was so frustrated. I absolutely could not find a way to keep that ball out of the gutters and traveling down the center of the lane. I knew there had to be a better way to throw the ball than the method I was using. Touching the foul line, feeling the board cracks, and feeling the gutters just did not work.

I had also used the conventional guide rails used in bowling tournaments and by the ABBA (American Blind Bowlers Association). Although they will work, and they are universally accepted, I decided to design a better rail for myself, one that was MORE PORTABLE and LESS OF A PROBLEM FOR SIGHTED BOWLERS who were using the same or adjacent lane.

In 1989 I designed the rail that I call the "Magic Touch." It's created from lightweight plastic PVC pipes that snap together with pressure-fits. There are no wing nuts, no angle irons, no support bars... just four pieces of rail that extend to make a 12 foot length guide raile, three vertical posts, and three wooden feet that support the vertical uprights. The "Magic Touch" needs only three heavy bowling balls (preferably the 16 pounders) to make the rail stable so it will not move with normal use. (On each railing foot, there is space to hold one bowling ball.)
If bowlers who are unfamiliar with this type of bowling guide have a tendency to push the rail or to move it, it can be held in place more permanently byusing paper masking tape at each end of the wooden feet.

Unlike the traditional guide rails that stand 36 inches up off the floor, the "Magic Touch" is only 30 inches off the floor and has no curved ends on it. This makes it less noticeable by sighted bowlers who are using the same or nearby lanes. Because the rail is 6 inches lower than traditional rails, it is not only LESS NOTICEABLE, it is also LESS LIKELY TO BE TOPPLED OVER. And, the lower height puts the bowler in a MORE NATURAL POSITION at the point of delivery at the foul line, making the bowler less likely to drop or slam the ball onto the lane.

Because the HANDRAIL BREAKS DOWN INTO FOUR SECTIONS, the entire device FITS COMFORTABLY INTO A CARRYING BAG SMALL ENOUGH TO BE TAKEN ON AN AIRCRAFT and stored in the luggage compartment above the seat when traveling. Each section is 3 feet long with a 5 inch extenstion bar that joins it to the next section.

There is some compromise given, of course, to make the "Magic Touch" so lightweight and easy to assemble. While the rail will stand up to normal use, it can be bumped out of position easier than traditional guide rails. If anyone should violently collide with the rail during play, the rail should always be checked out for accuracy before the next ball is delivered. Also, most important, the "Magic Touch" is NOT A LEANING RAIL! It is made of a plastic material that will bend and flex. IT WILL NOT SUPPORT BODY WEIGHT! If you need to lean on a rail for support while bowling, you should not use the "Magic Touch." It is strictly a tactile guidance device.

So, how reliable is this portable rail? I am totally blind, so I get no help from light or from object perception. In 1989, my bowling average was between 40 and 50. I've been using the "Magic Touch" rail since then and have never had any problems with it breaking or malfunctioning during play. I've had a high game of 177 and I've had an average as high as 120 since bowling with this rail. Hooray!

For those who bowl in sanctioned tournaments such as the ABBA Nationals, where only the traditional rails are used, there is NO PROBLEM in making the transition from the lower rail to the higher rail.

These rails are not mass produced. Because of the nature of the plastic, each section has to be individually tooled and some of the fittings are not always in stock. Therefore, it may take several weeks to complete an order. The price of the "Magic Touch" bowling rail, with a carrying bag, is $75 plus $10 shipping and packaging, for a total of $85. All units come complete with instructions for assembly and use. The instructions are in both print and cassette tape formats.

Anyone interested in purchasing a "Magic Touch" bowling rail should contact
Harry Cordellos
1021 Second Street, Unit B
Novato, California 94945
Telephone: 415-893-9457
E-mail: hcordellos@mindspring.com