How important is the "triplicate"??

[Aslan]

Last week I shot a 144-170-144.

Now, obviously there was no real thought of a "triplicate" because I probably would flushed myself down a toilet in the men's room rather than throw a 2nd 144 game. But...

Earlier in the season I shot a 166-166-162

And in THIS case....it DID enter my mind after about the 5th frame...

I struck, then 4-6-7 split, then a chopped 1-3-9, a strike, then a 3-6-7-10 split. So after 5 frames, I wasn't lighting the world on fire and started thinking, "Okay, what do I need to get the triplicate?" I figured I'd need to double at some point in the last 5 frames...but I got 3 straight spares 3 /, 9 /, 9 /. So in the 9th...I needed a strike in the 10th to give me a 145. Then I'd just need another strike and 1 pin to give me 166.

I ended up leaving a 5-pin on the 1st ball of the 10th, picking it up, then striking for a 162.

But recently in practice I shot a 179-179-198.

And what made this interesting and inspired me to throw this out there is, I had a 179 in the 9th. I left the 1-2-7 giving me a 170 in the 8th...couldn't convert...giving me a 179 in the 9th and an open frame. Had that been a LEAGUE game...suddenly I'd have a decision to make. Do I just go out there and roll to my best ability (which I did and ended up with a 198)? Or do I just gutter the ball twice in a row intentionally?

Now, many of the new guys to the site probably don't even know a triplicate is an actual award. But it is. And I guess I was wondering 2 things:

1) Are there any restrictions on the triplicate award? I can't find any and it looks like you just apply for the triplicate award...no intense review or anything. I'm just wondering if a person rolled a 179-179-179...but the 3rd game threw 2 consecutive shots in the gutter in the 10th...if that would violate any rule(s) and thus make you ineligible.

2) What would YOU do!? Would you go for the triplicate if it was right there in front of you? What if your team needed the points for a win? Would you forego a shot at a rather rare award and take one for the team?

As to ME...I don't think I could gutter twice in a row just to get the triplicate patch. I mean, if I'm shooting at a split or single-pin, or something like the 6-10...and if I MISS it I get the triplicate...hey...maybe I don't try quite so hard at picking it up. But there's a fine line between legitimately getting a triplicate versus TRYING to get it. AND...if my team needs the pins...I can say with 99% certainty I wouldn't go for the triplicate.

[bowl1820]

Now, many of the new guys to the site probably don't even know a triplicate is an actual award. But it is...

It use to be a actual award.

There is no Triplicate Award anymore, The USBC did away with it back in 2009-2010. So unless your local association is offering one, you make your shot.

[Aslan]

My league still does pins above average and the keychains for 225, 250, 200, etc… I imagine they'd give you a keychain or patch for a triplicate.

Yeah…that would be a real kick in the pants if you went for it, got it, and found out there was no award.

Even if there's no award, I think you can apply for a certificate or something. Not sure.

[bowl1820]

My league still does pins above average and the keychains for 225, 250, 200, etc… I imagine they'd give you a keychain or patch for a triplicate.
You don't have to imagine, just check with the local assoc. they'll have a list of available awards.

Lets see your in the OCUSBC, according to the awards application form they have local only awards for:

1- Stepladder (for those that don't know, that's where your scores go up one pin each game. Ex. 101,102,103)
2- All spare game
3- Convert the 7-10
4- Triplicate
5- Dutch 200
6- Convert the 4-6-7-10 (Big 4) split


Yeah…that would be a real kick in the pants if you went for it, got it, and found out there was no award.

Even if there's no award, I think you can apply for a certificate or something. Not sure.

No application is necessary for a USBC certificate, anyone can go to the USBC Downloadable Certificates page and get one and print it out themselves.

[Hampe]

Sounds like a pretty stupid award to me....

Wow, you got the exact same score 3 times in a row....congratulations? The only triplicate anyone should get excited about is 3x300.....

There's a lot of stuff you can do in bowling that could deserve an award.....getting the exact same score three times in a row isn't one of them.

[Aslan]

Thanks Bowl1820! I thought it was based on each individual league and not the local USBC chapter. Good to know.


Sounds like a pretty stupid award to me....

Wow, you got the exact same score 3 times in a row....congratulations? The only triplicate anyone should get excited about is 3x300.....

There's a lot of stuff you can do in bowling that could deserve an award.....getting the exact same score three times in a row isn't one of them.

Hampe-

Some awards are meaningful only becuase of the rarity of the feat. Dutch 200, triplicate, all spares, split conversions...none of those are "great accomplishments". I saw an old lady pick up a 6-7-10 during league play. She has a 94 average and probably didn't break 100 that game. Is it an "accomplishment" to pick up the 6-7-10 and score < 100?? Probably not.

But lets compare "rarity":

What is more "rare"? A 300-game or a 900 series?? If I were to rank accomplishments only in terms of their probability:

8) 300-game (1-2 per season)
7) 4-6-7-10 split conversion (0-1 per season)
6) 7-10 split conversion (0-1 per season)
5) 800 series (0-1 per season)
4) All spares (0-1 per season)
3) Dutch 200 (once a year?)
2) triplicate (hardly ever...I've never seen one)
1) 900 Series (< 30 times in history)

My point is...while the triplicate, dutch 200, and all spares awards are kinda pointless in the sense that you could easily bowl a poor series and win those awards...in today's modern game...they are much more difficult to acheive than simply throwing a 300-game.

It may not "seem" that way....and I don't think it was that way in the past (pre-modern era)....but try to roll an all-spare game or Dutch 200...it's not easy to do if you're TRYING...much less by accident. And a triplicate game...is actually quite difficult to acheive....even if in the 3rd game you TRY to acheive it.

I think if you're gonna award split conversions...which are generally meaningless...you gotta also award things like triplicate, all spares, and Dutch 200.

[vdubtx]

I have a Triplicate patch. Old picture of my awards figjam set up. :) It has grown since that picture was taken.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/BowlingAwards_zps67335c2f.jpg

[Aslan]

I have a Triplicate patch. Old picture of my awards figjam set up. :) It has grown since that picture was taken.

Do you remember the details of what you shot and whether you "tried" for it in the 3rd game?

[Stormed1]

My only triplicate was shot during qualifying for a King of the Hill. 289-289-289=867 I left 2 solid 8's and a solid 9

[Aslan]

My only triplicate was shot during qualifying for a King of the Hill. 289-289-289=867

I'm having trouble imagining me telling people about my recent 144-144-144 triplicate…and then Stormed starts telling his 289-289-289 triplicate story…that would be terrible…I would crawl in the nearest bowling locker me thinks.

[Hampe]

Hampe-

Some awards are meaningful only becuase of the rarity of the feat. Dutch 200, triplicate, all spares, split conversions...none of those are "great accomplishments". I saw an old lady pick up a 6-7-10 during league play. She has a 94 average and probably didn't break 100 that game. Is it an "accomplishment" to pick up the 6-7-10 and score < 100?? Probably not.If you ask me, picking up the 6-7-10 (or 4-7-10) is more impressive than just getting the same score three times in a row. Just because something is rare doesn't mean it deserves an award.



My only triplicate was shot during qualifying for a King of the Hill. 289-289-289=867 I left 2 solid 8's and a solid 9And? Were you more proud of yourself for getting the exact same score three times in a row, or for shooting an 850+ series?

[vdubtx]

Do you remember the details of what you shot and whether you "tried" for it in the 3rd game?

I do recall actually, was a set of 214's. No, I did not try to get an 8 count on the last ball of the set on purpose, but I do remember needing that and ended up going high leaving the 4-7.

[rv driver]

A "Dutch 200?" In all my years, I've never heard of such a thing. What is it?

[bowl1820]

A "Dutch 200?" In all my years, I've never heard of such a thing. What is it?

A Dutch 200 is where you have alternating strikes and spares with a score of exactly 200.
/X/X/X/X/X/=200
X/X/X/X/X/X=200

[rv driver]

A Dutch 200 is where you have alternating strikes and spares with a score of exactly 200.
/X/X/X/X/X/=200
X/X/X/X/X/X=200
Wow. Surprised I've never heard of it. I've seen some games like that in my time, but we never called them by that name -- or any special name, for that matter. But that was back in the days of the old ABC, in a small town. Thanks for the info!

[Stormed1]

All was good/ I won a little over 2g's that bight is side action

[Blomer]

I think all awards are greats and fun, specially the triplicate. Just a weird award and a fun conversation.