Ebonite International Bowling Products Manufacturer Closes

In a local story reported by WKDZ radio, Cadiz, KT. Ebonite International closed its facilities in Hopkinsville today. 

From other sources, it's been reported that Brunswick is buying the company. No one from either company was immediately available to confirm this news. 

Ebonite Adds Two New Balls to Their Line-up

The Ebonite Game Breaker 2 Phenom. The original Game Breaker 2 provided a strong, predictable ball motion that quickly became a staple in many a serious bowler's bag. With the Game Breaker 2 Phenom, Ebonite decided to take it up a notch and wrap the trusted Enhanced V2 core with the strongest coverstock the Game Breaker line has ever seen. Ebonite has raised the bar in the mid performance category.

The final battle has begun and only one can be crowned supreme. The newest addition to the Ebonite high performance line offers the most mid lane traction of any ball in the Ebonite line up. Get ready to claim the throne. The Warrior Supreme features the Iron Fist core and GB 13.3 Solid cover in Black/Violet/Purple. The ball is finished  500 / 3000 grit with Abralon^TM  pads,  designed for medium to heavy oil with a strong mid-lane and backend motion. 

Two New Balls for Ebonite in January

New from Ebonite, Game Breaker 2 MVP. The new Game Breaker is Cherry/Dual Blue GB 10.7 Hybrid coverstock finished to 500/1000 Abralon™ then polished with the Gamebreaker Enhanced V2 core. Design intent is for Medium to light lane conditions, depending on your skills, with strength in the mid-lane and backend.  

Also at Ebonite, the Adrenaline Overload. The Black/Blue/Silver GB 12.0 Pearl coverstock is finished 500/3000 Abralon™, then wrapped around the Adrenaline core. Designed for medium to heavy oil with strong backend, with appropriate skills, look for a nice compliment to the Adrenaline Shot. 

Look for these new Ebonite balls worldwide on Jan 19th, 2016.

Ebonite's Warrior Elite

 

Ebonite unleashes a new Warrior. 

The Green Pearl/Black solid hybrid GB 13.3 coverstock surrounds the Iron Fist core of the Warrior Elite.

“Look for strong mid-lane roll from the new GB 13.3 Hybrid cover, which displaces oil faster than any cover we’ve ever produced,” reported Ebonite.

World Wide Release date is December 1st, 2015.

Ebonite Announces New Balls

 Coming from Ebonite: 

Ebonite Warrior featuring the GB 13.3 Pearl Red/Black Cherry/Red Pearl coverstock envelops the new Iron Fist core shape. Cover preparation is 500, 2000 Abralon Polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish

Ebonite reports: Our brand new GB 13.3 Pearl cover is our most aggressive coverstock. We started with the original chemistry of the proven GB 10.7 (The One) and dramatically increased the porosity levels to aggressively displace oil which gives the GB 13.3 cover the ability to read the mid-lane and back end stronger than any of our other covers.”  Available July 7^th, 2015.

Ebonite Game Breaker 2 Gold Reminiscent of The One, the Royal/Gold/ Blue GB 10.7 Pearl coverstock encloses the high flare Enhanced V2 core, finished to 500, and 1000 Abralon then polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish.

In designing the GB2 Gold, Ebonite wanted to create the perfect complement to its predecessor, the GB2. The goal is to create a ball that is cleaner through the front, while maintaining the strong and continuous move at the back end which the Game Breaker line is known for. This ball is ideal for medium oil lane conditions.

Ebonite expounded: “Very few cover stocks have the strong, rich heritage as our GB 10.7. When it comes to consistency and reliability, others take a back seat. By infusing pearl additives into this proven cover, we have created the perfect complement to the highly successful Game Breaker 2.” Available August 18^th, 2015

Ebonite Adrenaline Shot is Silver/Purple GB 12.0 Hybrid coverstock wrapping the high flare Adrenaline Core, finished with 500, 2000 Abralon

The design intent behind the Adrenaline Shot is to create a ball that fills the gap between our Game Breaker 2 and Code of Honor when it comes to total overall hook.

Ebonite reports: “Our brand new GB 12.0 Hybrid cover is based on the original chemistry of the proven GB 10.7 (from The One). The porosity levels have been increased to allow for faster oil displacement, which gives the GB 12.0 cover the ability to read the mid-lane and back end stronger.”

Available September 15^th, 2015

New Additions at Ebonite and Columbia 300

Ebonite is bringing new colors to market in both the Cyclone series (Blue/Red Sparkle and Green/Yellow Pearl) and the entry polyester Maxim series (Peppermint, BumbleBee and Night Sky). 

Colors coming out of Hopkinsville, KY where the Columbia White Dot (Patriot Sparkle and Sunburst) and Ebonite Maxim balls are made are just stunning. 

New from Columbia 300, the Deep Freeze in Coral Splash and Pink Frost.







In addition to the new Deep Freeze colors Columbia has added a Scout black reactive, three piece ball. 

Ebonite's New High Performance Ball for 2015

Ebonite’s newest HP introduction, the Code of Honor, is a Black/Orange /Blue RCS 5.0 solid reactive coverstock finished 500/3000 Abralon. Wrapping a CB-2 Asymmetric core like Pivot, Pivot Point and Honor balls, the Code of Honor adds a solid cover to the high performance line. Core numbers (15#- 2.48 RG, .049 RG Differential) should provide a strong change of direction downlane and pin punishing continuation. 

The New Ebonite GameBreaker2

Touting the strong mid-lane reaction of its predecessor, the new GameBreaker2 with its GB 10.7 black/purple coverstock and enhanced V2 core will be finished to 500 and 2000 Abralon.

The new Ebonite ball will be available September 16th, 2014.

Ebonite's New HP Honor

The new Ebonite Honor is Royal / Turquoise / Silver reactive with RCH 5.0 coverstock finished to 500, 500, 500, 1000 Abralon® with Powerhouse Factory Finish. The Honor is driven by the CB-2 Asymmetric core, like the Pivot and Pivot Point.

Available September 16th, 2014.



 

 

Ebonite To Release The Energy Source



Ebonite’s new Energy Source features the popular Mission series core with an updated Black/Red/Silver Hybrid cover called XL4500. The Energy Source has a factory finish of 500/500/500/1000 grit Abralon with Power House Factory Finish @ 300 RPM. World Wide release Date: July 8, 2014.





 

Ebonite Adds the Legacy to Ball Line Up

The word Legacy is defined as something of value handed down from generation to generation. The new Ebonite Legacy is the next generation of one of the best selling Ebonite balls ever, the Total NV. Utilizing the great core shape that was used in the Total NV, the Spike Symmetric Mass Bias core, taking a technology leap with the new XL2010 Hybrid cover.

Lipton Iced Tea To Sponsor Bowling's Men's, Women's and Senior US OPEN

Lipton Iced Tea is the official title sponsor of bowling's U.S. Open tournament for 2013. For the second year in row, the bowling industry has teamed up with the brand's ready-to-drink portfolio for a principal sponsorship deal to lead the industry's preeminent bowling tournament. The 2013 U.S. Open will be held in Columbus, OH, beginning July 20, and will combine the Men's, Women's and Senior Women's tournaments.

The sponsorship deal with Lipton Iced Tea marks the first time a title sponsor has ever been named for bowling's U.S. Open. The multi-layered sponsorship program includes an integrated mix of branding, experiential and digital/social media that will target bowling fans and enthusiasts throughout the U.S. as well as robust on-site activations at each of the host centers and at the Open final.

"We're so pleased to once again partner with PepsiCo and welcome back Lipton Iced Tea as the title sponsor of bowling's U.S. Open. In addition to being an iconic brand, Lipton Iced Tea is a fantastic product that is a favorite of pro bowlers as well as our fans and enthusiasts," said Steve Johnson, executive director of The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA). "Lipton leads a great class of sponsors that have already signed on for this year's Open, a testament to the strength of the event."

To support this first-of-a-kind groundbreaking event, additional sponsors committed to date include: Jani-King, Storm Bowling Products, Ebonite, Brunswick Bowling & Billiards, Columbia 300, Roto Grip, Turbo, Dexter, and Bowling Music Network.

The Men's and Women's U.S. Open competition will take place simultaneously, beginning Saturday, July 20, at three host centers - Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl, Columbus Western Bowl and Holiday Lanes. The event will conclude with the top four men and top four women bowlers earning a spot in the finals, on Saturday, July 27, at Columbus Western Bowl. The U.S. Open Finals will be telecast live in a two-hour event on ESPN at noon EST that Saturday, where the winner of the Men's and the winner of the Women's U.S. Open will be crowned.

For additional information about bowling's U.S. Open event in 2013, fans can log on to www.BowlingsUSOpen.com.

Ebonite Adds the Exceed This Month

The Ebonite Exceed contains the popular (Warning Sign and Innovate) Verve core with Red / Navy / Yellow HTR 3.0 HYBRID coverstock finished to 3000 with Abralon ® completing the pearl/solid/hybrid trifecta. Look for the Ebonite Exceed this month.

GEICO PBA Summer Shootout on ESPN

Reigning U.S. Open champ Pete Weber of St. Ann, MO, put 12 points on the board in Round 4 of the GEICO PBA Summer Shootout at 10pin bowling lounge, helping his Storm team take the early lead in the annual Manufacturers Cup competition.

The first four rounds of one ball, low-man-out singles elimination matches aired Sunday on ESPN2. In each round, nine players representing nine different bowling ball brands competed in three groups of three players each. The survivor of the low-man-out preliminary matches advance to a final match where the winner earned 12 points, runner-up 8 points and third-place finisher 7 points. Those eliminated in the preliminary matches earned lesser points.

Weber, behind a flawless seven-strike performance (three in his preliminary match and four in a row in a Round 4 showdown with Roto Grip’s Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio), helped Storm take a three-point lead over Ebonite and DV8 in the bowling ball manufacturers’ contest. Brunswick’s Chris Loschetter finished third in Round 4 after an eight-count on his first shot in the three-player final match.

In the first round, Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, NY, threw four strikes in a row – two in his preliminary match and two more in the final showdown to eliminate Storm’s Osku Palermaa of Finland and DV8’s Ronnie Russell of Camby, IN, staking Brunswick to an early lead in the team competition. Russell struck on his first shot in the final match, but had a nine-count on his second shot. Palermaa finished third after an eight-count on his first attempt.

Round 2 went to Columbia 300’s Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, who struck on his first three shots to edge DV8’s Mike Machuga of Erie, PA (double and nine-count). Ebonite’s Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, SC, was third after a nine-count on his first shot in the final match.

Newly-inducted PBA Hall of Famer Jason Couch, who announced his retirement from PBA Tour competition at the start of the Summer Shootout, temporarily put Ebonite into the team lead when he claimed 12 points in Round 3, ousting 900 Global’s Robert Smith of Las Vegas, who left three pins standing on his second shot. Hammer’s Bill O’Neill of Southampton, PA, was knocked out with a seven-count on his first ball.

Five more rounds of singles and doubles low-man-out elimination rounds will determine the team seeding positions for an elimination position round contest leading into the Baker doubles format stepladder finals. All remaining rounds of the GEICO PBA Summer Shootout will air on ESPN on Saturday, July 14, at noon ET and Sunday, July 15, at 1 p.m. ET.

GEICO PBA SUMMER SHOOTOUT

10pin bowling lounge, Chicago, thru July 8

Singles Low-Man-Out Elimination Format (points awarded to each team based upon finishing position in each round)

Round 1: 1, Ryan Ciminelli, Brunswick, 12 points. 2, Ronnie Russell, DV8, 8 points. 3, Osku Palermaa, Storm, 7 points. 4th-6th (5 points each) - Jason Couch, Ebonite; Bill O’Neill, Hammer; Brian Voss, 900 Global. 7th-9th (2 points each) - Brian Kretzer, Roto Grip; Dan MacLelland, Columbia 300; Mike Fagan, Track. 

Round 2: 1, Chris Barnes, Columbia 300, 12. 2, Mike Machuga, DV8, 8. 3, Tommy Jones, Ebonite, 7. 4th-6th (5 points each) – Mika Koivuniemi, Track; Pete Weber, Storm; Missy Parkin, 900 Global. 7th-9th (2 points each) – Sean Rash, Brunswick; Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Roto Grip; Mike Wolfe, Ebonite. 

Round 3: 1, Jason Couch, Ebonite, 12. 2, Robert Smith, 900 Global, 8. 3, Bill O’Neill, Hammer, 7. 4th-6th (5 points each) – Wes Malott, Roto Grip; Jason Belmonte, Storm; Brian Valenta, DV8. 7th-9th (2 points each) – Dan MacLelland, Columbia 300; Ryan Ciminelli, Brunswick; Mike Fagan, Track. 

Round 4: 1, Pete Weber, Storm, 12. 2, Brian Kretzer, Roto Grip, 8. 3, Chris Loschetter, Brunswick, 7. 4th-6th (5 points each) – Mike Wolfe, Ebonite; Ronnie Russell, DV8; Chris Barnes, Columbia 300. 7th-9th (2 points each) – Mika Koivuniemi, Track; Missy Parkin, 900 Global; Tommy Jones, Ebonite. 

Manufacturers Cup Standings (points after four rounds): 1, Storm 29. 2 (tie) Ebonite and DV8 26. 4, Brunswick 23. 5, Columbia 300 21. 6, 900 Global 20. 7, Hammer 19. 8, Roto Grip 17. 9, Track 11.

Kulick Wins 3rd US Open in Reno

Professional sports history was made Wednesday night when Bowling's U.S. Women's Open was held outdoors on Virginia Street under the iconic Reno Arch. Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., defeated Missy Parkin of Lake Forest, Calif., 170-160, to win the major title.

Playing against the wind, dust and the setting desert sun, Kulick won her third career U.S. Women's Open title while overcoming some of the most challenging lane conditions in the history of professional bowling.

"I don't know what it is about this event, but I always gear up for it," said Kulick, who also won the U.S. Women's Open in 2003 and 2010. "To have this type of atmosphere, it brings a lot of attention to our sport, which is much needed. The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, Ebonite and all the sponsors are trying to showcase women's bowling, and I support it."

The five players in the finals, which will be broadcast July 3 at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2, battled challenging lane conditions over the course of the evening under a unique setting in downtown Reno.

"Kelly faced the dual challenge of competing against the best female players from across the globe in the face of playing conditions U.S. women's bowling has never before seen," said Steve Johnson, BPAA executive director. "Great credit goes to the incredible competitors in this year's finals for helping us to do the seemingly impossible - hosting a competition that may have topped last year's U.S. Women's Open at Cowboys Stadium."

Added Johnson, "Congratulations to the hundreds of players from throughout the world who came to Reno to compete and who have helped drive an incredible resurgence for the popularity of bowling."

With winds gusting between 18-24 mph throughout the finals, the players were forced to deal with adverse conditions throughout the evening. Dust on the lanes drastically affected the scoring pace and forced the bowlers to resort to using plastic balls much of the night.

"It was like bowling in the desert," said Kulick, who entered the finals as the top seed and only had to bowl one match to win the title. "Sitting there and watching what was happening before me really helped give me the advantage of figuring out what I had to do to win."

Despite throwing splits in the eighth and the ninth frame, Kulick entered the 10th frame with a chance to shut out Parkin. Kulick spared in the final frame to lock up the title and knock off the second-seeded Parkin.

In the semifinal match, Parkin took down No. 3 seed Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, 150-148, in a match that was back and forth the whole way. Parkin locked up the win when O'Keefe, needing a double, left a pocket 10 pin in the final frame.

O'Keefe advanced to the semifinal by defeating fourth seed Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, 182-165. In the opening match of the five-player stepladder finals, Nation took down Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, 166-158.

The U.S. Women's Open was accompanied this week by the inaugural Senior U.S. Women's Open. In Tuesday's finals, Robin Romeo of Newhall, Calif., defeated Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Fla., 225-188, to win the title.

Joining the Brands of Ebonite International as sponsors of the 2012 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open for the second year in a row include: Jani King, the official cleaning company of bowling; and Lipton Naturals, the official tea of the 2012 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open. Additional sponsors include: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards, the official lane provider of Bowling's U.S. Women's Open; Eldorado Resorts, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Resort Casinos; Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA); Kegel; Dexter; Bowling Music Network; and Turbo Grips.

For more information on the U.S. Women's Open, visit BowlingsUSWomensOpen.com.

Ebonite Adds 2 Cyclones

Ebonite adds 2 new Cyclones to its entry level performance line. Green/Gold/Silver and Red/ Purple/ Yellow. 

The Cyclone coverstock is the GB 10.7 (used in the One) and the Cyclone Core still drives the new Cyclones. 

Cyclones are designed for “Length with Strong Backend.”