Center Ball Banking

[Tennesseejoe]

BTW if anyone wanted a copy of the BUGS bank video let me know. It's out of print I know but maybe we could send the money to his family. I'm sure Freddy could help me with an address.

I would like a copy of the Bugs tape. Where do I send the money if this can be done legally.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...a ball only comes off a rail true if it hits the rail skidding and not spinning, otherwise it's either going long or short at all times.

If "true" means at the mirror angle, then this is almost, but not quite, correct. The ball has to be sliding (as you say) to prevent follow or draw from causing it to curve after rebounding, but it also has to have just enough running english to prevent rail friction from shortening the angle. Here's why:

The ball is in contact with the rail for only a short time, but longer than an instant, and it continues to move along the rail during that time. If it moves along the rail at the same speed that it was moving in that direction before hitting the rail, then it will rebound at the mirror angle. If its speed in the along-the-rail direction is increased while in contact with the rail, then it will rebound long. If its speed in the along-the-rail direction is slowed while in contact with the rail, then it will rebound short. These are the well known effects of running english and reverse (holdup) english.

In order to prevent this effect, the ball must roll along the rail with just the right amount of running english so that sliding friction between the ball and the rail is prevented (the same as a ball rolling along the surface without draw or extra follow - i.e., "natural roll"). Too much running english and the ball rebounds long, too little running english (such as none) and the ball rebounds short.

So in order for a ball to rebound at the true mirror angle, it must hit the rail with just the right amount of running english, not with none.

pj
chgo

TOO MUCH INFORMATION SECTION:

There's a scientific way to put just the right amount of running english on the CB when you're kicking (see diagram below), but I don't know of a way to translate that consistently to the OB. [NOTE: Since the ball has to be sliding when it hits the cushion for this to work, it has to be hit firmly or a little low. Hitting low changes the "effective sidespin", so hitting firmly is preferred.]