I bowled jrs with him and as I recall he threw pre reactive urethane like that too. He was so talented and even then everyone knew we were seeing something special
He told me a story about the 3-6-10 incident seen at about 2:18 in the video - Scott Katz (producer) didn't like how the glass there was set up so he offered Robert a reward if he broke it. Sure enough, after that, dinner was on Scott that night and Robert got like $500 in poker chips!
What an absolute freak of nature. I was wondering why he didn’t get to win so much. Such a shame that injuries got him like that. Truly a generational talent
I personally seen Robert throw at a ten pin at kegel many years ago and cats tracked it at 38.xx mph, I've never seen anyone throw 15 or 16 over 35 except Robert. Osku can throw a 34-35mph laser but I've never seen him break 35. Robert's mechanics and power was simply Incredible!
I had the blessing of bowling with him in Louisville, KY, at a "Bowl With A Pro" night where youth league bowlers could share lanes with PBA bowlers. Robert Smith was my favorite bowler of that era because my style was similar to his but dialed down a bit. I was so amped up and I always thrived under pressure. I took the moment and put 8 strikes in a row that one game I had with him. I asked him to sign my program book and he asked for my autograph as well, lol!! What a great guy! They say to never meet your heroes for fear of disappointment. But Robert Smith was the real deal. I'll never forget that night.
I got to bowl with/against him in the Masters many years ago. He made my ball look like it was barely rotating compated to his and i rev it ok. But hes out of this world!
As a two-hander, I appreciate Robert Smith's game. I'm mindblown and just at awe at the sheer power and rev rate he's able to produce in those deliveries. Just absolute freight train, man. Such a shame he had to deal with career-dampening injuries.
I have been bowling and watching the PBA since 1979. In the 1990s balls became a lot more powerful and synthetic lanes provided huge back end traction. That changed bowling from making sure not to throw it too hard so the ball hooks to having to throw it harder to stop the ball from over hooking. Mr. Smith recognized that. So he used his strength to become the first power bowler of the modern PBA. Almost every pro now throws the ball hard and I do too.
Does he still bowl leagues at Buena Lanes out in Ventura? I had the opportunity to meet him in 2006 at Fountain Valley at the Dick Weber Open. Gotta say his ball hits like a truck
I remeber seeing Robert at a regional event very early on. Their were several touring guys there and a bunch of future touring guys. I remember about 20 guys behind his lane just watching him rip the cover off the ball. Steve Hoskins, Bob Vespi and Jason Couch were there and i recal Hoskins saying to Vespi "he makes you look like a tweener".
1:05 Clocked in at 640 rpms. I average roughly 500-520 rpms (I'm a standard three finger, one hander), and hes more than a hundred over me. Unbelievable how this man could shred the coverstock off a ball lol.
Before he went to the Sarge Easter grip he could hit 720 rpm. Could play nowhere else but the big wheel - coach John Jowdy got him into the Sarge grip to get his rev rate down.
I don’t care what anyone says, nobody threw it better than Maximum Bob. Not Belmo, not Rudy Revs, nobody. It’s to bad he has so many physical issues that cut off his prime years.
He was using 2 hands for a bit due to his hip problems - actually got about the same rev rate as he did with one hand. He's since gone back to one hand and looked like his old self last time I saw him, which was at this season's Players Championship West region qualifying. Belmo was on the same pair as him.
@@rogercarlson2330h look, a traditionalist! Surely you’ve never thrown reactive resin in your life, right Mr. Traditionalist? Surely you use a ball with one fingerhole and not two, right Mr. Traditionalist? Surely you only bowl on hand-oiled lacquer lanes, right Mr. Traditionalist? Hopefully you get the point. Also, you’re probably aware, but two handed bowling requires much more athleticism to be good at than one hand. It deserves the higher ceiling it has scoring wise 🙂 you’ll never see an out of shape guy bowl well two handed
Possibly the single most powerful pro bowlers to have ever lived. Unfortunately, his power seems to have caused a great many injuries. I seem to recall be also suffered an autoimmune illness that nearly killed him, but it's been a while since I followed PBA, and I can't find any articles on that. Any way, prime Robert Smith is the single most powerful bowler in the sport's history.
Yes he still bowls. He actually switched to 2 handed for 1-2 years and is now back to one hand. He's talked about bowling PBA50 events in 2 years when he turns 50. I believe he's also bowled some regional events recently as well.
@@PinoyBowlerGS92 100% correct. I try to bowl like Shawn rash, but he’s definitely talented. My style looks old school but has all the modern power player.
I bowled jrs with him and as I recall he threw pre reactive urethane like that too. He was so talented and even then everyone knew we were seeing something special
He is currently teaching me and my buddies how to bowl right now. Great guy and super nice! Also has a sense of humor.
Damn, that’s awesome!
WHERE IS HE NOWADAYS VERGIL? THATS AWESOME!
@@BN-xj8wr He has his own pro-shop at Ventura California
He told me a story about the 3-6-10 incident seen at about 2:18 in the video - Scott Katz (producer) didn't like how the glass there was set up so he offered Robert a reward if he broke it. Sure enough, after that, dinner was on Scott that night and Robert got like $500 in poker chips!
@@2t9j0bowler300 Wow!
He was so far ahead of his time with the revs and power. No one was close back in his prime...very few are close today...
Palermaa is the only one I think that can come close as far as sheer power.
Rudy Revs.
Robert was getting up in the mid 600s Rev rate, ain't no one on tour cranking much over 550. Robert was a freaking animal!
Jimmy Keith and Rudy Revs. Jimmy was the first to hit 720 rpm at Kegel. Jason Mahr is the only person I ever heard get over 800 rpm.
Yessss Maximum Bob getting the recognition he deserves :) he’s always been my favorite bowler!
Yeah! Always been one of my favorites too
Robert Smith was the Bo Jackson of the PBA. IMO Top 10 ever regardless of title count.
Agreed!
During tournaments, the other pros would stop and watch him.
Bo Jackson. That’s a perfect analogy
What an absolute freak of nature. I was wondering why he didn’t get to win so much. Such a shame that injuries got him like that. Truly a generational talent
Indeed. Really is a shame.
Yeah I know he probably still be bowling
@@bowlnow824 Yeah
Physical issues, mainly fibromyalgia...
@@bowlnow824 he does still bowl
Rob is amazing. Great guy, great insights, great coach. I love taking lessons from him.
There will never be another quite like Maximum Bob.
2:28 that's fast as Osku throw
I personally seen Robert throw at a ten pin at kegel many years ago and cats tracked it at 38.xx mph, I've never seen anyone throw 15 or 16 over 35 except Robert. Osku can throw a 34-35mph laser but I've never seen him break 35. Robert's mechanics and power was simply Incredible!
I had the blessing of bowling with him in Louisville, KY, at a "Bowl With A Pro" night where youth league bowlers could share lanes with PBA bowlers.
Robert Smith was my favorite bowler of that era because my style was similar to his but dialed down a bit.
I was so amped up and I always thrived under pressure. I took the moment and put 8 strikes in a row that one game I had with him. I asked him to sign my program book and he asked for my autograph as well, lol!!
What a great guy!
They say to never meet your heroes for fear of disappointment. But Robert Smith was the real deal. I'll never forget that night.
I got to bowl with/against him in the Masters many years ago. He made my ball look like it was barely rotating compated to his and i rev it ok. But hes out of this world!
As a two-hander, I appreciate Robert Smith's game. I'm mindblown and just at awe at the sheer power and rev rate he's able to produce in those deliveries. Just absolute freight train, man. Such a shame he had to deal with career-dampening injuries.
640 rev rate they said.....and that's one handed! That is insane.
I have been bowling and watching the PBA since 1979. In the 1990s balls became a lot more powerful and synthetic lanes provided huge back end traction. That changed bowling from making sure not to throw it too hard so the ball hooks to having to throw it harder to stop the ball from over hooking. Mr. Smith recognized that. So he used his strength to become the first power bowler of the modern PBA. Almost every pro now throws the ball hard and I do too.
Does he still bowl leagues at Buena Lanes out in Ventura? I had the opportunity to meet him in 2006 at Fountain Valley at the Dick Weber Open. Gotta say his ball hits like a truck
He runs the pro shop there and bowls in the Bowl Q tournaments at Harleys Valley
Just unbelievable what he could do with a bowling ball
Really was a freak of nature
would love to see Osku in his prime vs Smith in his prime trying to shoot the fastest ball
Yes me too i would love to see both of them using one hand speed
I remeber seeing Robert at a regional event very early on. Their were several touring guys there and a bunch of future touring guys. I remember about 20 guys behind his lane just watching him rip the cover off the ball. Steve Hoskins, Bob Vespi and Jason Couch were there and i recal Hoskins saying to Vespi "he makes you look like a tweener".
Maximum Bob: one of my favourite bowlers! I get such a kick watching him bowl, I swear you could almost hear the pins say _'ouch!'_ 😭😂
😂
Left off the best clip. “What was THAT? Never seen that before.”
Maximum Bob was a beast
Love me some "Maximum Bob"!
I love watching this guy throw his Ball as hard as Osku and Rash on his Spares
Me too. He can really chuck it!
The guy is fantastic.
One doesnt watch maximum Bob...they experience it.
wow.. just wow
if i throw that hard call 911, something is gonna give, my shoulder hurts watching
Nice stuff !
Thanks man!
Bob is top 5 in my book a legend
1:05 Clocked in at 640 rpms. I average roughly 500-520 rpms (I'm a standard three finger, one hander), and hes more than a hundred over me. Unbelievable how this man could shred the coverstock off a ball lol.
Insane. Your rev rate is great too!
High revs produces messengers but it is Mr. Smith's ball speed that makes his shot so devastating.
@@drwisdom1 Agreed.
Before he went to the Sarge Easter grip he could hit 720 rpm. Could play nowhere else but the big wheel - coach John Jowdy got him into the Sarge grip to get his rev rate down.
Sick!!!
Where did you find the clip of Robert Smith's rev rate being calculated?
2001 greater Detroit open I believe
I don’t care what anyone says, nobody threw it better than Maximum Bob. Not Belmo, not Rudy Revs, nobody. It’s to bad he has so many physical issues that cut off his prime years.
Yeah, really is a shame
Mark Roth invented the power game. Bob would have been one of the all time had it not been for physical issues.
"Maximum Bob" was really throwing with over a 620 rev rate! 😳
Not even some two handers can achievebthat😮😮😳😨
@@bachcottage-ck8tlI can only think of one who is topping 600 RPM consistently
Beast
Normal bowler: 6-pin takes out 10-pin
Maximum Bob: Head pin takes out 10-pin 😅
beast!
The Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling Classic is sponsored by brunswick circuit pro bowling game itself
If theres one release that keeps me practicing. Its Robert. I hear the rev rate on his ball.
Music please
Imagine how many revs he'd get using 2 hands... over 9000!
He was using 2 hands for a bit due to his hip problems - actually got about the same rev rate as he did with one hand. He's since gone back to one hand and looked like his old self last time I saw him, which was at this season's Players Championship West region qualifying. Belmo was on the same pair as him.
He wouldn't look good in a dress...
@@rogercarlson2330h look, a traditionalist! Surely you’ve never thrown reactive resin in your life, right Mr. Traditionalist? Surely you use a ball with one fingerhole and not two, right Mr. Traditionalist? Surely you only bowl on hand-oiled lacquer lanes, right Mr. Traditionalist?
Hopefully you get the point. Also, you’re probably aware, but two handed bowling requires much more athleticism to be good at than one hand. It deserves the higher ceiling it has scoring wise 🙂 you’ll never see an out of shape guy bowl well two handed
@@stratocaster0842 wrong
Scary!
Don't think anyone has ever made those gold pins move like he did goddam
Hell of a bowler, too bad he had fibromyalgia issues
I met him at the 2022 Players Championship, a really sweet guy as well.
Nice! Yeah, it is a shame he had those issues
I was wondering what happened to him. So sad
I thought this was about the cure
Haha! Often when I search up Robert smith when looking for the bowler, I get that first
Anyone else thought Fagan was in a wheelchair?
Possibly the single most powerful pro bowlers to have ever lived. Unfortunately, his power seems to have caused a great many injuries. I seem to recall be also suffered an autoimmune illness that nearly killed him, but it's been a while since I followed PBA, and I can't find any articles on that.
Any way, prime Robert Smith is the single most powerful bowler in the sport's history.
Im not sure if this legend retired or still play bowling
Throws very good does he still bowl
He bowled an event on the pba not too long ago this year, but I think that was a one-off. I think he coaches now
Yes he still bowls. He actually switched to 2 handed for 1-2 years and is now back to one hand. He's talked about bowling PBA50 events in 2 years when he turns 50. I believe he's also bowled some regional events recently as well.
@@rb8999 That’s great to hear!
Mark Roth
Hall of Famer😎
The ORIGINAL 'Maximum Bob' was, and always will be the great Bob Handley. Look him up.
Jason Belmonte. Before Belmo was a thing. 😂
And before Osku and Rash when it comes with throwing fastballs or missles down the Lane
@@PinoyBowlerGS92 100% correct. I try to bowl like Shawn rash, but he’s definitely talented. My style looks old school but has all the modern power player.
640 rev rate....lol.....more like 940!!