Be the Referee: Bowling Ball Bounces Out of Gutter
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
January 6, 2026
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Bowling Ball Bounces Out of Gutter - Listen
We’ve got a bowling ball in our hands today – and we’re ready to deliver our first ball of the third frame.
It’s not a great roll, but it’s a powerful one. The ball goes into the gutter but bounces out and then knocks over seven pins.
Lucky break, right?
Not exactly. Once the ball is in the gutter, it’s a dead ball. Any pins knocked down by the ball’s return don’t count. If it happens on the first delivery, the pins knocked down by the rebound are reset for the second delivery.
Now if a pin bounces completely out of the pit area and returns to knock down any standing pins, that counts.
But if your ball goes into the gutter, that’s it – you can’t count any pins knocked down if the ball bounces out.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Dec. 9: Puck on Goal Netting - Listen
Dec. 2: Goaltending vs. Basket Interference - Listen
Nov. 25: Football Finals Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 18: Volleyball Libero Uniforms - Listen
Nov. 11: Illegal Substitution/Participation - Listen
Nov. 4: Losing a Shoe - Listen
Oct. 28: Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen
Be the Referee: Football Review
November 21, 2019
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains how video will be used for the first time at this season's MHSAA Football Finals.
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment - Football Video Review - Listen
For the first time this year, video review of potential scoring plays and potential turnovers will take place at the MHSAA Football Finals at Ford Field for the 11-player games.
Under this system, any play which may or may not result in points being scored or any play which may or may not have resulted in a turnover can be reviewed. Personnel in the press box will look at all such plays and contact the referee on the field if a review takes place – and they give the final determination to the crew on the field.
Review may not be initiated by the officiating crew nor by the head coach of either team. Football joins basketball and ice hockey as sports where limited video review may now take place.
Past editions
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen