- Black Widow Savage

First Impressions
The Black Widow Savage is a rare overseas release from Hammer, launched in 2022 and available exclusively outside the US. At the heart of the ball sits the legendary Gas Mask core, considered the most iconic weight block in bowling and known for its big flare potential, its versatility across different throwing styles, and its backend bite. The combination of this proven asymmetric core system and a specially developed cover should produce the characteristic Black Widow reaction. The ball comes out of the box with a polished or compound finish, giving it a shiny look that should provide added length through the heads.
Comparison
Compared directly to the Black Widow Ghost, the Savage shows a noticeably cleaner reaction through the heads, but then shapes a nice ball motion on the backend. Bowling.com notes that the Savage reads earlier on the lane and reacts with more of an arcing hook compared to the Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid, which reads later and shows a sharper backend hook. That characteristic positions the Savage as a ball for the early to middle portion of a set. Once the lanes go into transition, the ball develops the typical Black Widow shape on the backend, underscoring the DNA of the line. One bowler reports that in his eyes the Savage is better than the Ghost, and that he even threw his first 300 game with it.
On the Lanes
Depending on your rev rate, the Savage works for the first or second game, and it should suit a wide variety of bowlers. Down-and-in players can leave the polish on and will be able to set up in the track area of the lane and strike consistently. The cleaner surface makes it possible to stand farther right on fresh lanes while still retaining a degree of hold to the left and enough backend motion to come back on shots sent right. Worth noting is that this ball is an exception among balls with a factory polish — normally the surface on such balls gets scuffed up for a more predictable reaction. As an overseas ball it is approved for all sanctioned USBC league and tournament play, though possibly not for PBA competition. The Savage should be especially interesting if you want to combine the classic Black Widow motion with a cleaner start through the heads.