- Dick Weber Classic

First Impressions
The AMF Dick Weber Classic from the 1980s is more than just a bowling ball; it's a tribute to arguably the sport's most famous ambassador, Dick Weber. At a time when urethane was just beginning to take over the market, this ball represented proven, classic technology for the mass market. Visually it often showed up in marbled designs (such as blue/white or black/white) or classic solid colors, proudly adorned with the legend's signature. Technically it's a hard polyester ball (plastic). Inside works the indestructible three-piece pancake weight block. The surface comes polished to a high gloss out of the box and is extremely smooth. This combination of a hard shell and an inactive core produces a ball motion that is dead straight and almost completely ignores the lane conditions.
Comparison
To place the Dick Weber Classic properly, you have to set it against the technological revolution of the 1980s, specifically the AMF Angle series. While the AMF Angle (urethane) was developed to hook and mix pins, the Dick Weber Classic was the conservative counterpart. It behaves identically to the big competitor of that era, the Columbia 300 White Dot. Compared to the rubber balls of the 1970s (like the Brunswick LT-48), the polyester Dick Weber Classic offered a harder surface, less friction and more durability, but noticeably less pin action. It has no flare potential and no "motor" in the core; it's a pure directional ball that rolls exactly where you throw it.
On the Lanes
Today the AMF Dick Weber Classic has a clear purpose: it's a fantastic spare ball. Its hard polyester cover makes it immune to oil changes on the lane, which makes it the perfect weapon for picking off single pins precisely (especially the 10 for right-handers). For collectors it's a piece of history. In the 1980s it was often a beginner's first own ball, used to learn a clean, straight pendulum swing. On extremely dry lanes it can still serve as a strike ball in a pinch, though because of the missing entry angle and the low energy transfer (carry) you have to hit the pocket very precisely to strike.