osmigo@ut-ngp.UTEXAS (osmigo) (10/22/85)
During the past year, I have become "sort of" a basketball player. I play mostly on a run-down concrete court with grass growing up through the cracks, etc. But don't laugh; we have some darn good games out there! Problem is, I just spent $35 on a new Wilson X6000 imitation leather indoor/ outdoor basketball, and it immediately developed a slow leak, requiring a couple pounds of air every day or so. I was just wondering if there were any way such a leak could be fixed. Is there something you can squirt into the "airhole" like the stuff you can put into the tires on your car? I believe it started when the ball rolled into the grass off-court and picked up a goathead (that's a "sticker"). I'd hate to just throw the ball away. Please give me some advice on this, if there is any to be given. Thanks in advance, Ron Morgan osmigo@ut-ngp.UTEXAS(osmigo) wq quit!
jwg@teddy.UUCP (10/22/85)
Take it back! A "indoor/outdoor" ball should not develop leaks
from normal use, including rooling off the court.
I would expect a $35 ball to be high quality.
I too bought a wilson indoor/outdoor. It doesn't leak,
but it doesn't feel nearly as good (ie like leather)
as the Spaulding indoor/outdoor my friend bought.
I also bought a "Larry Bird" ball (made by Spaulding, i think)
for $13.95 which has *excellent* grip. Now, if i can only learn
to shoot like Larry...
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I was recently given some information by a Univ. of Texas player and one of the users here regarding a product which is applicable to the "leaky ball" situation, so I'll post about it here. Maybe other users will have experience with it to post, and when I try it, I'll post the results! It's some kind of stuff in a small tube; you reportedly deflate the ball, inject the "stuff" into the airhole, inflate the ball and bounce it a few times, and viola!, it's fixed. It apparently works just like the goo you put in your tires to stop leaks (and that your local flat-tire-fixer will HATE you for). As I posted, the leak apparently occurred when the ball rolled off the court into some grass, and picked up a "goathead," or "sticker." Normally, these shouldn't hurt a good ball, but the thing to remember is, when your ball rolls off-court into grass or whatever, CHECK IT FOR STICKERS before you bounce it! In my case, the friend I was playing with retrieved the ball, ran back onto the court and immediately started dribbling. This drove the sticker deep into the cover. The sticker was almost 9mm long. ...Ron Morgan ...osmigo@ut-ngp.UTEXAS(osmigo) *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
osmigo@ut-ngp.UTEXAS (osmigo) (10/27/85)
Hola! The leaky basketball problem has been solved. I bought this stuff called "Ball Doctor." It's in a plastic syringe; you deflate your ball, inject the goo, inflate, and immediately do some serious bouncing to spread the stuff out. When the air tries to exit via the leak, it sucks the sealant into the hole, and that does the trick. It works on punctures obtained later on, also. Price was $2.95 at the local sporting goods store. Oops, sorry, that ball was a MacGregor, not a Wilson. ...Ron Morgan ...osmigo@ut-ngp.UTEXAS(osmigo) . *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***