“It’s beautiful,” he said.

The new ball, which has to be fitted to his hand before he can use it, is a blend of black, purple and gold.

“I’ve never had a ball that nice,” he said.

Strong, who bowls every Tuesday and Friday with the group, has been using a 14-pound ball. The new one is a little lighter at 12 pounds, and he’s looking forward to testing it out, he said.

As much as he enjoys the company, Strong takes the game seriously. He bowls an average of 135 but recently hit 200. His goal every time is at least 150.

His friends, even when they’re losing to him, can’t help but marvel.

“I golf and I bowl,” Tom Turner said. “I’ve seen one double eagle in my life. It’s very rare. Bill is that rare. I’ve seen one 99-year-old bowler.”

A native of Arizona, Strong was an aircraft mechanic with the Army Air Corps during World War II. He serviced B-25 bombers and other planes while stationed in North Africa and Italy.

After the war, he settled in the Tulsa area, where during previous training at Spartan aircraft school he’d met a local girl who would later become his wife.