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Bowling

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This article is about bowling in general. For specific types of bowling, seeTen-pin bowling,Duckpin bowling,Candlepin bowling,Nine-pin bowling,andFive-pin bowling.For other uses, seeBowling (disambiguation).

A ten-pin bowler releases his bowling ball.
Playing bowls at Tiverton West End Bowling Club, United Kingdom

Bowlingis atarget sportand recreational activity in which a player rolls aballtowardpins(in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The termbowlingusually refers to pin bowling (most commonlyten-pin bowling), though in theUnited KingdomandCommonwealthcountries, bowling could also refer to target bowling, such aslawn bowls.

In pin bowling, the goal is to knock overpinson a long playing surface known as alane.Lanes have a wood or synthetic surface onto which protective lubricating oil is applied in different specified oil patterns that affectball motion.Astrikeis achieved when all the pins are knocked down on the first roll, and a spare is achieved if all the pins are knocked over on a second roll. Common types of pin bowling includeten-pin,candlepin,duckpin,nine-pin,andfive-pin.The historical gameskittlesis the forerunner of modern pin bowling.

In target bowling, the aim is usually to get the ball as close to amarkas possible. The surface in target bowling may be grass, gravel, or synthetic.[1]Lawn bowls,bocce,carpet bowls,pétanque,andboulesmay have both indoor and outdoor varieties.Curlingis also related to bowls.

Bowling is played by 120 million people in more than 90 countries (including 70 million people in the United States alone).[2]

Variations[edit]

Bowling games can be distinguished into two general classes, pin bowling and target bowling.

Pin bowling[edit]

Candlepinballs are the smallest, but candlepins are tallest and thinnest.
Duckpinsare the shortest, and duckpin balls are barely larger than candlepin balls.
Ten-pinballs and pins are the heaviest.

Five main variations are found inNorth America,with ten-pin being the most common but others being practiced in the eastern U.S. and in parts ofCanada:[3]

  • Ten-pin bowling:largest and heaviest pins, and bowled with a large ball with two or three finger holes.
  • Nine-pin bowling:uses a small ball without finger holes.
  • Candlepin bowling:tallest pins (at 40 cm or 16 in), thin with matching ends, bowled with the smallest and lightest (at 1.1 kg or 2.4 lb) handheld ball of any bowling sport, and the only form withnofallen pins removed during a frame.
  • Duckpin bowling:short, squat, and bowled with a handheld ball.
  • Five-pin bowling:tall, between duckpins and candlepins in diameter with a rubber girdle, bowled with a handheld ball, mostly found in Canada.

Target bowling[edit]

Another form of bowling is usually played outdoors on a lawn. At outdoor bowling, the players throw a ball, which is sometimes eccentrically weighted, in an attempt to put it closest to a designated point or slot in the bowling arena. (Ex: Bocce Ball, an Italian lawn game)

History[edit]

Ancient history[edit]

Archeologist's drawing of items found in 1895 in an ancient tomb in Naqada, Egypt, thought to resemble the more modern game ofskittles.The archeologist conjectured as to the particular arrangement of the items found.[4]

The earliest known forms of bowling date back toancient Egypt,[5]with wall drawings depicting bowling being found in a royal Egyptian tomb dated to 3200 BC and miniature pins and balls in an Egyptian child's grave about 3200 BC. Remnants of bowling balls were found among artifacts in ancient Egypt going back to theEgyptian protodynastic periodin 3200 BC.[6]What is thought to be a child's game involvingporphyry(stone) balls, a miniaturetrilithon,and ninebreccia-veinedalabastervase-shaped figures—thought to resemble the more modern game ofskittles—was found inNaqada,Egypt, in 1895.[4]

Balls were made using the husks of grains, covered in a material such as leather, and bound with string. Other balls made of porcelain have also been found, indicating that these were rolled along the ground rather than thrown due to their size and weight.[6]Some of these resemble the modern-day jack used in target bowl games. Bowling games of different forms are also noted byHerodotusas an invention of theLydiansinAsia Minor.[7]

About 2,000 years ago, in theRoman Empire,a similar game evolved between Roman legionaries entailing the tossing of stone objects as close as possible to other stone objects, which eventually evolved into ItalianBocce,or outdoor bowling.[8]

Around AD 400, bowling began in Germany as a religious ritual to cleanse oneself from sin by rolling a rock into a club (kegel) representing the heathen, resulting in bowlers being called keglers.[9]

Post-classical history[edit]

In 1299, the oldest-surviving known bowling green for target style bowling was built: Master's Close (now the Old Bowling Green of the Southampton Bowling Club) inSouthampton, England,which is still in use.[10]

In 1325, laws were passed inBerlinandColognethat limited bets on lawn bowling to five shillings.[9]

In 1366, the first official mention of bowling inEnglandwas made, when KingEdward IIIbanned it as a distraction to archery practice.[11]

In the 15th–17th centuries, lawn bowling spread from Germany into Austria, Switzerland, and the Low Countries, with playing surfaces made of cinders or baked clay.[9]

In 1455, lawn bowling lanes inLondonwere first roofed-over, turning bowling into an all-weather game.[9]In Germany, they were called kegelbahns and were often attached to taverns and guest houses.

In 1463, a public feast was held inFrankfurt, Germany,with a venison dinner followed by lawn bowling.[9]

Modern history[edit]

In the 16th to 18th centuries[edit]

Peasants bowling in front of a tavern in the 17th century
The Bowling Game (Jan Steen,c. 1655). ManyDutch Golden Age paintingsdepicted bowling.

English KingHenry VIIIwas an avid bowler. In 1511, he banned bowling for the lower classes and imposed a levy for private lanes to limit them to the wealthy.[12]AnotherEnglish law,passed in 1541 (repealed in 1845), prohibited workers from bowling except atChristmas,and then only in their master's home and in his presence. In 1530, he acquiredWhitehall Palacein central London as his new residence, having it extensively rebuilt complete with outdoor bowling lanes, indoor tennis court, jousting tiltyard, and cockfighting pit.

Protestant Reformation founderMartin Lutherset the number of pins (which varied from 3 to 17) at nine.[citation needed]He had a bowling lane built next to his home for his children, sometimes rolling a ball himself.[9]

Often associated with gambling, bowling often had a negative image. This 1800 English mayor instructed "putting a stop to the growing evil of skittle and bowling alleys... to take care that there are as few inducements as possible for the thoughtless husband to spend his substance to the detriment of his family."[13]
To project a higher image, this 1838 New York newspaper ad for the Knickerbocker Hotel's three bowling alleys boasted "excellent accommodations" and appealed to "gentlemen to perform theirablutions".[14]

On 19 July 1588, English Vice-Admiral SirFrancis Drakeallegedly was playing bowls atPlymouth Hoewhen the arrival of theSpanish Armadawas announced; he replied, "We have time enough to finish the game and beat the Spaniards too."[15]

In 1609,Dutch East India CompanyexplorerHenry HudsondiscoveredHudson Bay,bringing Dutch colonization toNew Amsterdam(later New York); Hudson's men brought some form of lawn bowling with them.[9]

In 1617, English KingJames IpublishedDeclaration of Sports,banning bowling on Sundays but permitting dancing and archery for those first attending an Anglican service, outraging Puritans; it was reissued in 1633 by his successorCharles I,then ordered publicly burned in 1643 by the Puritan Parliament.

In 1670, Dutchmen liked to bowl at the Old King's Arms Tavern near modern-day 2nd and Broadway in New York City.[16]

In 1733,Bowling Greenin New York City was built on the site of a Dutch cattle market and parade ground, becoming the city's oldest public park to survive to modern times.

In the 19th century[edit]

Though the origin of ten-pin bowling is often attributed to the U.S., this circa-1810 painting from Ipswich, England shows outdoor bowling with ten pins.[17]
This 1820 Indiana (U.S.) newspaper ad touts a "Ball and Ten Pin Alley" to attract customers to a bakery.[18]
An 1838 Indiana newspaper describes how ten-pin bowling alleys were constructed to evade aBaltimorestatute prohibiting nine-pin bowling.[19]
A tongue-in-cheek illustration of a bowling alley, from the cover ofHarpers Weeklymagazine (U.S., 1860)
An 1890 Bowler's Guide describes how "innings" or "rolls" (now calledframes) involved up to three balls played in succession.
Palace Bowling Alleys in the Music Hall in Pawtucket, Rhode Island,circa1895.[20]Note the different-sized bowling balls.

A circa 1810 painting ofIpswich,England shows a man bowling with a triangular formation of ten pins, before that variant of the sport is believed to have appeared in the United States.[17]An1828 auction notice,also in Ipswich, explicitly mentions "ten-pin and skittle grounds".[21]

In 1819, New York writerWashington Irvingmade the first mention of ninepin bowling in American literature in his story "Rip Van Winkle".

Newspaper articles and advertisements at least as early as 1820[18]refer to "ten pin alleys", usually in the context of a side attraction to a main business or property[22][23][24][25]as distinguished from dedicated "bowling alley" establishments as presently understood.

By the late 1830s, New York's Knickerbocker Hotel housed abowling alleywith three lanes.[14][26]

In 1846, the oldest surviving bowling lanes in theUnited Stateswere built as part ofRoseland Cottage,the summer estate of Henry Chandler Bowen (1831–1896) inWoodstock, Connecticut.The lanes, now part of Historic New England's Roseland Cottage House Museum contain Gothic Revival architectural elements in keeping with the style of the entire estate.[27]

In 1848, theRevolutions of 1848resulted in accelerated German immigration to the U.S., reaching 5 million by 1900, bringing their love of beer and bowling with them; by the late 19th century they made New York City a center of bowling.

In 1848, theScottish Bowling Associationfor lawn bowling was founded in Scotland by 200 clubs; it was dissolved then refounded in 1892.

In 1864,Glasgowcotton merchant William Wallace Mitchell (1803–1884) publishedManual of Bowls Playing,which became a standard reference for lawn bowling in Scotland.[28]

In 1875, the National Bowling Association ( NBA ) was founded by 27 local clubs in New York City to standardize rules for ten-pin bowling, setting the ball size and the distance between the foul line and the pins, but failing to agree on other rules; it was superseded in 1895 by theAmerican Bowling Congress.[29]

In 1880, Justin White ofWorcester, Massachusetts,inventedCandlepin Bowling.

In the 1880s,Brunswick Corporation(founded 1845) ofChicago,Illinois, maker of billiard tables began making bowling balls, pins, and wooden lanes to sell to taverns installing bowling alleys.

On 9 September 1895, the modern standardized rules for ten-pin bowling were established inNew York Cityby the new American Bowling Congress (ABC) (later the United States Bowling Congress), who changed the scoring system from a maximum 200 points for 20 balls to a maximum 300 points for 12 balls, and set the maximum ball weight at 16 lb (7.3 kg), and pin distance at 12 in (30 cm). The first ABC champion (1906–1921) was Jimmy Smith (1885–1948).[30]In 1927 Mrs.Floretta "Doty" McCutcheon(1888–1967) defeated Smith in an exhibition match, founding a school that taught 500,000 women how to bowl.[31][32][33]In 1993 women were allowed to join the ABC. In 2005 the ABC merged with the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) et al. to become the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

In the early 1890s,Duckpin bowlingwas invented inBoston, Massachusetts,spreading toBaltimore, Marylandabout 1899.

In the 20th century[edit]

In 1903, theEnglish Bowling Associationwas founded by cricketerW. G. Grace.On 1 January 2008, it merged with the English Women's Bowling Association to become Bowls England.

An early bowling tournament (1905; American Bowling Congress; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.)

In 1903, D. Peifer of Chicago, Illinois, invented a handicap method for bowling.[34]

In 1905,Rubber Duckpin bowlingwas invented by Willam Wuerthele ofPittsburgh, Pennsylvania,catching on inQuebec, Canada.

The ABC initially used bowling balls made ofLignum vitaehardwood from theCaribbean,which were eventually supplanted by the "Evertrue" rubber bowling ball, and theBrunswick"Mineralite" rubber ball[35]by 1905.[36]Columbia Industries,founded in 1960, was the first manufacturer to successfully use polyester resin ( "plastic" ) in bowling balls.[37]In 1980, urethane-shell bowling balls were introduced by Ebonite.

Rules for target bowls evolved separately in each of the other countries that adopted the predominantly British game. In 1905, the International Bowling Board was formed;[38]its constitution adopted the laws of the Scottish Bowling Association, with variations allowed at the individual country level.[39]

In September 1907, theVictorian Ladies' Bowling Associationwas founded inMelbourne, Victoria, Australia,becoming the world's first women's lawn bowling association.

In 1908, the now-oldest survivingbowling alleyfor the tenpin sport was opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the basement of theHoller Housetavern, containing the oldestsanctionedlanes in the United States.

In 1909, the first ten-pin bowling alley in Europe was installed in Sweden, but the game failed to catch on in the rest of Europe until after World War II. Meanwhile, ten-pin bowling caught on in Great Britain after hundreds of bowling lanes were installed on U.S. military bases during World War II.[9]

In 1913, the monthlyBowlers Journalwas founded in Chicago, Illinois, continuing to publish to the present day.

In late 1916, theWomen's International Bowling Congress(originally the Woman's National Bowling Association) was founded inSaint Louis, Missouri,merging with the United States Bowling Congress in 2005.

Side-by-sideduckpinandten-pinbowling lanes. The duckpin ball has no finger holes, whereas the ten-pin bowling balls of the day (photocirca1919) had only a single finger hole in addition to a thumb hole.

In 1920–1933Prohibitionin the U.S. caused bowling alleys to disassociate from saloons, turning bowling into a family game and encouraging women bowlers.[33]

On 2 October 1921, the annual Petersen Open Bowling Tournament (a.k.a. The Pete) was first held in Chicago, Illinois, becoming bowling's richest tournament of the day. In 1998, it was taken over by AMF.[40]

In 1926, the International Bowling Association (IBA) was formed by the United States, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, and Finland, holding four world championships by 1936.[9]

On 21 March 1934, the National Bowling Writers Association was founded inPeoria, Illinois,by four bowling journalists; it changed its name in 1953 to the Bowling Writers Association of America.[41]

In August 1939, the National Negro Bowling Association was founded inDetroit,Michigan, dropping Negro from the title in 1944 and opening membership to all races. It reached 30,000 members in 2007.[42]

In 1942, the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) held its first BPAA All-Star tournament.

In 1947, theAustralian Women's Bowling Councilwas founded. It held the first Australian women's national lawn bowling championship inSydneyin 1949, which was won by Mrs. R. Cranley ofQueensland.

On 18 April 1948, the Professional Women Bowling Writers (PWBW) was founded inDallas, Texas,admitting men in 1975. On 1 January 2007, it merged with the Bowling Writers Association of America.[43]

In 1950, following extensive lobbying by civil rights groups in the wake of the 1947 integration ofMajor League Baseball,the American Bowling Congress opened its membership to African Americans and other minorities.[44]The WIBC followed suit the following year.[42]

About 1950, the Golden Age of Ten-Pin Bowling began, in which professional bowlers made salaries rivaling those of baseball, football, and hockey players; this ended in the late 1970s.

In 1951, the firstABC Masterstournament was held, becoming one of the four majors by 2000.

In 1952, theFédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ)was founded inHamburg, West Germany,to coordinate international amateur competition in nine-pin and ten-pin bowling. In 1954, the first FIQ World Bowling Championships were held inHelsinki, Finland.In 1979, theInternational Olympic Committeerecognized it as the official world governing body for bowling. Its name changed to World Bowling in 2014 andInternational Bowling Federationin 2020.

In 1952,American Machine and Foundry(AMF) ofBrooklyn, New York,began marketing automaticPinsettermachines.[45]This eliminated the need for pinboys[45]and caused bowling to rocket in popularity, making the 1950s the Decade of the Bowler.

In 1954,Steve Nagy(1913–1966) became the first person to bowl a perfect 300 game on TV on NBC-TV's "Championship Bowling".[46][47]The PBA later named its sportsmanship award after him.

Dick Weber(1986)
Earl Anthony(1979)

In 1958, theProfessional Bowlers Association(PBA) was founded inAkron, Ohioby 33 prominent bowlers (includingDon Carter,Dick Weber,Dick Hoover,Buzz Fazio,Billy Welu,Carmen SalvinoandGlenn Allison) after they listened to a presentation by sports agentEddie Elias.The PBA eventually reached about 4,300 members in 14 countries worldwide. In 1975,Earl Anthonybecame the first PBA member with $100,000 yearly earnings, and the first to reach $1,000,000 total earnings in 1982. In 2000, it was purchased by former executives ofMicrosoft,who moved the PBA headquarters toSeattle, Washington.

On 28 November 1960, the firstPBA ChampionshipinMemphis, Tennesseewas won byDon Carter.It was renamed the PBA World Championship in 2002, and now awarded the Earl Anthony Trophy to the winner.

In 1960, theProfessional Women's Bowling Association(PWBA) was founded as the first professional women's bowling association; it went defunct in 2003.

In 1960, theNational Bowling League(NBL) was founded to compete with the PBA. It attracted name players such asBilly WeluandBuzz Fazio,but failed to sign top starDon Carter.The league's failure to get a TV contract caused it to fold following its first championship in 1962.

On 26 May 1961 theBritish Tenpin Bowling Association(BTBA) was formed. Their first General Secretary was Maurice Glazer.

On 27 January 1962,[48]ABC Televisionaired its firstSaturday afternoon broadcastof a PBA Tour event, the Empire State Open held at Redwood Lanes inAlbany, New York,[49]beginning a partnership between ABC and the PBA that lasted through 1997. The Saturday afternoon bowling telecasts garnered very good ratings through the early 1980s, until the cable television-fueled explosion of sports viewing choices caused ratings to decline.

In 1961, the U.S. NavySeabeesconstructed two lanes atMcMurdo Station,Antarctica. Stuffed penguin "pins" were used in the inauguration.[50]
The McMurdo lanes, among very few in the world to still have humanpinsetters,[51]were dismantled in 2009/2010 due to structural problems in the building.[50]

In 1962, the firstPBA Tournament of Championswas held; it became an annual event in 1965, and was sponsored byFirestone Tirefrom 1965 through 1993.

In 1962, the American Wheelchair Bowling Association (AWBA) was founded inLouisville, Kentucky,by Richard F. Carlson.[52]

On 28 June 1963, The first British made tenpin was by H Massil and sons who received the permit no.1 from theBritish Tenpin Bowling Association(BTBA)[53]

Between 3 and 10 November 1963, the Fifth FIQ World Bowling Championships inMexico City, Mexico,were attended by 132 men and 45 women (first time) from 19 nations. It featured the debut of Team USA, which won seven of the eight gold medals.[54]

On 25 November 1963,Sports Illustratedpublished the article "A Guy Named Smith Is Striking It Rich", revealing that PBA stars made more money than other professional sports stars, for "with more than $1 million in prizes to shoot for, the nation's top professional bowlers are rolling in money."[55]This was short-lived, however, for although the number of bowling alleys in the U.S. zoomed from 65,000 in 1957 to 160,000 in 1962, the U.S. bowling industry boom hit a brick wall in 1963. This was compensated, however, by a new boom in Europe and Japan, making 10-pin bowling an international sport.[56]

In 1964, "Mr. Bowling"Don Carterbecame the first athlete to sign a $1 million endorsement contract: a multi-year deal withEbonite International.

In 1964,Marion Ladewig,a nine-time winner of the Bowling Writers Association of America's Female Bowler of the Year Award, became the first Superior Performance inductee into the WIBC Hall of Fame.

In 1965, theAMF Bowling World Cupwas established by the FIQ.

On 27 January 1967, theJapan Professional Bowling Association(JPBA) was founded inTokyo, Japan.

In 1971, the BPAA All-Star tournament was renamed theBPAA U.S. Open,and officially became one of the PBA's major tournaments.

In 1978, National Negro Bowling Association pioneer J. Elmer Reed (1903–1983) became the first African-American to be inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame.[57]

On 16 December 1979, Willie Willis won the Brunswick National Resident Pro Tournament inCharlotte, North Carolina,becoming the first African-American bowling champion in the PBA in a non-touring event. In 1980, he became the first African-American in the Firestone Tournament of Champions, placing 13th.[58]

On 27 February 1982,Earl Anthonywon the Toledo Trust PBA National Championship, becoming the first bowler to reach $1 million in career earnings.

In 1982, the Young American Bowling Alliance was formed from a merger of the American Junior Bowling Congress, the Youth Bowling Association, and the collegiate divisions of the ABC and WIBC.[59]

In 1982, the1982 Commonwealth GamesinBrisbane, Australia,added women's bowls to the events.

Automatic lane oiling machines can be programmed to lay down oil patterns of different levels of difficulty. "Typical house shot"oil patterns enable higher scores than the more challenging"sport shots".

On 1 July 1982, former PBA proGlenn Allisonrolled the first900 series(three consecutive 300 games in a three-game set) to ever be submitted to the ABC for award consideration. The ABC, however, refused to certify the score, citing non-complying lane conditions.[60]

On 22 November 1986,George Branham III(born 1962) became the first African-American to win a PBA national touring event: the Brunswick Memorial World Open in Chicago, Illinois.

On 18 September 1988, the1988 Summer OlympicsinSeoul, South Korea,featured ten-pin bowling as a demonstration sport.

On 2 August 1991, inHavana, Cuba,tenpin bowling became an international medal-level sport for the first time at the1991 Pan American Games,andcontinues to this day.

In the 1992–1993 season, the ABC introducedresinbowling balls, causing perfect 300 scores to increase by 20%.[61]

In 1995, the firstBest Bowler ESPY Awardwas presented.

In 1995, theNational Bowling Stadiumopened inReno, Nevada,becoming known as the Taj Mahal of Tenpins.

On 2 February 1997, Jeremy Sonnenfeld (born 1975) bowled the first officially sanctioned 900 series of three straight perfect 300 games at Sun Valley Lanes inLincoln, Nebraska,becoming known as "Mr. 900".[62]

In 1998, theWorld Tenpin Masters10-pin bowling tournament was established.

In 2000, theWeber Cup,named afterDick Weber,was established as 10-pin bowling's equivalent to golf'sRyder Cup,with Team USA playing Team Europe in a three-day match.

In the 21st century[edit]

The two-handed delivery, first widely popularized byJason Belmontein the 2000s[63](shown: Zach Wilkins)
A different view of a two-handed delivery, showing increasedrev rateand resultant hook (shown:Kyle Troup)
The number of sanctionedperfect (300) gamesper league bowler has increased substantially since the 1990s. Freeman and Hatfield posit that the increase in perfect games is due to factors such as the introduction of reactive resin coverstocks, asymmetric ball cores, synthetic lane surfaces, and precision lane oiling machines.

On 31 March 2004, Missy Bellinder (born 1981) (later changing her name to Parkin) became the first female member of the PBA.[64]The PBA had opened up its membership to women following the 2003 demise of the PWBA. One year later,Liz Johnsonbecame the first woman to make the televised final round of a PBA Tour event.[65]

In 2004, the Brunswick Euro Challenge was founded for amateur and pro 10-pin bowling players from Europe, Asia, and the U.S.[66]

On 24 January 2010,Kelly Kulick(born 1977) became the first woman to win the PBA Tournament of Champions and the first woman to win a PBA national tour event.[67]

In November 2012, after league bowling dropped from 80% to 20% of their business,AMF Bowling CentersofRichmond, Virginiafiled forChapter 11 bankruptcyfor the second time (first in 2001), merging in 2013 with upscale New York-based bowling center operatorBowlmor(which did not support league bowling) in an attempt to turn league bowling around, growing from 276 centers in 2013 to 315 in 2015.

In 2013, the PBA League was founded, composed of eight permanent five-person teams, with an annual draft.[68]

In 2015, the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) was revived after a 12-year hiatus.[69]

Equipment[edit]

Ball[edit]

Bowling balls with cores exposed, as displayed in theInternational Bowling Museum
Main article:Bowling ball

Bowling balls vary, depending on the type of bowling. Ten-pin balls are about 8.59 inches (21.8 cm) in diameter, typically have three holes, and weigh from 6 to 16 lb (2.7 to 7.3 kg). The size and spacing of the finger holes on non-customized balls are generally smaller on lighter balls to accommodate smaller hands. Modern resin covers (surfaces) available since the early 1990s enhance a ball's hook (curve) potential, and the shape of the balls' cores (pictured) permit fine-tuning of desired ball paths. In contrast, traditional plastic balls are suitable for straighter shots. Duckpin and candlepin balls fit in the palm of the hand, and have no holes.

Pins[edit]

Ten-pin bowling pins shown at different stages of manufacture
Main article:Bowling pin

Bowling pins are the target of the bowling ball inpin bowling variations.The size and shape of pins vary but are generally cylindrical and widens where the ball strikes the pin. Ten-pin bowling pins are the largest and heaviest, weighing 3 lb 6 oz (1.5 kg). Duckpins are shorter and squatter than standard tenpins and candlepins are the tallest at15+3⁄4in (40 cm), but only2+15⁄16in (7.5 cm) wide and 2 lb 8 oz (1.1 kg) in weight.

Bowling pins are constructed by gluing blocks of rockmaplewood into the approximate shape, and then turning on alathe.After the lathe shapes the pin, it is coated with aplasticmaterial, painted, and covered with a glossy finish. Because of the scarcity of suitable wood, bowling pins can be made from approved synthetics. Currently there are synthetic pins sanctioned for play in five-pin, duckpin, and candlepin. There is one synthetic ten-pin model approved by the USBC. When hit by the ball, synthetic pins usually sound different from wooden pins.

TheUSBCindicated that, effective August 1, 2023, it is certifying string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition separate from conventional free-fallpinsetters.[70]USBC lab data indicated strike percentage on string pin bowling is 7.1% lower, causing the USBC to plan additional testing to determine whether a scoring conversion should be created between the categories.[70]String pinsetters are less expensive and easier to maintain, motivating bowling centers to phase them in.[71]

Shoes[edit]

Bowling centers maintain bowling shoes for rental to patrons, to prevent damage to lane approaches.

The sole of the non-sliding shoe is generally made of rubber for traction, while the sole of the sliding shoe is made of a smooth material allowing a smooth slide into the release. Bowling shoes can be bought, and may be rented from bowling centers. Wet or dirty soles may not slide properly and could damage the approach surface.[72]

Scoring[edit]

Further information:Ten-pin bowling § Pins and scoring

A standard game of ten-pin bowling consists of 10 frames, with a maximum of two rolls in each of the first nine frames and three in the tenth. A strike occurs when the bowler knocks down all 10 pins on the first roll; if this occurs in any of the first nine frames, the frame ends immediately without a second roll being taken. A spare occurs if the bowler leaves any pins standing after the first roll, then knocks them all down on the second. In any given frame, the bowler scores one point for every pin knocked down; a spare or strike awards one extra point for each pin knocked down on the next one or two rolls, respectively.[73]In the tenth frame, the bowler gets one extra roll for making a spare, or two for a strike. The highest possible score for a single game is 300, achieved by rolling 12 consecutive strikes (a "perfect game" ).

Accessibility[edit]

Technological innovation has made bowling accessible to members of the disabled community.

  • The IKAN Bowler, a device designed by aquadriplegicengineer named Bill Miller, attaches to a wheelchair and allows the user to control the speed, direction, and timing of the ten-pin bowling ball's release. The name comes from the Greek workikano,which means "capable" or "enable".[74]
  • Forbowlsthe sport has introduced a number of innovations to enable people with a disability to participate at all levels of the sport, from social through to Olympic standards:
    • The use ofbowling armsandliftersenables bowlers to deliver a bowl minimising the amount of movement required
    • Wheelchair and green manufacturers have produced modified wheel tyres and ramps to enable wheelchair athletes to access bowls greens
    • Modified conditions of play as outlined inDisability classification in lawn bowls

In popular culture[edit]

With notable individuals[edit]

U.S. Presidents[edit]

The single bowling lane under the White House's north portico after extensive renovation, 2019
The two-lane Truman Bowling Alley in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, 2018
Richard Nixon bowling in what was then the Old Executive Office Building, 1971
  • In 1948, two bowling lanes were installed in the ground floor of theWest Wingof the U.S. presidential residence, theWhite House,as a birthday gift for then-PresidentHarry S. Truman.[75]The lanes were moved to the Old Executive Office Building (now theEisenhower Executive Office Building) in 1955, for the benefit of White House employees;[76]its old location became amimeographroom, and, much later, theWhite House Situation Room.[75]On 9 July 2014, theGeneral Services Administrationpublished, then quickly withdrew, a solicitation for bids to replace the Truman bowling lanes, which were deemed "irreparable" for not having had "any professional, industry standard maintenance, modifications, repairs or attention" for fifteen years.[76][77]
  • In 1969, friends of then-PresidentRichard M. Nixon,who was said to be an avid bowler, had a one-lane alley built in an underground space below the building's North Portico.[75]The one-lane bowling alley underwent major renovations in 1994, and again in 2019.[78]

Paintings[edit]

  • Apainting (shown above)that dates from around 1810 shows British bowlers in Ipswich, England, playing the sport outdoors in the earliest known pictorial depiction of "ten-pin bowling" of any type, chronologically before ten-pin bowling was clearly documented in the United States.[17]
  • On 28 January 1950, the paintingBowling Strikeby George Hughes (1907–1989)[79]appeared on the cover of theSaturday Evening Post.[80]
  • In 1982, American expressionist painterLeRoy Neimanproduced a famous painting of PBA starEarl Anthony's million dollar strike.[81]

Informal usage[edit]

  • Children afraid of thunderstorms are told that thunder is God bowling.[82]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Notes

  1. ^Crystal-Mark (2010).Laws of the Sport of Bowls.World Bowls Ltd. p. 9.
  2. ^"Niagara Falls Bowling Association".Archived fromthe originalon 2 January 2016.Retrieved24 January2016.
  3. ^Hawkins, Mike (bowling columnist) (18 September 2018)."The sport of bowling – more than 10 pins and two rolls".The Daily Advance.Archivedfrom the original on 8 May 2019.
  4. ^abPetrie, William Matthew Flinders;Quibell, James Edward(1896). "VII. Games".Naqada and Ballas, 1895.London: B. Quaritch. p.35.Cornell University Library. (archeologist's drawing)
  5. ^"Bowling History – Origin of Bowling".Retrieved24 January2016.
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Further reading[edit]

  • Allen, George, and Dick Ritger.The Complete Guide to Bowling Principles: The Encyclopedia of Principles(Tempe Publishers, 1982)
  • Dulles, Foster Rhea.A History of Recreation: America Learns to Play(2nd ed. 1965)online
  • Grasso, John, and Eric R. Hartman.Historical dictionary of bowling(Rowman & Littlefield, 2014)online.
  • Hurley, Andrew.Diners, Bowling Alleys, and Trailer Parks: Chasing the American Dream in Postwar Consumer Culture(Basic Books, 2001)
  • Jackson, Emma. "Bowling together? Practices of belonging and becoming in a London ten-pin bowling league."Sociology54.3 (2020): 518-533.
  • Miller, Mark.Bowling(Bloomsbury, 2013)online.
  • Perris, Jeff.All about Bowls: The History, Construction and Maintenance of Bowling Greens(STRI, 2008)online.
  • Pritchard, Tony T., and Starla J. McCollum. "Bowling for a lifetime using sport education."Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance79.3 (2008): 17-23.
  • Putnam, Robert D.Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community(Simon & Schuster, 2000)
  • Randall, Carol.Spares & Strikes: History of Candlepin Bowling in New Brunswick(1996) in Canada
  • Schmidt, Doug.They Came to Bowl: How Milwaukee Became America's Tenpin Capital(Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2007)
  • Thomas, Patrick R., Paul J. Schlinker, and Ray Over. "Psychological and psychomotor skills associated with prowess at ten‐pin bowling."Journal of sports sciences14.3 (1996): 255-268.
  • Verfurth, Emily.Strikes, spares, and gutter balls: A history of Women’s bowling in twentieth century American.(PhD dissertation, Texas Tech U. 2012)online

External links[edit]

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