| Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport | | | | many of those countries' best players |
| and recreation in which a player (the | | | | participate in tournaments on both the |
| "bowler") rolls a bowling ball down a | | | | national and international stage. |
| wooden or "synthetic" (polyurethane) | | | | Because of the rise in popularity, many |
| "lane" with the objective of scoring | | | | companies are now making bowling balls |
| points by knocking down as many pins as | | | | and apparel for professionals as well as |
| possible. | | | | for recreational bowlers. Bowling has |
| The 41.5-inch wide, 60-foot long lane is | | | | also become more prevalent in the media |
| bordered along its length by "gutters" - | | | | in recent years, with the continued |
| semicircular channels designed to | | | | popularity of bowling publications and |
| collect errant balls which also pose an | | | | the appearance of films centered around |
| obstacle to advanced bowlers, because a | | | | the culture of the sport. However, the |
| straight ball cannot be rolled on a | | | | sport continues to face challenges in |
| regulation lane at the angle required to | | | | garnering mainstream coverage of the |
| consistently "carry" (knock down) all | | | | athletic aspects of the game. |
| ten pins for a strike. Most skillful | | | | History |
| bowlers will roll a more | | | | Origins |
| difficult-to-control "hook" ball to | | | | In 1930, British anthropologist Sir |
| overcome this. There is a "foul line" at | | | | Flinders Petrie along with a team of |
| the end of the lane nearest to the | | | | archaeologists, discovered various |
| bowler: if any part of a bowler's body | | | | primitive bowling balls, bowling pins |
| touches the lane side of this line after | | | | and other materials in the grave of an |
| the ball is "delivered" (rolled), it is | | | | Egyptian boy dating to 5200 BC. Their |
| called a "foul" and no pins knocked over | | | | discovery represents the earliest known |
| by that delivery are scored (The bowler | | | | historical trace of bowling. However, |
| is allowed a shot at a new "rack" of ten | | | | some dismiss these findings[citation |
| pins if he fouled on the first roll of a | | | | needed], arguing that bowling originated |
| frame.). Behind the foul line is an | | | | in Germany in 300 A.D. The first written |
| "approach" approximately 15 feet long | | | | reference to bowling dates to 1366, when |
| used to gain speed and leverage on the | | | | King Edward III of England banned his |
| ball before delivering it. 60 feet from | | | | troops from playing the game so that |
| the foul line, where the lane | | | | they would not be distracted from their |
| terminates, it is joined to a roughly | | | | archery practice. It is believed that |
| 24-inch long, 41.5-inch wide surface of | | | | King Henry VIII bowled using cannon |
| durable and impact-resistant material | | | | balls. In Germany the game of Kegal |
| called the "pin deck" where each rack of | | | | (Kegelspiel) expanded. The Kegal game |
| pins is set. | | | | grew in Germany and around other parts |
| The bowler is allowed ten frames in | | | | of Europe with Keglars rolling balls at |
| which to knock down pins, with each | | | | nine pins, or "skittles". |
| frame being composed of up to two rolls. | | | | Ninepin bowling was introduced to |
| The tenth frame may be composed of up to | | | | America from Europe during the colonial |
| three rolls: the bonus roll(s) following | | | | era, similar to the game of skittles. It |
| a strike or spare in the tenth | | | | became very popular and was called "Bowl |
| (sometimes referred to as the "eleventh" | | | | on the Green". The Dutch, English, and |
| and "twelfth" frames) are "fill balls" | | | | Germans all brought their own versions |
| used only to calculate the score of the | | | | of the game to the new world, where it |
| mark rolled in the tenth. Bowling has a | | | | enjoyed continued popularity, although |
| unique scoring system (see below) that | | | | not without some controversy. In 1841 a |
| is notoriously confusing to newcomers | | | | law in Connecticut banned ninepin |
| who attempt to score a game with | | | | bowling lanes due to associated gambling |
| multiple "marks" (strikes and spares). | | | | and crime, and people were said to |
| Bowling scores tend to be unintuitive: | | | | circumvent the letter of the prohibition |
| if a bowler was to knock down 9 pins | | | | by adding an extra pin, resulting in the |
| with his first shot but miss his spare | | | | game of ten pin bowling. |
| every frame, he would have a score of | | | | Modern American ten-pin bowling is most |
| 90; if the same bowler were to make all | | | | closely related to the German game |
| of his spares and knock down 9 with the | | | | Kegelspiel. Germans were instrumental in |
| bonus ball, he would have a score of | | | | fostering the game's popularity as they |
| 190. If he were to carry all ten pins | | | | formed their own bowling clubs both |
| with each shot and strike with each of | | | | before and after the American Civil War. |
| his bonus balls in the tenth frame, he | | | | The first indoor bowling alley was |
| would have shot a "perfect game" of 300. | | | | Knickerbockers of New York City, built |
| Since being brought to the United States | | | | in 1840. The Brunswick Corporation's |
| from Europe, ten-pin bowling (thought to | | | | addition of bowling equipment to their |
| be descended from the game of skittles) | | | | product line also served to increase the |
| has risen in popularity as its | | | | sport's popularity. In 1914 Brunswick |
| technology has improved. The sport is | | | | replaced their line of wooden bowling |
| most popular in the United Kingdom and | | | | balls with hard rubber Mineralite |
| the United States. Both nations maintain | | | | bowling ball. The change was met with |
| national regulatory organizations that | | | | great approval. |
| govern the sport's rules and conduct and | | | | |