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Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player, called a bowler, attempts to knock down as many pins as possible, thereby scoring points, by rolling a ball along a pathway called a "lane." The lane is bordered by gutters along both sides which serve to collect errant balls which would not knock down any pins. The bowler is allowed ten frames in which to knock down pins, with each frame being composed of up to two rolls.

Since being brought to the United States from Europe, bowling has risen in popularity as its technology has improved. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and the United States where it is the leading pastime, enjoying the highest participation rate of any sport in both countries. Both nations maintain national regulatory organizations that govern the sport's rules and conduct and many of those countries' best players participate in tournaments on both the national and international stage. Because of the rise in popularity, many companies are now making bowling balls and apparel for professionals as well as for recreational bowlers. Bowling has also become more prevalent in the media in recent years, with the continued popularity of bowling publications and the appearance of films centered around the culture of the sport. However, the sport continues to face challenges in garnering mainstream coverage of the athletic aspects of the game.

History

Origins

In 1930, British anthropologist Sir Flinders Petrie along with a team of archaeologists, discovered various primitive bowling balls, bowling pins and other materials in the grave of an Egyptian boy dating to 5200 BC. Their discovery represents the earliest known historical trace of bowling. However, some dismiss these findings , arguing that bowling originated in Germany in 300 A.D. The first written reference to bowling dates to 1366, when King Edward III of England banned his troops from playing the game so that they would not be distracted from their archery practice. It is believed that King Henry VIII bowled using cannon balls. In Germany the game of Kegal (Kegelspiel) expanded. The Kegal game grew in Germany and around other parts of Europe with Keglars rolling balls at nine pins, or "skittles".

Ninepin bowling was introduced to America from Europe during the colonial era, similar to the game of skittles. It became very popular and was called "Bowl on the Green". The Dutch, English, and Germans all brought their own versions of the game to the new world, where it enjoyed continued popularity, although not without some controversy. In 1841 a law in Connecticut banned ninepin bowling lanes due to associated gambling and crime, and people were said to circumvent the letter of the prohibition by adding an extra pin, resulting in the game of ten pin bowling.

Modern American ten-pin bowling is most closely related to the German game Kegelspiel. Germans were instrumental in fostering the game's popularity as they formed their own bowling clubs both before and after the American Civil War. The first indoor bowling alley was Knickerbockers of New York City, built in 1840. The Brunswick Corporation's addition of bowling equipment to their product line also served to increase the sport's popularity. In 1914 Brunswick replaced their line of wooden bowling balls with hard rubber Mineralite bowling ball. The change was met with great approval.

Organization and increased popularity

Bowling has long been seen as a sport of the working classes. Accordingly, most bowling alleys at the turn of the century were small, private establishments, mainly frequented by men. This began to change as the sport became increasingly regulated and generally gained in prestige. Although it has not shed its working class image entirely, today bowling is not only a unisex sport, but it is also enjoyed by families the world over. In 1895 the American Bowling Congress was started in New York City. This was soon joined by similar organizations geared toward female bowlers. These groups began creating the standard rules for bowling that have survived to the modern day. At the same time, the sport's image among the upper classes was enhanced by the opening of more luxurious and elegant lanes like The White Elephant in New York City, opened by restaurateur Joe Thum, whom many consider to be the father of bowling, along with Dick Weber. Thum created the first bowling organization in the United States on September 9, 1895, when he pulled together representatives of various regional bowling clubs into an overarching organization, the American Bowling Congress (ABC). This spurred greater interest in the game, with the number of officially sanctioned lanes rising from 450 in 1920 to 2,000 in 1929.

1940 to 1960

The period from 1940 to 1960 is known as the golden age of bowling due to the sport's great popularity and advances in its play. Indeed, by 1945, bowling was a billion dollar industry. Promotion by the U.S. Armed Forces and its image as a sport for the common man made bowling an enticing choice of activity for Americans. For this reason, racial integration was perhaps inevitable. The American Bowling Congress had been a whites-only organization throughout its existence, but lobbying by numerous labor organizations and individuals after the war quickly led to a reversal of this policy.

This era also saw a great increase in bowling technology. Pins had previously been set by "pin boys", but with the invention of the semi automatic pinsetter in 1936, the process became much easier. In 1946 AMF Bowling launched the first commercial fully automatic pinspotter to replace the earlier Brunswick semi automatic and fully manual bowling establishments. Brunswick itself introduced its own automatic pinspotter design to bowling centers in 1955. The television age of the 1950s also helped to increase the popularity of ten pin bowling, as the sport began to enter the homes of millions across the country. Eddie Elias founded the Professional Bowlers Association in 1958, and its Pro Bowlers Tour became a permanent part of ABC's sports lineup.

1960 to the present

Ten-pin bowling was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1960. This was driven by the opening of the Stamford Hill and Golders Green bowling alleys in London. Ten-pin bowling took the UK by storm, with alleys opening up one after the other. At its peak there were over one hundred and sixty bowling alleys in the UK, but a lack of re-investment and waning interest left the fad in a sorry state. This led to a general deterioration of bowling alleys, with a commensurate decline in their image. In the 1970's a major chain operator pulled out of bowling and converted many of the more luxurious alleys into Bingo halls. The industry nearly collapsed, with two thirds of the exisitng alleys closing over the next few years.

Until the mid 1980's there was little, if any, new investment in the sport with the decline in interest being attributed to the complex scoring system, especially as it was a manual process then. However, this all changed with the introduction of computers and automated electronic scoring systems. This meant that the general public only had to enter their names into the computers and everything else was done automatically. This changed the face of bowling in the UK and was largely responsible for the new found interest in the sport.

AMF carried this revitalization of the sport by embarking on a major refurbishment programme. This re-investment led to the construction of many bright, modern and attractive sites and began the second golden age of bowling. During the late 1980's and early 1990's the number of ten-pin bowling alleys across the country rose to over two hundred. This was higher than it had ever been in the sixties, then the peak of the sport's popularity.

Today, over 100 million bowlers play in over 90 different countries. More men and women worldwide play bowling than any other sport, with the possible exception of football (soccer in the USA). Bowling has far more registered dues-paying participants than any other sport. The bowling industry spends significantly more money each year than any other sport on airlines, restaurants, hotels and rental cars. There is an active movement to make bowling an Olympic sport, especially by the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs, the world governing organization for nine and ten-pin bowling. The best players regularly play in televised tournaments, and new bowlers continue to delight in learning the game. . In addition, modern bowling alleys have changed greatly. As people have become exposed to a wider range of entertainment options, the trend has shifted to building large entertainment centers that allow people to enjoy many different activities. These developments often include multi-screen cinemas, restaurants and night clubs. This has had a great impact on the image of the sport among families.

Play

A game of ten-pin bowling is divided into ten rounds (called "frames"). In a frame, each player is given two opportunities to knock down the skittle targets (called "pins"). He or she rolls the first ball at the pins. If the first ball knocks down all ten pins, it is called a "strike" and the frame is completed. When pins are left standing after the first ball, those that are knocked down are counted and then removed. Then the player rolls a second ball and if the remaining pins are knocked down, it is called a "spare." There are bonuses for removing all the pins. If there is more than one player scheduled on a lane, play passes to the next player until all players have completed the frame. Then play continues with the next frame. The final or tenth frame of a game may involve three balls. See Scoring below.

The ten pins are usually automatically set by machine into four rows which form an equilateral triangle where there are four pins on a side (Pythagorean Tetractys). There are four pins in the back row, then three, then two, and finally one in the front at the center of the lane. The pins are numbered one through ten, starting with one in front, and ending with ten in the back to the right. This serves to ease communication; one could say that the 4 and 7 pins were left standing. Neighboring pins are set up 12 inches apart, measured from center to center. Due to the spacing of the pins and the size of the ball (about 8.6 inches in diameter), it is impossible for the ball to contact every pin. Therefore, a tactical shot is required, which would result in a chain reaction of pin hitting pin. In an ideal shot, for a right-hander, the ball will contact only the 1, 3, 5 and 9 pins. (For a left-hander, the 1, 2, 5 and 8 pins).

In order to count, a pin must be knocked over entirely. In unlucky circumstances, a pin may wobble furiously, yet come to rest upright, thus not being scored. Alternatively, the pin may wobble furiously and the automatic pin machine picks up the pin as it wobbles. Again, it is not scored.

There are generally two primary styles of rolling the ball down the lane. Most newer players play by rolling the ball straight, hopefully into the 1-3 pocket for right-handed bowlers or the 1-2 pocket for left-handed bowlers. More experienced bowlers usually roll a hook, which means that they make the ball start out straight and then curve towards the pocket. To produce a hook the player needs to let go of the ball with his thumb first, then the middle and ring finger release almost simultaneously. This gives the bowling ball its spin needed for the hook. If the player is right-handed, an ideal position of the thumb after letting go of the ball is "10 o'clock", meaning that the thumb has gone from 12 to 10, as looking at a clock. The corresponding position for left-handed players is 2 o'clock. Of course there are innumerable variations in style and technique and the position of the thumb can vary from person to person. Lab research has shown that the ideal shot will enter the pocket at an angle of 6 degrees with respect to the lane boards, which means that a straight ball should be thrown from the side of the lane, near the gutter.

The conventional bowling styles use either a four or five step approach beginning 8 to 16 feet behind the foul line. Some extremely young or physically challenged players may use both hands to swing the ball forward from in between their legs. This kind of style has the bowler start close to the foul line, and is called "Granny style". Another method for novice bowlers is the "bounce pass" technique which is preformed by thrusting the ball from your chest with two hands towards the pins. This technique is easily picked up by weaker players but is seldom used because it is frowned upon by the bowling community.

There are systematic ways of using the lane arrow marks and approach dots to make it easier to hit the pocket to get strikes, and for making spares. Focusing on these targeting guides helps eliminate fear of the gutters.

Rules and regulations

The regulations listed here are generally based around regulations set by the United States Bowling Congress and the British Tenpin Bowling Association . These rules are followed by all sanctioned leagues and events, such as tournaments.

This information is clarified by the World Tenpin Bowling Association in it's 'Statutes & Playing Rules'

Playing area

The sport of ten-pin bowling is performed on a straight, narrow surface known as a lane. This bowling lane is 60 feet (18.28 metres) from the foul line to the head pin (1-pin). About fifteen feet (4.57 metres) from the foul line are a set of guide arrows. The lane is 3.5 feet (1.07 m) wide and normally consists of 39 wooden boards or a synthetic material. The bowling lane has two sets of approach dots; from the foul line back to the first set of approach dots is about 12 feet (3.65 metres) and to the second set of approach dots is about 15 feet (4.57 m) (an additional 3 feet/0.91 m).

Equipment

Pins

USBC rules specify that a pin must be 15 inches (38.1 cm) tall and about 4.7 inches (11.4 cm) wide at the "belly" of the pin, where a rolling ball would make contact. There are additional measurements which delineate the shape. The weight of a single pin must be at least 3 pounds, 4 ounces (1.47 kg) and no more than 3 pounds, 10 ounces (1.64 kg). Within a set of ten pins, the individual weights may vary by no more than 4 ounces (113.4 g), if made from wood or plastic cloated, or just 2 ounces (56.7 g) if synthetic. The top of the pin shall have a uniform arc with a radius of 1.273 inches, plus/minus 1/32 inch (31.5 – 33 mm).

The pins must show the name and mark of the maker, either "USBC Approved", "WIBC Approved", or "BTBA Approved" and appear uniform.

Bowling ball

For competition bowling, a ball must be made of a completely solid material and its weight must be distributed evenly. The circumference of the ball must not be more than 2.25 feet (0.686 m), and the ball cannot weigh more than 16 pounds (7.26 kg). The ball must have a smooth surface over its entire circumference except for holes or indentations used for gripping the ball, holes or indentations made to bring the ball back into compliance with weight-distribution regulations, identification letters and numbers, and general wear from normal use.

For much of the history of bowling, bowling balls were made using a three piece construction method. Starting in the mid-1990's, however, most manufacturers switched to a two-piece method. In response to these innovative ball designs, the American Bowling Congress placed further restrictions on the technical characteristics of the ball such as the radius of gyration and hooking potential.

Rules of play

A game of bowling consists of ten frames. In each frame, the bowler will have two chances to knock down as many pins as possible with their bowling ball. In games with more than one bowler, as is common, every bowler will take their frame in a predetermined order before the next frame begins. If a bowler is able to knock down all ten pins with their first ball, he or she is awarded a strike. If the bowler is able to knock down all 10 pins with the two balls of a frame, it is known as a spare. Bonus points are awarded for both of these, depending on what you score in the next 2 balls (for a strike) or 1 ball (for a spare). This allows for a potential of 12 strikes in a single game, and a maximum score of 300 points, a perfect game.

The recent wave of high scoring in the USA including more than 7 sanctioned perfect 900 series (300+300+300) in the last 10 years has led to a motion being put forward at the 2006 USBC convention (to be held during April in Florida) to increase the number of frames to 12 resulting in a perfect game in the future consisting of 14 strikes for a score of 360. However it is not felt that this motion will get the support needed due to the opposition of the computer scoring manufacturers who wouldn't be able to fit all 14 strikes on the screen.

Scoring

In general, one point is scored for each pin that is knocked over. So if a player bowls over three pins with the first shot, then six with the second, the player would receive a total of nine points for that frame. If a player knocks down 9 pins with the first shot, but misses with the second, the player would also score nine. When a player fails to knock down all ten pins after their second ball it is known as an open frame.

In the event that all ten pins are knocked over by a player in a single frame, bonuses are awarded.

  • Strike: When all ten pins are knocked down with the first ball (called a strike), a player is awarded ten points, plus a bonus of whatever is scored with the next two balls. In this way, the points scored for the two balls after the strike are counted twice.
Example:
Frame 1, ball 1: 10 pins (strike)
Frame 2, ball 1: 3 pins
Frame 2, ball 2: 6 pins
The total score from these throws is: 10 + (3+6) + 3 + 6 = 28
Two consecutive strikes are referred to as a "double." Three strikes bowled consecutively are known as a "turkey." Any longer string of strikes is referred to by a number affixed to the word "bagger," as in "four-bagger" or "five-bagger" for four or five consecutive strikes, respectively. Six strikes in a row are sometimes referred to as a "six pack."

A player who scores multiple strikes in succession would score like so:
Frame 1, ball 1: 10 pins (strike)
Frame 2, ball 1: 10 pins (strike)
Frame 3, ball 1: 4 pins
Frame 3, ball 2: 2 pins
The score from these throws is:
  • Frame one... 10 + (10 + 4)= 24
  • Frame two... 10 + (4 + 2) = 16
  • Frame three... 4 + 2 = 6
TOTAL = 46

The most points that can be scored in a single frame is 30 points (10 for the original strike, plus strikes in the two subsequent frames).

A player who bowls a strike in the tenth (final) frame is awarded two extra balls so as to allow the awarding of bonus points. If both these balls also result in strikes, a total of 30 points (10 + 10 + 10) is awarded for the frame. These bonus points do not count on their own, however. They only count as the bonus for the strike.
  • Spare: A "spare" is awarded when no pins are left standing after the second ball of a frame; i.e., a player uses both balls of a frame to clear all ten pins. A player achieving a spare is awarded ten points, plus a bonus of whatever is scored with the next ball (only the first ball is counted).
Example:
Frame 1, ball 1: 7 pins
Frame 1, ball 2: 3 pins (spare)
Frame 2, ball 1: 4 pins
Frame 2, ball 2: 2 pins
The total score from these throws is: 7 + 3 + 4(bonus) + 4 + 2 = 20

A player who bowls a spare in the tenth (final) frame is awarded one extra ball to allow for the bonus points.

Correctly calculating bonus points can be difficult, especially when combinations of strikes and spares come in successive frames. In modern times, however, this has been overcome with automated scoring systems, linked to the machines that set and clear the pins between frames. A computer automatically counts pins that remain standing, and fills in a virtual score sheet (usually displayed on monitors above each lane). However, even the automated system is not fool-proof, as the computer can miscount the number of pins that remain standing.

The maximum score in a game of ten-pin is 300. On Feb. 2, 1997, University of Nebraska sophomore Jeremy Sonnenfeld became the first person ever to roll three perfect games of 300 in a three-game series (as approved by the American Bowling Congress). This has only been achieved a handful of times since. The odds of bowling a perfect game or series depend on the condition of the lanes and the skill of the bowler. It is not something that is easily accomplished.

In Britain, the youngest ever bowler to achieve a perfect single game score of 300 (12 consecutive strikes), in a sanctioned competition is 12 year, 2 months and 10 days old Elliot John Crosby, at AMF Purley in South London, England in the Surrey Country trials on January 7th 2006. Crosby beat the previous British 300 shooter record holder Rhys Parfitt by more than a year. Parfitt was 13 years, 4 months when he achieved a 300 point game at the London international tenpin bowling tournament in 1994. In the United States, the youngest ever bowler to achieve this in a sanctioned competition is Japanese 10 year, 3 months and 16 day old Michael Tang. He achieved this competing in the Daly City All Stars Scratch Trios League at the Sea Bowl in Pacifica, California on March 11th 2006. Tang was 3 months younger than the previous record-holder, Josey LaRocco of Louisville, Kentucky, who scored his 300 game on February 14th, 1998.

World tournaments

Major world tournaments

The "Weber Cup" is the Ten-pin Bowling equivalent of Golf's Ryder Cup. The Weber Cup is the world famous major world tournament of Team Europe vs. Team USA bowling championships that happens annually. Other major world-famous bowling tournaments include the World Tenpin Masters and the Qubica/AMF World Cup.

All of the three world major bowling tours above are televised on Sky Sports by Matchroom Sport who have established a tried and tested formula to highlight televised bowling at its best. All three events are also presented by broadcaster and journalists, Nick Halling and Cass Edwards.

There is also the infuential European Tenpin Bowling Federation, which has the prestigious European Bowling Tour - and under that the PTBC Storm English Open.

Among the leading world tournaments is the Professional Bowlers Association PBA Tour. This tour has four major championship events: the PBA U.S. Open, USBC Masters (known as the ABC Masters prior to 2005), the PBA Tournament of Champions and the PBA World Championship. Although PBA headquarters are based in the USA, the PBA has members from all over the world whom also compete in all of it's events. The PBA tour is televised in America and certain parts of the world by ESPN and ABC.

Along with increased coverage in recent years, these tours have become more profitable for bowlers. Earl Anthony, who bowled left-handed, became the first bowler to earn more than $100,000 in a single season when he finished the 1975 PBA Tour schedule with $107,585. He broke the $1 million mark in career earnings in 1982. Norm Duke is the youngest person to win a PBA Tour tournament. He won the 1983 Cleveland Open at age 18. The youngest person to bowl a PBA event is 15-year-old Jack Perry of Ontario, Canada, who rolled in the 2004 PBA World Championship.

The USBC (United States Bowling Congress) has two major championship events: the USBC Open Championships and the Women's Championships and the USBC Masters (known as the ABC Masters prior to 2005).

There is also the Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championships.

World Ranking Masters

Ten-pin bowling has an international ranking system, as with professional Tennis. This ten-pin equivalent is known as the World Ranking Masters and is made of three vast tours: the European, Americas and Asian bowling tours.

Minor world tournaments

Other minor tournaments, although major in their respective countries, include Britain's prestigious BTBA Nationals (BTBA National Championships), the Brunswick Ballmaster Open, Brunswick Euro Challenge in Greece, ETBF European Youth Championships and the European Gold Cup. The World's premier amateur event is the FIQ World Championships (Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs) which is held once every two years.

League Play

Traditionally, a major form of organized bowling has been through league competition. Leagues are typically groups of teams that compete with one another over the course of a 33 to 36 week season. The league season traditionally begins at the end of the summer and ends in the spring.

In most leagues, teams of individuals bowl three games (called a "series") each. A typical league will schedule two teams to compete against one another each week. Usually the winner of each game is decided by adding up the scores of all teammates. Leagues typically decide standings by awarding a certain number of points for each team game win. Additionally, points are usually awarded for total pincount for each team over the course of all three games (commonly referred to as "total wood"). Throughout the course of a season, each team will usually face all of the other teams in competition.

Leagues can have various formats. While most leagues are mixed leagues, containing both men and women, men's and women's leagues are still common, along with junior leagues for young bowlers. There are also different types of competition. Scratch leagues are those in which the actual pin count determines the winner. Most leagues are not scratch, but handicap leagues. In handicap leagues, the scores are a combination of the actual pins knocked down, plus addition of a handicap value, to give teams with lower averages a chance to compete against teams that have higher averaged bowlers. The handicap system provides a means to compare scores across the whole league. The best leagues setup their rules, so that every team has benefit of handicap for every game bowled, every league session, for their whole schedule. Every league determines their own basis for the handicap. They can select a team average basis or an individual average basis. The basis is set at a value higher than the highest average in the league, including an allowance for average improvement over the league's schedule. (Note: Some leagues use an inferior handicap system, that only allows comparison of scores between 2 teams that are scheduled to compete against each other, on one particular date. Instead of using the same basis value for every team, that system uses the average difference between just those 2 teams. The resultant handicap is given to the lower average team, while the higher average team opponent receives no handicap. The inferior system only covers points won for game or series. As there is no common basis, it does not allow comparison of scores across the whole league and therefore is counter-productive for all teams in the league.) The ability to compete for "league high score honors" would normally help to keep all teams involved in all of the competiton aspects, points won and league high scores. A properly organized league can provide many opportunities for recognition of both personal and team accomplishments.

Currently, over three million people compete in bowling leagues. At its peak in the late 1970s, over nine million men and women competed in leagues throughout the United States.

Governing bodies

In ten-pin bowling there are two major world players who govern the sport and have predominant influence over its rules. These two central bodies are based in the United Kingdom and the United States, but their influence and ascendent ruling are highly respected globally and are projected world-wide. Additionally, there is the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) who govern the sport of tenpin bowling throughout the world of which is divided in three zones; the American Zone, Asian Zone and European Zone.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, ten-pin bowling is sanctioned and governed by the BTBA (British Tenpin Bowling Association). The BTBA is devoted to the interest of the game itself and is a credit to bowling throughout the world and like the US equivalent it ensures the integrity and protection of the future of the sport, providing programs and services and enhancing the bowling experience. The NAYBC (National Association of Youth Bowling Clubs) is responsible to the BTBA for organising ten-pin bowling for the under 18 year olds. There is also the Tenpin Bowling Proprietors Association (TBPA), the trade association for ten-pin bowling of Britain. For instructors and coaches there are the British Tenpin Bowling Instructors Federation (BTBIF) which is the organization that regulates instructors and coaches in the UK and the British Tenpin Bowling Coaching Association. In addition, affiliated to the BTBA is the Young Adults Club (YAC).

United States

In the United States of America there is the USBC (United States Bowling Congress) The USBC became the "administering organization), January 1, 2005, after the formerly separate groups American Bowling Congress (ABC), Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC), Young America Bowling Alliance (YABA), College amd USA Bowling merged into one organization. It is the national governing body, ensuring the integrity and protecting the future of the sport, providing programs and services and enhancing the bowling experience. The International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri, includes separate wings for honorees of the American Bowling Congress (ABC), Professional Bowlers' Association (PBA), and Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC). The museum does not include the new Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour Hall of Fame, which is located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Drug testing authorities

In the United Kingdom, UK Sport, the official sports body that governs drugs testing on ten-pin bowlers and other athletes in the UK on a regular basis and is conducted by a Doping Control Officer (DCO), is Britain's 'National Anti-Doping Organisation' (NADO). It is a subsection of the internationally recognised and authoritative World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA is recognised by the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games of which ten-pin bowling plays a part.

Controversy

In December at the Premier Tenpin Bowling Club Tour (PTBC), hosted by Airport Bowl, the year 2005 saw the first ever known ten-pin bowlers worldwide, two of Britain's BTBA Nationals Team England, banned for the reason of testing positive for the chemical produced from the consumption of cocaine. UK Sport was responsible for the testing and reported their findings to the BTBA governing body. The individuals were subsequently banned for two years, which is standard WADA recommendation. They are due to be re-instated into the official bowling tournament community in early 2008 but this will be subject to WADA and BTBA review. This story was first reported on in Go Tenpin magazine.

Technology

For the machine that sets bowling pins, see pinsetter.

The behavior of a rolling ball on a surface is controlled by several factors, the most obvious being the bowler's delivery. In the delivery, the bowler can advantageously use or fight (intentionally or unintentionally) the force of gravity. After the ball is on the surface of the lane, a complex interaction of friction, gyroscopic inertia and gravity becomes a factor that can range from subtle to perhaps amazing. These environmental influences can be segregated as either lane conditions or ball characteristics.

Both are regulated by the USBC, as are the pin characteristics. Technological changes, throughout the history of the sport, often required new regulations, and this continues today, often with great debate. The controversies usually involve scoreability. While low scoring can be a problem, it is the increasing frequency and degree of higher scoring that irks the purists, who say that it is spoiling the integrity of the sport. Among advanced players, there is little argument about whether technological changes have enabled higher scoring - it has. Yet there are those who have seen their scores decline, often due to not changing their technique or balls appropriately. Some argue that such high technology unfairly effects competition, making high scores effectively a product of how much money one spends on equipment.

Historically, up until the late 1960s, the USBC honor awards (for 300 games, 800 series, etc.) were rarely won genuine treasures. As things started to change, an organization named "The Foundation" comprised of experienced lane maintenance experts and many distinguished bowlers, including members of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Halls of Fame, was founded in 1966 with the goal of addressing these serious issues. The Foundation members at that time made the statement that under the current environment in bowling they "could no longer guarantee a lane condition that would be accepted by the contestants, coaches and observers as fair and equitable." In 1989, Bob Strickland wrote that bowlers know it is possible to bowl bad but score good, or worse, to bowl good but score bad. It can be confusing to players as they learn the game. For more experienced players, notably older ones who have locked themselves into some technique that no longer works as well, it can become quite frustrating.

In the early 1970s the first plastic balls became widely available, just a few years after the first urethane coatings were applied to the old wood lanes. Those and subsequent changes have been altering the physical scoring factors. These and the ever present opportunity to use lane oiling patterns to make targeting easier, is a cause for concern. Honor scores have increased by several thousand percent on a per capita basis in the 25 year time period from 1980 - 2005. The USBC, for various reasons, has not been able to regulate these changes well enough to protect the integrity of their honor score award program. So they have cheapened their intrinsic value and created other workarounds.

In response to the view that higher scoring lane conditions are spoiling the integrity of the sport, the USBC introduced in 2000 the Sport Bowling Program which offers a different optional league certification. It understandably requires higher bowler fees, and the USBC provides a separate set of honor awards. In "Sport Bowling," lane conditions are more highly regulated and controlled than in traditional leagues and the oiling patterns used are generally more even with regards to volume and ratios of oil across the surface of the lane. "Sport Bowling" conditions are also used at the major championships of professional bowling (the U.S. Open, the USBC Masters, the PBA World Championship, and the PBA Tournament of Champions).

One of the most contentious issues that has arisen is whether there should be a Standard Ball for the sport of bowling, or at least whether significant restrictions should be imposed on bowling ball technology. Other considerations have been noted with regards to the weight of the bowling pins, lane oiling techniques, and with the construction materials and techniques used to build bowling lanes.

A bowling ball is not an absolutely uniform sphere - the gripping holes (and sometimes a balance hole) alone make that impossible. Bowling ball materials, during the history of the USBC, have evolved from wood, to rubber, to plastic, to urethane, to reactive urethane, to particle, and to epoxy. Wood balls are now just museum pieces. Rubber balls are almost as hard to find - you may still see them offered to casual bowlers at bowling centers, from their racks for those who don't own their own ball. Bowling balls have been constructed with a core made of one material, a spherical coverstock ("cover" or "shell") and a "pancake" weight block of denser material intended to compensate for the gripping holes.

In the early 1970s, people began experimenting with the hardness of the plastic balls, notably PBA member Don McCune, who invented the "soaker" - a plastic ball he softened "in the garage" with chemicals. These and balls subsequently manufactured with the resulting softer cover came under USBC scrutiny because of the increased scoring. A ball hardness rule was established, which barred some of the softer balls.

At some point in ball making and drilling the USBC introduced ball balance regulations to prevent people from taking advantage. It was possible to drill the grip at a location relative to the weight block so that it would achieve some effect, such as to help the bowler make it roll earlier or hook more.

Prior to about 1990, the USBC "static" ball balance regulations were adequate. The core was usually a uniform sphere centered inside the ball. Then competition among ball manufacturers motivated the production of balls designed to offer more than the "static balance" tricks. Materials and fabrication changes have since allowed the assembly of balls whose interior components have a much greater range of density, thereby offering a new ball choice that, in physics terms, involves the moment of inertia of a solid sphere. Eventually, "dynamic balance" regulations had to be adopted.

In order to continue this discussion, a systematic description of ball rotation must be introduced. For various formulaic purposes, physicists divide rotation into three components, assigning portions to x, y and z axes that are mutually perpendicular. For bowling, the x-axis can be assigned to a line that is parallel to the foul line, the y-axis to the line parallel to the boards, and the z-axis to the vertical. Forward-roll is rotation about the x-axis, side-roll is rotation about the y-axis and mid-roll (or spin) is rotation about the z-axis. The pure full-roller delivery is a combination of forward- and side-roll only. Semi-rollers include spin. Spinners may have very little side roll. In a very strict physics sense, a ball may be delivered with rotation, but usually not in a roll, because that would imply complete traction. The technique of the great majority of bowlers involves a delivery that starts the ball in a skid that evolves into a roll that hooks into the pins.

It has been known since before the 1960s that a "full-roller" type of delivery does not hook as well as "3/4 rollers" on oily lanes. On successive rotations, the "full roller" repeatedly contacts the lane on the same full circumferential circle, on which the oil accumulates, making it harder for the side-roll to find traction and create hooking action. The "full-roller" had been the dominant choice before the changes in lane coatings and oil. The "semi-roller" is now preferred (it may also be called "3/4 roller" or by other slang terms). With a 3/4-roller a bowler puts the ball into a rotation whose contact ring is smaller, and on successive rotations enlarges (subsequent examination of the ball often shows a flaring of the circles of oil). This is because at every spot along the circle friction reduces the rotation, and that includes the spin component, causing rotation on a continually larger circle. This has the effect of bringing relatively dry ball surface in contact with the lane, increasing traction for both forward-roll and side-roll. It probably goes without saying why bowlers often wipe oil off the ball.

Another effect of ball imbalance (either static or dynamic) is the ability to introduce gyroscopic effects on the rotation. The component of imbalance along the rotation axis provides a leverage that can change the orientation of the axis on its horizontal plane, an action physicists call precession. It is basically the same thing as a spinning toy top "going around in a circle." In the case of a rotating bowling ball, as it moves along the lane, there is only time for its total rotation axis to move along a short arc, but this is enough to reorient the total rotation so that some of the forward-roll becomes side-roll, increasing the side-roll provided in the bowler's delivery, thereby achieving more hook. It is possible to use dynamic ball balancing to achieve a stronger gyroscopic effect than static balancing alone.

The advent of dynamic ball balancing meant that bowlers could achieve "ball flare" without the need for a 3/4 roller delivery, and more hook. Additionally, balls with covers that create higher friction, such as "particle" balls, provide for more traction and hook. Bowlers are embracing these choices, buying balls whose characteristics complement or enhance their deliveries.

It is the opinion of many people in the bowling community that these advances in bowling ball technology have actually undermined bowling skill and have made it more difficult for lane maintenance personnel to lay out fair and credible conditions for participants. This is because advanced players using hi-tech balls "need" more oil to score high and might complain about the radical behavior of their balls on "dry" lanes. At the same time, less aggressive players might complain when they can't get their balls to hook. These complaints have actually been part of the game throughout USBC history. It's just been a matter of which group prevails within the USBC - or what new technology comes along next.

Brands

Today there are an exceptional number of major sports-related and non sports-related companies that focus specifically on designing, producing and or supporting the production of many items specifically designed for ten-pin bowling equipment. Such items include balls, bags, cleaning products, wrist supports, shirts, shoes, trousers, shorts and gloves, etc. Some of the major world famous equipment producers and supporters include AMF, Brunswick, Columbia/300, Dacos, Dexter and Linds, Ebonite, Faball, and Storm.

Other manufacturers and suppliers include Lane#1, Track, Roto-Grip, Hammer, Circle Athletic, Dyno-Thane, Fun Balls, Legends, MoRich, and Robby. Specially designed shoe design and manufacture is also a significant enterprise that many companies have gotten involved in next to ball production. Some of the major shoe designers are Circle, Dexter, Etonic and Linds.

Individual stores that sell the merchandise made by these companies specifically for ten-pin bowlers are called Pro Bowl stores.

In the USA, Bowling equipment sales totaled 215 million US dollars in 1997 which is around the same figure as in 1996 when the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) released their reports. In Britain 'Mintel International Group Ltd' produced a 'Market Research Report' in July of 2004 which gave the UK's Tenpin bowling sales and market by sector from 1999-2003 and also the type of customer.

Ten-pin bowling in media

Ten-pin bowling in print

Ten-pin bowling is once again becoming a majorly-contending athletic sport that is becoming more and more visible. It now far outweighs its 1970s high-point and subsequent 1980-1990s downfall. The sport has become much more popular, with television regularly broadcasting its major tournaments and written publications such as magazines becoming increasingly popular around the globe.

The British Tenpin Bowling Association (BTBA) produces the magazine Go Tenpin - Britain's Premier ten-pin bowling magazine. However, it is not specific to the United Kingdom and is highly respected around the globe in ten-pin bowling circles.

Other widely acclaimed ten-pin magazines and news services are the international and world renown Bowling Digital News, the international Bowlers Journal Online and the International Bowling Industry. Specific American magazines of note are the Bowling This Month magazine and the Bowling Digest.

Additionally, other than books written by bowling instructors on the coaching and training of the sport, books on the humorous and historical side of ten-pin bowling have become extremily popular. Some of these include A Funnier Approach, The Funniest Approach, Let's Go Bowling!, Bowled Over, The New Bowling Trivia Book, Two For Stew and The Tour Would Be Great.

Ten-pin bowling on film

Ten-pin bowling is once again becoming a major athletic sport, and interest has once again risen to levels last seen in the 1970's. Independent companies continue to sponsor the sport, and televised broadcasts of the sport by such companies as Matchroom Sport are increasing bowling's visibility on the international stage.

Sporting documentaries such as the widely acclaimed "A League of Ordinary Gentlemen", comedic movie sketches such as "Life in the Bowling Lane!", and major Hollywood productions like "Dreamer", "The Big Lebowski", and "Kingpin" have all become popular in recent years.

Major ten-pin Bowling coaching/training DVDs have also been released world-wide under great demand. Some notable examples are those produced by world renowned bowling coaches Fred Borden and Ken Yokobosky known as "Bowling Fun And Fundamentals For Boys And Girls", "Essential Keys To Better Bowling", "Advanced Bowling Techniques, Tips And Tactics" and "Walter Ray Williams Jr's Secrets to Better Bowling".

Ten-pin bowling video games

Since the electronic gaming industry began, ten-pin bowling has been seen in many formats on many big name gaming machines. However, it has yet to be represented by what is considered the eminent creator of sports video games, EA Sports. Some of the many bowling games include PlayStation's "Bowling Xciting", "Black Market Bowling", "Strike Force Bowling", "Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling", "King of Bowling" and "Big Strike Bowling". Some of those on the PC are "Fast Lanes Bowling", "Flintstones: Bedrock Bowling", "Arcade Bowling", "Bowling Mania" and "10 Pin Bowling Fever" amongst many others on other gaming units. *

Mainstream media portrayal

The Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC was the second-longest live sports series on network television, behind only college football. ABC had been broadcasting PBA tournament finals since 1962. Events can now be seen on ESPN.

However, while the prevalence of bowling media has greatly increased in recent years, many mainstream media outlets continue to lack adequate coverage of the sport. Reasons for this discrepancy may include bowling's blue collar demographic, its lack of corporate sponsorship, and the lack of any one bowling star to follow.

It has also been suggested that the perpetuation of negative stereotypes about bowling pushes away the elite members of the journalism community. This includes the bowling atmosphere, as well as the personality and physical condition of the average bowler. These ideas may stem from the notion of bowling as only being a recreational activity. Professional bowlers have disputed this idea by offering demonstrations of the complex technique required to bowl successfully.

See also

Reference

External links

UK

USA

Leading Ten-pin Bowling Magazines, Forums & News sites

Other

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Ten-pin bowling".

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