History Of Bowling

Trying to knock down several pins by using a rolling round ball may not be a new thing, but this brilliant activity is as engaging and challenging today as it was back then. Bowling-type activities have been found to exist 5000 years ago, making it among the world’s oldest sports ever recorded. It is quite amazing to know that every time one puts on their bowling shoes and be on a favorite lane to hit some strikes; they’re actually participating in a tradition that entertained and challenged people as far back as 3200 BC.

Primitive History Of Bowling

In 1930, Sir Flinders Petrie, a British anthropologist, and his archaeologist team uncovered different kinds of bowling pins, bowling balls, and other items inside the grave of a 3200 BC Egyptian boy. It showed that the history of bowling began in its primitive form during Egyptian times, and is over 5200 years old.

On the other hand, a German historicist by the name of William Pehle alleged that an ancient kind of bowling was done in his home country during 200 BC. He claimed that the history of bowling began during those times in the form of wooden stones being thrown at nine “wooden sticks” called “kegles” and played during festivals. Because of this fact, bowlers of Germany are also called “keglers”.

In England, bowling history is said to have first appeared about 1100. In the middle of the 1300’s, there were several bowling variations all throughout England, including skittles, half-bowls, and ninepins. However, it was in 1366 that hard proof of the history of bowling was mentioned, where King Edward III prohibited his troops from playing bowling so they could focus on their arching skills.

During King Henry VIII’s regime, bowling became a famous sport in the British population, and played as an indicator of social status and nobility. In about the same period, a comparable form of bowling began to be played in Netherlands.

History Of Bowling In America

It was Dutch settlers who introduced the very first types of bowling to America, calling the game “Dutch Pins”. Since its colonial days, bowling became a popular sport in America, and during the 17th century German, English, and Dutch settlers in America introduced their own versions of the game. During that time, bowling was comprised of ninepins, and was regularly played in the city of New York called the “Bowling Green”.

It was during this time bowling was very popular in the United States, particularly in the “underworld community”, which became a desired target by gamblers. In 1841 a law that prohibited the owning of a “ninepin bowling alley” was passed, and ninepins was banned in Connecticut because of its gambling implications. This was an attempt of the government to splinter the “gambling community” by making it impossible for gamblers to gather in bowling alleys.

This didn’t stop the gambling community, and they simply changed the bowling rules by adding one more pin to its bowling setup. Thus, making the alleys a “tenpin bowling alley”, which was technically legal to operate and own, as it was not included in Connecticut ban. The tenpin bowling showed to be more enjoyable than the former, and remains to be what is played today.

Modern Bowling

Once the “ten pins” became a standard for bowling and modern bowling balls were introduced in 1905, the game of bowling was on its way to stardom. Throughout the years, bowling has changed in many aspects, and various strategies have developed. Today, bowling has become a sport loved by millions of people and over ninety counties globally.

A sport that started out in the ancient era, bowling is indeed among the very first sports of the world that became one of the most famous as well.