Bowling

Bowling is a diverse target sport and recreational activity. It involves a player rolling a ball toward pins or another specific target. This activity is shared by approximately 120 million people across more than 90 countries. In the United States alone, 70 million people participate in the sport. Bowling is generally divided into two main classes: pin bowling and target bowling.

Pin bowling is typically played on a long, smooth surface called a lane. These lanes consist of wood or synthetic surfaces. To manage how the ball moves, protective lubricating oil is applied in specific oil patterns. This oil is a critical mechanism that dictates ball motion during a game.

Players aim to knock down pins to score points. A strike occurs when a player knocks down all pins on the first roll. A spare is achieved if the player knocks down all remaining pins on their second roll.

Several distinct variations of pin bowling exist, especially in North America. Tenpin bowling is the most popular version. It utilizes the largest and heaviest pins. Players use a large ball featuring two or three finger holes.

Nine-pin bowling uses a smaller ball without finger holes. The pins in this version are arranged in a diamond shape. Candlepin bowling uses the tallest and thinnest pins. It also uses the lightest handheld ball of any bowling sport. In candlepin, players do not remove fallen pins during a frame.

Duckpin bowling uses shorter pins and a smaller ball than tenpin. Finally, five-pin bowling uses pins with a rubber girdle. This version is mostly found in Canada.

Target bowling focuses on getting a ball as close to a mark as possible. The playing surface can be grass, gravel, or synthetic material. This category includes games like lawn bowls, bocce, and pétanque. These games can be played both indoors and outdoors. Some versions are played on natural terrain such as bare earth or sand. Curling is also considered a form of target bowling, though it is played on ice.

The history of bowling reaches back to ancient Egypt. Archaeologists found wall drawings of bowling in a royal tomb from 3200 BCE. They also discovered miniature pins and balls in a child's grave from that same period.

Some ancient balls were made of porcelain. Others were made using grain husks covered in leather or bound with string. Around AD 400, bowling appeared in Germany as a religious ritual. Participants rolled rocks into a club, known as a kegel, to represent a heathen. This practice led to bowlers being called keglers.

In the centuries following, bowling became a part of royal and social life. King Henry VIII of England was an avid bowler. He even rebuilt Whitehall Palace to include outdoor bowling lanes. In the 19th century, German immigration to the United States helped spread the sport. By the late 1800s, the Brunswick Corporation began manufacturing bowling equipment for taverns.

Modern standardized rules for tenpin bowling were established in 1895 by the American Bowling Congress. They changed the scoring system to a maximum of 300 points. They also set the maximum ball weight at 16 pounds.

Bowling connects various aspects of culture, history, and social organization. It has moved from ancient religious rituals to a massive global industry. The sport has influenced urban planning, such as the creation of New York City's Bowling Green. It also reflects social shifts, such as when women began entering professional competition. In 1927, Doty McCutcheon defeated a male champion in an exhibition match. She later taught 500,000 women how to bowl. Today, players use specialized equipment like bowling shoes to maintain performance and safety.