This Page Is Full Of Interesting Bowling Facts. The Sport Of Bowling Has A Very Interesting Past.

1. The earliest mention of American bowling comes in the form of a quote from Rip Van Winkle when old Rip wakes up to the sounds of "ninepins".
2. The first written mention of a bowling-like sport can be traced to the year 1366 in England. Allegedly King Edward III outlawed the game in order to keep his troops focused on their archery practice, but it was most certainly in vogue (and legal) during the reign of King Henry VIII. Many variations of bowling have come from Europe including Italian bocce, French pentanque, and even Britain's lawn bowling, but the question of who introduced bowling to the United States is much more uncertain.
3. In 1611, Captain James Smith return to the colony in Jamestown, Virginia to find the colonists starving, but still happily bowling. The sport is quickly declared illegal and punishable by up to three weeks in the stocks.
4. The English, Dutch, and German settlers all brought their own versions of the game to the New World. The earliest mention of American bowling comes in the form of a quote from Rip Van Winkle when old Rip wakes up to the sounds of "ninepins". The origin of the tenpin game is still unknown, but by the late 1800's it was prevalent in New York, Ohio, and Illinois. The first standardization of the rules of the game was established on September 9, 1895 at Beethoven Hall in New York City. It was then that the American Bowling Congress was formed and major national competitions began. The Women's International Congress came much later in the year 1917 under the encouragement of proprietor Dennis Sweeny. The women leaders participating in a tournament later formed the Woman's National Bowling Association.
5. The American Bowling Congress was formed on 9 September 1895 and is credited with standardizing bowling in the United States and organizing official competition. The Women's Bowling League followed in 1917, under the encouragement of proprietor Dennis Sweeny.
6. The first Mineralite ball was introduced in 1914 by the Brunswich Corporation, and the first commercial installation of a pin setting machine came in 1952, making "pin boys" almost entirely unnecessary. But nothing did more for the popularity of bowling than the first broadcast of "Championship Bowling" by NBC in the 1950's. Thanks to this show and many others including "Make that Spare", "Bowling for Dollars", and "Celebrity Bowling", bowling was thrust into the American public's living rooms and hearts alike. The Pro Bowlers tour became hugely popular on ABC Sports Broadcasting after first being televised in 1961. These events all added to the popularity of Bowling but make no mistake. Bowling is loved in its own right because it is a sport of the people. It has come from its early forms to evolve into a truly enjoyable American past time.
7. Women's International Bowling Congress established in America in 1916.
8. In 1927, World champion Jimmy Smith beaten in exhibition against local bowler Mrs. Floretta McCutcheon; the match paves way for the founding of the Mrs. McCutcheon School for Bowling Instructions.
9. Nothing did more for the popularity of bowling than the first broadcast of "Championship Bowling" by NBC in the 1950's. Thanks to this show and many others including "Make that Spare", "Bowling for Dollars", and "Celebrity Bowling", bowling was thrust into the American public’s living rooms and hearts alike.
10. In the 1950's the advent of the automatic pin setting machine, bowling starts to pick up mass appeal. An extensive P.R. campaign attempts to make bowling popular to the upper classes; Capezio introduces a line of bowling shoes with advertisements showing society ladies bowling.
11. In 1966, Dick Weber wins his fourth open U.S. Bowling championship in five years.
12. In 1984, The National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum opens in St. Louis, Missouri. The $7 million complex contains four bowling lanes dating back to 1924 (human pinsetters; four frames for $3); Jim Webb breaks the bowling endurance record, toppling maples for a grueling 195 hours and 1 minute.