The History of Bowling Lanes

More than 100 million people bowl worldwide. There are thousands of recreational leagues in the United States alone. The Federation Internationale des Quilleurs, or FIQ, acts as a governing body for these bowlers. The FIQ brings uniformity to the rules, including those regarding the lanes.

  1. Earliest Bowlers

    • The oldest bowling artifacts found in Egypt date to at least 5200 B.C.

      Archeologists have found primitive bowling pins and bowling balls in Egyptian graves dating back thousands of years. In 1930, British archeologists discovered pins and balls in the grave of a boy from 3200 B.C.

    Bowling in Europe

    • In Germany, an ancient form of the game was played in 200 B.C. Bowling in England first appeared around 1100 and was popularized in the 16th century. At the same time, bowling gained popularity in the Netherlands.

    Bowling in America

    • Dutch settlers introduced a form of bowling called "Dutch Pins" to America in the 16th century. The first permanent bowling venue they established was the New York Battery on Manhattan Island.

    American Bowling Congress

    • In September 1895, Joe Thumb organized a meeting of representatives from regional bowling clubs to form the American Bowling Congress. The ABC issued general rules.

    Automatic Pinsetter

    • Automatic pinsetters allow for quicker play.

      Gottfried Schmidt invented the automatic pinsetter in 1936. Fifteen years later, the machine was placed on a commercial lane for the first time. In 1952, the machines were taken into production.

    Television

    • In the 1950s, television executives experimented with bowling. Shows like "Championship Bowling" and "Make That Spare" spurred the sport's growth and more lanes opened across the nation.