History of Bowling

One of the most popular sports worldwide, bowling is a sport for the athletic and non-athletic alike. It has been around in its current incarnation since the 1800s, and it has been played in various forms for centuries. Among the easiest sports to learn and play, bowling has a long and varied history with some royal characters.

  1. Ancient Bowling

    • From artifacts found in graves, it is known that forms of bowling were played over 5,000 years ago by royal children in ancient Egypt around 3200 BC.

    Outlawed

    • King Edward III of England outlawed bowling in the first written mention of the sport in 1366. The decree came after the King found his troops rolling rocks at pin-like targets in camp.

    Variations

    • From the 1300s to the 1900s, variations of bowling sprang up around Europe and the world. The different variations included lawn bowling, petanque in France, and bocce in Italy.

    Late 1800s

    • Bowling was first introduced in the United States by Western European immigrants, who brought the game to the new continent. The game was popular in the Northeast region of the country among German, English and Irish immigrants.

    The First Game

    • The rules of the game of bowling were first standardized in 1895 in New York City by the newly formed American Bowling Congress, a group of men who enjoyed the sport together in the city.

    Innovations

    • Close to the bowling ball of today, the first Mineralite ball was introduced in 1914. The widespread introduction of pin setting machines in 1952 modernized the game.

    Bowling on Television

    • Bowling received a boost in popularity after Championship Bowling broadcasts of the Pro Bowlers Tour on NBC and ABC in the 1950s and 60s.