Bowling has been around for quite some time. Some archeological research suggests that ancient Egyptians used to practice a primitive form of bowling based on the remains found by a team. Apparently, back in 3200 BCE, people used to have just as much fun with bowling balls. The modern bowling dates from the 1840s and seems to have been invented in NYC, where one of the first bowling alleys was opened.
With that in mind, let's look at several interesting facts about the sport.
Banning bowling
Various sources suggest that the sport was quite popular in 16th century's Europe. However, in the United Kingdom, it became illegal to engage in bowling once Henry VIII banned it for the lower class in 1511. To keep bowling, you'd have to pay a hefty fine, which the lower class would never be able to afford.
Aside from the financial reasoning, bowling was also banned because Henry VIII wanted his Englishmen to know archery so that they would be able to defend the country in the event of an attack.
Facts about bowling balls
As you might expect, bowling balls were made from different materials back in the day. Some of the first prototypes were crafted from wood, so they were nothing like the quality urethane balls that some bowlers used nowadays. In the 1900s, bowling balls started being made out of heavy-duty rubber.
Eventually, in the 1960s, polyester resin became popular as a manufacturing material for bowling balls and paved the way for the ones that are used nowadays. For good information on the tools you'd need for a perfect bowling experience, you might want to do a bit of research before hitting the alley for the first time.
What's the largest bowling alley?
If you want to practice your techniques in the grandest alley ever to have been invented, we recommend checking out the Inazawa Grand Bowling Centre in Japan. It has as many as 116 lanes, which means that it can accommodate quite a bit of people simultaneously. There's a pretty big alley in the United States, too, and it's the Taj Mahal of Tenpins, located in the Las Vegas/Reno area.
The Inazawa alley pales in comparison with some of the places that the Japanese had constructed for the same purpose back in the 1960s. Apparently, there were some that had no fewer than 500 lanes.
No girls?
Women didn't always benefit from the same rights they enjoy nowadays, and unfortunately, bowling was one of the activities that they were prohibited from engaging in. In spite of the fact that the American Bowling Congress was quite popular with men, it was a gentlemen's club, which meant that no ladies were allowed.
That changed in 1917 with the invention of the Women's National Bowling Association. Over time, the skills acquired by female bowlers became better and better, and a title on the Professional Bowlers Association tour in 2010 was won by Kelly Kulick, the first woman ever to have been awarded a prize in such a challenge.
With that in mind, let's look at several interesting facts about the sport.
Banning bowling
Various sources suggest that the sport was quite popular in 16th century's Europe. However, in the United Kingdom, it became illegal to engage in bowling once Henry VIII banned it for the lower class in 1511. To keep bowling, you'd have to pay a hefty fine, which the lower class would never be able to afford.
Aside from the financial reasoning, bowling was also banned because Henry VIII wanted his Englishmen to know archery so that they would be able to defend the country in the event of an attack.
Facts about bowling balls
As you might expect, bowling balls were made from different materials back in the day. Some of the first prototypes were crafted from wood, so they were nothing like the quality urethane balls that some bowlers used nowadays. In the 1900s, bowling balls started being made out of heavy-duty rubber.
Eventually, in the 1960s, polyester resin became popular as a manufacturing material for bowling balls and paved the way for the ones that are used nowadays. For good information on the tools you'd need for a perfect bowling experience, you might want to do a bit of research before hitting the alley for the first time.
What's the largest bowling alley?
If you want to practice your techniques in the grandest alley ever to have been invented, we recommend checking out the Inazawa Grand Bowling Centre in Japan. It has as many as 116 lanes, which means that it can accommodate quite a bit of people simultaneously. There's a pretty big alley in the United States, too, and it's the Taj Mahal of Tenpins, located in the Las Vegas/Reno area.
The Inazawa alley pales in comparison with some of the places that the Japanese had constructed for the same purpose back in the 1960s. Apparently, there were some that had no fewer than 500 lanes.
No girls?
Women didn't always benefit from the same rights they enjoy nowadays, and unfortunately, bowling was one of the activities that they were prohibited from engaging in. In spite of the fact that the American Bowling Congress was quite popular with men, it was a gentlemen's club, which meant that no ladies were allowed.
That changed in 1917 with the invention of the Women's National Bowling Association. Over time, the skills acquired by female bowlers became better and better, and a title on the Professional Bowlers Association tour in 2010 was won by Kelly Kulick, the first woman ever to have been awarded a prize in such a challenge.
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