Bowlers have their own lingo. If you go "all the way" in bowling, it means you finished your game with nothing but strikes. Bowlers also have their own equipment, and in any sport, being knowledgeable about your equipment is important. Bowling balls have evolved over the years and are now high tech compared with the balls of yesteryear.
History of Bowling
In the United States, bowling dates back to colonial times, with the English, Dutch and German settlers all practicing various forms of the sport, according to the Library of Congress. Tenpin bowling, similar to the game we play today, arrived in New York City in the 1820s, according to Chronicle Guidance Publications. To make the game of bowling official, standard equipment regulations were set by the American Bowling Congress in 1846.
Ball Manufacture
The modern bowling ball is manufactured from a composite core and covered in a polyester or urethane shell. The core gives the ball its weight, usually 6 to 16 lb. Drilling out the finger and thumb holes throws the ball off balance. To compensate, the top of the core has weight blocks. No metallic substance may be used in the manufacturing of bowling balls.
USBC Approved
Your bowling league may require a bowling ball approved by the United States Bowling Congress. The USBC is the national governing body and membership organization of the sport. Not all bowling balls meet these official standards. Regulation balls must adhere to a list of specifications regarding weight, circumference, finger holes and materials.
Surface
A two-year study of bowling ball motion conducted by the USBC found "surface roughness measurements are the No. 1 factor that affects bowling ball motion." Traditional bowling balls are made of nonreactive urethane and have very shallow pores on the surface. Newer bowling balls are made of reactive urethane, which has deep pores. The shallow pores fill with lane oil and cause a loss of friction, while the deep pores maintain friction by drawing the lane oil away from the surface. Maintaining the friction promotes aggressive ball motion, while the loss of friction causes a decrease.
Warning
The rosin used to enhance your grip on a bowling ball can give you transfer contact dermatitis, according to an article published in the Dermatology Online Journal. Transfer contact dermatitis means you develop irritation in an area other than the place where your body touched the rosin. This trait makes it difficult to diagnose. Doctors from the Baylor University College of Medicine say epoxy resin and fragrance in bowling balls can also cause an allergic reaction.
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