Tenpin bowling balls range in weight from six to 16 pounds. Standards for bowling balls and other bowling equipment were first set by the American Bowling Congress, which was founded in 1895 in New York.
Bowling balls were made of a hard wood known as lignum vitae until the early 1900s. In 1905 the first rubber ball was introduced, which marked the advent of the modern game. Today, bowling balls are made of materials ranging from plastic to urethane to resin.
Bowling in America
The origins of bowling are subject to debate. British anthropologist Sir Flinders Petrie, who found objects in a child's ancient grave in Egypt that might have been used in a form of bowling, claimed the sport dates back to 3200 B.C. German historian William Pehle claimed the sport began in Germany in A.D. 300. Supposedly, King Edward banned the sport in 1366 in England in an attempt keep the focus of his soldiers on more useful skills, such as archery.
Although no one is certain who brought the game to America, the earliest mention of bowling in this country is in Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle," who awoke to "crashing ninepins." And the earliest form of bowling was lawn bowling. The area in New York known today as Bowling Green took its name from early practitioners of the sport.
Selecting a Bowling Ball
According to the website Solve Your Problem, "Consumers should always choose a bowling ball they are comfortable with, and that fits their own skill and style." The site recommends a trip to a local pro shop, where an expert can watch you bowl and offer suggestions. Bowling balls are made from a variety of materials. Polyester balls are best suited for beginners or casual bowlers. Urethane balls have softer covers conducive to hooking the ball more easily. Resin balls have sticky or tacky covers to grip the lanes. Particle balls are resin balls enhanced with glass and ceramics for maximum power.
Candlepin Bowling
According to the International Candlepin Bowling Association, the ball cannot weigh more than 2 pounds 7 ounces. With its smaller ball and lighter pins shaped like tall, slender candles, candlepin bowling requires less strength to play than tenpin bowling, making it more accessible to children, the handicapped and the elderly.
Duckpin Bowling
Balls in duckpin bowling range from two to four pounds, and are a little bit bigger than a softball. The Duckpins.com website explains that duckpin bowling is "the same as tenpin bowling ... only smaller." One of the people who invented the game in Baltimore watched the pins fly and said it looked like a "flock of flying ducks." A reporter who wrote a story about the game dubbed it "duckpins," and the name stuck. It is most commonly played on the East Coast, in Argentina and in the Philippines.
Considerations
In addition to the correct weight, have your bowling ball customized in terms of the placement and size of the finger holes for a perfect fit.
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