The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-19
THE GAME OF TENP|Ns.
Great Revival Of Interest in the
Game During the Last
Few Years.
The Game Has an Interesting
History, is Respectable
and Scientific.


History, is Respectable
and Scientific
Now Played-Straight and
Cross Balls.
During the last two or three years there
has been great revival of interest in the
game of bowls, or in the more particular
form of that sport in this country-Ameri-
can tenpins. Especially during the last
winter the pastime has become more wide
spread and has obtained more followers
than perhaps any other indoor sport. In
deed, bowling has much the same promi-
nence in winter that base ball has in sum
mer, but with the distinction that while the
great majority of those interested in base
ball are spectators, most of the adherents
of bowling are actual participants OF the
game. In New York, Brooklyn and ada
cent cities the popular favor of the game
has been marked. Clubs without number
have sprung up and tournaments have been
held, bringing together the best teams and
individual powlers.
Bowling had an interesting history and
had been the subject of many legal enact
ments before it was finally evolved into the
highly respectable and scientific game that
it is to-day. The sport, as is proved by
historical references and court records,
dates back to the twelfth century. In early
times, as at the present day in England,
the game was played upon lawn called the
in0 w
cate and difficult to play. and bore little re-
semblance to the American sport, During
the reign of Henry w., alleys somewhat
like the American kind were for the first
the word "bowling" for the first time ap-
pears.
The American game Of bowling is sur
vival of Dntch rubbers,k which, in turn.
was an evolved form of one of the ancient
varieties Of bowls: The original sport was
country by the Dutch. The staid
Dutch settlers marked out space
at the lower end of the island of
Manhattan. and here as they rolled were
heard sounds similar to those that greeted
the ears Of the legendary Rip Van Wrinkle.
Thus the spot where the game was played
has been made historic by the name Of Bowl
ing Green. just as in England, alleys soon
followed the outdoor bowling lawns; but
there was not here as there, return to the
outdoor sport, 80 the American game be-
came a purely indoor pastime. The game
was first played with nine pins, but as law
was passed against it, on account of the evils
of gambling and drinking that had grown
up about the sport, a tenth pin was added in
order to evade the law; and thus tenpins
sport of the kind, though many forms of
bowling are played more or less.
On November 49, 1876, eleven clubs met
and formed the National Bowling Associa-
tion, and from that time bowling has been
recognized as q standard sport.
fected game, with rules and regulations
quite as exact as govern any other sport.
The regulation alley is sixty-four feet long
and three and half wide. This is of pol
ished wood and carefully constructed, SO as
end of the alley, sixty feet from the regu-
lation line, ten pins are arranged in a tri-
angle, the pins being equidistant from each
other, with the apex toward the player. The
regulation pin is fifteen inches high, fifteen
inches in circumference. and measures two
and quarter inches across the bottom
The player tries to knock down as many
pins as possible with large balls of polished
wood. This seems an easy task, but the
persistency with which some pins cling. tc
their bottoms even when the ball crashes
into the triangle is disheartening to the be.
Rinner.
A game consists of ten frames" and
each player rolls thirty balls in all, three in
each frame" If the pins are knocked
if all the pins: are knocked down by
two balls, 'spare'' is made; and if three
balls are rolled, the result is .sbreak, y
and the bowler counts as many pins as are
knocked down. The method of counting ID
somewhat complicated, but easily mastered
It is thus seen that the individual limit OF
play is 800 points, and the team limit will
be multiple of this number, teams usually
consisting of either five or ten men.
Among the changes that have rendered
the game more scientific and therefore more
popular has been the introduction of balls
with fnger-holes. In the old style of play,
balls necessarily smaller, but in any case UNI
wieldy, were grasped in the palm of the
hand, and thrown rather than rolled. Coun-
terbalancing the greater difficulty of bring
ing down the pins. their bases were smaller
than now, and they were placed nearer to-
gether. Now the balls have finger holes,
which give the bowler more perfect control
at the moment of delivery. To the begin
ner, bowling appears sport that needs but
little way down the alley ten pins stand
close together, and it seems an easy task to
roll the ball into the triangle, and knock
over all the pins; but little acquaintance
with the game shows that there are points
of scientific play which serve to make it an
OOJcC0 VI CAOSo 6UUAy3 dAAu IeAN0I POS6lOl6
constant improvement. There are few
! rules which underlie good bowling.
Alleys are provided with balls from about
two pounds to slightly less than sixteen
pounds in weight. The beginner should
take a small ball that is easily controlled,
gradually increasing the size to the largest
that can be used effectively. Put the thumb
and third finger in the holes, and stand Just
back of the regulation line. Hold the arm
| perfectly straight, and let it swing like PEN
dulum. Swing the ball backward until the
arm is on level with the shoulder, then
bring the ball downward SO that it comes
within an inch of the floor, and. if possible,
just brushes the alley. At this very instant
release the ball, when it will go without jar
or bound. One of the most common mis-
takes of bowlers is that the moment of de-
livery of the ball is postponed until it is on
the upward swing when it is thrown rather
than bowled, and goes bounding down the
alley. The bowler should not lose control
of the ball at the moment of delivery. In
order to make strike, the ball should
not hit the head pin directly in the center
bat trife to one side between the first and
second pins: otherwise path is quite likely
to be cut through the triangle, leaving some
pins standing on both sides, and conse
Guently difficult ''spare."
Finally. in order that the pins may be
scattered as much as possible, a twist shouic
be put on the ball at the instant of dellv
cry. A great question among bowling ex-
perts is as to the relative excellence of tht
centre ball, which is rolled straight dowi
the alley, and the cross ball rolled from