The morning call., 1891-05-25
GAME OF BOWLS.
Contrast Between the Ancient and
Modern Sport.
What English "Skittles" Is Like-Another
Name for INSTRUMENTATION of the
Game Played Here.

The ancient game of bowls, whose lineage
can be traced back to the beginning Of the
twelfth century, is now rapidly pushing for
ward to popularity. According to the re-
ceived account, Drake and Frobsher and
their companion sea-dogs were playing
bowls on the Plymouth Hoe when the news
was brought that the Spanish armada had
been sighted of the Lizard. This, from the
description. WAS undoubtedly the garden
game, played with oyal-shaped spheres, and
not unlike that which is still played on En-
glish lawns.
While this was, doubtless, the original
method Of the sport, the difficulty of obtain
ing level grass plat fer the purpose soon
led to the general adoption of alleys" in
which. besides the facilities given for more
scientific play on the well laid boards, the
additional advantages were secured of pro-
lection from the weather and convenience
of location. In this form the game is now
extensively played in England. where it is
called by the less euphonious name of
skittles. 1t especially fourisheS in the
southwest. and few taverns in the counties
of Cornwall and Devon are without their
skittle-aliey.
REASONS FOR ITS POPULARITY.
The game has been extensively played In
America for years, principally by Germans,
but during the last tWelvemOnth or so it
has made great progress among native
Americans. The reasons for this increase
of popularity, which has been even moro
marked in tie East than on this coast, are
not far to seek. Though it does not make
any extraordinary drain on the stamina of
the players, it yet requires enough physical
exertiOn to provide the players with health
giving exercise, and is sufficiently active TO
create q very healthy appetite For this
reason II has been taken up by the ladies',
and to-day the clubs in this city contain
many Of the fair sex, who are among its
most skillful opponents.
The most common form of the game now
adayS is ten-pns but the expert is inclined
to regard this as too easy for his cOnsideTa-
ton, and has, consequently, devised great
NUMBER of variations. Among the more
popular Of these are the German and the
American nine-pins, the five-pin game and
a game in which only three pins are used.
VARIETIES OF THE SPORT.
The frst-named game resembles ordinary
ten-pins, except that the alley is narrower
and the method of scoring more intricate,
being specially devised for the purpose of
giving increased value to fancy shots. In
American Bine-pins opportunity for fine
play is introduced by the rule which makes
II necessary 10 ltdVe one PIN SlanulHB 10
make the highest score. IN the 6ve-pin
game the pins are set in row. one behind
the other, the last pin counting five points,
and the other four descending In value to
the first pin, to bring down which only
counts single point. 1t is obvious that the
pins which score the most can only be got at
by ball which is sent down the alley with
a considerable amount OF bias, and TO secure
q high score consequently requires more
than ordinary skill
In the three pin triangular game only che
ball is used, and the three pins can only be
brought down by ball which strikes one Of
the pins in a particular spot. This is the
most scientific of ali the bowling games and
requires the most perfect accuracy.
PROMINENT PLAYERS.
Good alleys are numerous in this and the
neighboring cities and are literally patron
lied. There are several well-knOwn local
opponents of the sport, among whom are
II. lessen, j. Kannert, j. Baumann, f.
Schmidt, w. E. Mortemer and F. Suter.