The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-23
EVOLUTION OF no WING.
After Many Ups aud Downs 1t Has wol
Its Way to the Front-ItA Popularity II

After Many Ups nnd Downs II Has Won
Its whyto the rront-Its Popularity Ia
Now York.
Ntv iOlk PrdL
Tho ups aud downs OF bowlingin thll
country have boon many. From the
timc whom athletic Young America
used to play tho games Of "bowla" and
duck and drake" and from which the
present game Is derived, with llatstoncs
on Bowling Groom in tho carly days pro.
vious to tho Revolution, and later In
tho carly days OF tho present century,
up TO tho present time, tho sport has
had Its years Of extremo popularity and
great depression.
From tho primitive game as played
with stones, balls and pins wore substi'
tuted, and rs the game grow In popu.
larity. in order to enjoy tho sport in
winter us we'll as In summer, 1t was
necessary TO huild tho nlleys under
shelter. Tho game increased In popu.
larity with tho growth OF tho city and
gradual improvements were made In
tho alleys and construction OF tho pins
aud balls until in tho early fiitles tho
game hnd become the most popular Of
sports. 1t was "ninepin" In those days,
md Rs tho name Implies it was played
with that number OF pins.
There was scarcely u tavern In those
days That did not have ninepiu alley
as an adjunct, and for that reason tho
game gradually fell into bad roputc
with tho better class OF people, ind
after whilo person seen entering an
ALLEY" was thought to bc going 10 til 0
bad" by tho shortest and qulckest
road. Such feeling was engendcred
that some timo in tho sixties law was
passed. by tho legislature OF this state
and others prohibiting the playing OF
the game Of ninepins.
This caused temporary cessation OF
the sport, but soon aome shrewd person
thought to get around the law by in.
Producing another pin and calling tho
game "tcnpins." Tho prejudice against
the sport was deep seated, however. 1t
was many years before tho interest in
1t revived, and it is doubtful il 1t ever
would have regained popularity with
Americans but for the rejuvenation of
tho game by the German element Of tho
population. with whom it was n popular
sport in their own land. Americans
took to bowling again as they did to the
other German disturbances" beer and
pinochle, and although now Gormans
proponderate in the bowling fraternity,
the game has also q wonderful hold on
tho native Americans.
In 1875 the National Bowling Associa-
ton was organized with eleven clubs as
charter members. Tournaments were
held and rules mado 20 govern tho
game. 1t was during the season OF 1889
and 1890 that tho game seemed TO take
on n decided 'boom," and since then
the sport has increased in popular in
terest until it has reached Its present
grand proportions. tbs estimated that
there are fully 10000 people actively
interested in tho game in this city,
Brooklyn and Jersey City. Not night
passes that championship games do not
take place in almost numberless alleys.
1t has developed from tho simple game
OF duck and drake" rs played on his
torjc old Bowling Green, to the national
indoor sport OF the people.
The growth OF the game in Harlan
and the Annexed District has been
wonderfulin tho last three years. Alleys
are plentiful In that vicinity, but they
are in such demand that applications
have to be made weeks in advance to
secure date.