The American guide., 1896-07-25
sowLiAo IN DUTCH DAYS.
Game wna Greatly Different from That
Now 30 Popular.

DowlingShas recently made rapid
progress is q winter pastime. AS L
summer sport the game is linked In
legend anl tradition with the jollJ'
Dutchmen of New Amsterdam, who
were the founders OF our city.
The name Bowling Green still clings
to the circular plot of ground which
marks the lower end Of Broadway.
This piece If land was leased in the ear
ly days OF the colony at a yearly rental
OF n peppercorn by three Dutchmcn
prominent In New Amsterdam, Peter
Jay. John Chambers and Peter Bayard.
They inclosed the ground and laid ~
out as bowling green. A map of the
city dated lf2s also shows bowling
green situated on the west side OF the
rnblic gardens on The Kings Farm"
near the foot Of Murray and Warren
streets.
The game o played by the Dutchmcn
differed materially from the present
game. though it must be regarded as its
progcnitor. The game which they
played rcscmbed modern "quoits," the
main difference being that the bowls
were rolled instead of tossed us in the
latter game. The alley was marked on
the green sward 81 feet in length, the
width varying greatly according TO the
nature OF the ground, AT each end or
the alley wns placed a stone ball or
Jack" The object of the first player
was to roll the bowl SO that when it
came to rest 1t might lie as near as pos
sible to the mark, The opposing play
er strovc to strike his opponents bowl
so as to drive It away from the mari
and intcrpose his own bowl. The bowl
resting nearest to the mark scored
point for its owner. This game was
extremely popular among the early
citizens Of the city. The substantial
men OF colonial New York used to en-
joy the game turing the quiet after
moons Of Indian summer with frequent
though modcrftc intcrludes of pipe and
tnnkarl. This recreation formed =
good digester u the heavy two O'Clock
dinner Of beef And pudding.
The game WIS then in its chrysalis
stage and during It's subsequent devel-
opment lost son3c Of it's old features AMI
gained others, AZ cannot be galnsald
that bowling as|a a pastime in this city
Ia still associated with the pipe and
,ankard. for the majority Of the pub
lie alleys nrc connected with snloons--
and even in the private clubs the game
appears TO be somewhat Influenced by
Its early associations. Bowling has be.
come nn indoor sktlicr than nm outdoor
game, and consequently distlnctivcly n
winter rastlmc, although II Is played
TO some extent nt the summer hotels
and excursion resorts.
In this respect the game has gained
during its development, and hundreds
Of women are now numbered among its
enthusiastic dcyotecs. The buxom
maids and mntrons OF Stnyvcsant's day
did not rartlcipaicin the sport, but con-
tented themselves with sitting quietly
upon the porchcs OF their homes, which
lined the square about the green, busy
ing themselves with knitting us they
watched the brglicrs bowling on the
green. No doubt the husbands were
lrhukcd by their wives for their en-
thuslastlc devotion TO bowling, but at
any rate the game as then played did
not keep the men up at night, because
darkness always Put an end to the
sport.
Bowling has been for long timc
popular among the German women of
this city, and two ycnrs ago u womcn's
tournament was held IN which more
than hundred took part II 10 within
only the last few years that bowling
has taken firm hold upon society
Momgn@N V Sun