Evening star., 1905-10-29
EVOLUTION OF BOWLING

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of the play was also different in differcnt
places. In 1875 there were bowiers who
had attained some celebrity in several Of
the eastern cities. and matches had been,
arranged between them. 1t was here that
the diversity OF the size of the pins used
and the length OF alley showed themselves,
TO disadvantage. Accordingly a meeting of,
number OF the more prominent bowieres
of the eastern cities was called and a set
OF rules adopted Out OF this meeting greNts
the National Bowling League. and the
rules IL made furnished the basis of tho
game as 1t Is played today. In 1926 bowiinD
as a popular sport took an important stem.
forward In the birth OF the American bowl.
ing congress. which instituted a new set Of
rules. superseding the old which placed the
game on a more scientific footing. From
that time to the present bowling has grown
In popularity. Every town has its team OF
bowlers and the larger towns and cities
count theirs by the score. In the last few
years the game has attached itself. 50 to
speak. to numerous social organizations.
For example. an athletic association, a.
musical society even n fraternai lodros
may have bowling team among its mem-
bers and the game In this way has ac-
Qured a permanency and popularity almost
uneuualed in the modern awakening In ath--
letic sports.
1t has come to pass that the rumble OF
the balls and the smashing OF the failing,
pins can be heard in every street OF the big,
cities. Bowling alleys are a necessary ad-
junct of even the cheapest summer resorts.
From one end of the country to the otlaer
IL is one of the chief forms of indoor Diay.
one or the reasons for this is undoubtedly
the opportunity which the modern game
gives fol the exercise of skill. Physical ex-
erc.se is not the only thing sought by the
athlete He likes to excel, TO beat his
rival and to become proficient In the form
OF sport In which he indulges The scoring
OF the bowlers by the cumulative method
of the spare system and the skill which
may be acquired by practice are chiefly re-
sponsible for the great growth of this sport
in recent years.
Many bowlers practice the game as a
means of exercise and recreation simply,
The casting of the balls is admirable exer-
else, and the hard-worked merchant or
man OF sedentary habits will find himself
benefited by resort to bowling. Il brings
his muscles into full exercise, and, owing.
to the general sociableness of the game,
1t is much sought after as a wholesome d.
version. Its pursuit, like that of golf, ten
mis- and a number of other games, by SO
many hundred devotees can be traced to
that athletic awakening which began to
sweep over the American continent in the
seventies as the physical protest of ener-
getic men and women whose cramped lives
In towns and cities were sappng their bod
lily vitality. Bowling generally is a clean
sport There is almost no room for sharp
tricks or cheating 1t depends on skill alone
to win. and generally conducted 1t is de-
void of any Objectionable features. II is per-
haps owing to these facts that bowling has
become such a widespread recreation.
There are two popular notions regarding
bowling. both of which are essentially
wrong. One is that the game is necessarily
associated with the saloon, with drinking,
and hlarity. 1t frequently happens that
young men out for a lark endeavor to bowl
a m ther 10
that requires a clear head and command Of
all the faculties it is this. No man can
addle his brain with liquor and pitch a
good game. Therefore, the best players
are abstemious In the use OF alcohol at
least while playing.
Another false notion is that the game,
can be best learned wnnout instruction,
With this. as with every game. there is "A
right and wrong way to hold and deliver
the ball to make strike. instruction in
any sport any branch of learning Is
nothing but accumulated experience put
into concrete form, and the successful
bowler will be the better off for such in
struction as those older in the game than
himself give.
The controlling force in bowling 10 the
American bowling congress-. which holds
meeting annually and legisiates the rules
and regulations of the game. This con-
gress was formed in New York on July 8,
1895. Its first act was to form new set
of uniform rules, and this was done so
effectually through the experience OF the
players present that the rules have had
only slight amendment since. The congress-
has representative associations In the prip-
cipal cities. and delegates from these as
sociatons sit in the congress The local
associations. some of them. are organized
upon a similar basis, being composed OF
representa- atives from all the clubs of thas
cities where they exist II Is claimed that
already the bowling congress is in point Of
numbers representative of the largest body
Of sportsmen in the world.