The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-02-12
zB0Wt|NGG GG0tHNNGG
is THE OLDEST OF THE
SPORTS, SAY WISE ONES
Dates Back To Time When the
Herders in Ancient Egypt
Played With Bones
HAS BEEN HERE 80 YEARS
Began to Be Popular Only About
Twenty Years Ago in
the West

What is the oldest game OF sports
III existence? This question has often
come up for argument in sporting
circles throughout the country. En-.
fhusiastic golfers claim their game Is
the Oldest. This. however, is a mis-
taken idea, according TO men well
Sersed in the history of sport.
Bowling, the game that keeps many
betrotters out OF their beds until the
early morning hours and the cause for
innumerable household quarrels and
arguments. is the sport given credit OF
feing the oldest. Bowling antedatss
6olhng by many centuries, and while
tt has had It's ups and downs, through
several hundred years, il is now con
sIdered the greatest of ali indoor
games.
Without bowling many OF the sport
ing fraternity would be at loss 10
ind way to enjoy themselves
through the months of snow and cold
weather. The indoor game is just
what is ordered The interest dis.
| played in the sport throughout this
| country is the most strengthening
proof OF It's popularity.
| Although II was but so years ago
that the first bowling games were
played in this country in Manhattan
the game really dates back to the time
OF ancient Egypt when the herders OF
! sheep la that country played the game
With animal bones for pins and skulls
| for balls. OF course this will seem
| ridiculous to many, but it is neverthe.
| less a true statement. The game then
vas played on hillside. which made
| II easier for the sheep herders TO roll
| The inactive balls.
The game OF bowls as il was known
was nearly the cause of a revolt
lion in England at one time. During
the 18th century the game attained
such prominence In England that the
king Issued decree against il claim
| ing that it interfered With young men
who were preparing themselves for
warlike pursuits. Archery was the
| favored sport. But il was impossible
TO keep the game down. The game
again sprung into prominence both in
/ England and in the American colon
| les.
! In New Amsterdam, now New York
! old Peter Stuyyesant. governor, Is
sued a proclamation forbidding the
playing OF the game OF nine pins. Any
one caught playing the game was
| placed in stocks for no less than TWEEN
| ty-four hours:
| The proclamation issued was what
eventually led TO the present game oil
ten pins instead. II was in the east
that this game fiourished, the old
game of nine pins being the regula
| ton game in the west until about
twenty-five years ago. when ten pins
became known in a half-hearted way,
and not until 1893, when an eastern
team invaded the west I'D it become
! popular
After the team toured the west an6
| popularized the game the American
! Bowling Congress was organized in
the east, and from then on the game
started to flourish, until now IL is the
best in the country.
At the present time in New York
city, there are records Of matches
rolled at the Knickerbocker alleys In
Gotham on Jan. 1, 1910. and in Wash
ingtop there are also records of games
rolled - 1857. the most prominent OF
which are records made by Abraham
| Lincoln, and IL is the proud boast nj
one OF the clubs in Washington that
no one IN the country except them
have the records made by the mar
tyred president
During the last decade the game
/ has developed wonderfully. until now
II. is impossible TO enter even the
smallest town In the country with
cut striking some kind Of a bowling
alley