Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-09-17

discovered implements for pl;
to our modern tenpins. The
date of this Egyptian child's
burial has been authentically
placed at 5000 B. C.
Writing in his book, "The Max
ing of Egypt" (The Macmillan
Company, Publishers, New York
City; The Sheldon Press, London
England), Sir Flinders states that
Games were fully developed, both
as board games and bowling at
skittles. The game of skittles, OF
nine, pins, was provided in a large
grave for a child. Three bars OF
marble placed here as a gateway
are like the gate of logs of wood
through which the balls are rolled
in similar game in Norfolk eng
land). Larger skittles of pottery
and stone are also found"
This is the oldest accurately
known form of bowling.
From the earliest times, in every
civilized country of Europe, the
game has been played in one form
or another. Authorities are practic-
ally united in the opinion that the
first form of bowling in Europe
took place in northern Italy 1000
to 1,500 years ago. AS far as the
twelfth century "bowles" was a
popular game in England. Strut,
in his Sports and Pastimes in
England" says:
"The pastime of bowling, wheth-
er practiced on open green or in
bowling alleys, was probably an
innovation of the Middle Ages
(400-1500 A. d.. During that
period bowling was played on
greens and under covered sheds
and finally upon bowling alleys
indoors.
Spherical Stones for Balls
The original bowls (or balls of
the. game of bowls) were stone
boulders, and were as near spher-
ical in formation as could be OBJ
tanned. Hence, stones not being
perfect spheres, the explanation OF
the bias, or curve, that the balls
take in the lawn game of bowls.
The nine-pin game was undoubt.
edly of Dutch creation. 1t was a
fayorite pastime in Holland. The
French played carreau, primitive
form of bowling, long before the
reign of Charlemagne. Curling.
which is an adoption of the ancient
game of bowls, was introduced in
to Scotland by the Flemish i'm.
migrants in the 10th century.
Among the other games analog-
Gus to "bowles" which were pract:
iced in early times, were kayless
(also spelled eagles, and kettles
French quilles, game played with
pins); shovelboard, (since corrupt
ed into shuffleboard), cloish, closhi
or clossygne, (played with nine
pins) and skittles. While some OF
these games were played with pins
others were played with cone.
shaped objects as "jacks."
Although all these games had
their part in the development OF
the modern game, it is probable
that the one to which the sport
of today is most closely allied is
the ancient game of nine-pins. This
game, originally played by the
Germans, Dutch and Swiss, was
bowled upon beds of clay or Gin
ders.
Later, about 1900 A. D., sim
gle board, II to Is inches wide
was used as the alley bed, and
the pins were set up, three pins in
each of the three rows, board
platform from SO to 48 inches
square. 1t was naturally impossible
to hit any of the corner pins so the
pins were respected after each
ball.
Nine-pins introduced in America
by Dutch
This game, originally brought to
America by the Dutch, was first
introduced by members of that
hardy race on Manhattan in 1923.
The earliest settlements of the
Dutch were on the banks of the
Hudson River, in the Catskill
Mountain region, and in what is
now known as New York City.
Nine pins enjoyed popularity for
a great many years, the pins be-
ing set in a diamond shape. Ac-
cording to the old-timers, the
game of nine-pins became the rage
of sporting men, and gradually fell
into the control of gamblers.
Matches for money were made and
eventually proved the games un-
doing.
So openly had this bad feature
seized upon the devotees of the
game in New Haven and Hart
ford that the sport was classed as
gambling and the Connecticut
legislature passed an act prohibit
ing the game of nine-pins. 1t con-
tinued in New York and Massa-