| By J. Lloyd | | | | in fact, that bowling pin set ups can now be |
| | | | found in almost every country in the world, |
| The history of bowling dates back thousands | | | | with an estimated 95 million fans across the |
| of years. It is believed by many that a | | | | globe. The standard bowling pin of today has |
| passion for hitting a bowling pin with an | | | | come a long way, as well. Rather than stone |
| object actually struck humanity sometime in | | | | or crude wood, a typical American bowling pin |
| the Stone Age. This passion has never gone | | | | is made out of fine maple wood. This type of |
| away, as evidenced by the worldwide | | | | pin is created using a lathe to form the |
| popularity of the sport. As man evolved, so | | | | shape. Once this is done, the wood is coated |
| too did the game and its trademark bowling | | | | with plastic and then covered with gloss. The |
| pin design. Whereas the first pins likely | | | | idea is to create a uniform set up that is |
| were made of stone or another crude material, | | | | fairly standard from alley to alley. The |
| the pins of today have come a long way. | | | | American bowling pin is a pretty strict |
| Modern pins are precise creations typically | | | | creation. The standards set by the American |
| made of wood. Each one is uniform in design | | | | Bowling Congress call for very stringent |
| specification down to the thickness of the | | | | specifications. A standard bowling pin stands |
| necks and the height they stand. The history | | | | precisely 15 inches in height and is not more |
| of bowling marched forward from the Stone Age | | | | than 4.75 inches wide at its fattest point. |
| into actual royal courts. The first mention | | | | They weigh in at less than four pounds a |
| of the game in written history involves | | | | piece. Although the standard American bowling |
| English King Edward III who, in 1366, | | | | pin is what is found in most alleys, there |
| actually banned the game to force his | | | | are other options out there in pins. The |
| soldiers to focus more on their archery | | | | games played with them are a bit different, |
| practice. From Edward's court, the game moved | | | | but they still revolve around the same |
| on to the time of King Henry VIII. It was in | | | | concept of bowling to knock them down. Other |
| Henry's time the game became one enjoyed | | | | types of pins used in bowling games include |
| greatly by nobility. In Colonial America, the | | | | the candlepin, the duckpin and the set up for |
| game made an appearance and was often | | | | five-pins. Bowling is a sport that has been |
| associated with gambling. The bowling pin | | | | enjoyed by people through the ages. From the |
| count in this earlier form of the game | | | | days before recorded history to the modern, |
| involved nine pins, rather than the 10 of | | | | computerized alleys of today, the heart of |
| today. The game enjoyed widespread | | | | the game has always involved a bowling pin in |
| popularity that stuck following the invention | | | | one form or fashion. |
| of the automatic bowling pin spotter in the | | | | |
| 1940s. This little creation revolutionized | | | | Get all the latest in bowling know how from |
| the game and made it much easier for frames | | | | the one and only true source at Be sure to |
| to be reset. The game has become so popular, | | | | check our our bowling pin page. |