The General History Of Bowling As A Sport

Bowling has been around for a long time. It is a sport loved by many and it has appeal to all age ranges. But very few people actually know where bowling came from, where it originated.

Bowling’s Beginnings

Bowling’s earliest beginnings go all the way back to ancient Egypt. Balls were using husks of grains that were then covered in a material like leather. Then it was bound together with string. Additional balls made of porcelain have been found as well.

Around 2,000 years ago evidence was found in the roman empire a very similar game was discovered where stone objects were thrown as close to other stone objects. This eventually turned into what we know today as Bocce, or outdoor bowling.

In 1819 there was a painting depicting British bowlers playing a bowling sport outside. There is a triangle formation of ten pins. Then in 1819 there is a mention of ninepin bowling in American literature. In 1848 the Revolutions of 1848 quickened the pace of Germans moving to America. With them they brought their affection for beer and bowling.

In 1875 the National Bowling Association was founded by 27 clubs in New York City. This association standardized the rules for ten-pin bowling including the ball size, distance between the foul line and the pins. In 1895 it was superseded by the American Bowling Congress.

In 1903 the English Bowling Association and in 2008 they joined the English Women’s Bowling Association forming Bowls England. In 1909 the first ten-pin bowling centre was opened in Europe in Sweden however the rest of Europe did not adopt the game until after World War II. On September 18, 1988 the summer Olympics in South Korea featured ten-pin bowling. Bowling has a very rich history and has grown so much in world wide popularity.