 A Little History
The earliest records of this sport dates back to 5200AD in far-away Egypt. There is also some evidence that the Greeks and Romans played some variation of bowling. By the 14th century bowling was well established throughout many European countries including England.
Some time in 1800s, Dutch and German emigrants brought the game of the “nine pins” (named after the number of pins that were used at that time) to United States, and by the early 19th century it s popularity was growing along with an increasing trend towards placing bets on the winners; so much so that it that led to the prohibition exclusively limited to the original nine-pin game, however other versions remained legal.
Fans of this popular game cleverly mocked the law by introducing a tenth pin. The World Championships were inaugurated in 1923 and since 1963 have been held every four years. Women began to participate for the first time in 1963
The enthusiasm for the game has increased significantly since 1952; the year automatic mechanical pin-setters were introduced for resetting the pins after each shot. The game got another shot in the arm in the 80’s, when electronic score-keeping devices were added.
Let’s Go Bowling!
American 10 Pin Bowling, known in Mexico as “Boliche”, is a sport played indoors and consists in knocking over a set of 10 wooden pins by carefully throwing a heavy ball towards the pins. The ball has two or three holes; one for the thumb, and two fingers, and the ball usually weighs between 8 and 16 pounds.
The game is played on a smooth polished horizontal surface made of polished interlocking wood strips called a lane, measuring between 104 to 107cm wide and 18m long from the center of the first pin to the foul line behind which, the player must throw the ball. With each throw the player must try to knock over as many of the 10 pins as possible in each of the 10 turns. In each turn or Frame, the player has three chances to throw the ball. If they cross the fouls line at the player end of the lane, they automatically lose their turn for that frame. If the ball goes of the lane into one of the gutters on ether side it is referred to as a gutter ball.
These ten turns or frames together form one complete game. According to the evolution of the game, a maximum of two more turns may be added but only if the tenth turn is a strike or a spare. The maximum score one can obtain in a single game is 300 points. To do this one must achieve twelve consecutive strikes, in each of the 10 turns plus the two additional turns. A minimum of two players are needed to play, but you can play alone, especially if you are a beginner.
 Score Keeping
For every pin knocked down within the three throws permitted, a point will be added to the scorecard and if all are knocked down in one of the two circumstances below:
- A Strike: When the bowler knocks down all ten pins with the first delivery of the ball it is called a strike. Clearly your score goes up by ten, but like a spare, you get a bonus - your next two deliveries are added to the score. Stringing strikes together will raise your score dramatically (See turkey). Marked on the score sheet with an "X".
- A Spare: Getting all ten pins down with one ball is not as easy as it seems! So, if you leave one or more pins standing after your first delivery, you get a second chance to knock all the pins down, this is your "spare" shot. If you knock all remaining pins down on the second shot you have made your spare. A spare is marked on the score sheet with a "/". It takes skill to consistently make spares and the scoring system rewards you by adding in the pins from the next ball into the current frame. See also split.
Bowling Today
The Masters Bowling Tournament first held in 1951, is now an annual the largest bowling competition in the world; organized by the ABC (American Bowling Congress), an association which set the rules of this sport back in 1895. For the women is the Queens Tournament; the most prestigious championship the world; organized by the WIBC (Women’s International Bowling Congress), which was established in 1916. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) was founded in 1958 and its annual event, the Tournament of Champions, is held in Akron, Ohio, USA.
 Many of these tournaments have been televised on cable television channels; however, as always, practice makes perfect, as well as for these rainy days when it is difficult to plan outdoor activities, why not head down to Bolerama Vallarta, where groups of friends and families get together daily to play this healthy sport. Bowlerama is open from Monday to Sunday from 10:30am -2:00am. The prices vary per game depending on the time: Between 10:00am and 6:00pm, it is $35 pesos; and from 6:00pm to 2:00am, the price is $50 pesos. And don’t forget there is an additional fee of $10 pesos to rent the special shoes required to play on the finely polished wooden bowling lanes.
Glossary
Brooklyn Strike: This refers to shots that "crosses over" the 1-3 pocket for right-handers and 1-2 for left-handers and produces a strike. It originated in New York where people would "cross over" to Brooklyn from Manhattan. A side term "Jersey side" references left-handers and refers to people crossing over from Manhattan to New Jersey.
Strike: Knocking down all the pins in the first throw
Double. Two consecutive strikes.
Turkey: Three consecutive Strikes.
Handicap: Pins awarded to a player or team in an attempt to equalize competition. Often referred to as a percentage of an established target score. For example, if the handicap was 90% of 200, a player with an average of 160 would receive 36 pins as the handicap (90% of 200-160). Many studies have been done and it seems that the fairest method is to base the handicap on at least the highest average in the league. 100% handicap leagues are becoming more common.
Frame: Game complete player by bowling, which includes from ten to twelve entries.
Stroke: The act of releasing the ball in a fluid unforced motion, unlike a cranker who usually "hits up" on the ball at the release.
Average: The player’s score determined by adding the totals of every frames then dividing by the total number of frames.
Spare: Knocking down all the pins in 2 shots.
Split (Open). When the pins that left standing leave a gap between them after the first shot; for example: 3-6, 6-7, 4-8, etc.
Bolerama
Proa S/N, Marina Vallarta
Mon-Sun 10:30am-2:00am
Cost: Between 10:00am-6:00pm, $35 pesos per game & between 6:00pm-2:00am, $50 per game +
$10 pesos for shoe rental |
