Bowling history continues with today’s youth

Bowling ball with pins

By Kathryn Menue
Editor
BELVIDERE – According to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, “Bowling has a long and rich history, and today it is one of the most popular sports in the world.”
Bowling may be one of the oldest sports in the world.
Anthropologist Sir Flinders Petrie discovered evidence of children’s toys from Egypt in 3200 B.C. that appeared to be an early version of bowling.
Early indications were also found in Germany in 300 A.D. along with England in 1366 A.D. in the reign of King Edward III when he allegedly outlawed the activity to prevent troop distractions from their archery practice.
The game is first mentioned in early America as early as Washington Irving’s work of Rip Van Winkle, when he mentioned “ninepins” in his 1819 work.
A little later on in the 1800s, bowling developed into a “tenpins” game.
The sport especially found popularity on Sept. 9, 1895 when the American Bowling Congress was established.
Bowling continued through tense eras with women’s suffrage as well. In 1917, at the height of the Women’s Rights Movement, women established the Women’s International Bowling Congress.
As technology progressed, so did bowling.
In 1951, American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF) purchased the patents for an automatic pin-spotter and mass produced the product in 1952.
The invention revolutionized the sport making it so bowling alleys would no longer need pin-boys.
Since the advancements, bowling has continued to grow to the next level, from being a recreational activity to a full-fledged, televised sport.
“Today, the sport of bowling is enjoyed by 95 million people in more than 90 countries worldwide,” the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame said. The sport continues to gain fame and recognition globally with worldwide competitions.
With such a vast history, bowling continues in the hearts of the youth all around the world, including Boone County.
Each week, youth bowlers continue to hone their skills on the bowling lanes at Concordia Lanes, located at 1205 Logan Ave. in Belvidere.
Throughout the junior bowling league, top bowlers are recognized for their high scores. On Saturday, March 19, five bowlers made the top bowlers list.
In the Bantams category, Mason Kahl topped the list with a high score of 60 and a series of 116.
In the Preps division, Jessica Plodzien made the list again with a high score of 128 and a series of 356. Keenan Harvey also topped the list with a debut score of 144 and a 351 series.
In the Junior/Majors league, Rachel Nelson scored highest with a 244 game and a 564 series. Aaron Rochon also made the list with a high score of 215 and a 570 series.
On Monday, March 21, the high scores continued with six more bowlers.
In the Cookies and Milk category, Noel Capadanno made the list with a 71 game.
Addyson Blume also topped the list for the Bantams league with a high score of 114 and a 178 series.
In the Preps division, Matt Turnipseed continued on the high scorers list with a 124 game and a 338 series. Also for the Preps, Skiler Wright topped the list with a 111 game and a 266 series.
The Junior/Majors category displayed another two high bowlers. Ryan Quezada rolled big with a 240 game and a 542 series. Aleesha Chism topped the ladies chart with a 149 game and a 345 series.
For more information about the history of bowling, visit the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame’s website at: http://www.bowlingmuseum.com/.