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Believe it or not, bowling is one of the oldest sports ever to have been invented by humankind. Based on the evidence found by British anthropologists, it appears that bowling balls were discovered in an Egyptian grave at the beginning of the 1930s. What this means is that bowling was a preferred pastime even 3,000 years ago or more.
Modern bowling is considerably different compared to its ancient counterpart. The indoor sport we all know was invented in New York City where the first bowling alleys made their debut in 1840.
To cut things short, we’ll tell you some interesting facts you might not know about bowling. Here they are listed below.
Japan has the largest bowling alley
The largest bowling alley in the world is located in Japan. It’s called the Inazawa Grand Bowling Center, and it has a whopping 116 lanes. Next comes Las Vegas with the second largest bowling alley in the world. In case you want to know where it is, we’ll tell you. It’s in Reno, and it can be considered a bowling stadium due to its size.
Inazawa Grand Bowling Center, Japan
Not all bowling balls are created equal
These days, the balls designed for bowling can be made of a plethora of materials ranging from urethane to rubber. However, at the beginning of the 1900s when the sport was particularly popular, bowling balls used to be made of wood. Polyester resin was first used around the 1960s, and it gave manufacturing brands the opportunity to experiment with colors and designs.
Something else you might not know about bowling balls is that few of them come pre-drilled. In fact, most bowlers have to drill the holes once they’ve purchased the ball, but this practice is not an inconvenience at all, as this way, the holes will fit their fingers perfectly.
The life of a bowling pin
How much time does a bowling pin last? What is it made of? To put it simply, the vast majority of the pins currently used in bowling alleys all over the world are primarily made of wood, hard maple to be exact. However, they are coated in plastic. A set of pins can last about three seasons of league bowling, but the operator can stretch their life by rotating them in competitions.
Why do you need bowling shoes?
One of the most important reasons why specialized shoes are used in bowling alleys is that, unlike those you use outside, these ones are clean and don’t track anything from the street. Your regular shoes can taint the lane or leave traces of dirt or smudges. They can also affect the lane if you go in with your shoes and it’s raining outside.
Renting bowling shoes is a common practice for two reasons. One of them is the fact that you do not need to buy your own pair, especially if you don’t go bowling on a regular basis. The other reason involves bowling alley owners being able to protect and extend the life of their lanes.