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56-447: The National Bowling Stadium is a 363,000-square-foot (33,700 m) ten-pin bowling stadium in Reno , Nevada . The stadium is recognizable for an 80 feet (24 m) aluminum geodesic dome in its facade, built to resemble a large bowling ball . Nicknamed the "Taj Mahal of tenpins", the 78-lane stadium opened on February 3, 1995, cost $ 47.5 million, and took three years to build. It

112-435: A hook that involves making the ball start out straight but then curve toward a target, to increase the likelihood of striking: USBC research has shown that shots most likely to strike enter the pocket at an angle of entry that is achievable only with a hook. A complex interaction of a variety of factors influences ball motion and its effect on scoring results. Such factors may be categorized as: Bowling pins (with

168-584: A 12-frame system introduced at the November 2014 World Bowling Tour (WBT) finals, resembles golf's match play scoring in counting the greater number of frames won rather than measuring accumulated pinfall score. A frame may be won immediately by a higher pincount on the first roll of the frame, and a match may be won when one player is ahead by more frames than remain of the possible 12 frames. This variant reduces match length and scoring complexity for two-player matches. Modern ten-pin bowling derives mainly from

224-477: A decade that saw ABC membership peak at almost 4.6 million male bowlers. The number of sanctioned bowling alleys peaked at about 12,000 in the mid-1960s, mostly in blue-collar urban areas, and Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) membership peaked at 4.2 million members in 1979. In the late 1960s, the participation sport of bowling found itself competing with spectator sports and outdoor recreational activities. The number of certified bowling centers

280-706: A first-class permanent facility, they would ensure their return to Reno every third year. The project was funded by a room tax lobbied by the city of Reno to the Nevada Legislature based on commitments from the American Bowling Congress and the Women's International Bowling Congress , which itself merged with the ABC to form the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) in 2005. The original construction of

336-449: A hook to develop. There are two ways to produce a hook. The first method involves bowling technique. At the moment of throwing the bowling ball, the hand should be behind the ball and where the thumb (for a right-hander) is anywhere between 10-o'clock and 12-o'clock, and the two fingers are between 4-o'clock and 6-o'clock. Just before releasing the ball, the entire hand starts rotating in a counter-clockwise motion. The thumb must fall out of

392-424: A maximum thickness of 4.766 inches (12 cm) at the waist) are "spotted" (placed) in four rows, forming an equilateral triangle with four pins on a side to form a tetractys . Neighboring pins are centered 12 inches (30 cm) apart, leaving a space of 7.234 inches (18 cm) between pins that can be bridged by a bowling ball of regulation diameter (8.5 inches (22 cm)). Pin carry essentially determines

448-533: A row within the same game (known as a perfect game ). The World Bowling scoring system—described as "current frame scoring" —awards pins as follows: The maximum score is 300, achieved with ten consecutive strikes (as opposed to twelve in traditional scoring), but with no bonus pins received in the tenth frame. World Bowling scoring is thought to make bowling easier to follow than with traditional scoring, increase television viewership, and help bowling to become an Olympic sport . Another variant of scoring,

504-457: A tap such as the 5-pin on a light hit, or the 10-pin if the ball was just slightly right of center pocket or with inadequate entry angle. A hook ball can achieve strikes with less precise hits. A hook ball can also help the bowler shape the shot on challenging oil patterns. In duckpin bowling , candlepin bowling , and nine-pin bowling , hook potential is greatly reduced since the balls are generally rolled much faster and thus have less time for

560-480: A typical house pattern (or THS, typical house shot) has drier outside portions that give bowling balls more friction to hook (curve) into the pocket, but heavier oil concentrations surrounding the centerline so that balls slide directly toward the pocket with less hooking. In the more challenging sport patterns used in tournaments and professional-level matches, a "flat" oil pattern—one with oil distributed more evenly from side to side—provides little assistance in guiding

616-508: A wood or synthetic lane toward ten pins positioned evenly in four rows in an equilateral triangle . The goal is to knock down all ten pins on the first roll of the ball (a strike), or failing that, on the second roll (a spare). While most people approach modern ten-pin bowling as a simple recreational pastime, those who bowl competitively, especially at the highest levels, consider it a demanding sport requiring precision and skill. An approximately 15-foot (5 m) long approach area used by

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672-423: Is by modifying the bowling ball. Illegally, one can play with the weighting of the bowling ball, such as drilling the ball so that there is more side weight on the right side of the ball (for a right-hander,) which would cause the ball to pull from right to left, causing a hook. Bowling balls ship with the weighting specifications on the container. A bowling shop professional can drill a bowling ball by first knowing

728-627: Is certifying string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition separate from conventional free-fall pinsetters . USBC lab data indicated strike percentage on string pin bowling is 7.1% lower, causing the USBC to plan additional testing to determine whether a scoring conversion should be created between the categories. String pinsetters are less expensive and easier to maintain, motivating bowling centers to phase them in. Frame one: 10 + (3 + 6) = 19 Frame one: (7 + 3) + 4 = 14 In traditional scoring, one point

784-446: Is made of a synthetic material with the 39 "boards" simulated using marking lines. The approach has two sets of dots, respectively 12 feet (3.66 m) and 15 feet (4.57 m) behind the foul line, to help with foot placement. Modern bowling lanes have oil patterns designed not only to shield the lanes from damage from bowling ball impacts, but to provide bowlers with different levels of challenge in achieving strikes. As illustrated,

840-414: Is much larger than ball size, it is impossible for the ball to contact all pins. Therefore, a tactical shot is required, which would result in a chain reaction of pins hitting other pins (called pin scatter ). In what is considered an ideal strike shot, the ball contacts only the 1, 3, 5 and 9 pins (right-handed deliveries). Most new players roll the ball straight, while more experienced bowlers may roll

896-544: Is often the filming location for bowling scenes in films. The stadium was constructed as part of a renovation effort of downtown Reno, which also saw the construction of the Silver Legacy Resort Casino , The concept for construction of the stadium was in part to capture tourism dollars being sent to Las Vegas , and as part of an agreement with the American Bowling Congress that upon construction of

952-466: Is prepended in the English-speaking world to distinguish it from other bowling types such as bowls , candlepin , duckpin and five-pin . Ten-pin bowling lanes are 60 feet (18.29 m) from the foul line to the center of the head pin (1-pin), with guide arrows (aiming targets) about 15 feet (4.57 m) from the foul line. The lane is 41.5 inches (1.05 m) wide and has 39 wooden boards, or

1008-409: Is scored for each pin that is knocked over, and when fewer than all ten pins are knocked down in two rolls in a frame (an open frame ), the frame is scored with the total number of pins knocked down. However, when all ten pins are knocked down with either the first or second rolls of a frame (a mark ), bonus pins are awarded as follows: The maximum score is 300, achieved by getting twelve strikes in

1064-474: The 1988 Summer Olympics (Seoul), has been a medal sport since its debut at the 1991 Pan American Games (Havana), and was included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games (Kuala Lumpur). Outside elite and professional bowling, participation in leagues—traditionally the more profitable end of the business—declined from a 1980 peak (8 million), compelling alleys to further diversify into entertainment amenities. As busier, two-earner households became more common in

1120-802: The Art Deco style and fit the era's perceived "need for speed". Gottfried Schmidt invented the first mechanical pinsetter in his garage in 1936, one implementation of which was publicly exhibited in 1946 before AMF placed a production model into service in 1952. The 1940s through the 1970s became known as the "golden age of bowling", with ABC membership growing from 700,000 (1940), to 1.1 million (1947), to 2.3 million (1958), to 4.5 million (1963), Women's International Bowling Congress membership growing from 82,000 (1940) to 866,000 (1958), American Junior Bowling Congress membership growing from 8,000 (1940) to 175,000 (1958), and sanctioned individual lanes growing from 44,500 (1947) to 159,000 (1963). Bowling's growth

1176-734: The Brunswick Corporation became the first American bowling ball manufacturer, and by 1905 introduced the Mineralite (hard rubber) ball that was considered so revolutionary over wooden balls that it was displayed at the Century of Progress Exposition in 1934. In 1886, Joe Thum —who would become known as the "father of bowling"—began opening bowling alleys and over decades strove to elevate the sport's image to compete with upper-class diversions such as theaters and opera houses. In 1875, delegates from New York City and Brooklyn bowling clubs formed

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1232-573: The "poor man's country club". ABC bylaws had included a " white -males-only" clause since its inception in the 1890s, but numerous lobbying efforts and legal actions after World War II by civil rights and labor organizations led to a reversal of this policy in 1950. Sports agent Eddie Elias founded the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) in 1958 with 33 members, and the first PBA tournaments began in 1959. The Pro Bowlers Tour TV program aired from 1962 through 1997. In

1288-515: The 1930s and 1940s, professional bowling was dominated by "beer leagues" with many of the best bowlers sponsored by beer companies, but by 1965 the PBA tour was televised nationally on ABC Sports with sponsors such as Coca-Cola and Ford . In parallel with professional bowling was "action bowling" or "pot bowling"—bowling matches based on monetary bets—historically associated with the New York underworld from

1344-586: The 1940s to the 1970s. The first ten-pin lanes in Europe had been installed in Sweden in 1909, but attempts to popularize the sport in Europe were unsuccessful over the next several decades, though hundreds of lanes were installed on U.S. military bases in the U.K. during World War II. Various countries developed the sport to some extent, and the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ; now World Bowling )

1400-503: The 1980s to make league participation more difficult, the number of spectator sports and competing leisure time opportunities (jogging, tennis, skiing) grew. While league bowling decreased by 40 percent between 1980 and 1993, the total number of bowlers actually increased by 10 percent during that period, with nearly 80 million Americans going bowling at least once during 1993. In 1995, the National Bowling Stadium (Reno, Nevada)

1456-496: The German Kegelspiel , or kegeling, which used nine pins set in a diamond formation. The enjoyment of kegeling by German peasants contrasted with (lawn) bowls that was reserved for the upper classes, consistent with bowling's enduring reputation as a common man's sport. A circa 1810 painting of Ipswich , England, shows a man bowling outdoors with a triangular formation of ten pins. An outdoor version of ten-pin bowling

1512-664: The National Bowling Association (NBA) to standardize rules, but disagreements prevailed. In 1887 Albert G. Spalding wrote Standard Rules for Bowling in the United States , and in the mid-1890s the United Bowling Clubs (UBC) was organized with 120 members. The American Bowling Congress (ABC) was established in 1895, followed by the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) in the 1910s, such organizations promoting standardized rules and striving to improve

1568-414: The ball first, then the middle and ring finger release almost simultaneously, again in a counter-clockwise direction (called "lift"). A lift release gives the roll more torque (and therefore more power), along with the spin needed for the hook. When the two fingers lift the ball correctly, it will cause the thumb to naturally fall out of the ball first, so one does not have to make a conscious effort to remove

1624-456: The ball into the pins to increase the likelihood of striking. Oil is applied to approximately the first two-thirds of the lane's length to allow a "skid" area for the ball before it encounters friction and hooks. The oil is applied in different lengths and layout patterns, especially in professional and tournament play, to add complexity and regulate challenge in the sport. Especially when coupled with technological developments in ball design since

1680-896: The ball toward the pocket, and is less forgiving with regard to off-target shots. The ratio of centerline oil concentration to side oil concentration (the oil ratio ) can exceed 10-to-1 for THSs but is restricted to 3-to-1 or less for sport shots. Lane oils, also called lane conditioners, are composed of about 98% mineral oil that, with numerous additives, are designed to minimize breakdown and carry-down that would change ball reaction after repeated ball rolls. Lane oils are characterized by different levels of viscosity , with oils of higher viscosity (thicker consistency) being more durable but causing balls to slow and hook earlier than lower-viscosity oils. Rubber balls (introduced in 1905) were eventually supplanted by polyester ("plastic") balls (1959) and polyurethane ("urethane") balls (1980s). Coverstocks (surfaces) of bowling balls then evolved to increase

1736-406: The ball will hook from left to right. The bowling ball can be drilled for a left-handed bowler. The exact same principles of hooking a ball are applied on a backup ball, except the hand rotates clockwise for a right-handed bowler and counterclockwise for a left-handed bowler. Backup balls are rarely thrown intentionally by serious bowlers, as the hand motion is much more difficult to accomplish than

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1792-423: The bowler to impart speed and apply rotation to the ball ends in a foul line . The 41.5-inch-wide (105 cm), 60-foot-long (18 m) lane is bordered along its length by gutters ( channels ) that collect errant balls. The lane's long and narrow shape limits straight-line ball paths to angles that are smaller than optimum angles for achieving strikes; accordingly, bowlers impart side rotation to hook (curve)

1848-469: The bowling ball. Most bowlers use three holes (thumb and two fingers,). On past, one could drill additional holes on other parts of the bowling ball, to take additional weight off of a portion of the bowling ball, such as an axis hole that allows the bowling ball's hook to stabilize during its roll to the pins. Doctoring the bowling ball by adding additional holes was recommended for experienced bowlers enough to know where to place these holes, such as studying

1904-430: The development of automated mechanical pinsetters, the sport enjoyed a "golden age" in the mid twentieth century. Following substantial declines since the 1980s in both professional tournament television ratings and amateur league participation, bowling centers have increasingly expanded to become diverse entertainment centers. Ten-pin bowling is often simply referred to as bowling . Ten-pin , or less commonly big-ball ,

1960-426: The early 1990s, easier oil patterns common for league bowling enable many league bowlers to achieve scores rivaling those of professional bowlers who must bowl on more difficult patterns—a development that has caused substantial controversy. Ten-pin bowling arose in the early 1800s as an alternative to nine-pin bowling , with truly standardized regulations not being agreed on until nearly the end of that century. After

2016-507: The grand finale between Bill Murray and Woody Harrelson 's characters in the 1996 bowling film Kingpin , the stadium was also a setting in the Michael J. Fox / Kirk Douglas film Greedy . The National Bowling Stadium appears in the last two episodes of the TV series Knuckles . Ten-pin bowling Ten-pin bowling is a type of bowling in which a bowler rolls a bowling ball down

2072-562: The higher entry angles that have enabled dramatic increases in strike percentage and game scores. Hook potential has increased so much that dry lane conditions or spare shooting scenarios sometimes compel use of plastic or urethane balls, to purposely avoid the larger hook provided by reactive technology. The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) regulates ball parameters including maximum diameter (8.595 inches (21.83 cm)), maximum circumference (27 inches (0.69 m)), and maximum weight (16 pounds (7.26 kg)). Because pin spacing

2128-399: The hook is to give the ball a better angle at the 1-3 pocket (right-handers) or 1-2 pocket (left-handers.) to achieve a strike . When a ball is rolled straight, hitting the pocket must be precise. By hooking the ball, the ball will hit the pins with more force, producing better carry - especially on the 5-pin during a strike ball. Straight roll - even when it hits the pocket, will tend to leave

2184-403: The hook-enhancing friction between ball and lane: reactive resin balls arrived in the early 1990s, and particle-enhanced resin balls in the late 1990s. Meanwhile, the increasingly sophisticated technology of internal cores (also called weight blocks ) has increased balls' dynamic imbalance, which, in conjunction with the coverstocks' increased friction, enhances hook (curving) potential to achieve

2240-429: The need for human pinsetters to perform these functions. One scheme (1851) involved pins with spherical bases that when hit by a ball merely fell over, in place, to be rotated back to a vertical position. A second arrangement (1853) involved resetting the pins via cords descending from respective pin bottoms to weights beneath the pin deck. Another design (1869) involved suspending the pins with overhead cords. In 1884,

2296-433: The probability of achieving a strike assuming the ball impacts in or near the pocket—and varies with several factors. Even before a 2008 USBC pin carry study, it was known that entry angle and ball weight increase strike percentages. The 2008 study concluded that an impact with the ball centered at "board 17.5" causes pin scatter that maximizes likelihood of striking. The material of the pin deck and "kickback" (side) plates

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2352-564: The sport's image. From 1920 to 1929, the number of ABC-sanctioned alleys grew from 450 to about 2,000, with Prohibition leading to the growth of family-appropriate "dry" alleys. The 1933 repeal of Prohibition allowed breweries to sponsor teams and bowlers, adding to bowling's reputation as a working-class sport. Though at the turn of the twentieth century most bowling alleys were small establishments, post-Prohibition bowling lanes shifted from side entertainment at fancy Victorian venues or seedier saloons to independent establishments that embraced

2408-437: The stadium had 80 lanes, but since an architectural error resulted in the stadium not having a center aisle for bowlers to march out for the team event, the center lanes had to be converted to an aisle. Despite the conversion to a 78-lane facility, the main pro shop/gift shop is still called " Lane 81 ". The stadium can be covered to be converted to convention space. It utilizes fully automatic scoring on what (upon construction)

2464-400: The thumb before the fingers. There are innumerable variations in style and technique and the position of the thumb can vary from person to person. Some bowlers, including professionals, will actually roll the bowling ball with just the two fingers, allowing the hand to give the ball even more torque without having to worry about the thumb restricting the spin. The second way to produce a hook

2520-580: The tie between Buffalo and Toledo . The stadium also hosts an extension of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame (IBM/HF), which is located in Arlington, Texas. The museum displays hall-of-fame portraits as well as artifacts collected and preserved by the IBM/HF. The National Bowling Stadium has been the filming location for several feature films. In addition to being the location of

2576-502: The time (before 8 p.m. and not on Sundays) and place (more than 100 yards from inhabited houses) of "nine pin and ten pins" or "any game in the likeness or imitation thereof ... played with any number of pins whatsoever". U.S. newspapers referred to "ten pin alleys" at least as early as 1820 (also later in the 1820s and in the 1830s ). In the mid-1800s, various alternatives to free-standing pins received U.S. patents to solve perceived problems in pinsetting and ball return, aiming to avoid

2632-399: The track area of the ball and knowing where to place the axis hole. Starting August 1, 2020, there is elimination of balance holes. With the elimination of balance holes, bowlers may have up to five holes for gripping purposes and all gripping holes must be used on every delivery. A backup ball or back-up ball produces the opposite result of a hook. When a ball is rolled by a right-hander,

2688-615: The trend over the ensuing decade. After initial faddish growth in the U.K., however, the sport did not thrive as it did in the U.S., and by the 1970s many British bowling alleys were converted to serve competing pastimes, such as bingo. The "Lane Master" automatic lane cleaning and conditioning machine was first deployed in the 1960s. In the 1960s and early 1970s, top bowling professionals made twice as much money as NFL football stars, received million-dollar endorsement contracts, and were treated as international celebrities. The $ 100,000 Firestone Tournament of Champions launched in 1965, in

2744-444: The type of roll the bowler wants, and then can pick out the bowling ball with the weighting specifications in mind that match the bowler's needs. For a beginning bowler, the professional will usually drill the ball with the label directly in the middle, and between the fingers and thumb holes, causing the weighting to be balanced on both sides, causing the ball to roll straight. Under USBC regulations, one can drill up to five holes on

2800-475: Was advertised , also in Ipswich, at least as early as 1828. An 1841 Connecticut law banned ninepin bowling because of its perceived association with gambling and crime, and people were said to circumvent the prohibition by adding a tenth pin. Other locations (e.g., 1838, re Baltimore and 1842, Charles Dickens re New York ) also recount that strategy. Even earlier, an 1834 Washington, D.C. ordinance had limited

2856-582: Was also found to materially affect pin carry. Three widely recognized categories are stroker, cranker and tweener . A conventional grip , used on non-customized house balls and some custom-drilled balls, involves insertion of fingers to the second knuckle. A fingertip grip , involving insertion of fingers only to the first knuckle, enables greater revolution rates and resultant hook potential. A thumbless grip , often used by so-called "two-handed" bowlers, maximizes ball rotational speed ("rev rate"). The USBC indicated that, effective August 1, 2023, it

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2912-504: Was constructed at a cost of $ 47.5 million, but the PBA Pro Bowlers Tour TV program was canceled in 1997 after a 35-year run. In 1991, equipment manufacturer DBA Products released "The Lane Walker"—the first computer-driven lane cleaning and oiling machine, programmable to clean up to 50 lanes. Hook (bowling) A hook in ten-pin bowling is a ball that rolls in a curving pattern (as opposed to straight). The purpose of

2968-656: Was formed in 1952 to coordinate international amateur competition. A firmer establishment of the sport began in the U.K. in 1960 in London ( Stamford Hill ) in January 1960, and the British Tenpin Bowling Association (BTBA) was formed the following year. The first British made tenpin was by H Massil and sons who received the permit no.1 from the BTBA. Various other countries, including Australia, Mexico and Japan, adopted

3024-580: Was fueled by the deployment of automatic mechanical pinsetters by AMF (1952) and Brunswick (1955), television broadcasts (said to be "ubiquitous" in the 1950s), modernization and stylization of establishments with amenities to attract broader clientele, and formation of bowling leagues. Though President Truman had installed a bowling alley in the White House in 1947, a report of the American Society of Planning Officials in 1958 characterized bowling alleys as

3080-402: Was the world's longest rigid, backlight video screen, with oversight from a computerized command center on the stadium's fifth level. When it opened in 1995, it was just in time to welcome 100,000 members of the American Bowling Congress for their 100th anniversary meeting. In 2009 the National Bowling Stadium broke the record for most United States Bowling Congress championships hosted, surpassing

3136-557: Was to eventually decline from its 1960s high of 12,000 to 6,542 in 1998 and 3,976 in 2013. The decline was noted acutely in waning league participation over the intervening decades. Tournament prize funds in the 1980s included the PBA National Championship ($ 135,000, its largest) and the Firestone Tournament of Champions ($ 150,000), and PBA membership approached 2,500. Ten-pin bowling became an exhibition sport at

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