RELATED SEARCHES
Sponsored PBA Bowling Results:
PBA Bowling: Professional Bowlers, Ten Pin Bowling, Tournaments And PBA Tour
By:
Published: October 2, 2007
Bowling has enjoyed steady popularity for hundreds of years, spreading with European influence to various parts of the world; though the ancient Egyptians had an embryonic form of the game. Curiously enough, ten-pin bowling emerged in an effort to exploit the letter of an old American law. As legend has it, the old standard of nine-pin bowling was banned in America in the late 1800s because of its association with gambling, thus ten-pin bowling emerged as a substitute.
Modern bowling alleys with the automated pinsetting machines became popular in the 1950s, and the rise of PBA bowling soon followed.
The Professional Bowlers Association was founded in 1958, with the first PBA Tour the following year. Tournaments quickly became popular on television, and the events grew in stature accordingly. PBA bowling was at its television peak in the 1970s, with nationally broadcast games becoming a fixture on Saturday afternoons (on the major networks, no less). PBA bowling has struggled to match the television success of its prime, but remains one of the most popular "fringe" sports. PBA Bowling has found a steady home on cable, with events currently carried by ESPN.
PBA bowling is accessible to more that just those on the big Denny's PBA Tour, though. Regional tournaments and senior events are held all around the country, with monetary prizes determined by the number of entries. In other words, one must pay to get enter. Membership in the Professional Bowlers Association is not required to participate, though it will provide more options; non-members are allowed to play in as many qualifying rounds as they wish, but can only advance once a year. Members also get a ring after their first 300 games.
Those interested should be aware that PBA bowling carries a different degree of conduct than local leagues; alcohol and tobacco consumption is prohibited until competition is finished for the day. PBA bowling also has a number of pre-tournament procedures and equipment restrictions, as well as a dress code competitors should know about. PBA bowling at the regional level is designed for those with more that just a passing interest in the game; an average of 200 in a sanctioned league is required for entry.
Despite the restrictions, PBA bowling enjoys steady popularity as a professional sport far more accessible to the general population. PBA bowling requires much more than good aim and a hard throw; ball revolutions and lane conditions must be taken into account, and proper equipment selection is vital (especially since everyone knows what they're doing). As with most sports, participants have grown far more knowledgeable about bowling over the years and the techniques that once belonged to the pros are now more common among casual players. This can also be attributed in part to all that PBA bowling on TV in the 70s. Local leagues are available anywhere, but for those with a more dedicated interest in the game, regional PBA bowling offers serious competition and a professional atmosphere in addition to its monetary prizes.
Sources:
Clark, Tom. "TV's Been Great For Bowling, But Needs To Do More." USA Today. 22 Jan. 2002. Gannett. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bowling/clark/2002- 01-22-clark.htm.
"PBA History." Professional Bowlers Association. 2005. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.pba.com/resources/basics/pbahistory.asp .
"Tournament FAQ's." Professional Bowlers Association. 2007. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.pba.com/faq/faq.asp#c1f24.
"Who Invented Bowling?" Ask Yahoo! 6 June 2003. Yahoo! 02 Oct. 2007. http://ask.yahoo.com/20030606.html.
The Professional Bowlers Association was founded in 1958, with the first PBA Tour the following year. Tournaments quickly became popular on television, and the events grew in stature accordingly. PBA bowling was at its television peak in the 1970s, with nationally broadcast games becoming a fixture on Saturday afternoons (on the major networks, no less). PBA bowling has struggled to match the television success of its prime, but remains one of the most popular "fringe" sports. PBA Bowling has found a steady home on cable, with events currently carried by ESPN.
PBA bowling is accessible to more that just those on the big Denny's PBA Tour, though. Regional tournaments and senior events are held all around the country, with monetary prizes determined by the number of entries. In other words, one must pay to get enter. Membership in the Professional Bowlers Association is not required to participate, though it will provide more options; non-members are allowed to play in as many qualifying rounds as they wish, but can only advance once a year. Members also get a ring after their first 300 games.
Those interested should be aware that PBA bowling carries a different degree of conduct than local leagues; alcohol and tobacco consumption is prohibited until competition is finished for the day. PBA bowling also has a number of pre-tournament procedures and equipment restrictions, as well as a dress code competitors should know about. PBA bowling at the regional level is designed for those with more that just a passing interest in the game; an average of 200 in a sanctioned league is required for entry.
Despite the restrictions, PBA bowling enjoys steady popularity as a professional sport far more accessible to the general population. PBA bowling requires much more than good aim and a hard throw; ball revolutions and lane conditions must be taken into account, and proper equipment selection is vital (especially since everyone knows what they're doing). As with most sports, participants have grown far more knowledgeable about bowling over the years and the techniques that once belonged to the pros are now more common among casual players. This can also be attributed in part to all that PBA bowling on TV in the 70s. Local leagues are available anywhere, but for those with a more dedicated interest in the game, regional PBA bowling offers serious competition and a professional atmosphere in addition to its monetary prizes.
Sources:
Clark, Tom. "TV's Been Great For Bowling, But Needs To Do More." USA Today. 22 Jan. 2002. Gannett. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bowling/clark/2002- 01-22-clark.htm.
"PBA History." Professional Bowlers Association. 2005. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.pba.com/resources/basics/pbahistory.asp .
"Tournament FAQ's." Professional Bowlers Association. 2007. 02 Oct. 2007. http://www.pba.com/faq/faq.asp#c1f24.
"Who Invented Bowling?" Ask Yahoo! 6 June 2003. Yahoo! 02 Oct. 2007. http://ask.yahoo.com/20030606.html.
