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A dishwasher is a machine that is used to clean dishware, cookware, and cutlery automatically. Unlike manual dishwashing, which relies on physical scrubbing to remove soiling, the mechanical dishwasher cleans by spraying hot water, typically between 45 and 75 °C (110 and 170 °F), at the dishes, with lower temperatures of water used for delicate items.^[1]

A mix of water and dishwasher detergent is pumped to one or more rotating sprayers, cleaning the dishes with the cleaning mixture. The mixture is recirculated to save water and energy. Often there is a pre-rinse, which may or may not include detergent, and the water is then drained. This is followed by the main wash with fresh water and detergent. Once the wash is finished, the water is drained; more hot water enters the tub by means of an electromechanical solenoid valve, and the rinse cycle(s) begin. After the rinse process finishes, the water is drained again and the dishes are dried using one of several drying methods. Typically a rinse-aid, a chemical to reduce the surface tension of the water, is used to reduce water spots from hard water or other reasons.^[2]

In addition to domestic units, industrial dishwashers are available for use in commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants, where many dishes must be cleaned. Washing is conducted with temperatures of 65–71 °C (149–160 °F) and sanitation is achieved by either the use of a booster heater that will provide an 82 °C (180 °F) “final rinse” temperature or through the use of a chemical sanitizer.

History

A hand-powered dishwasher and an early electric dishwasher both from about 1917.

The first mechanical dishwashing device was registered for a patent in 1850 in the United States by Joel Houghton. This device was made of wood and was cranked by hand while water sprayed onto the dishes.^[3] The device was both slow and unreliable. Another patent was granted to L.A. Alexander in 1865 that was similar to the first but featured a hand-cranked rack system.^[4] Neither device was practical or widely accepted. Some historians cite as an obstacle to adoption the historical attitude that valued women for the effort put into housework rather than the results—making household chores easier was perceived by some to reduce their value.^[5]

The most successful of the hand-powered dishwashers was invented in 1886 by Josephine Cochrane together with mechanic George Butters in Cochrane’s tool shed in Shelbyville, Illinois^[6] when Cochrane (a wealthy socialite) wanted to protect her china while it was being washed.^[7] Their invention was unveiled at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago under the name of Lavadora but was changed to Lavaplatos as another machine invented in 1858 already held that name. Cochrane’s inspiration was her frustration at the damage to her good china that occurred when her servants handled it during cleaning.^[8]

Europe’s first domestic dishwasher with an electric motor was invented and manufactured by Miele in 1929.^[9][10]

In the United Kingdom, William Howard Livens invented a small, non-electric dishwasher suitable for domestic use in 1924. It was the first dishwasher that incorporated most of the design elements that are featured in the models of today;^[11] it included a door for loading, a wire rack to hold the dirty crockery and a rotating sprayer. Drying elements were added to his design in 1940. It was the first machine suitable for domestic use, and it came at a time when permanent plumbing and running water in the home were becoming increasingly common.^[12][13]

Despite this, Liven’s design did not become a commercial success, and dishwashers were only successfully sold as domestic utilities in the postwar boom of the 1950s, albeit only to the wealthy. Initially, dishwashers were sold as standalone or portable devices, but with the development of the wall-to-wall countertop and standardized height cabinets, dishwashers began to be marketed with standardized sizes and shapes, integrated underneath the kitchen countertop as a modular unit with other kitchen appliances.

By the 1970s, dishwashers had become commonplace in domestic residences in North America and Western Europe. By 2012, over 75 percent of homes in the United States and Germany had dishwashers.^[14]

In the late 1990s, manufacturers began offering various new energy conservation features in dishwashers.^[15] One feature was use of “soil sensors”, which was a computerized tool in the dishwasher which measured food particles coming from dishes.^[15] When the dishwasher had cleaned the dishes to the point of not releasing more food particles, the soil sensor would report the dishes as being clean.^[15] The sensor operated with another innovation of using variable washing time.^[15] If dishes were especially dirty, then the dishwasher would run for a longer time than if the sensor detected them to be clean. In this way, the dishwasher would save energy and water by only being in operation for as long as needed.^[15]

Design

Size and capacity

Dishwashers that are installed into standard kitchen cabinets have a standard width and depth of 60 cm (Europe) or 24 in (61 cm) (US), and most dishwashers must be installed into a hole a minimum of 86 cm (Europe) or 34 in (86 cm) (US) tall. Portable dishwashers exist in 45 and 60 cm (Europe) or 18 and 24 in (46 and 61 cm) (US) widths, with casters and attached countertops. There are also dishwashers available in sizes according to the European gastronorm standard. Dishwashers may come in standard or tall tub designs; standard tub dishwashers have a service kickplate beneath the dishwasher door that allows for simpler maintenance and installation, but tall tub dishwashers have approximately 20% more capacity and better sound dampening from having a continuous front door.^{[citation needed]}

The international standard for the capacity of a dishwasher is expressed as standard place settings. Commercial dishwashers are rated as plates per hour. The rating is based on standard-sized plates of the same size. The same can be said for commercial glass washers, as they are based on standard glasses, normally pint glasses.^{[citation needed]}

Layout

Present-day machines feature a drop-down front panel door, allowing access to the interior, which usually contains two or sometimes three pull-out racks; racks can also be referred to as “baskets”. In older U.S. models from the 1950s, the entire tub rolled out when the machine latch was opened, and loading as well as removing washable items was from the top, with the user reaching deep into the compartment for some items. Youngstown Kitchens, which manufactured entire kitchen cabinets and sinks, offered a tub-style dishwasher, which was coupled to a conventional kitchen sink as one unit. Most present-day machines allow for placement of dishes, silverware, tall items and cooking utensils in the lower rack, while glassware, cups and saucers are placed in the upper rack.^[16] One notable exception were dishwashers produced by the Maytag Corporation from the late sixties until the early nineties. These machines were designed for loading glassware, cups and saucers in the lower rack, while plates, silverware, and tall items were placed into the upper rack. This unique design allowed for a larger capacity and more flexibility in loading of dishes and pots and pans. Today, “dish drawer” models eliminate the inconvenience of the long reach that was necessary with older full-depth models. “Cutlery baskets” are also common. A drawer dishwasher, first introduced by Fisher & Paykel in 1997, is a variant of the dishwasher in which the baskets slide out with the door in the same manner as a drawer filing cabinet, with each drawer in a double-drawer model being able to operate independently of the other.^{[citation needed]}

The inside of a dishwasher in the North American market is either stainless steel or plastic. Most of them are stainless steel body and plastic made racks. Stainless steel tubs resist hard water, and preserve heat to dry dishes more quickly. They also come at a premium price. Dishwashers can be bought for as expensive as $1,500+, but countertop dishwashers are also available for under $300. Older models used baked enamel tubs, while some used a vinyl coating bonded to a steel tub, which provided protection of the tub from acidic foods and provided some sound attenuation. European-made dishwashers feature a stainless steel interior as standard, even on low-end models. The same is true for a built-in water softener.^{[citation needed]}

Washing elements

European dishwashers almost universally use two or three sprayers which are fed from the bottom and back wall of the dishwasher, leaving both racks unimpeded. Such models also tend to use inline water heaters, removing the need for exposed elements in the base of the machine that can melt plastic items near to them. Many North American dishwashers tend to use exposed elements in the base of the dishwasher. Some North American machines, primarily those designed by General Electric, use a wash tube, often called a wash-tower, to direct water from the bottom of the dishwasher to the top dish rack. Some dishwashers, including many models from Whirlpool and KitchenAid, use a tube attached to the top rack that connects to a water source at the back of the dishwasher and directs water to a second wash spray beneath the upper rack, which allows full use of the bottom rack. Late-model Frigidaire dishwashers shoot a jet of water from the top of the washer down into the upper wash sprayer, again allowing full use of the bottom rack (but requiring that a small funnel on the top rack be kept clear).^{[citation needed]}

Features

Duration: 7 seconds.0:07Clear model of a running dishwasher

Mid-range to higher-end North American dishwashers often come with hard food disposal units, which behave like miniature garbage (waste) disposal units that eliminate large pieces of food waste from the wash water. One manufacturer that is known for omitting hard food disposals is Bosch, a German brand; however, Bosch does so in order to reduce noise. If the larger items of food waste are removed before placing in the dishwasher, pre-rinsing is not necessary even without integrated waste disposal units.^{[citation needed]}

Many new dishwashers feature microprocessor-controlled, sensor-assisted wash cycles that adjust the wash duration to the number of dirty dishes (sensed by changes in water temperature) or the amount of dirt in the rinse water (sensed chemically or optically). This can save water and energy if the user runs a partial load. In such dishwashers the electromechanical rotary switch often used to control the washing cycle is replaced by a microprocessor, but most sensors and valves are still required. However, pressure switches (some dishwashers use a pressure switch and flow meter) are not required in most microprocessor controlled dishwashers as they use the motor and sometimes a rotational position sensor to sense the resistance of water; when it senses there is no cavitation it knows it has the optimal amount of water. A bimetal switch or wax motor opens the detergent door during the wash cycle.^{[citation needed]}

Some dishwashers include a child-lockout feature to prevent accidental starting or stopping of the wash cycle by children. A child lock can sometimes be included to prevent young children from opening the door during a wash cycle. This prevents accidents with hot water and strong detergents used during the wash cycle.^{[citation needed]}

Process

Energy use and water temperatures

In the European Union, the energy consumption of a dishwasher for a standard usage is shown on a European Union energy label. In the United States, the energy consumption of a dishwasher is defined using the energy factor.

The current energy usage criteria for dishwashers, to achieve Energy Star certification, are ≤ 270 kWh/year for standard dishwashers, and ≤ 203 kWh/year for compact dishwashers.^[17]

Most consumer dishwashers use a 75 °C (167 °F) thermostat in the sanitizing process. During the final rinse cycle, the heating element and wash pump are turned on, and the cycle timer (electronic or electromechanical) is stopped until the thermostat is tripped. At this point, the cycle timer resumes and will generally trigger a drain cycle within a few timer increments.

Most consumer dishwashers use 75 °C (167 °F) rather than 83 °C (181 °F) for reasons of burn risk, energy and water consumption, total cycle time, and possible damage to plastic items placed inside the dishwasher. With new advances in detergents, lower water temperatures (50–55 °C; 122–131 °F) are needed to prevent premature decay of the enzymes used to eat the grease and other build-ups on the dishes.

In the US, residential dishwashers can be certified to a NSF International testing protocol which confirms the cleaning and sanitation performance of the unit.^[18]

Superheated steam dishwashers can kill 99% of bacteria on a plate in just 25 seconds.^[19]

Drying

The heat inside the dishwasher dries the contents after the final hot rinse. North American dishwashers tend to use heat-assisted drying via an exposed element which tends to be less efficient than other methods. European machines and some high-end North American machines use passive methods for drying – a stainless steel interior helps this process and some models use heat exchange technology between the inner and outer skin of the machine to cool the walls of the interior and speed up drying. Some dishwashers employ desiccants such as zeolite which at the beginning of the wash are heated, dry out and creating steam which warms plates, and then are cooled during the dry cycle which absorbs moisture again, saving significant energy.^{[citation needed]}

Plastic and non-stick items form drops with smaller surface area^[20] and may not dry properly compared to china and glass. Some dishwashers incorporate a fan to improve drying. Older dishwashers with a visible heating element (at the bottom of the wash cabinet, below the bottom basket) may use the heating element to improve drying; however, this uses more energy.

Most importantly however, the final rinse adds a small amount of rinse-aid to the hot water, this is a mild detergent that improves drying significantly by reducing the inherent surface tension of the water so that water mostly drips off, greatly improving how well all items, including plastic items, dry.

Most dishwashers feature a drying sensor and as such, a dish-washing cycle is always considered complete when a drying indicator, usually in the form of an illuminated “end” light, or in more modern models on a digital display or audible sound, exhibits to the operator that the washing and drying cycle is now over.^{[citation needed]}

US governmental agencies often recommend air-drying dishes by either disabling or stopping the drying cycle to save energy.^[21]

Differences between dishwashers and hand washing

Dishwasher detergent

Main article: Dishwasher detergent

Dishwashers are designed to work using specially formulated dishwasher detergent. Over time, many regions have banned the use of phosphates in detergent and phosphorus-based compounds. They were previously used because they have properties that aid in effective cleaning. The concern was the increase in algal blooms in waterways caused by increasing phosphate levels (see eutrophication).^[22] Seventeen US states have partial or full bans on the use of phosphates in dish detergent,^[23] and two US states (Maryland and New York) ban phosphates in commercial dishwashing. Detergent companies claimed it is not cost effective to make separate batches of detergent for the states with phosphate bans, and so most have voluntarily removed phosphates from all dishwasher detergents.^[24]

In addition, rinse aids have contained nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates. These have been banned in the European Union by EU Directive 76/769/EEC.^{[citation needed]}

In some regions, depending on water hardness, a dishwasher might function better with the use of a dishwasher salt.^{[citation needed]}

Glassware

Glassware washed by dishwashing machines can develop a white haze on the surface over time. This may be caused by any or all of the below processes, of which only the first is reversible:Deposition of mineralsCalcium carbonate (limescale) in hard water can deposit and build up on surfaces when water dries. The deposits can be dissolved by vinegar or another acid. Dishwashers often include ion exchange device to remove calcium and magnesium ions and replace them with sodium. The resultant sodium salts are water-soluble and don’t tend to build up.^{[citation needed]}Silicate filming, etching, and accelerated crack corrosionThis film starts as an iridescence or “oil-film” effect on glassware, and progresses into a “milky” or “cloudy” appearance (which is not a deposit) that cannot be polished off or removed like limescale. It is formed because the detergent is strongly alkaline (basic) and glass dissolves slowly in alkaline aqueous solution. It becomes less soluble in the presence of silicates in the water (added as anti-metal-corrosion agents in the dishwasher detergent). Since the cloudy appearance is due to nonuniform glass dissolution, it is (somewhat paradoxically) less marked if dissolution is higher, i.e. if a silicate-free detergent is used; also, in certain cases, the etching will primarily be seen in areas that have microscopic surface cracks as a result of the items’ manufacturing.^[25][26] Limitation of this undesirable reaction is possible by controlling water hardness, detergent load and temperature. The type of glass is an important factor in determining if this effect is a problem. Some dishwashers can reduce this etching effect by automatically dispensing the correct amount of detergent throughout the wash cycle based on the level of water hardness programmed.^{[citation needed]}Dissolution of leadLead in lead crystal can be converted into a soluble form by the high temperatures and strong alkali detergents of dishwashers, which could endanger the health of subsequent users.^[27]

Other materials

Other materials besides glass are also harmed by the strong detergents, strong agitation, and high temperatures of dishwashers, especially on a hot wash cycle when temperatures can reach 75 °C (167 °F).^[28] Aluminium, brass, and copper items will discolor, and light aluminum containers will mark other items they knock into. Nonstick pan coatings will deteriorate. Glossy, gold-colored, and hand-painted items will be dulled or fade. Fragile items and sharp edges will be dulled or damaged from colliding with other items or thermal stress. Sterling silver and pewter will oxidize and discolour from the heat and from contact with metals lower on the galvanic series such as stainless steel.^[29] Pewter has a low melting point and may warp in some dishwashers. Glued items, such as hollow-handle knives or wooden cutting boards, will melt or soften in a dishwasher; high temperatures and moisture damage wood. High temperatures damage many plastics, especially in the bottom rack close to an exposed heating element (many newer dishwashers have a concealed heating element away from the bottom rack entirely). Squeezing plastic items into small spaces may cause the plastic to distort in shape. Cast iron cookware is normally seasoned with oil or grease and heat, which causes the oil or grease to be absorbed into the pores of the cookware, thereby giving a smooth relatively non-stick cooking surface which is stripped off by the combination of alkali based detergent and hot water in a dishwasher.^{[citation needed]}

Knives and other cooking tools that are made of carbon steel, semi-stainless steels like D2, or specialized, highly hardened cutlery steels like ZDP189 corrode in the extended moisture bath of dishwashers, compared to briefer baths of hand washing. Cookware is made of austenitic stainless steels, which are more stable.^{[citation needed]}

Items contaminated by chemicals such as wax, cigarette ash, poisons, mineral oils, wet paints, oiled tools, furnace filters, etc. can contaminate a dishwasher, since the surfaces inside small water passages cannot be wiped clean as surfaces are in hand-washing, so contaminants remain to affect future loads. Objects contaminated by solvents may explode in a dishwasher.^{[citation needed]}

Environmental comparison

Dishwashers use less water, and therefore less fuel to heat the water, than hand washing, except for small quantities washed in wash bowls without running water.^[30][31]

Hand-washing techniques vary by individual. According to a peer-reviewed study in 2003, hand washing and drying of an amount of dishes equivalent to a fully loaded automatic dishwasher (no cookware or bakeware) could use between 20 and 300 litres (5.3 and 79.3 US gal) of water and between 0.1 and 8 kWh of energy, while the numbers for energy-efficient automatic dishwashers were 15–22 litres (4.0–5.8 US gal) and 1 to 2 kWh, respectively. The study concluded that fully loaded dishwashers use less energy, water, and detergent than the average European hand-washer.^[32][33] For the automatic dishwasher results, the dishes were not rinsed before being loaded. The study does not address costs associated with the manufacture and disposal of dishwashers, the cost of possible accelerated wear of dishes from the chemical harshness of dishwasher detergent, the comparison for cleaning cookware, or the value of labour saved; hand washers needed between 65 and 106 minutes. Several points of criticism on this study have been raised.^[34] For example, kilowatt hours of electricity were compared against energy used for heating hot water without taking into account possible inefficiencies. Also, inefficient handwashings were compared against optimal usage of a fully loaded dishwasher without manual pre-rinsing that can take up to 100 litres (26 US gal) of water.^[35]

A 2009 study showed that the microwave and the dishwasher were both more effective ways to clean domestic sponges than handwashing.^[36]

Adoption

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Commercial use

Large heavy-duty dishwashers are available for use in commercial establishments (e.g. hotels, restaurants) where many dishes must be cleaned.

Unlike a residential dishwasher, a commercial dishwasher does not utilize a drying cycle (commercial drying is achieved by heated ware meeting open air once the wash/rinse/sanitation cycles have been completed) and thus are significantly faster than their residential counterparts. Washing is conducted with 65–71 °C (149–160 °F) temperatures and sanitation is achieved by either the use of a booster heater that will provide the machine 82 °C (180 °F) “final rinse” temperature or through the use of a chemical sanitizer. This distinction labels the machines as either “high-temp” or “low-temp”.^[37]

Some commercial dishwashers work similarly to a commercial car wash, with a pulley system that pulls the rack through a small chamber (known widely as a “rack conveyor” systems). Single-rack washers require an operator to push the rack into the washer, close the doors, start the cycle, and then open the doors to pull out the cleaned rack, possibly through a second opening into an unloading area.

In the UK, the British Standards Institution set standards for dishwashers. In the US, NSF International (an independent not-for-profit organization) sets the standards for wash and rinse time along with minimum water temperature for chemical or hot-water sanitizing methods.^[38] There are many types of commercial dishwashers including under-counter, single tank, conveyor, flight type, and carousel machines.

Commercial dishwashers often have significantly different plumbing and operations than a home unit, in that there are often separate sprayers for washing and rinsing/sanitizing. The wash water is heated with an in-tank electric heat element and mixed with a cleaning solution, and is used repeatedly from one load to the next. The wash tank usually has a large strainer basket to collect food debris, and the strainer may not be emptied until the end of the day’s kitchen operations.

Water used for rinsing and sanitizing is generally delivered directly through building water supply and is not reusable. However, commercial dishwashers excel in water efficiency, with some models using less than 0.4 gallons of water per rack. Used rinse water empties into the wash tank reservoir, which dilutes some of the used wash water and causes a small amount to drain out through an overflow tube. The system may first rinse with pure water only and then sanitize with an additive solution that is left on the dishes as they leave the washer to dry.

Additional soap is periodically added to the main wash water tank, from either large soap concentrate tanks or dissolved from a large solid soap block, to maintain wash water cleaning effectiveness.

Alternative uses

Dishwashers can be used to cook foods at low temperatures (e.g. dishwasher salmon).^[39][40] The foods are generally sealed in canning jars or oven bags since even a dishwasher cycle without soap can deposit residual soap and rinse aid from previous cycles on unsealed foods.^[41]

Dishwashers also have been documented to be used to clean potatoes, other root vegetables, garden tools, sneakers or trainers, silk flowers,^[42] some sporting goods, plastic hairbrushes, baseball caps, plastic toys, toothbrushes, flip-flops,^[43] contact lens cases, a mesh filter from a range hood, refrigerator shelves and bins,^[44] toothbrush holders, pet bowls and pet toys.^[45] Cleaning vegetables and plastics is controversial since vegetables can be contaminated by soap and rinse aid from previous cycles and the heat of most standard dishwashers can cause BPA or phthalates to leach out of plastic products.^[41] The use of a dishwasher to clean greasy tools and parts is not recommended as the grease can clog the dishwasher.

Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to bowling are to pin bowling, specifically tenpin bowling, played in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries. Bowling can also refer to target bowling, such as lawn bowls. Bowling is played by 120 million people in more than 90 countries, including 70 million people in the United States alone.^[1]

In pin bowling, players knock over pins on a long smooth surface called a lane. Lanes have a wood or synthetic surface with protective lubricating oil applied in different oil patterns that affect ball motion. A strike is achieved when all the pins are knocked down on the first roll, and a spare is achieved if all remaining pins are knocked over on a second roll. The most common variation of pin bowling is tenpin; other variations include candlepin, duckpin, nine-pin (kegel), and five-pin. The historical game skittles is the forerunner of modern pin bowling.

In target bowling, the aim is usually to get a ball as close to a mark as possible. The surface in target bowling may be grass, gravel, or synthetic.^[2] Lawn bowls, bocce, carpet bowls, pétanque, and boules may have both indoor and outdoor varieties. Curling may be considered target bowling, but on ice.

Variations

[edit]

Bowling is split into two general classes: pin bowling and target bowling.

Pin bowling

[edit]

Candlepin balls are the smallest, but candlepins are tallest and thinnest.

Duckpins are the shortest, and duckpin balls are barely larger than candlepin balls.

Tenpin balls and pins are the heaviest.

Five main variations are played in North America, with tenpin being the most played but others being practiced in the eastern U.S. and in parts of Canada:^[3]

• Tenpin bowling: largest and heaviest pins, and bowled with a large ball with two or three finger holes.
• Nine-pin bowling: uses a smaller ball without finger holes and with pins arranged in a diamond shape.
• Candlepin bowling: tallest pins (at 40 cm or 16 in), thin with matching ends, bowled with the smallest and lightest (at 1.1 kg or 2.4 lb) handheld ball of any bowling sport, and the only form with no fallen pins removed during a frame.
• Duckpin bowling: similar to tenpin, but with shorter pins and bowled with a smaller handheld ball.
• Five-pin bowling: pins are taller than duckpins and shorter than tenpins, between duckpins and candlepins in diameter with a rubber girdle, bowled with a handheld ball, mostly found in Canada.

Target bowling

[edit]

Target bowling is usually played outdoors on a specially prepared lawn or natural terrain, including bare earth or sand. Depending on the particular game, players may either roll or throw a ball in an attempt to put it closest to a designated point or target ball within the bowling arena. Examples include Lawn Bowls, Bocce, and Pétanque. Curling could be considered target bowling.

History

[edit]

Ancient history

[edit]

The earliest known forms of bowling date back to ancient Egypt,^[5] with wall drawings depicting bowling being found in a royal Egyptian tomb dated to 3200 BC and miniature pins and balls in an Egyptian child’s grave about 3200 BC. Remnants of bowling balls were found among artifacts in ancient Egypt going back to the Egyptian protodynastic period in 3200 BC.^[6] What is thought to be a child’s game involving porphyry (stone) balls, a miniature trilithon, and nine breccia-veined alabaster vase-shaped figures—thought to resemble the more modern game of skittles—was found in Naqada, Egypt, in 1895.^[4]

Balls were made using the husks of grains, covered in a material such as leather, and bound with string. Other balls made of porcelain have also been found, indicating that these were rolled along the ground rather than thrown due to their size and weight.^[6] Some of these resemble the modern-day jack used in target bowl games. Bowling games of different forms are also noted by Herodotus as an invention of the Lydians in Asia Minor.^[7]

About 2,000 years ago, in the Roman Empire, a similar game evolved between Roman legionaries entailing the tossing of stone objects as close as possible to other stone objects, which eventually evolved into Italian bocce, or outdoor bowling.^[8]

Around AD 400, bowling began in Germany as a religious ritual to cleanse oneself from sin by rolling a rock into a club (kegel) representing the heathen, resulting in bowlers being called keglers.^[9]

Post-classical history

[edit]

In 1299, the oldest-surviving known bowling green for target style bowling was built: Master’s Close (now the Old Bowling Green of the Southampton Bowling Club) in Southampton, England, which is still in use.^[10]

In 1325, laws were passed in Berlin and Cologne that limited bets on lawn bowling to five shillings.^[9]

In 1366, the first official mention of bowling in England was made, when King Edward III banned it as a distraction to archery practice.^[11]

In the 15th–17th centuries, lawn bowling spread from Germany into Austria, Switzerland, and the Low Countries, with playing surfaces made of cinders or baked clay.^[9]

In 1455, lawn bowling lanes in London were first roofed-over, turning bowling into an all-weather game.^[9] In Germany, they were called kegelbahns and were often attached to taverns and guest houses.

In 1463, a public feast was held in Frankfurt, Germany, with a venison dinner followed by lawn bowling.^[9]

Modern history

[edit]

In the 16th to 18th centuries

[edit]

Peasants bowling in front of a tavern in the 17th century

The Bowling Game (Jan Steen, c. 1655). Many Dutch Golden Age paintings depicted bowling.

English King Henry VIII was an avid bowler. In 1511, he banned bowling for the lower classes and imposed a levy for private lanes to limit them to the wealthy.^[12] Another English law, passed in 1541 (repealed in 1845), prohibited workers from bowling except at Christmas, and then only in their master’s home and in his presence. In 1530, he acquired Whitehall Palace in central London as his new residence, having it extensively rebuilt complete with outdoor bowling lanes, indoor tennis court, jousting tiltyard, and cockfighting pit.

Protestant Reformation founder Martin Luther set the number of pins (which varied from 3 to 17) at nine.^{[citation needed]} He had a bowling lane built next to his home for his children, sometimes rolling a ball himself.^[9]

Often associated with gambling, bowling had a negative image. This 1800 English mayor instructed “putting a stop to the growing evil of skittle and bowling alleys … to take care that there are as few inducements as possible for the thoughtless husband to spend his substance to the detriment of his family.”^[13]

To project a higher image, this 1838 New York newspaper ad for the Knickerbocker Hotel’s three bowling alleys boasted “excellent accommodations” and appealed to “gentlemen to perform their ablutions“.^[14]

On 29 July 1588, English Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Drake allegedly was playing bowls at Plymouth Hoe when the arrival of the Spanish Armada was announced; he replied, “We have time enough to finish the game and beat the Spaniards too.”^[15]

In 1609, Dutch East India Company explorer Henry Hudson discovered Hudson Bay, bringing Dutch colonization to New Amsterdam (later New York); Hudson’s men brought some form of lawn bowling with them.^[9]

In 1617, English King James I published Declaration of Sports, banning bowling on Sundays but permitting dancing and archery for those first attending an Anglican service, outraging Puritans; it was reissued in 1633 by his successor Charles I, then ordered publicly burned in 1643 by the Puritan Parliament.

In 1670, Dutchmen liked to bowl at the Old King’s Arms Tavern near modern-day 2nd and Broadway in New York City.^[16]

In 1733, Bowling Green in New York City was built on the site of a Dutch cattle market and parade ground, becoming the city’s oldest public park to survive to modern times.

In the 19th century

[edit]

Though the origin of tenpin bowling is often attributed to the U.S., this circa-1810 painting from Ipswich, England shows outdoor bowling with ten pins.^[17]

This 1820 Indiana (U.S.) newspaper ad touts a “Ball and Ten Pin Alley” to attract customers to a bakery.^[18]

An 1838 Indiana newspaper describes how tenpin bowling alleys were constructed to evade a Baltimore statute prohibiting nine-pin bowling.^[19]

A tongue-in-cheek illustration of a bowling alley, from the cover of Harpers Weekly magazine (U.S., 1860)

An 1890 Bowler’s Guide describes how “innings” or “rolls” (now called frames) involved up to three balls played in succession.

Palace Bowling Alleys in the Music Hall in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, circa 1895.^[20] Note the different-sized bowling balls.

A circa 1810 painting of Ipswich, England shows a man bowling with a triangular formation of ten pins, before that variant of the sport is believed to have appeared in the United States.^[17] An 1828 auction notice, also in Ipswich, explicitly mentions “ten-pin and skittle grounds”.^[21]

In 1819, New York writer Washington Irving made the first mention of ninepin bowling in American literature in his story “Rip Van Winkle“.

Newspaper articles and advertisements at least as early as 1820^[18] refer to “ten pin alleys”, usually in the context of a side attraction to a main business or property^{[22][23][24][25]} as distinguished from dedicated “bowling alley” establishments as presently understood.

By the late 1830s, New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel housed a bowling alley with three lanes.^[14][26]

In 1846, the oldest surviving bowling lanes in the United States were built as part of Roseland Cottage, the summer estate of Henry Chandler Bowen (1831–1896) in Woodstock, Connecticut. The lanes, now part of Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage House Museum contain Gothic Revival architectural elements in keeping with the style of the entire estate.^[27]

In 1848, the Revolutions of 1848 resulted in accelerated German immigration to the U.S., reaching 5 million by 1900, bringing their love of beer and bowling with them; by the late 19th century they made New York City a center of bowling.

In 1848, the Scottish Bowling Association for lawn bowling was founded in Scotland by 200 clubs; it was dissolved then refounded in 1892.

In 1864, Glasgow cotton merchant William Wallace Mitchell (1803–1884) published Manual of Bowls Playing, which became a standard reference for lawn bowling in Scotland.^[28]

In 1875, the National Bowling Association (NBA) was founded by 27 local clubs in New York City to standardize rules for tenpin bowling, setting the ball size and the distance between the foul line and the pins, but failing to agree on other rules; it was superseded in 1895 by the American Bowling Congress.^[29]

In 1880, Justin White of Worcester, Massachusetts, invented Candlepin Bowling.

In the 1880s, Brunswick Corporation (founded 1845) of Chicago, Illinois, maker of billiard tables began making bowling balls, pins, and wooden lanes to sell to taverns installing bowling alleys.

On 9 September 1895, the modern standardized rules for tenpin bowling were established in New York City by the new American Bowling Congress (ABC) (later the United States Bowling Congress), who changed the scoring system from a maximum 200 points for 20 balls to a maximum 300 points for 12 balls, and set the maximum ball weight at 16 lb (7.3 kg), and pin distance at 12 in (30 cm). The first ABC champion (1906–1921) was Jimmy Smith (1885–1948).^[30] In 1927 Mrs. Floretta “Doty” McCutcheon (1888–1967) defeated Smith in an exhibition match, founding a school that taught 500,000 women how to bowl.^[31][32][33] In 1993 women were allowed to join the ABC. In 2005 the ABC merged with the Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC) et al. to become the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

In the early 1890s, Duckpin bowling was invented in Boston, Massachusetts, spreading to Baltimore, Maryland about 1899.

In the 20th century

[edit]

In 1903, the English Bowling Association was founded by cricketer W. G. Grace. On 1 January 2008, it merged with the English Women’s Bowling Association to become Bowls England.

In 1903, D. Peifer of Chicago, Illinois, invented a handicap method for bowling.^[34]

In 1905, Rubber Duckpin bowling was invented by Willam Wuerthele of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, catching on in Quebec, Canada.

The ABC initially used bowling balls made of Lignum vitae hardwood from the Caribbean, which were eventually supplanted by the “Evertrue” rubber bowling ball, and the Brunswick “Mineralite” rubber ball^[35] by 1905.^[36] Columbia Industries, founded in 1960, was the first manufacturer to successfully use polyester resin (“plastic”) in bowling balls.^[37] In 1980, urethane-shell bowling balls were introduced by Ebonite.

Rules for target bowls evolved separately in each of the other countries that adopted the predominantly British game. In 1905, the International Bowling Board was formed;^[38] its constitution adopted the laws of the Scottish Bowling Association, with variations allowed at the individual country level.^[39]

In September 1907, the Victorian Ladies’ Bowling Association was founded in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, becoming the world’s first women’s lawn bowling association.

In 1908, the now-oldest surviving bowling alley for the tenpin sport was opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the basement of the Holler House tavern, containing the oldest sanctioned lanes in the United States.

In 1909, the first tenpin bowling alley in Europe was installed in Sweden, but the game failed to catch on in the rest of Europe until after World War II. Meanwhile, tenpin bowling caught on in Great Britain after hundreds of bowling lanes were installed on U.S. military bases during World War II.^[9]

In 1913, the monthly Bowlers Journal was founded in Chicago, Illinois, continuing to publish to the present day.

In late 1916, the Women’s International Bowling Congress (originally the Woman’s National Bowling Association) was founded in Saint Louis, Missouri, merging with the United States Bowling Congress in 2005.

In 1920–1933 Prohibition in the U.S. caused bowling alleys to disassociate from saloons, turning bowling into a family game and encouraging women bowlers.^[33]

On 2 October 1921, the annual Petersen Open Bowling Tournament (a.k.a. The Pete) was first held in Chicago, Illinois, becoming bowling’s richest tournament of the day. In 1998, it was taken over by AMF.^[40]

In 1926, the International Bowling Association (IBA) was formed by the United States, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, and Finland, holding four world championships by 1936.^[9]

On 21 March 1934, the National Bowling Writers Association was founded in Peoria, Illinois, by four bowling journalists; it changed its name in 1953 to the Bowling Writers Association of America.^[41]

In August 1939, the National Negro Bowling Association was founded in Detroit, Michigan, dropping Negro from the title in 1944 and opening membership to all races. It reached 30,000 members in 2007.^[42]

In 1942, the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) held its first BPAA All-Star tournament.

In 1947, the Australian Women’s Bowling Council was founded. It held the first Australian women’s national lawn bowling championship in Sydney in 1949, which was won by Mrs. R. Cranley of Queensland.

On 18 April 1948, the Professional Women Bowling Writers (PWBW) was founded in Dallas, Texas, admitting men in 1975. On 1 January 2007, it merged with the Bowling Writers Association of America.^[43]

In 1950, following extensive lobbying by civil rights groups in the wake of the 1947 integration of Major League Baseball, the American Bowling Congress opened its membership to African Americans and other minorities.^[44] The WIBC followed suit the following year.^[42]

About 1950, the Golden Age of Tenpin Bowling began, in which professional bowlers made salaries rivaling those of baseball, football, and hockey players; this ended in the late 1970s.

In 1951, the first ABC Masters tournament was held, becoming one of the four majors by 2000.

In 1952, the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) was founded in Hamburg, West Germany, to coordinate international amateur competition in nine-pin and tenpin bowling. In 1954, the first FIQ World Bowling Championships were held in Helsinki, Finland. In 1979, the International Olympic Committee recognized it as the official world governing body for bowling. Its name changed to World Bowling in 2014 and International Bowling Federation in 2020.

In 1952, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) of Brooklyn, New York, began marketing automatic Pinsetter machines.^[45] This eliminated the need for pinboys^[45] and caused bowling to rocket in popularity, making the 1950s the Decade of the Bowler.

In 1954, Steve Nagy (1913–1966) became the first person to bowl a perfect 300 game on TV on NBC-TV’s “Championship Bowling”.^[46][47] The PBA later named its sportsmanship award after him.

Dick Weber (1986)

Earl Anthony (1979)

In 1958, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) was founded in Akron, Ohio by 33 prominent bowlers (including Don Carter, Dick Weber, Dick Hoover, Buzz Fazio, Billy Welu, Carmen Salvino and Glenn Allison) after they listened to a presentation by sports agent Eddie Elias. The PBA eventually reached about 4,300 members in 14 countries worldwide. In 1975, Earl Anthony became the first PBA member with $100,000 yearly earnings, and the first to reach $1,000,000 total earnings in 1982. In 2000, it was purchased by former executives of Microsoft, who moved the PBA headquarters to Seattle, Washington.

On 28 November 1960, the first PBA Championship in Memphis, Tennessee was won by Don Carter. It was renamed the PBA World Championship in 2002, and now awarded the Earl Anthony Trophy to the winner.

In 1960, the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) was founded as the first professional women’s bowling association; it went defunct in 2003.

In 1960, the National Bowling League (NBL) was founded to compete with the PBA. It attracted name players such as Billy Welu and Buzz Fazio, but failed to sign top star Don Carter. The league’s failure to get a TV contract caused it to fold following its first championship in 1962.

On 26 May 1961 the British Tenpin Bowling Association (BTBA) was formed. Their first General Secretary was Maurice Glazer.

On 27 January 1962,^[48] ABC Television aired its first Saturday afternoon broadcast of a PBA Tour event, the Empire State Open held at Redwood Lanes in Albany, New York,^[49] beginning a partnership between ABC and the PBA that lasted through 1997. The Saturday afternoon bowling telecasts garnered very good ratings through the early 1980s, until the cable television-fueled explosion of sports viewing choices caused ratings to decline.

In 1961, the U.S. Navy Seabees constructed two lanes at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Stuffed penguin “pins” were used in the inauguration.^[50]

The McMurdo lanes, among very few in the world to still have human pinsetters,^[51] were dismantled in 2009/2010 due to structural problems in the building.^[50]

In 1962, the first PBA Tournament of Champions was held; it became an annual event in 1965, and was sponsored by Firestone Tire from 1965 through 1993.

In 1962, the American Wheelchair Bowling Association (AWBA) was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by Richard F. Carlson.^[52]

On 28 June 1963, The first British made tenpin was by H Massil and sons who received the permit no.1 from the British Tenpin Bowling Association (BTBA)^[53]

Between 3 and 10 November 1963, the Fifth FIQ World Bowling Championships in Mexico City, Mexico, were attended by 132 men and 45 women (first time) from 19 nations. It featured the debut of Team USA, which won seven of the eight gold medals.^[54]

On 25 November 1963, Sports Illustrated published the article “A Guy Named Smith Is Striking It Rich”, revealing that PBA stars made more money than other professional sports stars, for “with more than $1 million in prizes to shoot for, the nation’s top professional bowlers are rolling in money.”^[55] This was short-lived, however, for although the number of bowling alleys in the U.S. zoomed from 65,000 in 1957 to 160,000 in 1962, the U.S. bowling industry boom hit a brick wall in 1963. This was compensated, however, by a new boom in Europe and Japan, making 10-pin bowling an international sport.^[56]

In 1964, “Mr. Bowling” Don Carter became the first athlete to sign a $1 million endorsement contract: a multi-year deal with Ebonite International.

In 1964, Marion Ladewig, a nine-time winner of the Bowling Writers Association of America’s Female Bowler of the Year Award, became the first Superior Performance inductee into the WIBC Hall of Fame.

In 1965, the AMF Bowling World Cup was established by the FIQ.

On 27 January 1967, the Japan Professional Bowling Association (JPBA) was founded in Tokyo, Japan.

In 1971, the BPAA All-Star tournament was renamed the BPAA U.S. Open, and officially became one of the PBA’s major tournaments.

In 1978, National Negro Bowling Association pioneer J. Elmer Reed (1903–1983) became the first African-American to be inducted into the ABC Hall of Fame.^[57]

On 16 December 1979, Willie Willis won the Brunswick National Resident Pro Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, becoming the first African-American bowling champion in the PBA in a non-touring event. In 1980, he became the first African-American in the Firestone Tournament of Champions, placing 13th.^[58]

On 27 February 1982, Earl Anthony won the Toledo Trust PBA National Championship, becoming the first bowler to reach $1 million in career earnings.

In 1982, the Young American Bowling Alliance was formed from a merger of the American Junior Bowling Congress, the Youth Bowling Association, and the collegiate divisions of the ABC and WIBC.^[59]

In 1982, the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, added women’s bowls to the events.Automatic lane oiling machines can be programmed to lay down oil patterns of different levels of difficulty. “Typical house shot” oil patterns enable higher scores than the more challenging “sport shots“.

On 1 July 1982, former PBA pro Glenn Allison rolled the first 900 series (three consecutive 300 games in a three-game set) to ever be submitted to the ABC for award consideration. The ABC, however, refused to certify the score, citing non-complying lane conditions.^[60]

On 22 November 1986, George Branham III (born 1962) became the first African-American to win a PBA national touring event: the Brunswick Memorial World Open in Chicago, Illinois.

On 18 September 1988, the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, featured tenpin bowling as a demonstration sport.

On 2 August 1991, in Havana, Cuba, tenpin bowling became an international medal-level sport for the first time at the 1991 Pan American Games, and continues to this day.

In the 1992–1993 season, the ABC introduced resin bowling balls, causing perfect 300 scores to increase by 20%.^[61]

In 1995, the first Best Bowler ESPY Award was presented.

In 1995, the National Bowling Stadium opened in Reno, Nevada, becoming known as the Taj Mahal of Tenpins.

On 2 February 1997, Jeremy Sonnenfeld (born 1975) bowled the first officially sanctioned 900 series of three straight perfect 300 games at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska, becoming known as “Mr. 900”.^[62]

In 1998, the World Tenpin Masters 10-pin bowling tournament was established.

In 2000, the Weber Cup, named after Dick Weber, was established as 10-pin bowling’s equivalent to golf’s Ryder Cup, with Team USA playing Team Europe in a three-day match.

In the 21st century

[edit]

The two-handed delivery, first widely popularized by Jason Belmonte in the 2000s^[63] (shown: Zach Wilkins)

A different view of a two-handed delivery, showing increased rev rate and resultant hook (shown: Kyle Troup)

On 31 March 2004, Missy Bellinder (born 1981) (later changing her name to Parkin) became the first female member of the PBA.^[64] The PBA had opened up its membership to women following the 2003 demise of the PWBA. One year later, Liz Johnson became the first woman to make the televised final round of a PBA Tour event.^[65]

In 2004, the Brunswick Euro Challenge was founded for amateur and pro 10-pin bowling players from Europe, Asia, and the U.S.^[66]

On 24 January 2010, Kelly Kulick (born 1977) became the first woman to win the PBA Tournament of Champions and the first woman to win a PBA national tour event.^[67]

In November 2012, after league bowling dropped from 80% to 20% of their business, AMF Bowling Centers of Richmond, Virginia filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time (first in 2001), merging in 2013 with upscale New York-based bowling center operator Bowlmor (which did not support league bowling) in an attempt to turn league bowling around, growing from 276 centers in 2013 to 315 in 2015.

In 2013, the PBA League was founded, composed of eight permanent five-person teams, with an annual draft.^[68]

In 2015, the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) was revived after a 12-year hiatus.^[69]

A study of professional and master tenpin bowlers found that average scores declined less than 10% from age 20 to age 70.^[70] This decline in a sport focusing on skill and technique is considerably smaller than that of events dominated by muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance or agility—which are known to decrease about 10% per decade.^[70]

Equipment

[edit]

Ball

[edit]

Main article: Bowling ball

Bowling balls vary, depending on the type of bowling. Tenpin balls are about 8.59 inches (21.8 cm) in diameter, typically have three holes, and weigh from 6 to 16 lb (2.7 to 7.3 kg). The size and spacing of the finger holes on non-customized balls are generally smaller on lighter balls to accommodate smaller hands. Modern resin covers (surfaces) available since the early 1990s enhance a ball’s hook (curve) potential, and the shape of the balls’ cores (pictured) permit fine-tuning of desired ball paths. In contrast, traditional plastic balls are suitable for straighter shots. Duckpin and candlepin balls fit in the palm of the hand, and have no holes.

Pins

[edit]

Main article: Bowling pin

Bowling pins are the target of the bowling ball in pin bowling variations. The size and shape of pins vary but are generally cylindrical and widens where the ball strikes the pin. Tenpin bowling pins are the largest and heaviest, weighing 3 lb 6 oz (1.5 kg). Duckpins are shorter and squatter than standard tenpins and candlepins are the tallest at 15+³⁄₄ in (40 cm), but only 2+¹⁵⁄₁₆ in (7.5 cm) wide and 2 lb 8 oz (1.1 kg) in weight.

Bowling pins are constructed by gluing blocks of rock maple wood into the approximate shape, and then turning on a lathe. After the lathe shapes the pin, it is coated with a plastic material, painted, and covered with a glossy finish. Because of the scarcity of suitable wood, bowling pins can be made from approved synthetics. Currently there are synthetic pins sanctioned for play in five-pin, duckpin, and candlepin. There is one synthetic tenpin model approved by the USBC. When hit by the ball, synthetic pins usually sound different from wooden pins.

The USBC indicated that, effective August 1, 2023, it is certifying string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition separate from conventional free-fall pinsetters.^[71] 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.^[71] String pinsetters are less expensive and easier to maintain, motivating bowling centers to phase them in.^[72]

Shoes

[edit]

The sole of the non-sliding shoe is generally made of rubber for traction, while the sole of the sliding shoe is made of a smooth material allowing a smooth slide into the release. Bowling shoes can be bought, and may be rented from bowling centers. Wet or dirty soles may not slide properly and could damage the approach surface.^[73]

Scoring

[edit]

Further information: Tenpin bowling § Pins and scoring

A standard game of tenpin bowling consists of 10 frames, with a maximum of two rolls in each of the first nine frames and three in the tenth. A strike occurs when the bowler knocks down all 10 pins on the first roll; if this occurs in any of the first nine frames, the frame ends immediately without a second roll being taken. A spare occurs if the bowler leaves any pins standing after the first roll, then knocks them all down on the second. In any given frame, the bowler scores one point for every pin knocked down; a spare or strike awards one extra point for each pin knocked down on the next one or two rolls, respectively.^[74] In the tenth frame, the bowler gets one extra roll for making a spare, or two for a strike. The highest possible score for a single game is 300, achieved by rolling 12 consecutive strikes (a “perfect game”).

Accessibility

[edit]

Technological innovation has made bowling accessible to members of the disabled community.

• The IKAN Bowler, a device designed by a quadriplegic engineer named Bill Miller, attaches to a wheelchair and allows the user to control the speed, direction, and timing of the tenpin bowling ball’s release. The name comes from the Greek work ikano, which means “capable” or “enable”.^[75]
• For bowls the sport has introduced a number of innovations to enable people with a disability to participate at all levels of the sport, from social through to Olympic standards:
  • The use of bowling arms and lifters enables bowlers to deliver a bowl minimising the amount of movement required
  • Wheelchair and green manufacturers have produced modified wheel tyres and ramps to enable wheelchair athletes to access bowls greens
  • Modified conditions of play as outlined in Disability classification in lawn bowls

In popular culture

[edit]

With notable individuals

[edit]

U.S. Presidents

[edit]

The single bowling lane under the White House’s north portico after extensive renovation, 2019

The two-lane Truman Bowling Alley in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, 2018

Richard Nixon bowling in what was then the Old Executive Office Building, 1971

George W. Bush bowling at the White House, 2001

• In 1948, two bowling lanes were installed in the ground floor of the West Wing of the U.S. presidential residence, the White House, as a birthday gift for then-President Harry S. Truman.^[76] The lanes were moved to the Old Executive Office Building (now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building) in 1955, for the benefit of White House employees;^[77] its old location became a mimeograph room, and, much later, the White House Situation Room.^[76] On 9 July 2014, the General Services Administration published, then quickly withdrew, a solicitation for bids to replace the Truman bowling lanes, which were deemed “irreparable” for not having had “any professional, industry standard maintenance, modifications, repairs or attention” for fifteen years.^[77][78]
• In 1969, friends of then-President Richard M. Nixon, who was said to be an avid bowler, had a one-lane alley built in an underground space below the building’s North Portico.^[76] The one-lane bowling alley underwent major renovations in 1994, and again in 2019.^[79]

Paintings

[edit]

• A painting (shown above) that dates from around 1810 shows British bowlers in Ipswich, England, playing the sport outdoors in the earliest known pictorial depiction of “ten-pin bowling” of any type, chronologically before ten-pin bowling was clearly documented in the United States.^[17]
• On 28 January 1950, the painting Bowling Strike by George Hughes (1907–1989)^[80] appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.^[81]
• In 1982, American expressionist painter LeRoy Neiman produced a famous painting of PBA star Earl Anthony‘s million dollar strike.^[82]

Informal usage

[edit]

• Children afraid of thunderstorms are told that thunder is God bowling