Let’s talk bowling.
OK, first, bowling is a sport, from professional to recreational and from competitive leagues to social leagues. Most of us bowl for fun if we bowl, but to some, every pin is a serious matter, particularly so if we are rolling against a friend or friendly competitor. To most of us, rolling a perfect 300 game is a dream that is farther away from us than lucking into a hole-in-one on a golf course, and perhaps more akin to draining every 20-foot putt.
A recent survey concluded that bowling is the No. 1 recreational sport in America, as 67 million people bowled at least once last year. More than 95% of those people were there just to party and/or enjoy the food and drink. While that's great for bowling centers, it means only one out of every 34 bowling center customers today is a serious bowler.
At league bowling's peak in the late 1970s, there were more than 9 million league members in the United States, and just about every bowling center customer bowled in a league. The "golden years" of league bowling lasted through the 1970s until the decline began in 1980.
As of 2021, there are only 2 million league bowlers in America, of which less than 1.2 million bowl in leagues sanctioned by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), bowling's governing body, and the rest bowl in non-sanctioned leagues. The number continues to decrease, having gone down 5% in each of the last three years.
However, in terms of dollars, bowling market size was valued at $863.69 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,230.02 million by 2028, growing at a rate of 4.52% from 2021 to 2028.
Back to the numbers of serious bowlers, it may mean that social leagues are the way to go, as it is a true battle if you want to bowl seriously. The decline in serious bowling is a popular topic among those who have been bowling seriously for many years.
As to where to bowl, by the early 1960s, there were more than 11,000 bowling centers in the United States and as of now, there are about 4,000 commercial bowling centers remaining in the U.S., and they are closing at a rate of about 100 a year … so go out and support your local bowling centers. Locally, that is Mt. Mesa Lanes or alleys in Bakersfield, Porterville or Tehachapi.
Now, why do I bring this up? It is because of the “300” game. A small town bowler in an Ohio recreational bowling league in Utica, Ohio had rolled a few 300 games in his life, but this gentleman rolled not one, not two, but three 300 games in a row … known as a “Triplicate” – a 900 series. One is remarkable, a lifetime achievement, two is monumental. Three is astronomical. So let’s give this bowler, Trent Speer, his due.
Now, let’s burst his bubble. I did some research and found the odds for a PBA bowler rolling a 300 are 460-to-1, while it's 11,500-to-1 for the average bowler. OK, in terms of numbers, 50,000 to 60,000 sanctioned 300 games are rolled each year and 39 individuals have bowled a total of 40 certified (or "sanctioned") 900 series – that is, 900s that have been officially recognized by the USBC.
Now let’s talk about the “King of the 300 Game,” amateur Fero Williams of Fairfield, Ohio. Williams has an officially sanctioned 135 300s in competition, but he has rolled more than 200 of them in total competition and as he is in his early 40s, the sky could be the limit.
OK, can you do it? Can you roll 12 consecutive strikes? Hey, most of us rejoice when we pick up a spare, throw that strike or beat 200 on the score sheet.
OK … how about consecutive strikes? In May 2010, Tommy Gollick stepped into the Red Crown Bowling Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, threw back-to-back 300 games, and other league bowlers stopped bowling to watch. He finished with 47 consecutive strikes – handily beating Jeanne Naccarato’s record of 40 straight strikes in 1986. Even more shocking is the fact that Gollick didn’t fail on his 48th attempt – he was just finished with his four-game series. His first frame was a measly spare.
Let’s move to speed. When it comes to speed bowling, Chad McLean is king. In just under one minute, McLean threw nine strikes, landing him in the Guinness Book of World Records for his rapid-fire performance. And this isn’t his only stunt. McLean has also attempted to bowl for 200 hours straight and currently holds the Guinness World Record for highest pinfall with a partner within a 24-hour period.
There’s more … for another time, including bowling backward and bowling slang.
But we can’t add you to our lists unless we hear from you. Report your league scores and let us tell Kern Valley who gets local league bragging rights for the week.
Send your league scores or your favorite bowling stories to mike@kvsun.com.
