Small Ball Pin Bowling
There are currently four forms of small ball pin-bowling; Candlepin, Fivepin, Duckpin, and Rubber Duckpin bowling. The below picture of illustrates small ball bowling pins and also includes a Tenpin where a large ball is used.
Candlepin Bowling
Candlepin bowling is characterized by fifteen- and three-quarter inch pins having a consistent diameter. Three ball are use per frame and the deadwood is not cleared after each shot, therefore it is very difficult to make a strike.
Fivepin Bowling
In Fivepin bowling, the pins are set in a triangle. The five-inch styled duckpin has a one-inch wide rubber band around its center that makes the contact point larger. Three balls are use per frame. In this game pins have different values; the headpin counts for five points, the middle pins count three point, and the back pins count two points.
Duckpin Bowling
The game of duckpin bowling was created in Baltimore, MD. where a set of big bottle tenpins were made over into little pins. Three six-inch in diameter balls are used per frame and the deadwood is removed after each ball. The game was first introduced in 1900 by baseball immortals and co-owners of the Diamond Bowling Alleys, Wilbert Robinson and John McGraw. Both Robinson and McGraw were duck hunters and likened the action of startled ducks flying off and so named the game “duckpin”.
Rubber Duckpin
An off-shoot game of duckpin was invented in Pennsylvania. The game has ten pins having a rubber band placed around its center to present a larger target. The game was most popular in the 30’s and 40’s, but the automatic pin-setting machine spelled its demise. The game is still played in French speaking regions of Canada.
Big Ball Tenpin Bowling
The Tenpin form of bowling is characterized by pins that are 15 inches (380 mm) tall and at its widest point is 4.75 inches (121 mm). A pins weights 3 pounds 6 ounces (1.5 kilograms). The weight of a pin was originally based on the idea that a single pin should be around 24% of the weight of the heaviest bowling ball within regulation, 16 pounds (7.3 Kg.)
In 1936, Gottfried Schmidt invented the first mechanical pin-setting machine, this leading to by 1952 to elimination of “pin-boys”. Big ball bowling took a big step forward in 1905 when Evertrue invented the first rubber bowling ball. Balls up to that point were made primarily of Lignum Vitae, a very hardwood often referred to as “iron wood”. The new ball rolled faster and could be made to curve.