National Bowling Day is celebrated on the second Saturday in August each year. For 2022, National Bowling Day falls on Saturday, August 13.
FAQs
Here are frequently asked questions about National Bowling Day.
How do I celebrate National Bowling Day?
Go bowling! Call your friends and organize a day at the lanes. You can rent shoes and balls. It does not matter how good you are, have fun and enjoy yourself.
Throw a bowling-themed party at your house. You can buy a ball and pins from the toy store and set them up in your driveway. Invite friends and family to come over and “bowl.” Have the participants bring food and beverages to share as well.
Watch a bowling movie like The Big Lebowski, Kingpin, Bowling for Columbine, Alley Cats Strike, or A League of Ordinary Gentlemen. Pop popcorn, plop on the couch, and enjoy the show.
Create Bowling Trading Cards. Take pictures of your friends’ bowling and turn them into sports trading cards. You can even give them nicknames like Lefty, Hook, or Mr. Gutter.
Play a game of bowling Trivia. You can ask players what the four parts of a bowling alley. The answer: The Approach, The Foul Line, The Lane, and The Pin Deck.
How Many Bowlers are there Worldwide?
It is estimated there are over 100 million bowlers worldwide. They bowl on 250 thousand of bowling alleys in 13,000 bowling centers. The sport is played in more than 80 countries. It is considered the fifth largest participatory sport in the world.
How do They Make Bowling Balls?
A mold is created by computer design for making the bowling ball core. The mold may be larger or smaller based on desired weight. A composite material is poured into the mold and allowed to dry. When the bowling ball core is completely hardened, it is removed from the mold.
A second mold is created to form the shell of the bowling ball. The core is placed in the cover mold. A pin is used to keep the core in place while polyester, urethane, or reactive urethane is poured into the mold. When the cover has hardened, it is one to two inches thick. Coloring agents can be added to give the ball a unique color.
The pin holds the core in place while the cover hardens and gives a reference point to drill the three holes. Three finger holes are trained in the correct spots (based on hand size). The ball is then smoothed and polished, and ready to use.
What is the History of Bowling?
Many historians believe that the Egyptians started bowling. But the closest thing we have to modern-day bowling comes from Germany. German pubs would set up a triangle of nine or ten Kegels (German for skittles or pins). They would stand away from the Kegels and roll a rock to knock down the Kegels.
The Germans believed that the act of knocking down the Kegels with the rolling rock took away your sins.
12 Fun Facts About Bowling
A bowling alley is 60 feet long and 42 inches wide. There are quite a few residential houses with bowling alleys (like the White House). That is a long room.
At the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, bowling lanes were built in the Athlete’s Village. Professional bowlers came and did exhibitions. They also taught the Olympic athletes and gave them bowling tips.
The industry generates six billion dollars in revenue every year.
Male and female participants are divided equally.
Although not currently in the Olympic Games, bowling is part of several International Games, including the Pan-American Games, Asian Games, Central and South American Games, World Games, Caribbean Games, Bolivian Games, Commonwealth Games, Solidarity Games, South East, and Far East Games, Masters Games, Ciss Games, and Maccabiah Games.
From 1971 until 1978, there was a show titled Celebrity Bowling. The show featured appearances by Roy Rogers, Dick Martin, Michelle Lee, Ed Asner, Rue McClanahan, William Shatner, and Maureen McCormick.
Trivia
There is no minimum weight for a bowling ball. The lightest one ever made was just four pounds.
Current celebrities enjoy bowling as well. Here are stars that like to go bowling. Nicole Kidman, Barack Obama, Bill Murray, Reese Witherspoon, Liam Hemsworth, Justin Beiber, Shalene Woodley, Nelly, Leonardo De Caprio, and Meryl Streep.
The American Bowling Congress decides the standard dimension of alleys and the material they will be made of. Synthetic materials have been used since the 1990s because they are easier to maintain.
To improve their performance, bowling lanes are coated with oil. If you look closely, you can see the lines of where the oil has been spread. Professional Bowlers can “read” these oil patterns and determine how they will affect the ball’s roll.
There is a maximum number of holes allowed in a bowling ball. That number is twelve.
There are four standard bowling shots: straight, hook, curve, and backup ball.
Bowling Quotes
If I had been on Bowling for Dollars, I’d end up owing them money.
Ricki Lake
Smokey, this is not ‘Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.
The Big Lebowski
In bowling, as in life, if a person made the spares, the strikes would take care of themselves.
Stephen King
Bowling is not a sport because you have to rent shoes.
George Carlin
The Bowling Alley is the poor man’s country club.
Sanford Hansell
Obviously, you’re not a golfer.
The Big Lebowski
I have no idea what it is about bowling. It’s just a love I have for it. I can’t even explain why. Bowling is just fun for me.
Mookie Betts
I like bowling. I suck at it, but I like it. You know what’s so funny? I have days when I’m absolutely great at doing it, and then I have days when I just don’t understand it.
Lil’ Kim
Funny Bowling Sayings
I was a little, skinny, runt kid, and I decided bowling was what I was going to do in life.
Don Johnson
The Dude abides.
The Big Lebowski
We’re going bowling; if we don’t come back, avenge our deaths.
Homer Simpson
Back then, it was nothing like today. So, you’d go down to the bowling alley. We bowled, and you could be in the back, and you could make out, you know? And you know how hot it was to make out.
Stephen Tyler
Having children is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain.
Martin Mull
I performed in a bowling alley before white people who were still bowling. Cut the check, and I’ll perform anywhere.
Kevin Hart
Yeah, well, that’s just like, your opinion, man.
The Big Lebowski
More Bowling Quotes to Roll You Over.
Jokes About Bowling
What do you call cats that enjoy bowling? Alley cats.
I left my bowling ball at home. Have you got one to spare?
Did you hear about the football player who got kicked out of a bowling alley? After a strike, he spiked the ball.
I’ll spare you and not tell you a lousy bowling pun.
Two pins were talking and getting romantic. Finally. One pin said, “let’s never split.”
What do the employees at the bowling alley always do? They go on strike.
I went bowling with my best friend. The next time I was using a ball, he was terrible.
He was an excellent bowler; he had the talent to spare.
I go bowling every four years whether I need to or not.
Instagram Captions About Bowling and National Bowling Day
Careful; you will end up in the gutter.
I think I struck it rich.
It’s not how you bowl; it’s what you wear.
I bowl; therefore, I am.
Eat, sleep, bowl, repeat.
No, we’re not a bowling team; we’re a drinking team.
I’m in a league of my own.
Try it; you’ll strike it.
Are those clown shoes?
My fingers are stuck.
What? You’re using two hands!
This is right up my alley.
I’m not sure, but I think my pants are split.
It’s easier to find your bowling ball than your golf ball.
We’ve never witnessed bowling like this.
By Tim Moodie
In college, Tim Moodie asked his mother if she wanted to go bowling with him. In her youth, she had belonged to several bowling leagues, and she jumped at the chance to go bowling with her son. She promptly rolled a 230, and Tim never picked up a bowling ball again.
Overtime
You are on our National Bowling Day page.
You might like: