Length of a Bowling Alley
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| Bibliographic Entry | Result (w/surrounding text) |
Standardized Result |
|---|---|---|
| Broido, Bing. Spaulding Book Of Rules.USA: Broido Associates, 1997: 60. | "The alley or lane is 60 feet long from the foul line (at the player's end) to the center of the head (first) pin at the other end. The total length from the foul line to the end of the pin deck (the area under the pins) is 62 feet 10 and 3/16 inches long." | 19.16 m |
| "Bowling Equipment." World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, 2001: Vol. 2, 523. | "The lane is 62 feet 10 and 3/16 inches (19.16 meters) long." | 19.16 m |
| Worth, Sylvia. Rules of the Game. New York: Diagram Visual, 1990: 376 . | "It measures 60 ft (plus or minus ½ inch) from the foul line to the center of the number 1 pin spot. The total length of the lane is 62 feet 10 and 3/16 inches." | 19.16 m |
| Midgley, Ruth. The Rule Book. New York: Diagram Visual, 1983: 90. | "The first 12 ft of all wooden lanes is made of maple, the next 46 feet is made of pine and the pin deck is made of maple." | 17.4 m |
| Bowling: Lanes and Equipment. Britannica.com. | "The game is played outdoors on wooden or synthetic lanes with maximum dimensions of 62 feet 10 and 11/16 inches (19.17 meters) in length." | 19.17 m |
Bowling is one of the most popular of indoor sports in the US. It is also referred to as "Tenpin Bowling". This game which involves a wooden lane and ten pins originated in ancient Egypt. Europeans took this game of target pins to North America where it blossomed into a modern competitive sport. The game consists of 10 frames. The ten pins are positioned in a triangle at the end of the bowling lane. The pins are made of wood or synthetic material and are covered with a protective plastic layer. The bowling balls are made from non- metallic material and are less than 16 pounds. There are also finger holes in the bowling ball which are meant for gripping and handling the ball. The total area under the pins and the distance from the foul line to the center pin measures to be 19.16 meters in length and the lanes are 1.04 to 1.07 meters in width.
Each bowler rolls the ball twice in each frame unless they hit all ten pins in one try. This is called a strike when a bowler knocks down all ten pins with the first ball. A spare occurs when a bowler knocks down all ten pins with two balls in the same frame. Other bowling terms are a brooklyn, a cherry, a loft, a tap, a split and a turkey. A turkey is when a bowler scores three strikes in a row. A tap is when a bowler knocks down all the pins except for one. A bowler can't step or cross the foul line and there is a penalty if they do. There are also special bowling shoes that have soft soles which protect the bowling floor from scarring or it is less hazardous for the bowler to be wearing them. Gutters are on each side of the lane which catch badly aimed or tossed balls. Now that you know the basics for bowling, bring your whole family and bowl.
Sarah Tang -- 2001