The Hard Working-Class Appeal of Ten Pin Bowling Essay Example
The Hard Working-Class Appeal of Ten Pin Bowling Essay Example

The Hard Working-Class Appeal of Ten Pin Bowling Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
  • Pages: 2 (459 words)
  • Published: August 2, 2018
  • Type: Essay
View Entire Sample
Text preview

The modern game of tenpin bowling may once have been the pastime of European royalty, but it’s been the unofficial sport of the hard-working U.

S. and U.K. middle classes for a much longer period, and this aspect of the game’s history is far more interesting.

No one’s sure exactly where or how bowling as we know it began, but there are records of modern-style indoor bowling alleys going back to early-1800s New York City, whence it spread along with European settlers to the Midwestern and Western U.S., especially to working-class areas of states like Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. Even as early as the 1800s, most of the bowling alleys catered to ordinary people who usually didn’t have a lot of time for training. Rather than practicing in the traditional sense, bowlers simply went out a couple

...

nights a week and bowled with their friends as a social activity. Those with talent naturally became top-notch players.

Since then, tenpin bowling has only grown in popularity among working-class people everywhere. There are bowling alleys throughout the U.S, in both big cities and small towns, and the game has spread far and wide to places as wide-ranging as Mexico, Malaysia, Japan, and South Africa. But how do we explain the widespread appeal of tenpin bowling among hard-working people around the developed world? One way to explain the game’s popularity is to point to the fact that it’s so easy to pick-up. Of course, there is real mastery involved at the advanced levels of the sport, but getting started is simple, and the rules are easy to understand.

All you do is pick up a ball, throw it dow

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

the lane, and try to knock over those pins. Sports don’t get much simpler than that. It’s simple, but it’s also somewhat addictive. Every time you roll that ball down the alley, you’re hoping for a strike.

When you miss, it makes you want to bowl again as soon as possible. When you do get a strike, the feeling is exhilarating, and you want to go back for more. But in the end, what makes bowling so popular is the fact that it’s a social sport. Because of its turn-based nature, only one player is active at a time, which gives all the other players ample opportunity to shoot the breeze.

As a result, while the game is competitive, it’s also relaxing, which makes it a great way to unwind after a long day at work. Plus, how many sports have a bar not just for the spectators, but for the players themselves? Having a cold one as you bowl is not just normal—it’s encouraged.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New