Bowling
Bowling Continues to Roll On As One of America's Favorite Pasttimes
ST. PETERS, Mo. (June 12, 2007) – When the English, Dutch and German settlers first brought the game of bowling to the United States in the early 19th century, they had no idea the game would soon become one of America's favorite and most beloved pastimes.
Today, more than 66 million people in the United States bowl at least once a year, according to the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA), making it the most popular sporting activity in the country. But, while the casual bowler has certainly become an important part of the sport's demographic, league play is growing among new types of bowlers.
“The face of bowling is certainly changing,” said Don Klackner, general manager, Brunswick Zone XL St. Peters. “We are seeing a growing number of people of all ages forming bowling leagues with their colleagues, friends and family because it's such a great way to spend quality time together while having a lot of fun.”
While league play used to consist of evening-only adult leagues, family entertainment centers, like the new Brunswick Zone XL in St. Peters opening in September, offer a wide variety of leagues at all different times. New leagues are being formed by companies, local volunteer groups, parents and children and senior citizens.
For many league bowlers, these changes are a breath of fresh air, literally. Brunswick Zone XL St. Peters will be an entirely smoke-free facility so bowlers can enjoy themselves without smelling like smoke. A shorter season has also enticed some bowlers. While traditional leagues run for 36 weeks, new short season leagues run for eight to 12 weeks.
The popularity of bowling has even reached the young. High school bowling is now the nation's fastest-growing high school sport, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. During the 2005-2006 school year, there were more than 40,000 high school bowlers with 1,768 boys' teams and 1,676 girls' teams, and the number of participants and varsity teams has more than doubled from the previous five years, according to the United States Bowling Congress.
The popularity of bowling has seen its share of ups and downs through the years. In 1895, the American Bowling Congress was founded, and the game was standardized so major national competitions could be held. In 1956, Brunswick launched the automatic pinsetter and changed the face of the sport. The spectacular success of the pinsetter made bowling a national rage.
By the early 1970s, the sport had turned to mostly league competition with more than nine million people competing in leagues throughout the country. With the invention of the automatic scoring system in the 1980s, however, bowling facilities were revitalized and casual bowlers found a new interest in the sport with advanced technology and new bowling centers.
“The popularity of bowling has skyrocketed in the past few years,” Klackner said. “The sport continues to attract a wide variety of people, and centers like Brunswick Zone XL St. Peters are excited to bring this new kind of bowling and variety of leagues to the St. Peters community.”
About Brunswick Bowling & Billiards
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation has been a leader in the recreation business for more than 160 years. Founded in 1845 to make billiards tables, Brunswick Corporation is a Fortune 500 company and the leader in bringing Genuine Ingenuity™ to everything it makes. Brunswick Bowling & Billiards is one of the largest operators of full-service bowling and family recreation centers in North America; is a full-line supplier of bowling equipment, supplies and consumer products, and designs billiards tables and accessories. For more information on Brunswick Zone XL St. Peters, call 636-397-2695 or visit www.bowlbrunswick.com.
For more information, contact:
Mary Pettersen or Katie Hasse
Cushman/Amberg Communications
312/263-2500 or mpettersen@cushmanamberg.com
