wchester
Bowling Tragic
The Struggle to Survive
BY MARK LOWDER
When I was a kid growing up in the seventies, my weekends were filled with competitive bowling. In a small town that was home to a 24 lane bowling center, I made my way each Saturday morning to bowl in a nine o’clock junior league that consisted of 120 children broken out into five person teams. We all crowded together within the alley’s low ceilings and dingy white walls for three games of action. The smells of coffee, bacon and eggs loomed in the background from the coffee shop where some of the parents and old-timers would be waking up to the day. For three hours, pins would crash and fly into the pit, and after the last frame was rolled, we tabulated our new averages and team standings.
As soon as league was over, a few friends and I would gulp down a quick burger and fries at the nearby Sizzler restaurant, and then zip back over to the bowling alley playroom (we couldn’t get into the bar, although not for lack of trying), where a small and dusty television would be tuned into the Professional Bowlers’ Tour. For an hour and a half, we watched the strikes and drama unfold, courtesy of our bowling heroes. We imagined ourselves through the efforts of Anthony and Roth, Holman and Petraglia.
The following day, we’d head back to the lanes to practice and emulate the professionals that had inspired us. We would have our own heads up matches for fantasized glory. The memories of those days will last throughout my lifetime.
During the days of my youth, most people across the country knew the names of Dick Weber and Earl Anthony. Friends and family members, upon hearing of my young bowling prowess, would nod with approval. They would mention how they too tuned in on Saturday afternoons to watch the pros, although perhaps not as religiously as my friends and I. Popular leagues at that time typically had waiting lists to get in. The scratch leagues tended to have spectators who were there to watch the more highly skilled local players. There was always a steady stream of younger bowlers aspiring to take the place of those whose competitive days were numbered.
During the eighties, I bowled in local scratch tournaments and semi-professional tournament organizations. To assure entry into an event held in a small center, I had to send in my check nearly a month before the tournament date. Most of the players in these tournaments were striving to improve their games. Many desired to one day bowl on tour (some indeed made it and are still there today), and quite a few ultimately flocked to the PBA regional program to challenge themselves further.
But over the past couple of decades, organized, competitive bowling in the United States has been on the decline. The implications have run both deep and wide. Tournament bowling has been diminishing and many tournament clubs (like the one I bowled in the eighties) are now defunct. League participation is down. The ABC (now USBC) has lost approximately 70% of its membership since the all time highs.
The men’s professional tour has struggled to survive. The women’s tour has not even been that fortunate, having recently disbanded. Junior leagues and tournaments have failed to grow, with the exception of a few successful programs scattered throughout the country. The sport has not grown in general popularity, and has not managed to capture the imagination or respect of the non-bowling community. People on the street today are hard pressed to recognize the names of Walter Ray Williams, Patrick Allen, or Chris Barnes.
For all of those who love to play or have a vested interest in this game, this lack of growth is a weighty concern. We want to see the sport not only survive, but to flourish, in a competitive and professional setting.
If this downward trend persists, there are many people who will be affected to varying degrees. Some will no longer be able to make a living through bowling, either by their skills as a player, or by serving those who play. The majority of bowlers will simply be left without many opportunities to pursue the craft of a game they love. Children who find they are naturally gifted at this game will have even fewer avenues to pursue than those from my generation.
There are accompanying problems in the game as well: integrity of lane conditions; the impact of technology on bowling balls; equity between the left and right side of the lane; all of these are valid concerns. But they are secondary issues. If competitive bowling evaporates, these problems are of little or no consequence.
On the brighter side of things, recreational bowling is holding its own in a society that is churning out an ever-widening variety of new recreational activities. Family and friendly outings to the bowling center still have their place. “Cosmic Bowling”, “Rock ‘n’ Bowl” nights, corporate special events, birthday bowling parties, and other similar inventive festivities, have been successfully created by bowling proprietors across the country. As a result, bowling participation is still fairly high in comparison to other sports as a whole.
The trend toward recreational bowling cannot be unconditionally described as either a positive or negative phenomenon. There is nothing wrong with participating in an activity purely for fun and enjoyment. Most advanced players in any sport started out by participating for entertainment. People like to have fun. But many also like to compete and improve, especially at something which they find themselves to be naturally gifted or interested. In bowling, tournament and league bowling fills this need.
There are many theories in the bowling community for the root causes of the decline. They include: economic challenges to proprietors and bowlers; a changing social climate; the integrity of lane conditions and equipment; the impact of new sports available to young bowlers; and a host of others. There is probably some truth in each of the theories. Lack of interest in any activity is difficult to accurately quantify and dissect.
Nonetheless, the numbers show that structured bowling competition is slowly fading. This is not in dispute by many. But like any human condition, a vision of where we are headed is at least as important as understanding how we arrived at where we are. We need a way forward. Bowling needs a new blueprint.
I will be presenting some untraditional concepts in this eight-part series of articles. They are based on a few key principles. Whether or not you agree with these principles, it will be helpful to keep them in mind as you read the suggestions that follow.
The first principle is the belief that human nature compels us to learn, to acquire skill, to expand, to be challenged, and to enjoy the process along the way. While these desires can certainly become latent in an individual, they will resurface given the environment in which to flourish.
Secondly, people want to be treated fairly. Regardless of frustration and challenges, they will continue to strive at a sport they enjoy if there is a perception of a fair playing environment.
Third, the underlying deficiencies in the competitive game are primarily structural, rather than technical in nature. It is the structure of tournament clubs and events and leagues, and the relationship among the organizational bodies of the sport, more than the ways lanes are dressed or bowling balls are manufactured, that needs immediate attention.
And finally, the avenue to higher levels of play needs to be clear. The more rules, complications, regulations, and gimmicks that creep into the picture, the more muddled the picture of success becomes, which in turn leads to people becoming disinterested. In short, a system that is straightforward is preferable to one that is unnecessarily complex.
As the series progresses, I will lay out the specifics of this “bowling blueprint”, such as …
Who can carry out and implement change, at both local and higher levels.
What a new structure would look like, including how to set up alternative forms of tournaments and leagues.
How changes can take place and the organizational bodies of the game can work together in more harmony.
And I will issue a challenge to the industry, and to those who want to see this game moving forward, to take action.
I’m not claiming to have all the answers; only to provide some new possibilities and solutions for what is becoming far too old of a problem. For any plan to succeed, action must be taken. Results must be reviewed and measured. Adjustments must be made. Action must be taken again. Much in the way the game of bowling itself is played.
Next month, I will begin laying out one key component of the blueprint – results based competition – a new concept for tournament organizations and leagues that is not based, in any way, on average or handicap. The benefits of this system include the promotion of skill improvement and the growth of competitive bowling. The existing structure of tournaments and leagues (both amateur and professional) has not led to resurgence. So, new ideas must be explored if the competitive aspect of the game is to survive. I invite you to continue the exploration with me.
Until then, keep on rolling.
BY MARK LOWDER
When I was a kid growing up in the seventies, my weekends were filled with competitive bowling. In a small town that was home to a 24 lane bowling center, I made my way each Saturday morning to bowl in a nine o’clock junior league that consisted of 120 children broken out into five person teams. We all crowded together within the alley’s low ceilings and dingy white walls for three games of action. The smells of coffee, bacon and eggs loomed in the background from the coffee shop where some of the parents and old-timers would be waking up to the day. For three hours, pins would crash and fly into the pit, and after the last frame was rolled, we tabulated our new averages and team standings.
As soon as league was over, a few friends and I would gulp down a quick burger and fries at the nearby Sizzler restaurant, and then zip back over to the bowling alley playroom (we couldn’t get into the bar, although not for lack of trying), where a small and dusty television would be tuned into the Professional Bowlers’ Tour. For an hour and a half, we watched the strikes and drama unfold, courtesy of our bowling heroes. We imagined ourselves through the efforts of Anthony and Roth, Holman and Petraglia.
The following day, we’d head back to the lanes to practice and emulate the professionals that had inspired us. We would have our own heads up matches for fantasized glory. The memories of those days will last throughout my lifetime.
During the days of my youth, most people across the country knew the names of Dick Weber and Earl Anthony. Friends and family members, upon hearing of my young bowling prowess, would nod with approval. They would mention how they too tuned in on Saturday afternoons to watch the pros, although perhaps not as religiously as my friends and I. Popular leagues at that time typically had waiting lists to get in. The scratch leagues tended to have spectators who were there to watch the more highly skilled local players. There was always a steady stream of younger bowlers aspiring to take the place of those whose competitive days were numbered.
During the eighties, I bowled in local scratch tournaments and semi-professional tournament organizations. To assure entry into an event held in a small center, I had to send in my check nearly a month before the tournament date. Most of the players in these tournaments were striving to improve their games. Many desired to one day bowl on tour (some indeed made it and are still there today), and quite a few ultimately flocked to the PBA regional program to challenge themselves further.
But over the past couple of decades, organized, competitive bowling in the United States has been on the decline. The implications have run both deep and wide. Tournament bowling has been diminishing and many tournament clubs (like the one I bowled in the eighties) are now defunct. League participation is down. The ABC (now USBC) has lost approximately 70% of its membership since the all time highs.
The men’s professional tour has struggled to survive. The women’s tour has not even been that fortunate, having recently disbanded. Junior leagues and tournaments have failed to grow, with the exception of a few successful programs scattered throughout the country. The sport has not grown in general popularity, and has not managed to capture the imagination or respect of the non-bowling community. People on the street today are hard pressed to recognize the names of Walter Ray Williams, Patrick Allen, or Chris Barnes.
For all of those who love to play or have a vested interest in this game, this lack of growth is a weighty concern. We want to see the sport not only survive, but to flourish, in a competitive and professional setting.
If this downward trend persists, there are many people who will be affected to varying degrees. Some will no longer be able to make a living through bowling, either by their skills as a player, or by serving those who play. The majority of bowlers will simply be left without many opportunities to pursue the craft of a game they love. Children who find they are naturally gifted at this game will have even fewer avenues to pursue than those from my generation.
There are accompanying problems in the game as well: integrity of lane conditions; the impact of technology on bowling balls; equity between the left and right side of the lane; all of these are valid concerns. But they are secondary issues. If competitive bowling evaporates, these problems are of little or no consequence.
On the brighter side of things, recreational bowling is holding its own in a society that is churning out an ever-widening variety of new recreational activities. Family and friendly outings to the bowling center still have their place. “Cosmic Bowling”, “Rock ‘n’ Bowl” nights, corporate special events, birthday bowling parties, and other similar inventive festivities, have been successfully created by bowling proprietors across the country. As a result, bowling participation is still fairly high in comparison to other sports as a whole.
The trend toward recreational bowling cannot be unconditionally described as either a positive or negative phenomenon. There is nothing wrong with participating in an activity purely for fun and enjoyment. Most advanced players in any sport started out by participating for entertainment. People like to have fun. But many also like to compete and improve, especially at something which they find themselves to be naturally gifted or interested. In bowling, tournament and league bowling fills this need.
There are many theories in the bowling community for the root causes of the decline. They include: economic challenges to proprietors and bowlers; a changing social climate; the integrity of lane conditions and equipment; the impact of new sports available to young bowlers; and a host of others. There is probably some truth in each of the theories. Lack of interest in any activity is difficult to accurately quantify and dissect.
Nonetheless, the numbers show that structured bowling competition is slowly fading. This is not in dispute by many. But like any human condition, a vision of where we are headed is at least as important as understanding how we arrived at where we are. We need a way forward. Bowling needs a new blueprint.
I will be presenting some untraditional concepts in this eight-part series of articles. They are based on a few key principles. Whether or not you agree with these principles, it will be helpful to keep them in mind as you read the suggestions that follow.
The first principle is the belief that human nature compels us to learn, to acquire skill, to expand, to be challenged, and to enjoy the process along the way. While these desires can certainly become latent in an individual, they will resurface given the environment in which to flourish.
Secondly, people want to be treated fairly. Regardless of frustration and challenges, they will continue to strive at a sport they enjoy if there is a perception of a fair playing environment.
Third, the underlying deficiencies in the competitive game are primarily structural, rather than technical in nature. It is the structure of tournament clubs and events and leagues, and the relationship among the organizational bodies of the sport, more than the ways lanes are dressed or bowling balls are manufactured, that needs immediate attention.
And finally, the avenue to higher levels of play needs to be clear. The more rules, complications, regulations, and gimmicks that creep into the picture, the more muddled the picture of success becomes, which in turn leads to people becoming disinterested. In short, a system that is straightforward is preferable to one that is unnecessarily complex.
As the series progresses, I will lay out the specifics of this “bowling blueprint”, such as …
Who can carry out and implement change, at both local and higher levels.
What a new structure would look like, including how to set up alternative forms of tournaments and leagues.
How changes can take place and the organizational bodies of the game can work together in more harmony.
And I will issue a challenge to the industry, and to those who want to see this game moving forward, to take action.
I’m not claiming to have all the answers; only to provide some new possibilities and solutions for what is becoming far too old of a problem. For any plan to succeed, action must be taken. Results must be reviewed and measured. Adjustments must be made. Action must be taken again. Much in the way the game of bowling itself is played.
Next month, I will begin laying out one key component of the blueprint – results based competition – a new concept for tournament organizations and leagues that is not based, in any way, on average or handicap. The benefits of this system include the promotion of skill improvement and the growth of competitive bowling. The existing structure of tournaments and leagues (both amateur and professional) has not led to resurgence. So, new ideas must be explored if the competitive aspect of the game is to survive. I invite you to continue the exploration with me.
Until then, keep on rolling.
