In the Canadian Maritime provinces and the New England area of the United States, candlepin bowling is a kind of bowling that is played mostly. You’ll get here on the history of Candlepin Bowling, rules, and equipment with details. It’s a sport that starts with a C character.
It’s called a candlepin because of the tall, narrow pins that resemble candles and are played with a handheld-sized ball.
Comparison to ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a sport in which players roll a bowling ball down a lane towards a group of ten pins to knock down as many pins as possible in two attempts per frame. The player with the highest score after ten frames wins the game.
There are several other forms of bowling that differ in the number of pins used, the size of the ball, and the rules of the game.
For example, candlepin bowling uses smaller pins and a smaller ball, while duckpin bowling uses even smaller pins and a ball with no finger holes. There is also lawn bowling, which is played outdoors on a grass surface and involves rolling a ball toward a target ball.
- Bowling is a fun and social activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. Each form of bowling has its unique challenges and strategies, making it a fun and exciting activity to try out.
- The distance between pins is increased, additionally decreasing scoring, because candlepins are thinner (thus the term “candlepin”).
A short history of Australian Rules football
A short history of Candlepin Bowling or Narrow Pins is given below.
- First played: Circa 1880, Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Team Members: Yes and individual
- Mixed sex: Yes
- Type: Bowling
- Equipment: Candlepins, candlepin bowling ball, the bowling lane
- Venues: Bowling alley
- Glossary: Glossary of bowling
- Country of Region: New England, The Maritimes
History of the Candlepin Bowling
Candlepin bowling is a form of bowling that originated in New England, particularly in Massachusetts, in the late 19th century. It was created as a variation of traditional ten-pin bowling, with smaller, cylindrical pins and a smaller ball.
The game was originally played with only nine pins but was later changed to include ten pins. The pins are arranged in a triangular formation, and the ball used in candlepin bowling is smaller than that used in ten-pin bowling, weighing no more than 2.5 pounds.
Candlepin bowling became popular in the early 20th century, and by the 1950s, it was played in over 5,000 bowling alleys throughout New England. The game was also popular in Canada and some parts of the United States, but never gained the same level of popularity as ten-pin bowling.
Despite its regional popularity, candlepin bowling faced challenges in the latter half of the 20th century, as bowling alleys began to close and the sport’s popularity declined. However, there has been a resurgence of interest in candlepin bowling in recent years, with new alleys opening and enthusiasts promoting the sport as a fun and challenging activity.
The first automatic candlepin pinsetter, dubbed the “Bowl-Mor,” was invented by attorneys Howard Dowd and Lionel Barrow in 1947, and they were granted a patent in 1956.
Ralph Semb (Ralph Semb, Erving, MA) achieved the highest sanctioned candlepin score of 245 on May 13, 2011 (Chris Sargent, Haverhill, MA).
Rules of Candlepin Bowling
Candlepin bowling, a popular form of bowling in New England, has several unique rules that set it apart from other forms of bowling. Here are some of the key rules of candlepin bowling:
- Three rolls per frame: Unlike ten-pin bowling, where each player gets two rolls per frame, in candlepin bowling, each player gets three rolls per frame.
- No finger holes on the ball: Candlepin bowling balls are smaller and lighter than ten-pin bowling balls, and they have no finger holes. This means that players must roll the ball with an underhand motion, using only their fingertips to guide the ball.
- Pins are not cleared between rolls: After each roll, any pins that are knocked down remain on the lane for the next roll. This means that players must navigate around the fallen pins, making it more challenging to knock down the remaining pins.
- Pins are not re-spotted: Unlike ten-pin bowling, where knocked-down pins are automatically re-spotted by machinery, in candlepin bowling, knocked-down pins are not re-spotted.
- Ties are allowed: In candlepin bowling, ties are allowed, meaning that if two or more players have the same score at the end of the game, they will be declared co-winners.
In general, these standards make candlepin bowling a distinctive and demanding sport that demands skill, accuracy, and planning.
Scoring in Candlepin Bowling
For each pin knocked over, a point is awarded. Therefore, player A would get a total of 9 points for that box if they felled three pins with their first ball, five with their second, and one with the third. Player B would get 9 points if they knock down nine pins with their first shot, but miss with the second and third. Bonuses are awarded for a strike or spare if all ten pins are fallen by a single player in a single box (as they are in ten pins). In the tenpin sport, a strike is achieved by downing all ten pins with the first throw, just as it is in this game. A spare requires two throws.
The outcome is a ten-box, marked by an X (as in the Roman numeral for ten) but no extra points are given if all 10 pins are knocked down by rolling all three balls in a box.
This scoring system is similar to duckpins, the other major type of bowling that uses three balls per frame, except for the look of the score sheet and the visual symbols employed to track strikes, spares, and 10 boxes.
Scoring sheet
The candlepin scoring sheet is oriented vertically, with two columns of squares in a two-square-wide, ten-square-tall arrangement to score one string for one player, as opposed to tenpins.
The cumulative total is recorded down the sheet as each box is rolled in the right-hand column of squares, in a top-down order from the first box to the tenth.
Calculate score
Yet, modern automated scoring systems have overcome this challenge. The bowler only has to bowl when a scoring system is “automated.”
After three balls are thrown or all 10 pins are knocked down, it will keep track and reset the pinsetter. The bowler must input the score, but the computer will maintain track of it if a scoring system is “semiautomated.” To receive a new “rack” of pins, the bowler must press a button at the end of the ball return.
Equipment of the sports
Candlepin Bowling requires specific equipment to play the game, which includes:
- Candlepin Bowling Balls: Candlepin bowling balls are smaller than those used in ten-pin bowling, and they have no finger holes. They typically weigh between 2 and 2.5 pounds and are usually made of wood or a synthetic material.
- Candlepins: Candlepins are the smaller, cylindrical pins that are used in Candlepin Bowling. They are approximately 15 inches tall and 1.5 inches in diameter, making them more challenging to knock down than traditional ten-pin bowling pins.
- Bowling Lanes: Candlepin Bowling lanes are approximately 70 feet long and 41 inches wide. They are typically made of wood or synthetic materials and are coated with a thin layer of oil to reduce friction and increase speed.
- Bowling Shoes: Like other forms of bowling, Candlepin Bowling requires special shoes with a smooth sole on one foot and a rubber sole on the other. This is to prevent slipping and provide traction on the approach.
- Scoring System: The scoring system in Candlepin Bowling is similar to that of ten-pin bowling, with each player getting three rolls per frame and trying to knock down as many pins as possible.
However, the scoring system is slightly different, with a strike counting as 30 points and a spare counting as 10 points plus the number of pins knocked down on the next roll.
Conclusion
Candlepin Bowling is a popular form of bowling that originated in New England and is known for its unique rules and challenges. Unlike traditional ten-pin bowling, the history of Candlepin Bowling involves smaller, cylindrical pins and a smaller ball without finger holes.
It requires players to navigate around fallen pins, aim for standing pins, and roll the ball with an underhand motion using only their fingertips.
Despite facing challenges in the past, Candlepin Bowling has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years to be a fun and challenging activity enjoyed by many in New England and beyond.
