The Surprisingly Long History Of Bowling Explained

Publish date: 2024-05-03

Germany was the heartland of bowling, and in some ways it became a national sport. For example, Britannica tells us that a major highlight in bowling history was a feast in Frankfurt in 1463, which featured venison followed by bowling. It also was a magnet for gambling in cash or kind. This extended to the countries bordering Germany, such as a 1518 bowling contest held in Breslau, Poland, where the winner was awarded an ox. 

Still, from ancient times straight through the premodern period, the game of kegels was tied up with religion. One of the biggest boosters of bowling was none other than Martin Luther (1483‐1546), the religious leader who sparked the Protestant Reformation. One biography, "Martin Luther," notes that Luther had a single-lane bowling alley installed adjacent to his home in Wittenberg. While traditionally, the pins had represented sins, Luther took them all to represent the Catholic clergy against whom he was rebelling. He took great delight at hurling the ball at the pins. 

Utne notes that before Luther, people would bowl with pins numbering from three to 17. Luther is often credited for standardizing the number of pins at nine. Thus, ninepin bowling became the standard form of bowling in Germany and those countries that adopted the sport. In that way, not only did Luther try to reform Christianity, but he also less controversially reformed bowling.

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