12/21/24
April 20, 2006
Maybe some Canadian Spofi'ers can help me with this one?: What in the world is 5 pin bowling and why don't I know more about it? It looks like a blast, but my Canadian Grandpapa never mentioned it to me.
posted by commander cody to culture at 12:48 AM - 12 comments
Once again the US has bastardized a lame sport to make it harder. As myself and others are members of "real" bowling leagues we would laugh if ya tried to give us a ball that weighs three somethin pounds. My ball is 16 lbs., that and the fact that the Elks lodge where we bowl only has four lanes. When do we get our hands on curling?
posted by GoBirds at 01:18 AM on April 20, 2006
I loved 5-pin. It's great for when you're drunk and 15 pounds is too much ball for your bad self. (Like, frex, me as I type this.) Actually, five pin bowling is a rather different game, and no less fun for a night out. I'd love to go sometime if I could find a place in the area (or the next time I'm in Canada, I suppose.) Allegedly, in New England, they have nine pins, which sounds equally intriguing, though I've never seen it in person.
posted by chicobangs at 01:20 AM on April 20, 2006
Allegedly, in New England, they have nine pins That sounds a lot like skittles.
posted by squealy at 05:56 AM on April 20, 2006
5-pin bowling is actually harder than 10-pin bowling. There are more perfect games in 10-pin bowling (300pts) than there are in 5-pin bowling (450pts). There are a couple of semi-pro bowlers in my office and they've each thrown 2 perfect games in 10-pin, but have never come close to 5-pin perfection. They say that the pin spread in 5-pin makes it less forgiving for a mistake, while the compact nature of the 10-pin setup means that an occasional mistake throw can still knock'em all down.
posted by grum@work at 06:43 AM on April 20, 2006
5-pin bowling is the TRUE pinnacle of the sport. It necessitates skill, endurance, diligence, wit, flashy clothes and a perfect smile. One also must be able to remain poised and competitve after eight Mooseheads - which would be difficult for my American friends who have yet to actually taste genuine beer. Okay, actually it's just fun and pretty hard to do well. Just like skateboarding. I'm sure I've been no help.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:49 AM on April 20, 2006
My grandfather bowled two perfect five pins games in his lifetime. Also, I had no idea 5-pin was Canadian. I think it's harder than 10-pin. And there are two bowling places by where I live. One is about 30 lanes of 5-pin and 2 lanes of 10-pin, the other is all 10-pin. I don't think the two like to mix.
posted by fabulon7 at 09:00 AM on April 20, 2006
They don't do 5-pin anywhere else? -- thats news to me too -- I only bowl a few times per year, probably 50/50 5 vs 10 -- I think I actually prefer the plain old 5 pin alley I've been going to since I was a kid to all the 10 pin alleys which seem all seem to go for the disco lights and loud music Did a quick bit of googling & apparently 5 pin got started in Toronto at the turn of the last century as a simplified version of 10 for in order to speed up the game for a quick bit of lunch time recreation -- it briefly spread a bit to the US and a few spots in the British Commonwealth but never caught on. Hmmm, maybe the patriot inside of me wants me to be partial to 5-pin from now on. Here's a link, and another if you're inclined to read further.
posted by hb74147 at 11:04 AM on April 20, 2006
Great and thanks. Like I said it looks like a blast, but now I've got to talk the wife into our next vacation being to the north.
posted by commander cody at 11:29 AM on April 20, 2006
Years back they talked about five pin as being Canadian. It was a radio PSA, not quite a hinterland's who's who, but more of a winterland's what's what.
posted by Philfromhavelock at 08:06 PM on April 20, 2006
the precursors to any of the "bowling" games we have today are actually German. The game of kegels actually predates Roman sport and games. It was used throughout the centuries as a game symbolizing the defeat of good over evil, and sometimes a purification of sins. Bowlers knocking the pins down was symbolic of "knocking the devil out of his ground". Circa 1500, Luther was a huge fan of kegels, as well as some other "knightly" sports. For the most part, I believe it was a nine "pin" game. That said, why bowling in Canada is only 5-pin while in the USA it is 10-pin could have some historical significance ... could it be that Canada is only half as evil as its neighbor to the south??? And the US is even that much more evil than the Germany of old? Or would you say that Americans are better at knocking out evil? Or, do they have more sins in need of purification? Or, is it just because beer drinkers like throwin' things and knockin' stuff down? Whatever your interpretation ... do NOT ... I repeat, do NOT "roll on shabbos" ~Donny (Big Lebowski)
posted by Spitztengle at 02:25 PM on April 22, 2006
oops ... I must be out of my element ... that's Walter from Big Lebowski ... not Donny.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:43 PM on April 22, 2006
Wow. I had no idea that five-pin bowling was a Canadian thing. It's always that bastard child of bowling. There's like one or two lanes dedicated to it in most major bowling alleys, and half the time they have bumpers. I see five pin bowling on TSN occasionally, so I know that adults play it, but I always figured it was Bowling-lite -- for kids too weak to pick up a proper bowling ball.