Bowling: The "Rodney Dangerfield" of Sports; "It just don't get no respect," I tell ya.

Bowling has arguably become the largest participation sport in the world. However, when people talk about sports, you're more likely to hear about football, baseball, basketball, hockey, or soccer. Even golf, bicycling, gymnastics, ice skating, skiing, or track & field pop up more frequently than the sport of bowling when it's their time of the year. To quote the late Rodney Dangerfield, "I just don't get no respect, you know?"

Perhaps because of it's somewhat checkered past, having been placed in the same smoke-filled rooms and bars as billiards ("pool"), it became known as a game used for illegal gambling. These not so glamorous images of bowling alleys did not, at one time, cast the sport as a family-oriented past-time. In reality, though, its ancient history and modern beginnings are not rife with bad imagery at all.

While bowling's origin is not clear, there is evidence that a game resembling it did exist as early as 3200 BC. The first documented mention of a bowling type game was written about in the 1300's in England. It is reported that King Edward III banned bowling because his soldiers preferred it to archery. In the days before guns, bows and arrows were a main weapon for armies so it was necessary that the fighters keep their archery skills honed to perfection. Numerous novels and other folklore written in the olden days, such as "Rip Van Winkle," also make mention of a game of "bowls."

Bowling came to America in the 17th century as an outdoor game with the nine pins set up in a diamond shaped formation. Settlers to the new world of America brought their own versions of the game such as lawn bowling (British) and bocce (Italian). Numerous other settlers of varying ethnic origins also brought their own versions of bowling when they emigrated and settled here.

In the mid-1800's bowling moved indoors with the opening of a bowling alley in New York City. This is where it became so popular that people were gambling heavily on the game. The gambling became so rampant, New York and Connecticut banned the game of nine pins altogether.

To get around the law, a tenth pin was added to the formation around 1842 and the modern day sport of tenpin bowling was ushered in. In an effort to organize and regulate the sport, The American Bowling Congress (ABC) was formed in 1895. It became the official governing body of the sport and was solely responsible for establishing rules and regulations, creating standards for bowling equipment and promoting bowling as an honest and legal form of competition.

In 1916, the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) was formed to organize the women bowlers. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) was formed (along with the PBA Tour) in 1958 and in 1961, ABC was the first network to televise PBA Tour competition.

Perhaps the thought that it is an easy game to learn makes it a target for "macho" thinkers who believe that anyone can throw a strike. Without realizing that the sport of bowling is as strenuous and intricate as any athletic competition, there will be many people who won't give it the respect it deserves. In this current era of bowling's "rebirth," let us hope that the up-and-coming women and junior bowlers correct this image and make people give bowling the respect it deserves. Bowling is without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable family-oriented sports today.