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Bowling dates back at least 7'000 years, to a time when Egyptians left remnants of the earliest known form of the sport in their tombs. Polynesians have enjoyed their version of the sport for several centuries.
The term 'kegler' may derive from the 3 rd century AD, when German peasants who enjoyed the sport carried a club known as the kegel, not unlike the Irish shillelagh, for protection. Over time, wooden balls replaced stones and pins were substituted for the kegel.
The Dutch developed bowling. By 1650 the sport encompassed nine pins set in a diamond pattern toward the end of a 90-foot lane (track). Tenpin bowling, which features a 60-foot lane and pins set in a triangle pattern, is believed to have derived from the Dutch version.
Scoring for strikes and spares came about during the mid-century when heavier bottle-shaped pins replaced the earlier tall and slender version.
Bowling's Popularity:
There are more than 200'000 elite-level bowlers worldwide. More than 100 million people bowl in all corners of the globe, including 10 million who compete in organized events an average of 40 times a year.
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Bowling is free of drug and substance abuse. |
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Scoring, based 100% on athletic performance, is objective and non-controversial. |
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It is gender equal (49% female). |
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Since lack of height, speed or strength is no handicap to highest scoring, bowlers from all corners of the globe compete equitably for championships and medals. |
Bowling and Athleticism:
During an elite-level tournament, a bowler must possess the physical and mental attributes to consistently deliver a seven kilogram ball about 900 times in three days. A successful deliver requires that the ball must be released within one centimeter of a chosen mark and strike a four centimeter target 18.3 meters away. Championship performance often requires medal winners to do this more than 90% of the time.
Bowling is an accuracy-based sport according to a comprehensive study recently completed by Dr. Ben Johnson, former Director of the Center for Sports Medicine, Science and Technology at Georgia State University. The study concludes that bowling is not unlike archery, shooting, baseball/softball pitching or other accuracy based sports, and much like tennis, running, equestrian, table tennis, basketball, as well as many other Olympic sports, those who participate for social, recreation or health/fitness reasons do so at a level far below the Olympic high performance standard.
Dr. Johnson measured the technique, flexibility and strength under competitive conditions of bowlers of varying abilities with a multi-camera biomechanical motion analysis system that measured ball velocity, body center of mass velocity, shoulder angles and rotational speeds, trunk angle and lead leg knee angles.
Bowling's Marketing Edge
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13'000 bowling centers; 250'000 bowling lanes. |
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.5 billion in annual exposures. |
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billion in annual industry revenue. |
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Cost-effective TV coverage worldwide; ratings surpass many sports. |
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Excellent spectator-athlete interaction. |
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Arena capacities for up to 7'000 spectators. |
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Quick, low-cost installation/setup. |
Fédération Internationale de Quilleurs (FIQ)
FIQ is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for tenpin and ninepin bowling. Like some of the other International Federations affiliated to the IWGA, it had filed an official application to be added to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. FIQ has 125 member federations in all Olympic Zones. Its tenpin discipline is included on the official program of almost all major world and regional multi-sport competitions, including the Asian Games, Pan-American Games and World Games. World and Zone (American, Asian and European), as well as National Championships are conducted annually or biennially for adults or youth. FIQ has been led by these Presidents since its formation in 1952:
Mr. Heinz Kropp, Federal Republic of Germany (1952-53)
Dr. Iwan Krizanic, Yugoslavia (1953-55)
Mr. Adolph Oesch, Switzerland (1955-73)
Mr. Kauko Ahlstrom, Finland (1973-77)
Mr. Frank K. Baker, USA (1977-1983)
Mr. Soetopo Jananto, INA (1984)
Mr. Roger H. Tessman, USA (1985-1995)
Mr. Gerald L. Koenig, USA (1995-present)
Federations:
Na.: www.dkb-online.org
Int.: www.wnba-fiq.de
More information about the World Games 2005:
www.dskb-sportkegeln.de
Venue:
Duisburg, Sporthalle Krefelder Straße
Dates (without engagement)
