National Bowling Day Date in the current year: August 10, 2024

Bowling is a throwing came in which players roll a ball toward pins or another target. The term “bowling” typically refers to pin bowling, whereas the many variations of target bowling have their own names (bocce, carpet bowls, crown green bowls, lawn bowls, pétanque, etc.).

Early forms of bowling are believed to have originated in ancient Egypt. A similar game was played by legionaries in the Roman Empire. Lawn bowling was played in Medieval England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Low Countries. The game was brought to the New World by Henry Hudson, an English explorer for the Dutch East India Company, and his men.

The modern sport of pin bowling developed during the 19th century. The earliest mentions of bowling alleys in newspaper ads and articles date back to the early 1820s. The first attempt to standardize the rules of ten-pin bowling was made in 1875, when bowling clubs from New York City founded the National Bowling Association. However, they failed to agree on a number of points, and the rules were finalized by the American Bowling Congress in 1895.

Today, bowling is played by millions of people around the globe, both professionally and recreationally. One of the best things about bowling as a pastime is that you don’t need to buy any equipment; bowling alleys provide everything players need, including bowling shoes for customers to wear.

National Bowling Day was created to celebrate the amazing game of bowling and encourage people to try it. The roots of the holiday can be traced back to a one-off event named National Bowling Day that took place in 1956. It was sponsored by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, NBC-TV and the General Cigar Company.

The main goal of the event was to raise money for the American Red Cross through a series of bowling tournaments held in 48 states. The Final Bowl Off that took place in Macon County, Illinois was televised on October 14, 1956. This day was dubbed National Bowling Day.

Although the event was never repeated, it hasn’t been forgotten. At some point, bowling enthusiasts revived National Bowling Day and made it at annual event. It has been celebrated on the second Saturday of August since at least 2011.

How to observe National Bowling Day? Naturally, the best way to celebrate is gather your family and friends and hit up a bowling alley for a friendly tournament (losing team buys the drinks). A lot of bowling alleys offer various deals and discounts to celebrate the day, so make sure you don’t miss out on them!

You also can take a couple of bowling lessons to improve your skills or give a couple of lessons to a friend if you’re an accomplished bowler, read a book or watch a documentary about bowling, watch a bowling movie (The Big Lebowski is a must-see for any bowling fan!), and spread the word on social media with the hashtag #NationalBowlingDay.