Costumes & Accessories (13) / Party Supplies (31)

Bowling Party

Table of contents

Introduction

"Let's go bowling!" - A classic phrase and one often used to signal the start of some seriously good times. Having your own bowling party will therefore be a smash hit with all of your friends and is one of the easiest to organize. But before we get to some crucial bowling party organizational tips, let's have a quick look at the history of bowling.

Some 5200 years ago a young boy was laid to rest in a grave. This grave was in Egypt and would be discovered in 1930 by Sir Flinders Petrie, a British anthropologist. Aside from the dusty remains of the grave's young occupant, Sir Petrie also discovered a set of primitive balls and pins. This would form one of the most notable controversies surrounding the age of bowling as an activity but would also give rise to the idea that the ancient Egyptians were themselves expert bowlers.

Moving on to more recent times, however, we find that the earliest written accounts of bowling came from 14th century Britain, where King Edward III specifically forbade his troops to practice the game while they should be training their archery skills. And still staying within the British shores, we find that King Henry VIII used to bowl quite passionately - with cannon balls.

But by the most agreed-upon historical accounts, bowling was already a popular sport early in the previous millennium in a place we know today as Germany. It is in fact the German version of bowling, called "Kegelspiel" from which our ten-pin bowling stems. The two games would actually have been one and the same if it weren't for the banning of ninepin bowling lanes in Connecticut, 1841, in an attempt to curb gambling. As such, game enthusiasts circumvented the law by simply adding another pin.

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Bowling Party Invitations

Let’s get down to business by looking at a couple of ideas for bowling party invitations. While you’ll be able to make some of these in the comfort of your own home, others might just require a quick trip to your local sports supply or gift store to get the ball rolling. Just keep in mind, you’ll need to include the following information on your invitation:

  • Party Name: Give your party a cool name, like “Arnold’s Ten-pin Strike-Out”.

  • Salutation: Examples here include “Dear Mary & James”.

  • Date & Time

  • Venue/Location

  • Dress Code

  • Contact Details

  • Additional information…

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Ten-pin Bowling Design

By far the easiest and cheapest of the various bowling invitations is the ten-pin bowling design for which you’ll need no more than a computer and a printer. For those who don’t have printers at home, ring up your local printing firm and get a quote on your invitations.

To start with, you’ll need to get your hands on a couple of bowling images. While some prefer to use clipart, others download them from the internet with the appropriate permission – the choice is yours.

Once you have the appropriate image, edit it with an image editing software suit and fit it on the front of your card. Remember to decide on the type of card you want to design as some have two sides while others have four or more. Should you have any difficulty with this, get your hands on some software specifically designed for this purpose.

Now, once your image is set and edited, simply arrange the information in the appropriate place using an appropriate bowling font. All done? Right, time to print it! Seeing as this is a formal invitation, be sure to use appropriate paper for the job as the type of paper can make a big difference in the final outcome.

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Bowling Shirt

For those who have a slightly higher budget, this invitation will be a hit among your friends.

To start off, you’ll want to get their measurements – in particular for bowling shirts. Once you’ve got the measurements, simply pop down to your local sports retailer and by bowling shirts accordingly.

Now, as you all know, bowling shirts usually have the name of the person wearing it embroidered on the front pocket. For this invitation, we’ll be doing the same – embroidering the name of the potential guest on the front pocket and having the invitation details printed on the back. So be sure to find yourself a firm capable of doing the job!

And once you’re done, neatly fold the finished invitations and drop them off at their owners’ place.

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Bowling Pin

For the Bowling Pin invitation you’ll need to do two things:

  1. Go down to your local sport supplies retail store and purchase a number of bowling pins – one for each of your guests.

  2. Have a couple clear stickers made with the details of your invitation printed on it.

Now, once you’ve got both the stickers and the bowling pins, simply stick the stickers onto the pins and you’re all set! For those with the right contacts and the appropriate budget, having the names painted or printed on the pins will only add to that authentic bowling pin look.

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Bowling Party Dress Code

The two most important parts of any bowling uniform are the shoes and the shirts. If you made use of the “Bowling Shirt” invitation, ask your guests to wear it on party night along with the appropriate bowling shoes.

Should you feel the need to mention anything else regarding the uniform, make sure to do it on the invitation.

Bowling Party Decorations

There are typically two settings for a bowling party: a bowling alley and of course your home. Where the former requires no decorations, the latter will require some to encourage that bowling party atmosphere. Here are a couple of ideas:

  • Strategically place bowling balls around the room where the party will be held.

  • Do the same with bowling pins and remember to have a couple in the characteristic triangle.

  • Posters of bowling legends are always a good idea to keep the party spirit rolling. Get them framed and hang them on the walls around the room.


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Bowling Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

As there are no set announcements for bowling parties, you’ll be able to make up your own. Here’s an example:

“Ladies and Gentlemen! Please welcome Mr. Gerald Hunter!”

Bowling Party Favors

When it comes to party favors, you’ll want to ensure that your guests remember one of the greatest parties they’ve ever been to! Below you’ll find a couple of variations on the topic, each available from retailers that sell bowling merchandise or from the internet.

  • Mini bowling game – available in various shapes and sizes and perfect for those nights where staying in seems to be the better option.

  • In theory there can only be one winner, but it is your party and, to show your appreciation for those who’ve attended, give them a miniature bowling trophy engraved with their names, your party name and the date.

  • If you haven’t used the bowling pin idea in the invitation, then use it as a party favor! These will make great ornaments and will ensure that your party remains fresh in your guests’ memories for years to come.


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Bowling Party Activities

Bowling party activities depend largely on where your party will be held. Here are a couple of ideas to help you out.

Bowling Film Marathon

Throughout motion picture history there have been quite a number of excellent bowling-themed films made. Why not get two or three to keep you and your guests entertained for the evening?

Best Frame Bowling

Group your guests into two to five players per team and have yourselves a normal bowling game where the object of the game is to score as many points as possible.

Bowling – Low Ball Game

For those who don’t know, the maximum score that can be accumulate during any ten frames is 300. But how good are you and your guests at scoring the lowest score, without bowling the ball into the gutter? You’ll find that this game requires more skill than you can imagine and will ensure that everyone has a good time.

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Odd/Even Bowling

Almost like normal bowling, but with a slight difference that might just make the game a bit easier for those who can’t play that well.

The object of this game is to throw one ball per frame. Should an even number of pins fall, the frame is recorded as a strike; if an odd number falls, it is recorded as a spare with the score being equal to the number of pins that have fallen.

No-tap Bowling

This is yet another variation on the usual bowling game that will even out the playing field – giving strong and weak players the same chance to compete.

Each player is assigned a number between three and nine; three for the weakest player and nine for the strongest player. This is called the no-tap value and represents the number of pins the player has to knock down to record a strike.

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Food & Drink

If you’re a serious bowler, then you’ll know what kind of foods are most suited to a bowling party. But still, we thought we’d supply a list which includes snacks, meals and drinks mostly associated with bowling as well as those everyone generally enjoys.

Snacks: Nuts, Chips, Sandwiches, Fajitas, Tacos, Hot dogs, Chicken wings, Crackers, Salads.

Meals: Hamburgers, Pizzas, Pies, Roast Beef, Pasta, Spanish Rice

Drinks

The kind of drinks you take or buy will largely depend on your venue. Should you be planning to have your party at a bowling alley, check with them first before buying your beers, wines and spirits. If you’re planning to have your bowling party at home, however, you’re free to choose any type of beverage your guests will enjoy.

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