Bowling pin
Encyclopedia
Bowling pins are the target of the bowling ball
in various bowling
games including tenpins
, five-pins
, duckpins
, and candlepins
.
In the US, pin specifications for standard tenpins are set by the United States Bowling Congress
. Pins are 4.75 inches wide at their widest point and 15 inches (381 mm) tall. They weigh 3 lb
, 6 oz
, although in 1998 pins weighing 3 lb (1.36077711 kg) were approved.
Duckpins are shorter and squatter than standard tenpins. Canadian fivepins are between duckpins and tenpins in size, but have a thick, inch-wide rubber
band around the widest part of the pin to increase pin action when struck. Candlepins are not similar to the others; they are tallest of all at 15-3/4 inches, but only 2-15/16 inches wide and 2 lb (0.90718474 kg) in weight. They are nearly cylindrical in shape and resemble candles, hence their name. Unlike other bowling pins, candlepins may be set on either end.
Bowling pins are constructed by gluing blocks of rock maple
wood into the approximate shape, and then turning on a lathe. After the lathe shapes the pin, it is coated with a plastic
material, painted, and covered with a glossy finish. Because of the scarcity of suitable wood, efforts to make all-plastic bowling pins have been underway for several years.
Juggling club
s could be mistaken for bowling pins due to their similar shape. The two differ greatly in construction and weight.
Bowling ball
A bowling ball is a spherical ball made from plastic, reactive resin, urethane or a combination of these materials which is used in the sport of bowling. Ten-pin bowling balls generally have a set of three holes drilled in them, one each for the ring and middle finger, and one for the thumb;...
in various bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
games including tenpins
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
, five-pins
Five-pin bowling
Five-pin bowling is a bowling variant which is played only in Canada, where most bowling alleys offer it, either alone or in combination with ten-pin bowling. It was devised around 1909 by Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, at his Toronto Bowling Club, in response to customers who complained that...
, duckpins
Duckpin bowling
Duckpin bowling is a variation of 10-pin bowling. The balls used in duckpin bowling are 4-3/4 in to 5 in in diameter , weigh 3 lb 6 oz to 3 lb 12 oz each, and lack finger holes...
, and candlepins
Candlepin bowling
Candlepin bowling is a variation of Bowling that is played primarily in the Canadian Maritime provinces, Ontario, Quebec, and the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where it is more common than ten-pin bowling....
.
In the US, pin specifications for standard tenpins are set by the United States Bowling Congress
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress is a sports membership organization dedicated to ten-pin bowling in the United States. It was formed in 2005 by a merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling...
. Pins are 4.75 inches wide at their widest point and 15 inches (381 mm) tall. They weigh 3 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, 6 oz
Ounce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
, although in 1998 pins weighing 3 lb (1.36077711 kg) were approved.
Duckpins are shorter and squatter than standard tenpins. Canadian fivepins are between duckpins and tenpins in size, but have a thick, inch-wide rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
band around the widest part of the pin to increase pin action when struck. Candlepins are not similar to the others; they are tallest of all at 15-3/4 inches, but only 2-15/16 inches wide and 2 lb (0.90718474 kg) in weight. They are nearly cylindrical in shape and resemble candles, hence their name. Unlike other bowling pins, candlepins may be set on either end.
Bowling pins are constructed by gluing blocks of rock maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
wood into the approximate shape, and then turning on a lathe. After the lathe shapes the pin, it is coated with a plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
material, painted, and covered with a glossy finish. Because of the scarcity of suitable wood, efforts to make all-plastic bowling pins have been underway for several years.
Juggling club
Juggling club
Juggling clubs, or simply clubs are a prop used by jugglers, as are other props such as balls or rings. A typical club is in the range of long, weighs between , is slim at the "handle" end, and has its center of balance nearer the wider "body" end...
s could be mistaken for bowling pins due to their similar shape. The two differ greatly in construction and weight.