Bowlers I find are not unlike Anglers, those who participate are very similar, in that wetend to spend many hours deep in heated debate on our chosen sport. Our own spin and exageration coupled with lack of knowledge often fueling a good discussion on the subject. The relevance of size and type of bowl always seems to be the top favourite,
next up is the best way to play any given shot, to draw or fire that is the question?.
The origins of our game give rise to some speculation and the answers are not always easy to come up with, but please consider my own thoughts on the subject.
There where reported sightings a few years back of some Egyptian stone masons, whilst
on their lunch breaks having made some smooth round spheres, intended so we are led
to believe from our sources,
for use in a game where the object was to set a target and throw their spheres at said target in an attempt to get closer to it than their mates.
Since that earlier period in history evidence has come to light here in Britain that during the middle
of the13th century, two bowls clubs, one in the middle of England around 1294 and another in the south
of England around 1299 were in fact playing on grass a game of some" skill and touch", the object
once more being to deliver your bowls closer to the target than your opponents.
However King Edward III early in the 14th century noticed over a period of time that his legendary
bowmen, were playing bowls when they should have been practicing their skills with the longbow.
Fearing for any loss in their accuracy, which could in the long term be detremental to his kingdom,
he decided in his infinite wisdom, and of course being the King, banned his archers from playing
the game of bowls.
The years were moving along nicely now and the game of bowls seems to have become very popular
in the 16th century.There are references made by the great bard himself, William Shakespeare, to some
of his characters being involved in playing the game. In some of his work he mentions the game having
been played by the ladies of the day.
Later in the century we find the most well reported historical fact concerning bowls. As we all know
on the 15th July 1588 Sir Francis Drake was in the middle of a mens fours game on Plymouth Hoe,
and with just a couple of ends to go he was given a message informing him that the Spanish Armada
was coming up the English Channel. Being a good "skip" he replied that they would have to wait
until the game was over.
Coming into the 20th century we at last find bowls being played by a sportsman. Even if it was a cricketer,
what better than the great W.G.grace to promote the game. He had spent many hours on the field playing
for his country. He help to form the English Bowls Association and became it's first president in 1903-1905 he worked to organise the first international bowls tournament between Scotland and England.
I should point out at this juncture that it was the Scottish Bowls Association who wrote the first official set
of "rules of the game of bowls".
From what was obviously the start of the game as we know it today the game is now played by millions
of people in over 35 countries around the world. Games are played between individuals, clubs, counties,
states and at International level, the highest level being the Olympics Games.
Our transition through time started with people probably using objects made of stone trying to fill in their
free time by improving their skill and aim something that goes back beyond time to days when man had to
be a good shot if he wanted to eat, and cloth himself.
It's my guess that as time moved on people would use things like small lead or iron cannon balls or stones
found in fast flowing rivers worn smooth and round by abrasion. Undoubtedly as mans technical ability
improved we see bowls turned from hard durable wood such as Lignum Vitae from the West Indies and
the application of a shape to the bowl to give it a bias in order to make it bend.
Moving up to the modern
day, bowls are now made from Plastics such as Polyester, Melamine and Phenolic Thermoset,
they come
in all shapes, sizes and colours.( Just like the people who use them. )
It's hard to see where things can
go from here on the technical side of the game, ie the equipment etc.
I personally think we need to start by modernising the dress code giving it our top priority in order
to attract new and younger people into the game. There needs to be one worldwide bowls governing
body with one set of rules and regulations so that we all "sing form the same hymn sheet" as the saying goes.
Bowls is a great game and is to be recommended as a good form of exercise and social activity.
I hope you enjoyed our stroll through history and perhaps the information will be useful to you.
The comments and attempts at humour are my own, if you have anything you would like to add on
the subject please let me have it and I will add it to the page with the credit going to you.
THE GAME OF BOWLS
This is almost as simple as a game of football, requiring only a bowling green and an
The bowls are spheres of Lignum vitae, or any other wood ; and they are generally
The bowling green is, or should be a perfectly level piece of turf, square in shape or nearly
The game is very simple in theory, and consists only of each player endeavouring to bowl
The bias creates the difficulty, which is greater than might be imagined ; and 30 or 40 elderly
Mitchells Manual of Rules and Hints on Playing Bowls.
Life like the game of bowls, is but an end,
From the English rule Book of all sports 1856.
indefinite number of bowls, one for each player. Unlike football, however, it is a very
quite game, and calculated rather for the steady gentlemen, then for his rackety son.
made of one side of a tree. The heart being heavier than the outside, makes one side of
the bowl heavier than the other ; the consequence is that each bowl has a bias of it's own,
and every player must learn it's peculiarities before he can play it successfully.
so, and 30, 40, 50 yards wide, according to the capabilities of the ground. This should
be kept smooth and closely shaven, by means of the scythe and roller; and from it's
possessing these qualities in perfection the expression has arisen,"as smooth as a bowling green " !
his own so as to remain as near as possible to a particular bowl.
gentlemen will often amuse themselves every evening throughout the summer without
arriving at anything like an absolute control of their eratic instruments !.
Circa 1880.
Which to play well, this moral verse attend.
Throw not your bowl too rashly from your hand,
First let it's course by reasons eye be planned,
Lest it roll useless o'er the verdant plain.
Like needless life, that finishes in vain.
Know well your bias-here the moral school,
Scarce needs a comment on the golden rule.
Play not to wide, with caution eye your cast
Use not extent of green, or life to waste.
Nor yet to straight, in life observe the same.
The narrow minded often miss their aim !.
Bowling to short you but obstruct the green,
Like him who loiters in lifes public scene
Who'er at bowls or business causes strife,
Will rubs on greens receive, and eke in life.
One bowling trick avoid in moral play,
Ah, never block your neighbours way.
These rules observe, a man may play his game
On bowling greens--or thro' the world with fame.
