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250 Bowling Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about Bowling? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to Bowling (Sports). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
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1 Who won the 1994 PBA National Championship?
Answer: Dave Treber

Dave Treber competed against Dale Traber and won with 196. Dale Treber was the runner-up with 187. Brian Voss competed against Todd Thompson and won with 246. Todd Thompson was the runner-up with a score of 185.
  From Quiz: Bowlers and Bowling Ball History
2 When your ball hits the 1-3 pins for right handers, or the 1-2 pins for left handers on the first ball, what should this be called?
Answer: Pocket

When the ball hits the 1-3 pins for right handers, and the 1-2 pins for left handers it is called the pocket. When your ball goes on the opposite side of these pins this is when it is called a brooklyn.
  From Quiz: Bowling 101
3 Canadian Thomas F. Ryan is the inventor of five pin bowling. What did Ryan do professionally before inventing this sport?
Answer: He ran a pool hall

Thomas F. Ryan ran his own pool hall in Toronto, Ontario prior to inventing the sport of five-pin bowling. Ryan came up with the idea of five-pin bowling after many of his clients complained that the balls in ten-pin bowling were too heavy. As a result, he produced a version of bowling with a new scoring system, lighter balls, and rubber rings around the pins.
  From Quiz: Five-Pin Bowling
4 How many pins are set up at the beginning of each frame?
Answer: 10

Despite the fact that Candlepin is seen as an alternative to "tenpin" bowling, it too uses ten pins. The name "tenpin" is used to distinguish that most common variant from its predecessor, ninepin bowling.
  From Quiz: Candlepin Bowling
5 How many bowlers took part in the event?
Answer: 6

There were six bowlers, four of which were major tournament winners, and then two fan favorites. The bowlers were Walter Ray Williams Jr., Mike Scroggins, Chris Barnes, Pete Weber, Norm Duke, and Tommy Jones.
  From Quiz: Motel 6 Roll to Riches
6 In ten-pin bowling, what pin is commonly referred to as the "kingpin"?
Answer: 5 pin

It is so named as it is surrounded or "protected" by all the other pins, like a king and his men.
  From Quiz: Obscure Bowling Facts
7 "Fried heads" are ____________ ?
Answer: the dried up portion of the first 15 or 20 feet of the lane

The heads on the lane are where most of the oil is concentrated. When the oil pattern begins to break down or dry out, people tend to say that the heads are toast or the heads are fried.
  From Quiz: Bowling Miscellaneous
8 How many boards are there across on one lane of a bowling alley?
Answer: 39

Thats right there are 39 boards across from left to right on a bowling alley!
  From Quiz: General Bowling
9 How many pins do you have to knock down to bowl a 300 game?
Answer: 120

I have never bowled a 300 game and I don't think I will for a long time. You need 12 strikes to do it.
  From Quiz: Bowling
10 What is the score of a perfect game in bowling?
Answer: 300
  From Quiz: Bowling In General
11 Which bowling ball company makes the 'Zone' series of bowling balls?
Answer: Brunswick
    Your options: [ Storm ] [ Ebonite ] [ Track ] [ Brunswick ]
  From Quiz: Basic Bowling
12 A bowling lane is made of boards placed widthwise from gutter to gutter all the way to the end of the lane. How many boards comprise a lane?
Answer: 39

There are 39 boards - you don't count the 20th board twice. Surprisingly, these are used for targetting. To top things off, more advanced bowlers will designate a 'break point' which is usually a section of a board that's about 30-45 feet down the lane.
  From Quiz: Tough Bowling
13 What is the most difficult split (two pins) to pick up in bowling?
Answer: 7-10

The 7 and 10 pins are the 2 pins that are farthest away from each other and are placed along the same horizontal line making it the hardest split to pick up.
  From Quiz: Quick 'n Easy Bowling
14 10 01 10 01 10 01 10 01 10 010
Answer: 10
    Your options: [ 10 ] [ 30 ] [ 20 ] [ 60 ]
  From Quiz: Bowling Scores
15 What is the minimum weight of a bowling ball?
Answer: There is no minimum weight

The lightest bowling ball ever made weighed 4 pounds. A child usually bowls with a 6 pound ball.
  From Quiz: Bowlers and Bowling Ball History
16 The pins are set up in a triangle, and by USBC meet the specific requirements of a bowling pin. What is the required height of a bowling pin?
Answer: 15 inches

The USBC also states that pins are to be spaced 12 inches apart measuring from the center of one to the center of the other.
  From Quiz: Let's Bowl!
17 Some high performance bowling balls have the MB labeled on the ball. What does MB stand for?
Answer: Mass Bias

Mostly balls with asymmetric cores have the mass bias labled on the ball. When drilling a ball, the position of the mass bias will determine the backend reaction of the ball also known as the shape of the hook. Asymmetric balls are effected more by the mass bias than a symmetric core which is why asymmetric cores always has the mass bias labeled while symmetric cores typically do not.
  From Quiz: Bowling Ball Technology
18 Which ball hooks more?
Answer: Dull urethane

A dull urethane will break more than a dull plastic because of its cover stock and its core. A polished urethane or plastic will go longer down the alley because it does not break as much.
    Your options: [ Polished plastic ] [ Polished Urethane ] [ Dull urethane ] [ Dull Plastic ]
  From Quiz: Bowling 101
19 What is the maximum amount of throws one can have in a single frame in five-pin bowling?
Answer: 3

Like in other forms of bowling (e.g. ten-pin bowling), the bowler is allowed a maximum of three throws. After he/she has used up all of their throws, the bowler must reset the pins for the next bowler.
  From Quiz: Five-Pin Bowling
20 How many finger holes are in each candlepin bowling ball?
Answer: 0

Candlepin bowling balls are held in the palm of your hand, and no fingers are inserted.
  From Quiz: Candlepin Bowling
21 Who was the first eliminated in the single shot rolloff?
Answer: Pete Weber

In the first shot for the six bowlers, Norm Duke, Walter Ray Williams, Jr., Mike Scroggins, and Chris Barnes each hit a strike. Tommy Jones missed one pin for a nine-count, and Weber only had an eight-count, sending him to the elimination round.
  From Quiz: Motel 6 Roll to Riches
22 Which split is known as "bedposts"?
Answer: 7-10

This split is also known as "goalposts".
    Your options: [ 4-6-7-10 ] [ 7-10 ] [ 6-7 ] [ 4-10 ]
  From Quiz: Obscure Bowling Facts
23 Which bowling company manufacturers the "Thunder Flash" urethane bowling ball?
Answer: Storm

This urethane bowling ball hooks a lot more than conventional urethane bowling balls. Great ball for the beginning bowler.
    Your options: [ Brunswick ] [ Columbia 300 ] [ Storm ] [ Ebonite ]
  From Quiz: Bowling Miscellaneous
24 Which bowling ball company makes the 'El Nino' series of bowling balls?
Answer: Storm
    Your options: [ Brunswick ] [ Track ] [ Columbia ] [ Storm ]
  From Quiz: Basic Bowling
25 A dense inner core is used to enhance the performance of a bowling ball. This dense inner core is called:
Answer: a weight block

All modern bowling balls have a weight block. One of the earlier forms of the weight block was the 'pancake' weight block found in 3-piece bowling balls (most current low end bowling balls are of 3-piece construction).
    Your options: [ a weight block ] [ a mass core ] [ a balance block ] [ an imbalance core ]
  From Quiz: Tough Bowling
26 What is it called when you get a strike after your ball hits the left hand side of the head pin (for right-handers)?
Answer: Brooklyn
  From Quiz: Quick 'n Easy Bowling
27 90 42 18 72 08 44 26 71 54 90
Answer: 83

90 42 18 72 08 44 26 71 54 90 =
9 +6 + 9 +9 +8 +8 +8 +8 +9 +9 = 83.
    Your options: [ 83 ] [ 126 ] [ 17 ] [ 181 ]
  From Quiz: Bowling Scores
28 In order to find the mass bias of an unlabeled ball, what is the length you must measure from the pin to the direction of the center of gravity?
Answer: 6 3/4"

The center of gravity is sometimes mislabeled, but this method will always accurately find the mass bias of any bowling ball. When labeling the mass bias, most ball drillers will use a wax pencil to mark it.
  From Quiz: Bowling Ball Technology
29 What is a perfect game?
Answer: 300

A perfect game is 12 strikes in a row. This comes to a total of 300. A 290 is when you spare in the first frame and strike the rest of the way out. You cannot score the other two in one game of bowling.
  From Quiz: Bowling 101
30 Which two bowlers earned the byes in the event?
Answer: Scroggins and Barnes

The two Texans earned the first round byes after the single shot rolloffs, as Pete Weber, Tommy Jones, Norm Duke, and Walter Ray Williams Jr. were eliminated, respectively.
    Your options: [ Barnes and Jones ] [ Barnes and Williams Jr. ] [ Scroggins and Barnes ] [ Scroggins and Williams Jr. ]
  From Quiz: Motel 6 Roll to Riches
31 What is the minimum number of balls required to complete a game of ten pins?
Answer: 11

9 strikes and an open in the 10th is only 11 balls. It would be a shame to open in the 10th, after getting your first 9 strikes.
  From Quiz: Obscure Bowling Facts
32 How many strikes does one have to have for a perfect 300 game?
Answer: 12

It takes 12 strikes in a row for a perfect 300 game. There's 10 frames in a single game and in the tenth frame you can bowl a maximum of three balls. This adds up to 12. 9 strikes(frames 1-9) plus 3 strikes(frame 10).
  From Quiz: Test Your Bowling Knowledge
33 What is the maximum weight allowed for bowling balls on the PBA Tour?
Answer: 16 Pounds
  From Quiz: Bowling In General
34 What does a 'scratch' league mean?
Answer: a league where the bowlers do not have any handicap.
  From Quiz: Basic Bowling
35 What does AMF stand for?
Answer: American Machine and Foundry

American Machinery and Foundry company was started in 1900. Exactly what they made, I have no clue. 'Always Means Fun!' was a slogan they adopted in 1997. AMF actually owned Harley Davidson for a while. The AMForce was a series of balls made by AMF-but that's not what AMF is short for.
  From Quiz: Tough Bowling
36 X X X X X X X X X XXX
Answer: 300
    Your options: [ 300 ] [ 250 ] [ 100 ] [ 200 ]
  From Quiz: Bowling Scores
37 What is the maximum weight of a bowling ball in sanctioned competition?
Answer: 16 pounds

The average bowling ball weight for men are 15 and 16 pounds. The average for women is 10-12 pounds.
  From Quiz: Bowlers and Bowling Ball History
38 On your first throw, you throw the ball and receive a zero because you fouled. What is considered a foul in bowling?
Answer: Stepping over the line at the top of the lane

Stepping over the line is only considered a foul if you release the ball. All the others aren't considered fouls but aren't highly recommended, especially dropping the ball on someone's foot.
  From Quiz: Let's Bowl!
39 What is the mark called when you throw two balls to knock down all ten pins?
Answer: Spare

A spare is the fundamental of the game. A split is where you leave two or more pins on your first ball, and they are separated by some distance.
  From Quiz: Bowling 101
40 What is the highest possible score that can be achieved in five-pin bowling?
Answer: 450

The highest possible score that can be attained in five-pin bowling is 450. This can be accomplished by achieving a strike in the first nine frames and then achieving three more strikes in the tenth (final) frame. In five-pin bowling, three strikes in a row is a total of 45 points (in the first frame in which the streak began). When multiplied by ten, the final point total would be 450.
  From Quiz: Five-Pin Bowling
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