The Benefits of Joining a Michigan Bowling League

According to Wikipedia, about 100 million people across 90 countries worldwide are into bowling. One in four Americans bowl each year, making it the nation’s “largest participation sport.” But what do we actually know about bowling? Here are some surprising facts about the sport.

The History

Bowling is actually one of the oldest and most popular sports in the world. You may be surprised to know that bowling dates back to around 3000-5000 years ago. Yes, it is entirely possible that people from biblical times at least knew about bowling, if not participated in it themselves. Ancient bowling balls found were made of corn husks and covered in leather and bound with string. Other variations include bowling balls made of porcelain or even plastic. The earliest evidence of bowling is traced back to ancient Egypt. The discovery in the 1930s of a child’s grave in Egypt dating back to 3200 BC included a crude bowling ball and pins sized for a child. Roman legionnaires also developed a similar game about 2000 years ago that eventually evolved into Italian Bocce.

As a sport, bowling seems to have been instantly popular. Its simplicity, and the physical effort and skill required, made it quite fun even for our ancient ancestors. In fact, is was so popular in medieval England that it was banned by King Edward III because it took his troops away from archery practice (it was later brought back by King Henry VIII).

In the US, the first mention of bowling is said to be in the story of Rip Van Winkle, who is of course a kindly man who shied away from “profitable labor” and ended up drinking moonshine from strange men in the mountains who were playing nine-pins. He ended up in a deep slumber that lasted decades. The same nine-pins were what woke him up to a shockingly different time.

The Benefits of Bowling

Bowling is, of course, a sport and an exercise above all else. Health benefits include weight loss, muscle toning and strengthening, and reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It also increases bone density, improves balance and blood circulation, and lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. What’s more, bowling is one of the few sports that anyone can be good at, from preschoolers to senior citizens – even those who are in wheelchairs or are blind.

Aside from the health benefits, bowling has, of course, always been a group sport with many social benefits. Bowling leagues have been shown to truly bring out the unique characters of each member of each team. It builds strong relationships among team members as well as between different competing teams. Bowling with a group has been found to improve performance, especially since each member’s shortcomings can be analyzed and improved upon, and members can encourage each other to become greater.

Of course, people also bowl mainly for fun, and bowling offers plenty of this. Joining a league ensures you have this fun at least once a week! Also, don’t take for granted the relaxation you get from bowling. It’s a great way to unwind with peers.

The Cool Trophies and Awards

No bowling league is complete without those special awards! Be sure to pick those that do justice to the ancient and noble sport. Celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, Great Lakes Trophies & Engraving has extensive experience creating both classic and unique top-notch trophies and other awards. Our works of art range from classic, magnificent multi-tier trophies to joke trophies for those who aren’t quite that good yet. You can even customize your own awards right at our website. Call us at 734-266-1815 or visit out store during regular office hours for more information!

You can also come say hello to us on our social media accounts: Facebook Fan Page / Twitter Feed / Google+ Account/Pinterest Board

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