Five-pin bowling

Five-pin bowling is a bowling variant which is only played 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 the ten-pin game was too strenuous. He cut five tenpins down to about 75% of their size, and used hand-sized hard rubber balls, thus inventing the original version of five-pin bowling. [ [http://www.c5pba.ca/index.php?page=about&sub=history&lang=en C5PBA ] ]

Gameplay

The balls in five-pin are small enough to fit in the hand and therefore have no fingerholes. At the end of the lane there are five pins arranged in a V. In size they are midway between duckpins and ten-pins, and they have a heavy rubber band around their middles to make them move farther when struck. The centre pin is worth five points if knocked down, those on either side, three each, and the outermost pins, two each, giving a total of 15 in each frame.

In each frame, each player gets three attempts to knock all five pins over. Knocking all five pins down with the first ball is a strike, worth 15 points, which means the score achieved by the player's first two balls of the next frame or frames are added to his or her score for the strike. They are also, of course, counted in their own frames, so in effect they count double. A player who takes two balls to knock all the pins down gets a spare, which means the first ball of the next frame counts double. When a bowler bowls two strikes in succession, within a game, the bowler has scored a "double". The count in the frame where the first strike was bowled is left blank until the bowler makes his or her first delivery of the next frame. When a double has been bowled, the count for the first strike is 30 points plus the value of the pins bowled down with the first ball of the frame following the second strike. When a bowler bowls three strikes in succession, within a game, the bowler has scored a "triple" (also called a "turkey"). In scoring three successive strikes, the bowler is credited with 45 points in the frame where the first strike was bowled. [Garside, Bert: "Official Rules and Regulations Governing the Sport of 5 Pin Bowling, 5th edition", page 24, Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association, 1999] As in ten-pin, if either of these happen in the last frame, the player gets to take one or two shots at a re-racked set of pins immediately. A perfect score is 450, which is probably attained less frequently than perfect tenpin scores are, because of the greater opportunity in five-pin for splits (arrangements of the remaining pins in which there are spaces large enough for a ball to pass through without touching a pin).

Until 1967, an eastern Canadian bowler was required to knock down the left corner ("counter") pin to score any points, while a western bowler was required to knock down the right corner pin. The values of the pins were changed in the same year to the current values.

Five-pin Bowling Terminology

Five-pin bowlers use a number of terms to denote the results of a throw:
* "Punch" - hitting only one pin when two or more pins are remaining
* "Plug" - Same as Punch.
* "Pick" - another term for "plug" or "punch". Also used when intentionally targeting a single pin i.e "Picking the corner."
* "Headpin" (denoted H on a score sheet) - punching the headpin on the first ball. The most dreaded result on the first ball as a "headpin-spare" is extremely difficult to achieve.
* "Five-hole" - the headpin spot. Usually refers to the hole in the set after the headpin has been punched. Also a hockey term.
* "Chop" or "Chop-off" (denoted ℅) - hitting the headpin and the 3 and 2 pins on one side on the first ball, leaving the other 3 and 2 pins on the other side.
* "Split" (S) - taking out the headpin and one of the three-pins, scoring 8 on the first ball. Difficult to obtain a spare on the second ball but if accomplished, this is known as a "split-spare". Many bowling associations will offer a special pin for this achievement.
* "Howie" - Plugging both three-pins results in an endpin-headpin-endpin split. This is usually accomplished in the first two balls. This split can be converted, but it is difficult. "Howie" is not a commonly used term. Some bowlers have called this combination a "TV Shot". This combination is not denoted on the score sheet.
* "Aces" (A) - taking out the headpin and both three pins but leaving the two corner pins. Also referred to as "bed posts" or "goal posts".
* "10 the hard way" - after the third ball, having a frame score of 10 resulting from hitting the 5 pin and one 3 pin and one 2 pin on opposite sides of the headpin.
* "Full Set" - when all pins are knocked down by using all three balls. Also referred to as a "clean up".
* "Strike Out" - 3 consecutive strikes in the tenth frame.
* "Turkey" - 3 consecutive strikes
* " [number] -bagger" - Term for a number of consecutive strikes; eg. 6 consecutive strikes is a "six-bagger".
* "Clean game" - Finishing a game with a strike or spare in every frame.
* "Wood" - The pins left on the lane, usually after throwing the first two balls of a frame. This originates from when bowling pins were typically made of wood and not acrylic.
* Leaving only the left corner pin or right corner pin standing on the first ball is denoted by an "L" or an "R" respectively on a score sheet.

Mechanics of the Game (Pin-setting)

All modern bowling centres use automated pin-setting machines (first used in 1957) to reset the pins after each ball is thrown. In five-pin, two types of pinsetters are used - "string" and "free fall".

The "string" pinsetter is known for each pin having a string attached to the head. These pinsetters were first invented in 1963 and are characterized by a shield that descends and covers the pindeck while the pinsetter is working. This type of pinsetter has a low operating cost, so it is the most commonly used type of pinsetter. There are three families of string pinsetters.
* The PBS family of pinsetters are the most frequently used pinsetters and many consider the PBS as the workhorse of the industry. The PBS family includes models made by Schmid & Company (sometimes branded as BowlOMatic) as well as the CA-1. These machines are straight electrical and do not require air compressors unlike pneumatic machines. The Schmid machines ran using relays while the CA-1 used circuit boards. The PBS brand was bought out by Brunswick. Brunswick introduced a second generation Schmid pinsetter dubbed the 81-5 as well as a 10-pin string pinsetter and a convertible five-ten pin machine marketed as the Chamelion.
* The Mendes family of string pinsetters is not as common as the PBS family. Mendes machines are easily spotted for its shield that descends on a hinge like a closing door. The machine may immediately start up if all the pins are knocked down. The early Mendes string pinsetters were pneumatic. They released an electrical version of the machine known as the ME90. Mendes was bought out by Qubica - now Qubica/AMF. The machine is now marketed by Qubica/AMF under the TMS name. These machines are available for five and ten pin, but there is no convertible version.
* A third family of pinsetter was recently released into the market by Paule Systems. The machine - marketed as the Merlin - is a convertible five/ten pin string pinsetter that uses 15 strings. The changeover time of this machine is quick. The PBS version uses 12 strings - a changeover requires the headpin and the two corners to be restrung.

The most common stop on string pinsetters is a string tangle.

The "free fall" pinsetter works like ten-pin. A reset is completed by sweeping the old pins off the pindeck and setting a fresh set of pins in its place. The swept pins are elevated back to the top to create the next setup. Free fall pinsetters for 5-pin are no longer made. There were three common types of free fall pinsetters.
* The Double Diamond was the first pinsetter invented for five-pin. This pneumatic machine was characterized by a sweep that did not stay descended while the pin table was moving. The pin table carries a protective front plate that was often used for advertising and had five tubes sticking out where the pins enter the table. Sometimes, a pin hit hard enough would fly straight up into pin table - resulting in a loud "clang". The Double Diamond is a very durable pinsetter. Most free fall pinsetters remaining in service today are Double Diamonds.
* Brunswick offered free-fall machines for five-pin before buying out PBS. To the average bowler, the machine has a look and behavior similar to tenpin's A-2 pinsetter. These machines are now difficult to find. Most lanes equipped with these machines have been upgraded to string pinsetters.
* A less commonly found machine was the Strickland pinsetter - a pneumatic machine characterized by separate pinsetting and pin pickup tables. Its behavior is similar to the A-2. On a reset, it can be difficult to see the actual pinsetting table. The pins rest on forks on the pin table. When the pins reach the deck, the pinsetting table shifts back several inches before rising back to its position. When the pins are cycled back to the top, they actually hang from supporting forks positioned such that the next rack of pins is in position. The pinsetting table then rises to pick up the hanging pins.

Bowlers must initiate all free-fall pinsetter cycles. The five-pin free-fall pinsetter does not automatically react to a ball thrown or pin knocked down. When bowling on free fall pinsetters, the bowler would have to press a button to initiate a pick-up cycle to clear fallen pins lying on the pin deck. If automatic scoring is in use, all automatic resets are actually initiated by the scoring computers.

The success of the string pinsetter eventually led to the demise of free-fall. When a bowling centre retires free fall pinsetters, the old machines are usually bought by other free-fall equipped bowling centers and are disassembled for parts.

Free fall pinsetters are still in service in some bowling centres in BC, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

Major Tournaments

There are three groups overseeing the major tournaments in five pin bowling.
*Canadian Five Pin Bowler's Association (C5PBA): The C5PBA is the body that governs the rules and regulations of the game. The C5PBA operates three major national tournaments. The showcase tournament is the "Open", a scratch tournament that involves both teams and singles. The national finals of the Open span three to four days and culminate with a stepladder format to determine national champions in men's singles, women's singles, men's teams, women's teams, and mixed teams. There is a second tournament known as The Youth Challenge, which is shorter than the Open in length, but involves a similar format to the Open. The High-Low Doubles is a doubles tournament that is scored on a "pins over average" basis.

*Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada (BPAC): The BPAC is the body that represents the bowling alley owners. The BPAC oversees Youth Bowling Canada (YBC) and Club 55+ (formerly the Golden Age Bowler's Club). Both organizations feature national championships. The YBC national championship is known as the "Four Steps to Stardom" while the Club 55+ national championship is known as the "Team Triples". The BPAC also runs the National Classified Championships, a scratch tournament where bowlers are flighted based on their averages. The BPAC runs the Canadian qualifying for the AMF World Cup and the various five-pin TV shows such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Championship Five Pin Bowling and the TSN Pins Game. In 2006, the CBC series and the TSN series were consolidated into one tournament, the Canadian Bowling Championships.

*The Master Bowlers Association of Canada: The MBAC is a unique organization that provides a single national championship for both the proficient player (Tournament Division) and the bowler with a more recreational focus (Teaching Division). A third branch of this organization involves the Seniors Division (over 55yrs). Typically the Teaching and Senior Division bowlers hold mid- to lower-range bowling averages (under 220). Bowlers in the Teaching Division serve as coaches in the YBC (Youth Bowling Canada). The Master Bowlers operate under a strict dress code including a standard shirt in the provincial colors with the bowler's name embroidered on the back.

Qualifying for a national championship usually requires three qualifying rounds
*League or Center round - for most provinces, this is usually not required for the C5PBA Open or C5PBA Youth Challenge. The TV tournaments originally required qualifying at this level. Currently a qualifying round for the TV tournaments is operated at the discretion of each center.
*Zone round - the number of centers in each zone varies, but the zones are set up geographically. In some provinces and tournaments, the zone round may be bypassed.
*Provincial championships - the winners of the zone round qualify for the provincial finals. For most tournaments, Ontario runs two provincial finals - a north provincial (Northern Ontario) and a south provincial (Southern Ontario).

Each province also offers a number of tournaments that conclude with the provincial finals. The tournaments, formats and prize offerings vary by province. Most of these tournaments are operated through the provincial bowling proprietors association.

Facts and Figures

* At first, bowling pins used in five-pin were made of plastic-coated maple. Today's pins are made of a hard plastic and often feature UV-glow capability for black light glow bowling operations. The neck stripes on plastic pins are actually a red plastic tape that wears off with use. Suppliers sell replacement neck band tape.
* In 1990, the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers Association sanctioned the use of personalized bowling balls. Before then, only bowling balls supplied by the bowling center were allowed to be used.
* Many five pin tournaments scored by handicap usually use a scoring basis of "pins over average", which is the difference between the outcome of a game and the bowler's established average. It accumulates over the number of games bowled. This statistic can be negative. A pins over average of +200 over four games is very good.
* Popular automatic scoring systems that have five pin versions include ProScore; AMF's Accuscore; Brunswick's AS and Frameworx series; Qubica's Bowland, Bowland X, and BES; Mendes Futura; and Joystick's Bowler's Club. On most string type pinsetters, automatic scoring equipment is connected directly to the pinsetter circuitry. Scoring cameras are used on free fall and some string installations. Most systems mount the camera mounted between lanes as in tenpin. However the ProScore system - when installed on free-fall - reads scores using a set of five electronic eyes mounted above the pindeck.
* Bowling centres with convertible pinsetters usually will set specific hours as to when their convertible lanes will support five-pin or ten-pin. Convertible machines may support duckpin instead of ten-pin when in ten-pin mode. String pinsetters are not sanctioned by the USBC for ten-pin play.
* Some five-pin centres have installed lane protection devices. The device is a sheet of plexiglas mounted vertically about six inches above the lane and is located just past the target arrows on the lane. This device discourages bowlers from lofting the ball and damaging the lane - which is more prevalent in small ball bowling. A ball that knocks the plexiglas loose or flies over the plexiglas guard is worth zero points under C5PBA rules.
* A foul line violation in five-pin results in a 15-pin penalty. Pins knocked over during a violating delivery count. The penalty is assessed at the end of the game. This compares to a zero score for the ball in other bowling disciplines.
* Some believe that the hockey term "five-hole" (the space between the goaltender's legs) is taken from five-pin bowling. Knocking out the headpin (worth 5 points) by itself leaves a large hole through which it is easy to put the next one or two balls without hitting anything.
* Five-pin bowling is played in all Canadian provinces and territories, with the exception of Nunavut. However, in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, unlike in the rest of the country, five-pin is not the dominant form of bowling played in these provinces. In Quebec, five-pin is currently only played in the Outaouais region, near the Ontario border, while there is only 1 five-pin bowling alley in all of New Brunswick.

See also

* Bowling
* Thomas F. Ryan
* Youth Bowling Canada

External links

* [http://www.c5pba.ca/ Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers Association]
* [http://home.cogeco.ca/~kubsie/bowling/scoring/terms.html 5 Pin bowling terms]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ottawaybc Youth Bowling Canada in Ottawa]

References