This is a preview/test version of the mini-doc. Please excuse its rough visual (technical) appearance and the lack of music. Any compression and interlacing won't occur when done.
I spent some time with the members of the Blanco Bowling Club in fall of 2010 making a short documentary about 9-Pin Bowling. Since then, I have come back often to more heavily document Texas 9 Pin in Blanco and this doc has become a part of a larger project that is now my thesis for my M.A. in Photojournalism from the University of Texas.
I am a tenpin bowler from Fort Worth, and I have two questions: A) I am interested in this sport greatly, and I would like to come and try it out!, and B) do we have to provide our own bowling equipment to bowl at these bowling clubs?
Hi…
It is really interesting, which was why I decided to document it. My friends and I are going to play this fall in their league (they call it a ‘series’). And sorry about the lack of music, youtube removed what I had (it was copyrighted, a placeholder)
To answer you questions
A) You can try it out, but most of the clubs only let you play if you’re a member and you’re bowling on a team for the whole series (league). So if you live in fort worth… that could be a lot of driving.
B) You do have to provide your equipment usually. Some of the alleys, like Blanco, have 12-15 pairs of shoes and lots of old house balls…. so if they have you’re size you can play with that. You’re best bet would be to look them up and see if there was a team that needed a sub one week that they knew about so you could come down and try it.
Just beware, its harder than it looks when switching from tenpin. The pins are much further apart!
Thanks for the comment!
Wow thats great never seen 9 pin bowling before – terrific little video
Well, this is mash up between ten pin bowling and classic ninepin bowling. Origins of ten pin bowling are in ninepin bowling and in US it came from Germany. During prohibition nine pin bowling was banned so they add one pin and it became tenpin bowling. Check my videos if you want to see real european nine pin bowling, you will see that it’s quite different than Texas nine pin…
Cheers 🙂
cool documentary, I love learning new old subjects.
The absence of music is actually refreshing. Don’t beat yourself up.
Amazing video and subject.
Wonderful! We play skittles here (with nine pins) I’d lover to come over for a few games.
Shame it’s about 5,500 miles from where I live in the West Country, England. Bit too far for a night out!
I play nine pin
Lucky
Would love to try it..
Never heard of 9 pin bowling. Very interesting. Glad I got to see this. Thank you.