Morality and Bowling

Bowling wasn't always considered a fun, family friendly activity or sport. Read on to find out how society has changed its views on bowling morality since the mid-1800s.

By Liz Dommasch, County Archivist

During the early 1800s bowling became a widely popular activity in North America, thanks mostly due to European immigrants that brought variations of the game over with them. The modern form of bowling derives mainly from the German game of Kegelspiel or kegeling, which used nine pins set in a diamond formation.

Although bowling is now seen as a wholesome family activity, by the mid to late 1800s, bowling was often associated with alcohol consumption, gambling and prostitution. In fact, the sport caused such a moral panic that many local governments enacted legislation to ensure licensing of establishments and to regulate proper conduct. In some cities, nine-pin bowling was outright banned, as it was seen as destructing the publics’ work ethic and was said to be connected with organized crime. Tenpin bowling is fabled to have been invented in order meet the letter of laws enacted, though I haven’t been able to discover how an extra bowling pin improved public morals!

Harper's Weekly Cover - 1860

In December 1859, Oxford County Council passed its own By-law for licensing and regulating Bowling Alley, kept for amusement, profit or hire. The By-law stated that:

1. The sum of twenty dollars shall be paid for a License to keep a Bowling Alley, and the same shall expire on the last day of February, in each, and every year.
2. The Treasurer of this County is hereby authorized and required upon payment of the aforesaid sum, of twenty dollars, to issue such license.
3. That every keeper of a Bowling Alley, shall to the best of his ability suppress and prevent all disorderly conduct, such as quarrelling, fighting, gambling, using profane or obscene language in or about his premises, and shall not allow any person under the age of twenty-one years, to play in such Bowling Alley, without the express consent of his parents or guardians in writing.
4. That every keeper of a Bowling Alley, shall be required to give security , themselves in the sum of fifty pounds, and two sufficient securities, each in the sum of twenty-five pound for the due performance of their conditions.
5. That any person keeping a Bowling Alley contrary to the provisions and requirements of this By-law, shall upon conviction before one or more of her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, in and for the said County, be liable to a fine, imprisonment, or both as in his or their discretion, may be in accordance with the Summary Punishment Act of this Province.

The first Inspector of Bowling Alleys for the County was James Izard, in 1861, who was also the first Inspector of Weights of Measures. By 1862, Council began to receive a number of petitions from the public complaining about Mr. Izard’s character and “methods” of inspection. On such petition state that he was “an intemperate man… that not only attempts to perform the duties of his office while intoxicated, but does not scruple to charge and receive… unlawful fees for doing so.” Another petition related the story of Mr. Izard entering the store belonging to Harvey Whitington where he not only inspected the weights and measures, but also informed the store owned that he had to “inspect” his liquors as well!

Not surprisingly, for someone meant to ensure the letter of law was being upheld, Mr. Izard did not last long in either position!