Candlepin Bowling

Candlepin Bowling

It was back in 1880 that Justin White adjusted the size of his pins at his Worcester, Masachusetts bowling hall, giving birth to Candlepin Bowling, a highly popular pint-size version of Ten-Pin Bowling. Now played almost exclusively in northern New England and in the Canadian Maritime Provinces, Candlepin Bowling is a game of power and accuracy.

Paradoxically, Candlepin Bowling is both much easier and far more difficult than regular bowling. The balls are much smaller and weigh less than 3 pounds. There are no finger holes, and players of all ages and abilities can whip the ball down the alley. But because both the ball and the pins are lighter, it is far more difficult to bowl strikes and spares. Players are allowed three throws per frame, and bowlers may hit fallen pins (called wood) to knock down other pins. There has never been a perfect "300" score. The top score is 245. Good players will score around 100 to 110, and novice players should be content with a score of 90.

There are a handful of alleys in and around Boston, and many of the alleys maintain their own quirky charm and history. Needham's Bowlaway (16 Chestnut St., Needham, 02492. 781/444-9614), one of the area's oldest bowling alleys, has eight cramped lanes in a tucked-away facility down a flight of stairs. Fans say Bowlaway is like bowling in your own basement. The funky Milky Way Lounge and Lanes (403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, 02130. 617/524-3740) turns into a club at night and features seven lanes with the original wooden ball returns. Scoring is done on paper. Boston Bowl (820 Morrissey Blvd., Dorchester, 02122. 617/825-3800) attracts a more adult crowd and is open 24 hours a day. It has both Ten-Pin and Candlestick Bowling as well as pool tables and a game room. Sacco's Bowl Haven (45 Day St., Somerville, 02144. 617/776-0552) is proud that its '50s decor "makes bowling the way it was, the way it is." Run by the fourth generation of the Sacco family, the alley is decorated with old newspaper clippings and has few modern frills.