HISTORY OF DUCKPIN BOWLING
The duckpin game had its birth in the spring of 1900 at the old Diamond Alleys on
Howard street in Baltimore, Maryland. Uncle Wilbert Robinson and John J. McGraw,
who were members of the original Baltimore Orioles minor league club, were also the
owners of the Diamond Alleys. Tenpin bowling in those days was featured as the winter
sport, while baseball was the summer attraction. Bowling leagues operated only during
the winter months and when summertime rolled around many of the bowling centers
closed down.
A few of these centers, however, gambled for survival on open play bowling. One of
these centers was Diamond Alleys. It had on premises, smaller five inch balls with
which bowlers would amuse themselves by bowling such non-regulation games as
Cocked Hat, using only the 1-7-10 pins, and Five Back, using 5-7-8-9-10 pins. Many
players became so proficient at these variations of bowling that some
considered themselves expert when they rolled scores of 50 or more.
During one of these matches, Frank Van Sant, manager of the Diamond Alleys, was
drawn into a conversation about the small balls, and someone suggested that a set of
his old battered and headless tenpins be made over into “little pins” to conform with
the five inch ball.
A few days later, an old set was sent to John Dettmar, a woodturner in
Baltimore. About ten days later, Van Sant gathered up all the regulars to his summer
sessions of the non-regulation games and dumped the small pins into their midst from
a burlap bag.
No time was wasted in setting up the little pins on the tenpin spots and within minutes
the first unofficial “small ball” game was underway. As in tenpins, only two balls were
used. And the score was recorded by the same method as in the “big ball” game.
When Robinson and McGraw, whose other hobby and sport was shooting ducks, saw
the little pins fly as the little ball plowed into them, they remarked that the pins looked
like a “flock of flying ducks”. Bill Clarke, a sportswriter for the Baltimore
Morning sun, wrote a story on the new, fascinating game and christened them
“duckpins”. The name has stuck ever since. The highest game ever bowled in the
history of duckpin is 269. Our highest men’s score is 198 and our highest women’s
score is 172.
Atomic Bowl Duckpin
Action Duckpin Bowl
Fountain Square Theatre Building
[email protected]
1105 Prospect St Indianapolis, IN 46203
317-686-6006 www.fountainsquareindy.com
DUCKPIN BOWLING
in historic fountain square 1105 Prospect Street
[email protected]
317-686-6006 or 685-1955 www.FountainSquareIndy.com
ACTION DUCKPIN BOWL
Enjoy the nostalgia of a 1930’s bowling alley and a spectacular view of downtown Indy at Action
Duckpin Bowl. Action Bowl has eight duckpin alleys and an antique billiard table. The Action Cafe is
a banquet seating area that can accommodate up to 110 for buffet service.
ATOMIC BOWL DUCKPIN
Get ready to rock, roll & duckpin bowl at Atomic Bowl Duckpin. Step into the
1950’s and sip a cherry coke from the soda fountain while rockin’ to the oldies and
duckpin bowling. Atomic Bowl has seven duckpin alleys, a Pool table and the
Atomic Café, a banquet seating area, which accommodates up to 90 for a buffet.
Food & Beverage Service - Work up an appetite while bowling? Action &
Atomic both offer wings, nachos, fries etc from the “Duckpin Snack Menu” ,can be ordered at the
counter and served at your lane. Full Bar service is also available.
Catering for Group Outings or Private Events - Looking for a party with catering for 20100+ guests? We offer a variety of menu options, from Party Subs & Chicken Tenders to BBQ,
Italian, or Prime Rib Buffet & more! For more Party Info, go online to ww.fountainsquareindy.com or
call the Sales & Events Office at 317-686-6010 ext 2, Monday - Friday 10:00am-4:00pm.
Duckpin Bowling lanes are open Monday 11am-4pm, Tuesday 11am-9pm,
Wednesday & Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-Midnight.
Sunday 1pm - 6pm. Closing hours could be earlier, based on reservations.
Open Bowling
$35 per hr per lane, Bowling Shoe use is FREE.
Lanes are rented by the hour, with one lane able to accommodate up to a group of six
people. Seating is limited to six people on each lane area, so please account for all guests
in your group whether they plan to bowl or not. We book reservations in 1/2 hour increments, as a guideline, two people on one lane can bowl one game in 30 minutes. Five people on one lane can bowl one game in one hour. If you have the maximum of six guests on
one lane, you will need to book 1 1/2 hours to complete a full game.
We require 6 hr notice for cancellation of open bowling reservations, or you will be charged.
Action Bowl Private Rental (4th Floor)
Atomic Bowl Private Rental (Lower Level)
$350* per hour
$300* per hour
Includes all lanes of bowling, shoes, pool table & café area privately for your guests
Two hour minimum for Private Rental on Friday or Saturday
Friday & Saturday December, Holiday Private Rental
$395* per hour
Includes all lanes of bowling, shoes, pool table & café area privately for your guests
Action or Atomic Café Rental
$100* per hour
Action or Atomic Café seating area only, if available
Rooftop Garden Private Rental**
$100* per hour
**Available Sunday, Monday or Tuesday only and requires the private rental of Action Duckpin
Bowl in addition to Rooftop. Private rooftop rental is not available Wednesday - Saturday due to
restaurant hours. *plus 7% sales tax ACTION & ATOMIC BOWL ARE SMOKE FREE
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HOW TO SCORE
DUCKPIN BOWLING
1. You are allowed 3 balls per frame.
2. If you STRIKE on the 1st ball – you do not throw the 2nd
or 3rd ball. A strike counts as 10 pins plus your next
2 balls in the next frame.
3. If you SPARE on the 2nd ball – you do not throw the
3rd ball. A spare counts as 10 pins plus your first ball in
the next frame.
4. If you don’t strike or spare and throw the third ball, you
only get the total pin count you have knocked down. YOU
DO NOT GET A SPARE if you knock down the remaining
pins with your third ball.
5. The deadwood will clear automatically after each ball is
thrown. If no pins are knocked down, the machine counts
the ball but does not reset. The machine will automatically
reset after 3 balls are thrown.
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN!!
NOTICE: PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN RETRIEVING
BALLS FROM THE BALL RETURN. FINGERS MAY BE
SMASHED BETWEEN THE RETURNING BALLS
IF YOU DON’T PAY ATTENION!
PLEASE NOTIFY THE COUNTER ATTENDANT
OF MACHINE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU