BOWLING ALLEY LAWS.
RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE GAME OF AMERICAN TEN PINS.
Revised at Louisville, Ky., March 19-21, 1906. In effect Sept. 1, 1906.
The alleys upon which the game shall be played shall not be less than 41 nor more than 42 inches in width. The length from the centre of No. 1 pin spot to the foul line shall be 60 feet. Back of the foul line there shall be a clear run of not less than 15 feet. The pin spots shall be clearly and distinctly described on or imbedded in the alleys and shall be so placed 12 inches apart from centre to centre. They shall be 2¼ inches in diameter. The pin spots numbered 7, 8, 9 and 10 shall be placed 3 inches from the pit edge of the alleys, measuring from the edge to the centre of such pin spots.
The pins shall be spotted on the pin spots placed upon the alleys according to the following diagram, and the pins and spots shall be known by the numbers as follows:
The pins shall be of the following design and measurements: 15 inches in height, 2¼ inches in diameter at their base, 15 inches in circumference at a point 4½ inches from their base, 11⅝ inches in circumference at a point 7¼ inches from their base, 5¼ inches in circumference at the neck, a point 10 inches from the base; 8 inches in circumference at the head, a point 13½ inches from the base. The taper from point to point shall be gradual, so that all lines shall have a graceful curve.
The balls shall not in any case exceed 27 inches in circumference nor exceed 16 pounds in weight. Any sized ball of less circumference or weight may be used.
Two alleys immediately adjoining each other shall be used in all games. The contesting teams shall successively and in regular order roll one frame on one alley, and for the next frame alternate and use the other alley, so alternating each frame until the game is completed.
In delivering the ball the player must not permit any part of his foot, while any portion thereof is in contact with the alleys, to rest or extend on, over or beyond the foul line, nor shall any part of his person be permitted to come in contact with any part of the alleys beyond the foul line, at any time before the delivered ball shall have reached the pins. A ball delivered contrary to the provisions of this rule shall be a foul ball, and shall be so declared by the umpire immediately such ball so becomes foul.
No count shall be made on a foul ball, and any pins which are knocked down or displaced thereby shall be at once respotted. A foul ball shall count as a ball rolled against the player.
Pins which are knocked down or displaced by a ball which leaves the alley before reaching the pins, or from a ball rebounding from the rear cushions, do not count, and they shall be immediately respotted.
Every ball delivered, unless it be declared a dead ball by the umpire, shall be counted against the player.
Pins which are knocked down by another pin rebounding in the play from the side partition or rear cushion are counted as pins down.
Pins which are knocked down or displaced from any cause except by a fairly delivered ball shall in all cases be respotted.
Should a player by mistake roll on the wrong alley, or out of his turn, or be interfered with in his play by another bowler or spectator, or should any of the pins at which he is playing be displaced or knocked down in any manner before his delivered ball reaches the pins, or should his ball come in contact with any foreign obstacle on the alleys, then the ball so delivered by him shall be immediately declared a dead ball by the umpire, and such ball shall not count, and shall be immediately re-rolled by the player after the cause for declaring such ball dead has been removed.
Pins which are knocked down by a fair ball, and which remain lying on the alley or in the gutters, are termed dead wood, and shall be removed before the next ball is rolled.
Should a standing pin fall by removing dead wood, such pin or pins shall be at once respotted.
Should a pin be broken or otherwise badly damaged during the game, it shall be at once replaced by another as nearly uniform with the set in use as possible. The umpire shall in all such cases be the sole judge in the matter of replacing such pin or pins.
Each player shall roll two balls in each frame except when he shall make a strike, or when a second strike or spare is made in the tenth frame, when the player shall complete that frame by rolling a third ball. In such cases the frame shall be completed on the alley on which the first strike or spare is made.
A strike is made when the player bowls down the ten pins with his first ball delivered in any frame and is credited and designated in the score by an X in the upper right hand corner of the frame, and the count in such frame is left open until the player shall have rolled his next two balls, when all pins made, counting ten for a strike, shall be credited therein.
A spare is made when the player bowls down all the pins with his second ball in any frame, and is credited and designated with / in the upper right hand corner of the frame in which it is made. The count in such frame is left open until such player shall roll his next ball in the succeeding frame, when the number of pins rolled down thereby shall be added to the ten represented by his spare, and the total shall be credited therein.
A break is made in all cases where the player does not secure either a strike or a spare in a frame, and in such cases only the number of pins knocked down are credited in the frame where the break is made.
If at the end of the tenth frame the team scores shall be a tie, another frame shall be immediately bowled, and play is so continued until at the close of even frames one of the teams shall have a greater number of pins than their opponents, which shall conclude the game.