
Three strikes in bowling pro#
In 1953, pro bowler Grazio Castellano bowled the first dinosaur on live television. Of course, this is another term that didn’t age all that well. The dinosaur is very achievable these days, especially in high-prestige events. The idea behind the term was that a perfect game was as non-existent as a dinosaur. The one other common bowling term you should remember is “dinosaur.” We use this phrase for a perfect bowling game, i.e. Here are some examples:ĭon’t feel like keeping track of these terms? If so, call them “baggers.” Four strikes in a row is a four-bagger, five strikes is a five-bagger, and so on. That said, there are many other common terms you might have heard of.

These days, a turkey is the most popular part of the bowling lingo. This made them much heavier and harder to knock over. To top it all off, many tournament officials weighted the pins’ bottoms. The bowling balls weren’t as balanced either, so consistency was harder to achieve. Players also had to place their pins by hand, so they weren’t perfectly spaced. Unlike our refined and pristine lanes, old-school lanes were uneven and rough. The secret lies in the fact that bowling a turkey was much more difficult back then. Even complete amateurs can do it on occasion, and professionals do it on the regular. You may ask yourself, “How could they have afforded it?” From our perspective, bowling three strikes is an easy way to earn an entire turkey. These included gifts for bowling four, six, or nine consecutive strikes. Other than giving away turkeys, tournament organizers also had other prizes. Though tournaments stopped giving away turkeys as prizes long ago, getting three strikes in bowling is still known as a turkey.

Soon enough, this practice spread to the point of becoming a part of the bowling vernacular. Anyone who managed this feat would get a turkey as a reward. As you may be able to guess, “bowling a turkey” became synonymous with hitting three strikes in a row. Now, back in the day, prizes revolved around getting strikes. Still, it’s believed that this practice came to life around Thanksgiving. Nobody is quite sure when or why this happened. The basket often included coveted items, such as a large ham.Īt some point, turkeys took over as the main tournament prize. The most common prize at these tournaments was a basket of food. The phrase “bowling a turkey” has its roots in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.īack then, bowling tournaments were popular with everyone, from the aristocracy to the working class. For instance, did you ever wonder, “What does a turkey mean in bowling?” If you did, you’ve come to the right place - here’s all you need to know about bowling a turkey! The Origins of the Term Over the years, bowling aficionados coined many unique terms related to the sport.

Some ancient tombs also contain what seem to be bowling pins. How long has bowling been around? Well, experts claim that the sport dates back to 3200 BC. There are Egyptian hieroglyphs that depict a game very similar to modern bowling. This is no surprise, as the sport has had plenty of time to make a mark in popular culture. What Does a Turkey Mean in Bowling Aug, 21 2020īowling lingo can be hard to keep track of.
