This installment of The One Board originally appeared in Bowlers Journal International, April, 2016
“I didn’t see it. I heard it.” – Roy Munson, Kingpin
To the uninitiated, Munson’s ability to analyze Ishmael’s entire game based on the sound of one ball hitting the pins one time establishes what a great mind for the sport Munson has. This is important character development in a fictional bowling world.
In real bowling, almost everything relies on visual information. Bowlers want to see ball motion and pin action. Information is gathered by reading the lanes front to back and left to right. Marks are easier hit when seen, starting positions are nearly impossible to repeat without vision and scores can’t be read without painfully squinted eyes. The only times we ever notice sounds are when they’re distracting. Some guy shrieks six pairs away. A phone rings. An angry fellow chucks his ball onto the floor with the determination he probably should’ve been using toward the pins.
Distractions are not the only sounds of bowling, however. Perhaps it’s time we borrow a skill from Mr. Munson and start listening. Let’s examine three of the most underappreciated sounds that make bowling the magnificent multi-sensory experience it is.
The activation of the pinsetters.
What is morning to you? Merely posing the question conjures the sights and sounds of a glorious new day. A spectacular sunrise over the horizon. Freshly condensed dew on lush, green grass. Birds chirping, children laughing and leaves gently blowing in the breeze, all set to Edvard Grieg’s “Morgenstemning,” the royalty-free soundtrack our brains assign to this almost-perfect moment.
All that peaceful beauty and wonder are great, but it’s not truly morning until you hear the sound of 72 pinsetters turning on at once. The initial click leads to a gentle hum of electronics taking over the building. Anticipation builds for a few seconds and then, finally, here come the pinsweeps. All 72 racks, the equivalent of six simultaneous perfect games, are swept concurrently into the pit in one massive crescendo. The cycling of pins begins its day-long process of replenishing racks for the bowlers. The tournament is about to begin.
The between-games lull.
Qualifying rounds create constant noise, constant action and constant everything. Until the end of the game, that is. While bowlers move from one pair to another, a scant shot is heard here and there, but it’s nothing like the barrage we just endured and will soon bear again. Our ears get a brief respite, much like the song structure not invented by but made famous by Nirvana. The lull makes the onslaught more enjoyable and the auditory overload of qualifying makes the lull oh so sweet.
The murmur of the crowd.
It’s a tense moment. The championship match reaches the 10th frame. A strike for the hometown favorite means he wins no matter what his opponent does. Or, rather, it means the opponent needs the first two strikes and seven. Or, no, the opponent just needs a spare and good count. But it has to be a nine spare, as eight spare leaves open a tie possibility and anything less is a loss. Wait—does the opponent even need a mark?
During professional and high-level amateur events, the crowd is absolutely silent for most of the match. They cheer for strikes and spares, but remain perfectly still and hushed while the bowlers make their approaches. When it gets late in the match, though, it’s math time. Everyone in the crowd wants to be the one who explains the situation and all contingencies of said situation. Because those in the audience are still being respectful, they whisper. The decibel level is lower than a mumbled full-congregation prayer, but the excitement level is decidedly higher. And because everyone is whispering and giving out conflicting information, it’s a beautiful concoction of polite, fast-paced audible silence resembling a room full of malfunctioning bicycle-tire pumps.
The world needs better listeners and bowling deserves to be heard. Next time you walk into a bowling center, pay attention to all your senses. Listen. Bask. Enjoy. Here we are now. Entertain us.