United States Bowling Congress history

A New York merchant with experience in Asia, Townsend was appointed consul general to Japan in August 1856 and began his assignment shortly thereafter.

Although many previous attempts at national standardization had failed, in 1895 the American Bowling Congress was formed at Beethoven Hall in New York City.

The first national tournament for the American Bowling Congress occurred January 8-11, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1907, St Louis proprietor Dennis J. Sweeney developed the first women’s leagues and held the first informal national women’s tournament.

The black and white photograph of two women bowlers was taken in 1915 in Ben Arbor, Michigan.

Don Carter, one of the greatest professional bowlers of all time, was born in St Louis, Missouri, on July 29, 1926.

Although tenpin games continue to prevail, bowlers loyal to duckpins are active through the National Duckpin Bowling Congress, founded in 1927.

In 1961 he was the first person to win bowling's Grand Slam: the All-Star tournament, the World's Invitational, the Professional Bowlers' Association (PBA) National Championship, and the American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters tournament.

The United States Bowling Congress was founded in 2005 with the merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling.