[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]Bowling lingo can be hard to keep track of. This is no surprise, as the sport has had plenty of time to make a mark in popular culture.
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. Some ancient tombs also contain what seem to be bowling pins.
Over the years, bowling aficionados coined many unique terms related to the sport. 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!
Why Is It Called A Turkey When You Get Three Strikes In A Row In Bowling?
Bowling has been around for centuries with evidence of primitive forms of the game dating all the way back to ancient Egypt. As the sport evolved over the years a unique lingo developed alongside it. Bowlers came up with creative terms to describe different achievements, one of the most well-known being the “turkey”. But why is getting three consecutive strikes called a turkey? Let’s take a look at the history behind this iconic bowling expression.
The Origins
The term “turkey” in bowling traces back to the early days of organized bowling tournaments in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Scoring technology was not as advanced back then, so strings of strikes were rare feats. Knocking down all the pins in one throw was difficult enough, let alone doing it multiple times in a row.
Because strikes were uncommon, bowling alley owners would offer up prizes for different bowling accomplishments. Common tournament prizes were baskets of fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and sometimes even small live animals. Turkeys were a popular prize given to any bowler who could manage three strikes back-to-back.
Since bowling tournaments were often held around Thanksgiving and Christmas, turkey seemed like an appropriate and desirable reward. The name stuck even after the practice of handing out actual turkeys was discontinued.
Earning A Turkey
In modern bowling, throwing a turkey is much more attainable thanks to technological advancements in lane conditioning, ball design, and pin setting. But it still requires focus, precision, and a bit of luck.
To start working towards your first turkey, make sure you have a ball that fits your hand and is a comfortable weight for your strength and skill level. One that is too light won’t have enough power behind it, while an overly heavy one will be unpredictable and hard to control.
Work on perfecting your approach, timing, and release. Come straight up the lane and keep your arm relaxed and swing straight on the release. Aim for the 1-3 pocket, which is just to the right of the headpin for right-handed bowlers. The angle increases your chances of getting a strike.
Stay focused through your follow through, as even pros can get distracted after an early strike or two. Keep calm and stick to your routine for the best turkey-scoring results.
Beyond The Turkey
The turkey may be the most ubiquitous bowling achievement, but there are numerous other terms for consecutive strikes. Here are some numbers and the various lingos attached to them:
- Double: Two strikes in a row
- Hambone or Four-bagger: Four consecutive strikes
- Wild Turkey or Six-pack: Six strikes in succession
- Octopus or Eight-bagger: Eight strikes in a row
- Golden Turkey or Nine-bagger: Nine strikes in a row
- Eleven-bagger: Eleven successive strikes
- Perfect Game or Dinosaur: Twelve strikes for a 300 game
So next time you hear “turkey” shouted excitedly in a bowling alley, you’ll know exactly why getting three strikes in a row earns such a distinctive title. It’s a quirky tradition that connects modern bowlers to the rich history of the sport. With a little practice, you might just be the next one to earn a turkey!
The Sport of Turkey Bowling
The term “turkey” goes beyond a simple bowling achievement. For example, did you know that there’s an actual sport called turkey bowling?
As the name implies, the sport is a lot like ordinary bowling. Key differences include using a frozen turkey as the ball and plastic bottles as the pins. The contestants bowl the turkey down a smooth surface, such as ice or soap-covered plastic.
The sport itself is a recent invention. In 1988, businessman Derrick Johnson came up with the rules while he was working as a grocery clerk. The idea came to him as he observed his manager slide a frozen turkey to topple a soda bottle by accident.
Turkey bowling is often associated with Thanksgiving. It’s particularly popular in Canada and the United States.
The Origins of the Term
The phrase “bowling a turkey” has its roots in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Back then, bowling tournaments were popular with everyone, from the aristocracy to the working class. The most common prize at these tournaments was a basket of food. The basket often included coveted items, such as a large ham.
At some point, turkeys took over as the main tournament prize. Nobody is quite sure when or why this happened. Still, it’s believed that this practice came to life around Thanksgiving.
Now, back in the day, prizes revolved around getting strikes. As you may be able to guess, “bowling a turkey” became synonymous with hitting three strikes in a row. Anyone who managed this feat would get a turkey as a reward.
Soon enough, this practice spread to the point of becoming a part of the bowling vernacular. Though tournaments stopped giving away turkeys as prizes long ago, getting three strikes in bowling is still known as a turkey.
Other than giving away turkeys, tournament organizers also had other prizes. These included gifts for bowling four, six, or nine consecutive strikes.
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. Even complete amateurs can do it on occasion, and professionals do it on the regular.
The secret lies in the fact that bowling a turkey was much more difficult back then. Unlike our refined and pristine lanes, old-school lanes were uneven and rough. Players also had to place their pins by hand, so they weren’t perfectly spaced.
The bowling balls weren’t as balanced either, so consistency was harder to achieve. To top it all off, many tournament officials weighted the pins’ bottoms. This made them much heavier and harder to knock over.
These days, a turkey is the most popular part of the bowling lingo. That said, there are many other common terms you might have heard of. Here are some examples:
• Hambone: four strikes in a row
• Wild turkey: six strikes in a row
• Golden turkey: nine strikes in a row
Don’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.
The one other common bowling term you should remember is “dinosaur.” We use this phrase for a perfect bowling game, i.e. all strikes from start to finish. The idea behind the term was that a perfect game was as non-existent as a dinosaur.
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. In 1953, pro bowler Grazio Castellano bowled the first dinosaur on live television.
Why is Three Strikes in a Row in Bowling Called a Turkey?
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