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Colerain Bowl Historical Timeline

1465
King Edward III passes edict forbidding "hustling of stones" and other bowling-like sports because soldiers skirt archery practice in favor of bowling.

1611
Captain James Smith return to the colony in Jamestown, Va., to find the colonists starving, but still happily bowling. The sport is quickly declared illegal and punishable by up to three weeks in the stocks.

1623
The Dutch enjoy nine-pins in their New York colony.

1840
Bowling alleys are almost always associated with taverns, and are growing in popularity in the States.

1870
In America, nine-pin bowling is banned due to associated gambling and crime. To circumvent the law, a 10th pin is added, and 10-pin bowling is born.

1942
Construction begins on See-More Lanes, a state of the art 28 lane facility. New construction techniques using 100’ steel trusses eliminate the maze of vertical posts across the lanes. Unfortunately, the Navy requisitioned this steel for it’s war efforts and construction was halted for nearly three years.

1953
Roy Snyder became the first proprietor in the this part of the country to install the new “Automatic Pinsetters”. 296 pinboys lost their jobs at See-More Lanes.

1959
Roy Snyder and Fran Ruggerie purchase an orchard in Bevis, Ohio and announce the future site of a modern 24-lane bowling center. Morning ‘commuter traffic’ on SR-27 see the sign, stop and put their cars in reverse to see this shocking announcement.

1960
Colerain Bowl opens in November without a liquor license. Beer is purchased from the ‘pony keg’ across the street and wheeled across Colerain Pike on a two-wheeled dolly. The modern bowling experience arrives in Bevis, Ohio.

The number of alleys in the U.S. jumps from 6,500 to more than 10,000. The neck size of bowling pins increases, adding 7/10 oz. to their total average weight.

1970
Colerain Bowl expanded from 24 to 36 lanes

1985
The original lanes replaced with new maple/pine lanes. The original AMF 8230 pinsetters replaced with state of the art 8270’s. Just as significant to bowlers was the purchase of the Kegel Sanction Machine (serial #005) which revolutionized the oiling of bowling lanes.

2006
Bowling finally recognized as an interscholastic high school sport for both Boys and Girls by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

2008
Replace wood lanes with 36 lanes of AMF SPL Synthetic lanes.