Tag: bowling

Bowling Alone

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community is a 2000 book by Robert D. Putnam. It was developed from his 1995 essay entitled “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital“. Putnam surveys the decline of social capital in the United States since 1950. He describes the reduction in all the forms of in-person social interaction upon which Americans used to found, educate, and enrich the fabric of their social lives. He argues that this decline undermines active civil engagement, which a strong democracy requires.

To illustrate why the decline in Americans’ membership in social organizations is problematic to democracy, Putnam uses bowling as an example. Although the number of people who bowl has increased in the last 20 years (1980-2000), the number of people who bowl in leagues has decreased. If people bowl alone, they do not participate in social interaction and civic discussions that might occur in a league environment.

Abstract from 1995 essay:

“The US once had an enviable society, but over the last two or three decades this civic society has shrunk, and more people are watching TV. Possible explanations for this trend include more women in the workplace, increased mobility of families and changing demographics.”

(Full Essay Here)

The End of An Era: The Demolition of Swiss Lanes

NB: This is the New Glarus bowling alley Rebecca mentioned in our conversation. It closed in 2013, prompting this loving, two-part story on the history of the bowling alley.

At night, as you drive through New Glarus on HWY 69, you feel that something isn’t quite right. Then you notice something is missing. Something that has greeted you for the past 58 years. The big neon bowling pin atop Swiss Lanes is no longer lit. The crowds all are gone, the seats in the restaurant all are empty.

Soon, the building will be demolished and hauled to a landfill. All that remains now are the memories of the nights spent at Swiss Lanes with friends, neighbors, classmates who gathered for bowling, perhaps a beer or a fountain Coke, good small town restaurant food, often cooked by the baby boomer generation’s mothers, who found part-time employment at Swiss Lanes.

Full Article Here

Related: A few Yelp reviews for Swiss Lanes

What is the NCAA?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association regulates the athletes of 1,268 North American institutions and conferences. It also organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

The NCAA is divides participating colleges and universities into three divisions (Division I, Division II, and Division III) based on school size, athletic funding, and number of athletic scholarships.

  • Both Ohio State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison are Division I schools, with the most sports funding
  • The NCAA Bowling Championship, unlike with most sports, has all three Divisions compete together
  • The NCAA categorizes bowling as a winter sport. The Championships are held in April