Duckpins

duckpins, bowling game played on a standard tenpin lane with smaller pins and balls. Duckpins are 9.4 inches (23.3 cm) tall. The ball that is used to knock the pins down is a maximum of 5 inches in diameter and 3 pounds 12 ounces (1.7 kg) in weight, and it has no finger holes. Three balls may be rolled in each frame of the 10-frame game. There is no bonus for knocking down all 10 pins with three balls. Other rules are similar to those of tenpins. A perfect game is 300, as it is in tenpin bowling.

Duckpins is most popular in the United States, where it is governed by the National Duck Pin Bowling Congress (founded Sept. 8, 1927). The game was introduced in 1900 at a bowling alley owned by professional baseball players Wilbert Robinson and John J. McGraw.

A popular variation of the game is rubber-band duckpins. In this version, the pins are the same height as in duckpins, but there is a hard rubber band about the belly of each pin, giving it greater rebounding action when hit by a ball. The ball is also the same size as in duckpins but may weigh no more than 3 pounds 8 ounces (1.6 kg). Only two balls are bowled in each frame.