When I was a young girl, there was one Mom on the block (shout out to Mrs. Booker) who would take a couple kids to the bowling alley. We could do anything we wanted with one exception: when you went to the line, you had to be respectful of the person on the next lane. I remembered that rule for many years. As an soldier stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, I could bowl on the Kaserne for $1.50/game. I bowled during lunch, after work, and even on the weekends. There weren't any kiddie bumpers on any of the lanes, smoking and drinking were encouraged and because of the competitive nature of most soldiers, the victories were swift.
Now, I live in Upstate, NY and the games cost a small fortune. There are screaming kids everywhere. But worse of all, when I go to the line I find myself waiting an eternity for the person in the next lane. The person inches to the left, then to the right, they raise their head slightly...I feel like they are going to pull out rosary beads. I take my turn. Still, I must admit I am torn between what's good sports etiquette and what's good sportsmanship. According to Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by Emily Post, "apart from the technique of each sport, or the rules of each game, the etiquette or more correctly, the basic principles of good sportsmanship, are the same." She goes on to say, "And to be a good sportsman, one must be a stoic and never show rancor in defeat, or triumph in victory, or irritation, no matter what annoyance is encountered." I don't need to conduct a bunch of research and play devils advocate. I know right from wrong. Etiquette is a sub-category of sportsmanship. That makes both essential to bowling. Would you agree?
I don't have patience like Mrs. Booker so I'm sticking to the Wii!
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I have also learned this lesson as a young child that your person to your left should go before you. I think etiquette and sportsmanship definitely go hand in hand. Etiquette can be usd outside the sport world but is always used in the sports world. This is true about what you say when children are running and screwaming around the bowling alley, I'm 19 and I try to go late at night just because I know the older kids are there. I would never go on a saturday afternon because kids are everyhwhere!!! But good for you for playing the Wii my parents love it and we always have competitions!! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post because once again, you had some comical attitude in it and you made your point very clear. I also agree that times have changed and what really is considered socially acceptable and not? I enjoyed hearing your personal story and the differences. Your piece really got me thinking and especially when you quoted from a book, great credibility!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, i hate when im at the bowling alley and people don't know that left lane rule. I've gone bowling a lot in my life and love going at night because it's a more mature setting. Where I'm from bowling can get expensive, but up in Cortland it is so cheap and I love it. Young kids can ruin the experience, but overall you'll have fun if you just go wit hthe flow of things
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