A Language of Their Own
Explore the fascinating world of unique jargon, where every activity speaks its own dialect. We’ll decode the lingo here.
By Theodore Klein
Bowling
Power stroking is a form of tweening; the form lies somewhere between cranking and stroking, characterized by high hooking power and smooth delivery. Oil conditions the first two thirds of the lane resulting in the ice and rug; more friction means more hook for a cranker. Bounce your ball close to the foul line and you’re known as a harkrider. A clover, a sombrero, a hedgehog and a four-bagger are four strikes in a row, while three is a turkey. Three spares is a chicken. Three sombreros is a perfect game.
The sleeper, bicycle, barmaid, phantom pin, ninja pin, double wood, ghost pin, or mother-in-law is a pin directly behind another pin, and hard to see. The messenger, birddog, scout, or rogue pin is shrapnel; it flies across the width of the deck and knocks down another sucker after the others crumble for a spike.
Grandma’s teeth, Greek church, clothesline, railroad, dime store, the Kresge, poison ivy, dinner bucket and a sour apple (a.k.a. the full Murray, or Lily) are various combinations of pins left standing. Bedposts, fenceposts, mule ears, and snake-eyes, the 7-10 split, are the most difficult to convert. Faith, hope, charity is a Christmas tree. A golden gate is big ears, big four, and a double pinochle. Dead wood is a pin outside the reach of the sweeper.
A dirk is a toss with tremendous loft. A frozen rope is thrown hard in the pocket. Cheesy cakes are lanes known for easy strikes. Go bland and you start a new game.
Keglers are bowlers. Sandbaggers keep their average down to receive a higher handicap.
When the 6-pin gently tops the 10-pin, its known as a tickler or a love tap. An apple is a bowling ball, as well as a kegler who chokes. A dodo is an apple that’s overweight or out-of-balance. A grasshopper is an effective ball, especially on light pocket hits; some people call it a honey. Maples are pins and some call them wood.
Mr. Average is an absent bowler, Mrs. Average is an awol female.
To roll a ball in the moat or gutter is to poodle. A gutter ball is a puddle. If pins go down fast in a strike, it’s a splasher. When a string of strikes come to an end, one exclaims, “The fire’s out.”