Candlepin Bowling
New England's tall thin "candle" pins — three small handheld balls per frame and no pin resetting between shots.
👥1 per team🌤indoor
What is Candlepin Bowling?
Candlepin bowling is a New England variant of bowling invented in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1880. The pins are tall and thin (about 40 cm) and the small handheld balls (11 cm, no finger holes) barely knock them down. Uniquely, felled pins ("deadwood") are not cleared between the three shots per frame — they stay in play.
Quick facts
Category
Precision Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1880, Worcester, Massachusetts (Justin White)
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified