Brunswick Bowling Pins: Where Are They Made?

Brunswick Bowling & Billiards is a business segment of Brunswick Corporation that includes billiards, bowling equipment and products, and bowling centres. Brunswick began manufacturing bowling equipment, including wooden lanes, bowling balls, and bowling pins, in the 1880s. The company has a technological and manufacturing presence across the globe, including facilities in the United States, Hungary, and Mexico. While specific information about the manufacturing locations of bowling pins is limited, it can be assumed that they are produced in these countries where Brunswick has established operations. All Brunswick pins are made in the USA, crafted from top-grade materials, including hard rock maple wood and long-lasting synthetic materials.

Brunswick bowling pins are made in the USA

Brunswick bowling pins are crafted from top-grade materials, ensuring superior resilience and a seamless bowling experience. The pins are designed to withstand thousands of strikes, thanks to their weight, balance, and glow characteristics. The Max Pins, for example, are coated in Surlyn, a material used in high-quality golf balls, providing exceptional resilience and impact toughness. The use of northern hard rock maple wood in the pins further enhances their durability and performance.

The manufacturing process of Brunswick bowling pins reflects the company's dedication to quality and innovation. The pins are designed with a multilayer topcoat system, ensuring they remain white and bright even after repeated use. Additionally, the neutral locked-in base keeps the pins firmly in place, contributing to their overall stability. The attention to detail in the manufacturing process is a testament to Brunswick's commitment to creating a superior bowling experience for enthusiasts worldwide.

Brunswick's bowling pins are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. The pins are designed with a bright glow, enhancing the visual appeal of the game. This feature is especially prominent under UV lighting conditions, creating a vibrant atmosphere for bowlers. The combination of durability and visual appeal makes Brunswick bowling pins a popular choice for bowling centres and enthusiasts alike. The company's unwavering commitment to quality has solidified its reputation as a leader in the bowling industry.

Brunswick bowling pins, made in the USA, embody the company's rich history and innovation. With their superior craftsmanship, attention to detail, and use of premium materials, these pins have become a staple in bowling centres across the globe. Brunswick's ongoing dedication to enhancing the bowling experience has contributed to the sport's global appeal and growth, solidifying its place as a trusted name in the bowling industry.

They are crafted from hard rock maple wood

Brunswick bowling pins are crafted from hard rock maple wood, also known as Canadian maple, Sugar Maple, White Maple or Rock Maple. This type of wood is characterised by its creamy white colour with an amber or reddish tinge, and its straight grain, which can sometimes be curly or wavy. The attractive appearance of hard rock maple is due to its fine brown growth rings, and its texture is fine and even.

Hard rock maple is a strong and durable wood, with high bending and crushing strength, and medium stiffness. It is also resistant to abrasion and wear. However, it is a difficult wood to work with, requiring pre-drilling for nailing and screwing, and it has a moderate dulling effect on cutters.

Hard rock maple is often used for furniture making, heavy-duty flooring, joinery, sporting goods, piano actions, paneling, plywood and veneering. It is also suitable for steam bending and can be finished to an attractive finish, as it stains, glues and polishes well.

Bowling pins made from hard rock maple are designed to be durable and to withstand thousands of strikes. The weight, balance, and glow characteristics of the wood are also important factors in creating a seamless bowling experience.

The company was founded by John Moses Brunswick

The J.M. Brunswick Manufacturing Company opened for business on September 15, 1845, and quickly found commercial success with its billiard tables. The company expanded and opened its first branch office in Chicago, Illinois, in 1848. By 1860, the company was renamed J.M. Brunswick & Brother, as a family member had come on board. Their slogan at this time was, "The oldest and most extensive billiard table manufacturers in the United States."

In the late 19th century, the company expanded its product line to include a variety of items, including large ornate neo-classical style bars for saloons, bowling balls, pins, and other sporting equipment. They were one of the first companies to popularize bowling balls made of manufactured materials, initially using vulcanized rubber instead of solid wood. Over time, the company continued to diversify its product offerings, introducing items such as toilet seats, automobile tires, phonographs, and even a line of refrigerators in 1930.

John Moses Brunswick's small company grew into a large manufacturing empire, known as the Brunswick Corporation, through a series of mergers and acquisitions. The company has a long history of innovation and expansion, adapting to market demands and diversifying its product lines. Today, the Brunswick Corporation is an American corporation with a global presence, manufacturing and marketing a wide range of products, including sporting goods, fitness equipment, and marine engines.

Moses Bensinger, John's son-in-law, helped popularise the sport

Moses Bensinger, John Moses Brunswick's son-in-law, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1839. Two years after Brunswick's death in 1886, Bensinger became president of the company, which was then known as Brunswick-Balke-Collender.

Bensinger played a key role in the company's expansion into bowling. He noticed that taverns and saloons—the primary outlets for billiard tables—were adding bowling lanes in their basements. As a woodworker, Bensinger saw an opportunity to expand the company's woodworking expertise into the production of bowling lanes, pins, and wooden balls.

At the time, bowling suffered from a lack of standardisation, with different rules, lane lengths, and ball sizes. Bensinger, who was an average bowler himself, believed that standardisation would be key to the sport's growth. In the 1890s, he led an effort to standardise the sport, resulting in the formation of the American Bowling Congress (ABC) in 1895. The first ABC tournament using standard rules took place in Chicago in 1901, with all equipment supplied by Brunswick.

Bensinger also lobbied for the creation of a national bowling championship, which came to fruition with the first ABC tournament in 1901. He combined his business activities with participation in Jewish social organisations, representing a symbiosis between bowling and Jewish social activism.

Under Bensinger's leadership, Brunswick produced all the equipment for the ABC tournament for the next 40 years. The company's influence on bowling was significant, and it continued to sponsor bowling tournaments and promote the sport. Bensinger's efforts to standardise and popularise bowling helped elevate its status and make it more accessible to a wider range of people.

Brunswick's pins are designed for resilience and toughness

Brunswick's bowling pins are designed with resilience and toughness in mind. The company's Max Pins, for example, are coated in Surlyn, the same material used for high-quality golf balls. This coating provides maximum strength and durability, allowing the pins to withstand thousands of strikes. The Surlyn cover also enables a larger wood core, ensuring the pins can handle high-impact collisions.

The pins are crafted from the finest northern hard rock maple wood, which offers maximum durability and pin action. This top-grade material is sourced from the United States, specifically Michigan and Wisconsin. The pins are manufactured in facilities located in these states, as well as in Hungary and Mexico.

Brunswick's attention to resilience and toughness is evident in the multilayer topcoat system of the Max Pins. This system not only keeps the pins bright white but also enhances their glow under standard and UV lighting. The coating is designed to be long-lasting, ensuring the pins remain whiter for longer and are easy to clean.

The design of Brunswick pins also considers weight, balance, and glow characteristics, resulting in a seamless bowling experience. The pins are crafted with precision and superior craftsmanship, revolutionizing every roll down the lane. Brunswick's commitment to resilience and toughness in its pin design contributes to the overall bowling experience and has played a role in the global growth of the sport.

Additionally, Brunswick's pins are designed with a neutral locked-in base that stays in place, ensuring stability and consistency during gameplay. This feature further enhances the resilience and toughness of the pins, making them a trusted choice for bowling centres worldwide. Brunswick's bowling pins are renowned for their quality and performance, reflecting the company's longstanding dedication to the sport.

Frequently asked questions