Bowling Trivia
What is the bowling score that has been bowled the fewest times?
Some of the possibilities that have been suggested are 291, 292 and 297.
Possible answers
- (submitted by gry66, Nov 2019)
I guarantee you in all the millions & millions of games bowled in history, all scores have been bowled at some time or another. Whether on purpose or by accident. To say you know for a fact that a certain score has never been bowled is hilarious. - (submitted by Tom Jablonski, Sept 2019)
What about 246, with two open frames, including the tenth frame. I did that last Wednesday, Sept 18, 2019. I'm 81, and would have been frustrated with it forty or so years ago, because of the open frames, but now I think it's pretty neat, with an eight bagger, and I don't care what else happens. - (submitted by Randy, Nov 2010)
"Well I know for a FACT that there has been several 292 games bowled, in fact I witnessed one a few years at Del Rio Lanes in Downey, CA by the infamous Tim Greenwood. He's a cranker, got it wide and took out the 6 & 9 only on his fill ball. Then tonight in Sturgis, MICH a bowler again, playing deep, sent it wide, hit OB and took off the 10 pin only for a 291 game and 801 3 game set ... don't remember the name of the guy, but my friend called me from the center right after it happened. Not sure how many other 291's have been bowled though ... " - (submitted by Marty San Felippo)
"A 292 game has only been thrown one time as I am told by Kent Wagner of Florida. He deliberately took out the 6,9 on his last shot. Several of my PBA member friends in Florida State; "a 300 game is no thrill any more, so we deliberately try for the 2 pin count on our last shot." - (submitted by Evan Looney)
"I believe the answer is 297, because it is really hard for a good bowler to leave the three pins on the last shot, where he would normally have left a split or just the ten pin (for right hander) or the 7 pin (left hander)"
tenpin bowling falling pins- (submitted by Kyle)
"I believe ... although a 297 is difficult to shoot ... that a 292 has been bowled the fewest times ... having to chop off the 6 and 10 or 4 and 7 is extremely difficult to do." - (submitted by Carl)
"What about a Zero? How many people have rolled the ball into a gutter 20 consecutive times?"
site reply: I would think it would be harder to get a single pin than to just bowl it down the gutter each time, so maybe a score somewhere less than 10 but greater than 0 is the right answer? - (Submitted by Travis)
"The score of the game that has been bowled the fewest times is 299 1/2. It has only been bowled once. It happened back in the early 1900's and one of the pins broke in half on his last ball and one half of the pin was still standing." - (Submitted by Feelinfrosty247)
"299 1/2 what a joke - I believe its 292/271" - (Submitted by Matt)
"I think that 291 has been bowled the fewest times because who bowls 11 in a row and then hits a clean 7 or 10 pin with the last ball they are throwing?" - (Submitted by Ryan)
"I shot 291 just last week. I happened to get stuck on the approach and drop the ball. I cleanly took out the 7 pin." - (Submitted by Sean)
"I don't believe 292, 1 or 0 has ever been bowled in ABC league play" - (Submitted by Bob)
"I am about 95% sure it is 291. 299 and 290 are some of the most common, bowlers leaving the 10 or loosing it and dumping in the gutter." - (Submitted by Bobby J)
"292! ever try to get a 2 count? 292 it is ... 290 is a spare and 11 in a row and 7 counts are common." - (Submitted by Brian)
"271!!!!! To either get 1 miss and throw the next 11 or get a double (or any up to 9 in a row) then 1 spare and strike out, it is the only score that HAS NEVER been bowled. Therefore my guess is 271." - (Submitted by Raymond)
"I do know of a sanctioned 294 game where Rob Harding from Sheffield, England took out the 6,7,8,10 on his last shot!! 292 could also probably be achieved through taking out the 6-9 (right handed) or 4-8 (left handed) clean on your last shot and I have almost seen it accomplished deliberately in practice!! But unfortunately the 10pin decided to fall!! A score either very high or very low is what your looking for, as anything else has too many possibilities of being achieved! Something like 271, 292, between 1 and 10 but then again, I would literally laugh myself to death if I saw someone have or had myself a 299 1/2!!!! HAHA! I would guess at it being something like 283 or something like that! - (Submitted by Matt)
"The answer has to be 292. 271 is uncommon, but there are other ways to do it besides the 1-miss/strikeout or the 1-spare in the middle of a game. As is the case with any game under 287. There is only one possible way to get a 292 and a 2-count is the hardest to throw on the first ball. Therefore it has to be the least common game thrown." - (Submitted by Lou)
"I believe the score bowled the fewest times besides the 2991/2 is 292." - (Submitted by anonymous)
"I know that the score of 290 and 291 has been done because I have done it while I was in league. The only score the history of bowling that has never been bowled is a 292." - "The most difficult bowling score to get is absolutely 292, which can only be scored with 11 consecutive strikes and then a two on the last ball ... With ten standing, two is absolutely the toughest pin count to get with one ball."
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Old Comments
Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.
- I wonder how many others have done what I did recently? I threw a gutter ball on my first ball followed by 12 strikes in a row for a 290. I would love to hear if anyone else has. (from Mike Adam, April 2022)
- Years back in Reno PBA MEMBERS were given the opportunity to any dinner in the facility (Hilton) if they could take down just 2 pins. My wife and I enjoyed a terrific meal. (George Zelenka, Sept 2020)
- Unfortunately I bowled a 291 in 1989 ,at an abt tournament in Wallingford CT... I completely choked!!! Raymond R Cormier (2020)
- 292. The 6-10 or 4-7 chop on 12th roll after 11 consecutive strikes the easiest way. The ball wider than a bowling pin makes it tough... [Going on the right side ... Just enough room between 9 pin and 10 pin to make it happen. Light ball and straight roll (~1° - 5° left of straight for wedge effect may help) the best approach]. A curve ball through the 6-9 or 4-8 is another way. TD (2017)
- 292 for sure. The 6-10 pick off on right side most common. [6-9 second, staying on right side (the luckier way)]. Now the 6-10 way; The geometry: The ball being wider than pins and the 3 pin must just be missed by ball are key points. The 6 pin and ball must go clean to right of the 9 pin, the ball taking out the 10 pin. The ball should be light in weight to bounce more to right too... The 6-9 way hmm... The ball and 6 pin could go clean through the 3-10 hole as the 6 pin hits the 9 pin only, and ball goes between the 8 & 10 pins... I'd just practice 2 counts on a full rack The odds probably 1 in 75 with a good 150 game average bowler. Probably happens 1 in 250,000 naturally among any bowler playing normal games. Yes the rarest full rack shot is a 2 count obviously, hence 292 game too. Way harder than 300 unless you're bowling duckpins. That's got to be about a 1 in 244 million (1 in 5 strike avg.) to a trillion (1 in 10 strike avg.) chance on the latter; another topic. Don't think a credible perfect duckpin bowling game has ever been bowled. I know 2 pin counts are easier to get on a full rack of narrower (~4 inch) pins and smaller ball (4 ½ - 5 inches wide). It's hard to find duckpin bowling specs. TD (2017)
- I probably hold the record for hooking my spare ball through a Murphy than anyone on the planet...not even a wobble out of either pin. Nothing is impossible! Timothy (2020)
- I bowled a 272 game back in 1960 has anyone ever bowled that score? Harry (2016)
- Hi Guys, I have been trying to find where someone keeps track of how many type of games are bowled..like the 291, 292 or a 293 in a year or over the years. BUT, I can tell you I shot 293, here at strike and spare lanes in Louisville, Ky.....LOL....I was having some sticking issues with my ball due to all the rain we got in 24 hours....I tossed 11 in row, and the last one just stuck on my thumb...I pulled it so bad and took out three on the left....I was laughing cause I have shot 8 300's, but that last shot was a mess...I don't know where the number of 293's are on the board but it is very hard to catch that 292 game..and the nite before I shot 795....go figure. Michael Spulecki (2015)
