The 5 pin,
Sitting there in the middle of the pin deck, staring back at you. Like it is laughing at you, still standing waiting for you to try and knock it down for the spare. "How in the (BEEP) did I leave that?" Well you did. The "5", as well as some other pin leaves, have some stories and traditions that go along with them. How these started and where some may have come from, we may never know, but most are fun to hear about.
When I first started bowling, I was told the "5" was the sex pin. Meaning to miss it, there was no sex for you for a certain amount of time. To some, those that weren't getting any anyway, it was just a spare shot. To others, it was embarrassing when you were in a league with your significant other and you left the "5" pin, and worse if you missed it. You became the topic of conversation for the next few frames, maybe longer.
Well somewhere in bowling land, a group of bowlers decided, if you left the 5-pin, everyone who held up their index finger, a simple finger; waiting to see if the "5" would be made or missed. (The hope was a miss). This caught on and a few teams decided to use this as the round decider. If the "5" was missed, you bought a round for all those holding up their finger. This turned into people in the league or bowling center holding up their finger, hand or both hands. Way too many folk to be buying drinks for and nobody was buying any rounds.
To this day this "5" pin ritual still holds true in leagues in Louisville and other places I have been. At Fern Bowl Lanes it is going on for sure. The Louisville Metro Men league decided to do something different. Instead of holding up a finger, arm or beer bottle, they decided to put up a quarter, $.25 cents for every "5" pin you left (during normal league play), and if you missed it then you add another $.25 cents with the money going to the prize fund. Well it turned out to be a great way to add to the prize fund.
Make that simple "5" pin, the one you left. Yes the "5" pin sitting in the middle of the pin deck, while the whole league is cheering you on, as you make your approach.
Thank you to Mr. Paul Sanford Sr. (R.I.P.) for The "5" Pin trophy he made for us to present each year to the person who leaves the most 5-pins in a season.