But the modern sport of bowling, which seems distinctly American and very secular, probably grew out of a German religious ceremony.

In the 3rd century AD, every German peasant carried a Kegel, a club similar to the Irish shillelagh, for protection. It became a customary test of faith in many churches for the parishioner to set up his Kegel as a target, representing the heathen, and then roll a stone in an attempt to knock it down. If he succeeded, he was considered free of sin.

Bowling eventually moved out of the church and became a popular secular sport, with a wooden ball replacing the stone and multiple pins (from as few as three to as many as seventeen) replacing the single Kegel.

There are several references to bowling in Germany during the Middle Ages. Berlin and Cologne in 1325 set a limit on the amount that could be bet on a bowling match. A 1463 feast in Frankfurt featured bowling, along with a venison dinner. And the winner of a 1518 competition in Breslau was awarded an ox.