Duckpins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variation of bowling that uses smaller, softer pins and balls with a unique scoring system
2. An indoor sport similar to ten-pin bowling, featuring shorter pins and a smaller ball designed to fit in the palm
3. A game played on a bowling lane involving smaller, rubberized pins that are easier to topple than traditional pins

Etymology: Baltimore baseball men John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson are usually credited with developing the game in the early 1900s, when they wanted a bowling game that could be played in a smaller space with equipment that was easier to handle. Duckpins use a ball about 4¾ inches across with no finger holes, and pins that are squat and short compared with ten-pins. The pins are also what most likely gave the game its name, since the "duck" element is generally thought to refer to their stubby shape, though that explanation is not firmly documented. The compound itself is simple: "duck" plus "pin," both native English words. Its earliest recorded use is not something I can confirm, so the name's exact history beyond its Baltimore association remains uncertain.