With Orange County’s gay bowling night closed down by Orange County, CA police last week, there’s no better time to look into the (not at all) subversive and (fashionably) criminal world of gay bowling and it’s ability to strike (that’s a bowling joke!) terror into the heart of our nation’s law enforcement community. Here’s our favorite spots across the U.S. to get your bowl on.
California
Spin Tuesdays – The O.C. event which police shut down on claims it was “too popular” is without a home, but while the bowling’s been put on hold, the event continues. Each Tuesday, the boys and girls of Spin are hitting up O.C. straight bars guerrilla gay bar style.
San Diego Gay Bowling – The Rainbow League is pretty popular, so most folks looking to join will have to fill a spot on an existing team, which sounds like a great way to make new friends.
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MassachusettsBoston Monday Night Bowling League – Like a lot of bowling groups, the actual lane action is just part of the fun. Boston’s gay bowling league stages wildly elaborate and goofy benefits to raise money, not only for the league, but for HIV/AIDS research, as well. Despite the name, the league plays in Dorchester, where they play candlepin bowling, a weird, New England-only version of the sport.
Ohio
Columbus Gay Bowling – If you don’t know how to, Columbus’ gay bowling league offers up a Polyester Bowling Academy, which will get you up to speed for their regular Sunday Brunch Bowl-a-thons.
Oregon
PDX Bowling – One of the oldest gay bowling leagues in the country, PDX Bowl started in 1979. Unliek a lot of leagues, fees are minimal and they’re big on “payouts”. We did not know we could make money at this gay bowling thing.
Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia Gay Bowling League – Bowling just across the state line at the Brunswick Zone in Deptford, NJ is open to teams of three, in any combination of girl and boy. One of the fun parts about the league is that if you join, you get cupcakes on your birthday. Who doesn’t love cupcakes?
Washington
Sunday Social – Coming April 5th, Seattle will have its very own just-for-fun gay bowling night at the popular ACME Bowling, which features billiards, black light bowling a fun, upscale atmosphere.
These are just a few. For more gay bowling nights and leagues, check out the International Gay Bowling Organization, which has nearly 200 leagues across the globe.
dellisonly
we have never had a problem here in Texas. The state you conveniently forget exists. Gay bowling leagues everywhere. Some leagues like the Longhorn League in Fort Worth that have been running pre-1979. Live and let live guys
rogue dandelion
oh my god white people-just stop.
bowling is about the least sexy “sport” imaginable.
Bostonian
What do you mean “despite the name?” Are you suggesting Dorchester’s not in Boston?
MR
@Bostonian: Hey, they think Dorchester, Allston, and Brighton aren’t and Brookline, Chelsea, and Somerville are.
Whatchagonnado?
Ben
@rogue dandelion: it’s not a sport, it’s a goofy fun past-time. Lighten up, racebaiter
Ryan
Dorchester = Boston. It’s just a neighborhood within the city, like the South End, Southie, North End, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury… yada, yada, yada.
Thankfully, we’re not lame enough to call them “Burroughs,” which makes me feel as though NYC’s Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, etc. all should be buried within some big, giant hill.
Ryan
True Story: I’ve had more than one friend who’s gone to Harvard who thought Cambridge was a part of Boston.. LOL.
fred hagman
id love to join