Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 June 1913 — England's Oldest Bowling Green. [ARTICLE]

England's Oldest Bowling Green.

Which is our oldest recreation? There are not wanting archeologists who profess to be able to trace refer ences to football and baseball on Egyptian moral tablets. However, when it comes to actual records, the fine old English game of bowls would appear to be as old as any. , .Southampton, Eng., has records showing that one of the l<Jcal bowling greens was In existence in 1299. Many interesting customs are associated with the game on tkis historic green. Every summer a “Are Jack” competition is held, and an order of knighthood 1b conferred on the winner, who kneels in the center of the green while the other players gather round him and the master touches him with a sword and dubs him “sir.”