wil Lake ne ae eee! ont thy es ata we on vi avciigll “ade pack ns i9 onhoo i G2 egg5S eM “meLan icef‘A u res, sun z‘hswy A ii Vndnewd at Aq * aesuet yy lly Eley and th i‘om | Nae n ig named, 1al ee > ap Rae"Or ar ire fa OF SPORTS (NAPSA)—What do Ashton, Nelly, Paris and Nicky all have in common? Aside from being recognized by their one-namepersonas, they have all been seen sporting the latest fashion accessories. They’re not the designer duds you’d expect from such notable names. These trs chic threads aren’t from the runways of London or Milan—they’re from the alley...the bowling alley, thatis. “You never know when you'll get a chanceto roll,” said multiplatinum rapper Nelly whenrefer- ring to bowling in a Time magazine interview. “And you should never waste a chance to have a good time.” Bowling is now one of the hottest activities to do with friends and family. The popularity of bowling has been on the rise in recent years and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.It’s experiencing a renaissance of sorts, from the new Saturday-night disco bowling parties to the rising television ratings of the Professional Bowling Association (PBA) on ESPN; ratings have increased 40 percent since 2001. Along with the celebrity cool factor, the sport’s visibility also has been raised by the involvementof professional athletes, both for recreation and as fund-raising events. The NBA’s New York Knicks host an annual charity bowling event and New York Jets quarterback, Chad Pennington, recently hosted a celebrity bowl- ing benefit, which included Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, Byron Leftwich. Bowling isn’t just for the famous. According to the PBA, three million people competed in a bow]ling league in 2003 and more than eight million kids between four and 12 years old attended birthday bowling parties. Add to that the 10 million tweens and teens who participated in “glow bowling,” which boasts heart- pumping music and flashing lights on the lanes. The PBA also reports that nearly 70 million Americans, or 25 percent, bowled in 2003. These statistics ranked bowling among the highest participation rates of any sport in 2003. You don’t have to spend like a celebrity to enjoy bowling. For a limited time, Baby Ruth is offering coupons on the backsof specially marked wrappers for free games of bowling. Log onto www.babyruth.com for more information and to find participating bowling centers across the country. With 49.5 percent of bowlers married, and 46 percent with children under 18 in the household, it’s a great family fun time activity.
