pinboy

A pinboy, also known as a pinsetter or pin chaser, is a person who manually resets bowling pins and returns bowling balls to the bowler in a bowling alley. This role was common in the early days of bowling before the advent of automatic pinsetting machinery. Pinboys were typically young men or boys, often working part-time.

The job required speed and agility as the pinboy had to quickly remove fallen pins, arrange the new pins on the pin deck in the correct triangular formation, and ensure the balls were sent back to the approach. They often worked in teams, with one pinboy responsible for clearing pins and another for resetting them. The work could be physically demanding and potentially dangerous due to the falling pins and moving machinery.

The introduction of automatic pinsetting machines, first developed in the mid-20th century, gradually made the role of the pinboy obsolete. These machines automated the process of resetting pins and returning balls, leading to the decline and eventual disappearance of pinboys in most bowling alleys. Today, the term "pinboy" is largely a historical reference to a bygone era of the sport.