Vintage manual pinsetters, often young boys ("pinboys"), were essential, physically demanding workers in early bowling alleys, sitting behind the lanes to quickly reset pins and return balls by hand or with simple mechanical aids before automated machines took over around the 1930s. They worked long hours, dodged stray balls, and earned little, often getting paid by the game, making it a tough but iconic job in bowling's history, with some alleys even using them as late as the 1990s for atmosphere.

Role & Responsibilities

Resetting Pins: After balls knocked pins down, pinsetters manually picked up fallen pins and placed them back in the triangular rack on the lane.

Ball Return: They retrieved the bowling balls and sent them back up the lane, sometimes using gravity racks.

Speed & Efficiency: The job required speed to keep the game moving, often under pressure from bowlers yelling for service.

Dangers: They worked in cramped, dark spaces and risked being hit by stray balls.

The "Pinboy" Era

Who: Typically young boys or teenagers, chosen for being small, energetic, and cheap labor.

When: Prevalent in the early 20th century until Gottfried Schmidt's invention of the mechanical pinsetter in 1936 started replacing them.

Conditions: Late nights, low pay (often $2-$4 a week), and hard, repetitive work.