This may seem like a strange analogy but here goes. I played baseball (pitcher) at a very high, competitive level in college. I lived for baseball. Nothing like painting a corner with a 2 strike fastball with the batter walking to the dugout before the ump even rings it up. Or buckling a guys knees with big ole Uncle Charlie. That and also the similarities in that pitching/bowling is very dependent on proper timing, release points and the like. I've been active in all types of sports but the closest feel to my pitching days is hitting that perfect shot with a killer release and balance, knowing it's a strike at the arrows. Or when you get into that groove when you're on automatic pilot, mowing down hitters/pins. Sixty feet six inches/sixty feet. Bowling is pitching in so many ways. Some days you don't have your best stuff and you try to grind it out and make what you have available work.

And, as was mentioned in the original post about history. Bowling is about the only sport that matches baseball in the longevity of its history. Certainly not as well known as baseball history but it goes back a long way. It also seems to have similarities to baseball in that its history has very discernible eras that differentiate it's history and makes for interesting comparisons.

I also love a serious practice session at 3am (I'm in Vegas)in an empty center. Just me and the game. One of my biggest regrets in life was not getting serious about bowling the day after my baseball career was over.
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You're not Mr. Purple.
 Some guy on another job is Mr. Purple.
 You're Mr. Pink.