In fact, European bowling “houses” have used string pinsetters for decades, instead of lumbering machinery that needs regular maintenance and costs several thousand dollars a month to maintain.

Scott Willoughby, 59, the owner of Esmond Bar, was working to restore the two-lane bowling alley attached to his bar when he was crushed by a pinsetter, the Benson County Sheriff’s Office said.

As a little kid, seeing all these huge machines, just to set up bowling pins, it's like ‘Wow,’" said Joe Dayer, known as “Joe the Pro.” ...