If you’ve never bowled in New England nor the Canadian Maritime provinces, you’ve probably never been candlepin bowling. A candlepin is an odd looking skinny pin that you try to knock down with a one-size-fits-all ball that weighs less than three pounds … much smaller and lighter than the heavy-duty tenpin balls. The pin placement is pretty much the same, but the scoring, strategy and play is a bit different. I never realized there was any other kind of bowling until I was a college student and bowled tenpin with friends in New York. My Mom used to watch Candlepins for Cash on the local television station every Saturday morning. I haven't bowled candlepins in decades, but that was about to change.