Doug Bock simply joined for fun.

“It’s something to do on a Monday night,” said the communications studies professor.

Bock goes to the basement of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union every Monday night to compete against fellow faculty and students in bowling.

Bock started playing 20 years ago after a friend lost a teammate, and he has not stopped since.

Today is the opening day of the season for the league. The teams will play every Monday at 6:45 from now until the end of March, with the exception of school holidays.

Each team must have four people and no more than eight. Only four are allowed to bowl each week. This night out for faculty and staff only costs $5 per week. The cost includes shoe rental.

Bock said their ranking has changed through the years, but through it all, they have remained very competitive.

“We’ve been first seven or eight times, and then sometimes we finished in the basement,” said Bock.

Tim Taflinger, manager of the Union Bowling Alley, said they are just trying to get the word out to get more people in the league. They advertise in the Daily Eastern News and the faculty and staff newsletter to bring attention to the league.

Last year, the league had seven teams with a total of 28 people bowling. Taflinger said they are always trying to get more teams.

The league has been around since the bowling alley opened in 1967.

At the end of each season, the league puts together a banquet for the teams. The winning team brings home the trophy at the end of the season.