What about duckpin bowling? It uses small pins and a 3 lb ball. You get three tries to knock over the pins and downed pins don't get swept away (meaning that they are strategically significant). I used to play it in Connecticut all the time when I went to visit my grandmother. It seems to be big in New England.
Having seen some replicas of colonial 9 pin sets there may be a connection there.
Having seen some replicas of colonial 9 pin sets there may be a connection there.