NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

BOWLING OPERATING 

INDUSTRY 

AS SUBMITTED ON AUGUST 28, 1933 

REGISTRY No. 1711-03 

The Code for the Bowling Operating Industry 

in its present form merely reflects the proposal of the above-mentioned 

industry, and none of the provisions contained therein are . 

to be regarded as having received the approval of 

the National Recovery Administration 

as applying to this industry 

WE DO OUR P.ART 

UNITED STATES 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFi"ICE 

WASHINGTON : 1933 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. • • • - • • • • Price 5 cents 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION FOR THE BOWLING 

OPERATING INDUSTRY 

ASJPROPOSED AND SANCTIONED BY THE BOWLING PROPRIETORS' 

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 

PURPOSE 

The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America recognizes the 

existence of an emergency affecting the welfare of both employees and 

employers in the bowling industry. 

To effectuate the policy of Title I, of the National Industrial 

Recovery Act, the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, during the period of this emergency, adopt the following Code of Fair 

Practice and Competition for the Bowling Operating Industry: 

DEFINITION 

A Bowling Proprietor or Operator is defined as an individual, firm, 

society, association, or corporation, whether organized for profit or 

otherwise, who maintains and/or operates bowling alleys. This 

specifically further includes Lodges, Clubs, Factories, Churches, 

Y.M.C.A.'s, and all private membership institutions who operate 

bowling alleys on a commercial basis by accepting patrons or bowling 

business from the public other than their own bona fide members. 

The above shall in all respects be included and compelled to abide 

by the stipulations set forth in this Code of Fair Competition covering 

the .. operations of the bowling industry. 

ARTICLE I. FAIR COMPETITION AND TRADE PRACTICES 

A. REFUNDS OR REBATES 

The payment of allowances, refunds, rebates, comnuss10ns, or 

credits, whether monetary or otherwise, or extending special services, 

privileges, or concessions, directly or indirectly, to any individual or 

group for the purpose of securing league, club, or tournament bowling, 

when and where such payments, etc., would violate the minimum 

price established in Article I, Section E, shall constitute a violation 

of this Code. 

B. FRAUDULENT AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES 

Misleading or deceiving customers with respect to the character, 

service, and conditions of any bowling establishment constitutes a 

violation of this Code. 

(1) 
2 

C. BREACH OF CONTRACT 

Any attempt to avoid contractual obligations or maliciously 

inducing or attempting to induce the breach of existing contracts 

between competitors and their customers by any false or deceptive 

means whatsoever, or interfering with or obstructing the performance 

of any such contractual duties or services by any such means, with the 

purpose of unduly hampering, injuring, or embarrassing competitors 

in their business, constitutes a violation of this Code. 

D. COMPETITORS' EMPLOYEES 

Malicously enticing away the employees of competitors with the 

purpose and effect of unduly hampering, injuring, or embarrassing 

competitors in their business, constitutes a violation of this Code. 

E. STANDARDIZATION OF PRICES 

There shall be a strict adherence to and observance of the price 

agreement. 

The price or charge for bowling at all times and at all places shall be 

no less than 20¢ per line for "Ten-Pin" bowling and no less than 15¢ 

per line for "Small-ball" games, to include all League, Tournament, 

and "open" bowling. 

In all season bowling contracts or agreements, this minimum price 

shall be retroactive in effect to June 16, 1933. 

Larger Communities, or any community, wherein the operator's 

cost of operations or other peculiarity of operations, demand a higher 

rate of income, may increase the price for bowling over the minimum 

rate above prescribed. 

ARTICLE II-MINORS 

Not to employ any person under sixteen years of age except that 

persons between fourteen and sixteen may be employed for not to 

exceed three hours per day, in such work as will ~ot interfere with 

hours of day school. 

ARTICLE III-MAXIMUM HOURS 

Class A. Full-time cashiers, floormen, clerks: Not more than 52 

hours per week. Not to exceed 8 hours per day. 

Class B. Full-time porters, alley-maintenance men, and watchmen: Not more than 56 hours per week. Not to exceed 8 hours per 

day. 

Class C. Office employees: Not more than 42 hours per week. 

Not to exceed 8 hours per day. 

Class D. Pin-setters: Not to exceed 350 lines per w~ek. 

The above shall not apply to employees in a managerial or executive capacity, who now receive more than $35.00 per week, nor to 

employees on emergency maintenance and repair work. 
3 

ARTICLE IV~WAGES 

Glass "A" employees to receive a minimum weekly wage of not 

less than $20.00 per week in any city of 500)000 population or over. 

Not less than $17 .50 per week in any city between 250,000 and 500,000 

population. Not less than $15.00 per week in -any city of between 

2,500 and 250,000 population, and .in towns of less than 2,500 population, not less than $12.00 per week. 

Glass "B" employees: 

(1) Alley-Maintenance men to receive the same weekly wage as 

Class "A" employees. 

(2) Porters and Watchmen to receive not less than $15.00 per 

week in any city of 500,000 population or over, not less than $14.50 

per week in any city between 250,000 and 500,000 population, $14 . 00 

per week in any city between 2·,500 and 250,000 population, and in 

towns of less than 2,500 population, not less than $12.oo· per week. 

Glass "0" employees to receive the same weekly wage as Class 

"B ", subdivision (2), employees. Glass "D" employees.-Each Pin-setter to be paid not less than 

20% of the price charged per line for all lines set up by him, and at no 

time shall he receive less than 4¢ per line for "Ten-Pin Bowling" and 

not less than 3¢ per line for all "Small-Ball" games. 

Extra employees.-Extra and part-time employees shall receive 

not less than 40¢ per hour. 

ARTICLE V-LABOR 

(1) That employees shall have the right to organize and bargain 

collectively through representatives of their own choosing and shall 

be free from the interference, -restraint, or coercion of employers of 

labor or their agents, in the designation of such representatives or in 

self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of 

collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection; 

(2) That no employee and no one seeking employment shall be 

required as a condition of employment to join any company union or 

to refrain from joining, organizing, or assisting a labor organization of 

his own choosing; · 

(3) That employers shall comply with the maximum hours of 

labor, minimum rates of pay, maximum machine-load of employees, 

and other conditions of employment and of this Code, approved or 

prescribed by the President. 

ARTICLE VI-ADMI.NISTRATION 

The elected, the existent Board of Governors of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America shall be the Administrative and Policing Body of and for this Code for the purposes of coordination, 

arbitration, and enforcement. 

Subject to the approval of the President, the Board oi Governors of 

the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America shall have power: 

(1) To administer the provisions of 'this Code. · (2) To adopt rules and regulations for the enforcement thereof. 
4 

(3) To entertain and hear complaints against any member arising 

out of any alleged violation of this Code or of the National Industrial 

Recovery Act, and to act on such complaints as provided in Article 

VIII, under Code Enforcement and Penalties. 

(4) To initiate proceedings before the appropriate Governmental 

agencies to prevent and/or punish violation of this Code by members 

or nonmembers of this association. 

(5) To consider proposals for amending this Code, and upon 

approval by the affiliated groups and the association, to submit such 

proposals to the proper Federal agency. 

(6) To arbitrate complaints, differences, controversies, or questions arising under or out of this Code or concerning the interpretation or application of any provisions thereof. The Board of Governors may further submit such matters and designate a Federal 

tribunal. 

ARTICLE VII-MEMBERSHIP AND MONOPOLIES 

The association shall impose no inequitable restrictions for admission to membership therein. 

This Code is not designed to promote and shall not be construed to 

permit monopolies or monopolistic practices; nor is it designed to 

eliminate or oppress small operators, and it shall not operate to discriminate against them, but shall seek only to effectuate the policy of 

Title I of the National Industrial Recovery Act. 

ARTICLE VIII-CoDE ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES 

A. It shall be the duty of the secretary of each Local Bowling 

Proprietors' Association affiliated with the National Association, to 

receive, investigate, and report any infraction or violation of this 

Code by any member of the association, to the Secretary of the 

Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, who shall submit same 

to the Board of Governors; further, he shall report to the proper 

public official responsible for the enforcement of the National Industrial Recovery Act, any nonmember bowling operator violating this 

Code. 

B. Members of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America 

are subject to the following penalties for breach and/or violation of 

this Code: 

(1) For the first offense, a fine of not less than $100. 

(2) For the second or further offenses, a report will be made to 

the proper Federal authorities. 

EFFECTIVE DATE 

It is understood that this Code is effective immediately upon 

adoption by the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, and is 

further subject to revision and final approval by the President of the 

United States. It is further understood that the President of the 

United States, by virtue of authority granted to him under the 

National Industrial Recovery Act, may from time to time cancel or 
5 

modify any order, approval, license, rule or regulation issued, made, 

or approved thereunder. 

Respectfully submitted, 

BowLING PROPRIETORS' AssocIATION OF AMERICA, 

By Order of the President and Board of Governors, 

For the Order 

Attachments: 

JOHN w. BAUER, 

Exec. Sec'y. 

(1) Chart reflecting recommendations from operators in 22 

States. 

(2) Letter with explanations. 

August 12, 1933. As submitted to the seven members of the Board 

of Governors of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America for 

final approval. 

By JoHN W. BAUER, Exec. Sec'y. 

Recreation Building, Detroit, Mich. 

August 18, 1933. Unanimously approved by Board of Governors 

of Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. 

August 21, 1933. Submitted to Washington, N.I.R.A. 

Chart of code recommendations gathered in a preliminary canvass from prominent 

bowling centers including 22 States 

Price of bowling 

Number Maxi• Mini• Pin•boy ,----,---- City and State of houses mum mum wages I se:~· -------- ______ , ____ , __ h_o_ur_s_, __ w_a-ge_s_,. ___ ,_T_e_n_pr-·ns-~ 

Baltimore, Md ........................... . New York, N. Y ......................... . Jersey City, N.L ........................ . Philadelphia, Pa ......................... . Worcester, Mass ......................... . New Britain, Conn ...................... . Columbus, Ohio ......................... . Cleveland, Ohio .......................... . Cincinnati, Ohio ......................... . Detroit, Mich ............................ . Flint, Mich .............................. . Pontiac, Mich ........................... . Lansing, Mich ........................... . Indianapolis, Ind ........................ . Fort Wayne, Ind ...•...................... South Bend, Ind ......................... . Chicago, IlL ............................ . . Decatur, IlL ............................. . Galesburg, ill ............................ . Milwaukee, Wis ......................... . Minneapolis, Minn ...................... . San Francisco, Calif ........... . . ......... . St. Louis, Mo ........•.................... Kansas City, Mo ...•..................... Louisville, Ky .....•...................... Dallas, Tex ......•....••.•.............. .. Houston, Tex .......•..................... Oma.ha, Nebr ..........•...•.....•........ Spokane, Wash .•......................... Des Moines, Iowa.. •....................... Kansas City, Kans ....................... . Memphis, Tenn ...•....................... Miami, Fla ..........••.................... 

1 31⁄2¢ line. 

10 48 

75 48 

10 48 

25 60 

11 52 

4 48 

7 48 

75 48 

18 48 

50 48 

4 ---------- 3 56 

4 52 

8 ---------- 4 48 

3 ---------- 70 54 

3 48 

6 48 

25 ---------- 6 48 

8 ---------- 30 60 

10 63 

10 ---------- 2 ---------- 3 ---------- 4 ---------- l 48 

2 48 

2 63 

8 54 

2 48 

Percent 

$0.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 . 40 20 . 35 (1) 

. 40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

---------- 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

---------- 20 

.40 20 

---------- 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

---------- 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

---------- 20 

---------- (2) 

---------- (2) 

---------- 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 20 

.40 (2) 

2 3¢ line. 

$0.20 . 25 

. 20 

. 20 

. 15 

. 20 

$0. 15 

. 20 

. 20 

. 15 

. 15 

. 20 .. 15 . 20 .15 . 20 .15 . 20 .15 . 20 .15 . 15 ......... . . 20 .15 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

. 20 

• 20 

.15 

. 15 

. 15 

----------

----------

---------- .15 

.15 

.15 

---------- . 15 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.15 

Compiled by John W. Bauer, Executive Secretary, Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. 

0 
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 

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