San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-30
BOWLING.
A SPORT DEAR TO GERMANS.
Bowling and Its DeyOtees in San
Antonio-Number of Clubs
Rules of the Game
Ladies as Bowlers,
Etc, Etc.


TO nations will continue TO live wherever
its wards may go, provided that every
VeStigc Of their national characteristics
are obliterated. Thus it is that San An
tonic can boast of its excellent Sundays:
that cricket and tennis are so dear TO the
English, baseball TO the Americans and
bowling to the Germans.
This latter sport was, some years ago,
when San Antonio was more German than
at present, perhaps the most common one.
But it is continually growing more pOpu-
lar and is promising TO become one OF our
national games.
1t has as many and many more points
in its favor as base ball or polo, with
much less danger. 1t helps develop every
muscle in the body and can be enjoyed all
the year around.
The history of bowling in the Alamo
city dates back to the year 1854, at which
date there was a tlOuriShing alley at
Earl's garden on Alamo plaza, which was
about where Carter Il Mullaly'S livery
stable now stands. a few years later,
1886. the leaSure resort on Powder House
Hill, known 70 our older citizens "a Mil
ler'S Garden, erected another oft frequent
ed alley. Rapidly after this, SchleierS
beer and coffee garden, the resort of the
elite of the city at that time. built the
| third alley. At this place hundreds of the
| cityS best people rushed ont 20 this re-
| sort. and the balls flew increasingly over
| the alley. Then followed the erection of
| fourth one at the San Pedro springs,
| which were at that time under the man
| agement of Mr.. - Ducrler. After this
the Casino built its alley. Then came
| Jonas, SOmmer'S, Mission Garden. the
| al "a fpS
| Thus there were in those days five alleys
| for the small number of people, while today
| with a great increase of population. we
| have but three more. The present alleys
| are. Turner, Casino, Jonas. SOmmer'S,
| Mission Garden. PeltZer'S. OhneSOrge'S,
aud one at the shooting grounds near the
| West End.
The total number of active rollers in
| the city is estimated at five hundred. both
| ladies and gentlemen. They are divided
| among the different bowling clubs about
| like this
Mission Garden club. 80: SOmmprS
| club. 90: Jonas club 10; Sth Ward club, IS;
| Mission Banner, IS; Powder House Hill
| club. 10; JaegerluSt club. 25:JOlly Twelve
| club. II: Ladies Bowling club. (branch OF
| Mission. 10: Casino Bowling club, 80:
! Turner Bowling club. 10.
| SOmmcrS club was organized in 1873
| with a membership of about thirty. Its
present officers are. August Ramp, preSi
| dent: ChaS. WeSenberg, secretary: r.
| SOmmerS. ST.. treasurer.
| 1t has regular practice once a week on its
| alley al SOmmerS garden.
| The Mission Garden Bowling club. the
| largest in the city. was organized in
1876 with about 30 members. Its officers
| are. ThOS. II. Abbott. presidents: j. MusS-
held. secretary: 4. Rhciner treasurer.
The members bowl every Thursday
night.
| Jonas club, which is also one of the old
| est clubs in the city, has always had a
large membership. 1t has an alley at
! Jonas Garden. near the Sunset depot.
where its forty members practice every
week.
The Eighth Ward. Powder House Hill
and J;PgerluSt bowling clubs have be-
tween l3 and p members. who practice
espectiVely on the allies at PcltZer'S gar
den, Ohne>OrgeS. and JIgerluSt shoot
| ing grounds. Then there are TWO other
bowling clubs that ought not TO escape
notice. The one is the Ladies' bowling
club where the fair sex seeks exercise for
physical improvements; where the gentle
nature OF woman even crops ont in the
handling of wooden balls to such an CX-
| tent that the men out of pure compassion
OVcr-eXert their lungs in aiding the balls
to reach their destination.
The other club is a club consisting of
elderly married men only. 1t counts
among its members some of the most res
pected and successful business men in the
city. They found rolling minus the la
dies pretty good sport the first few times.
but the LIGHT man hears that some of the
members have already suggested that
they double their membership by rolling
on the same night and on the same alley
on which the ladies roll.
Then we have the Mission Banner
bowling cIuh. II was organized N
with membership of seventeen. Its first
officers were l.. Brian, president: George
lcke. secretary: a. Rhciner, treasurer.
We have the StricteSt rules of any
bowling club in the city. The member
ship is limited TO eighteen men, everyone
OF whom ought TO be good bOwlerS, for
when member is absent he is fined and
four successive fines eXpelS him from the
club" The Banners bowl every Friday
night. with two prize bowls eVerV wear.
1t has challenge standing that is open
to any club in the city.
The present officers are ThoS. II. Alb
bolt, presidents Hermann Heiligmann.
secretary; a: j. Gaul, treasurer. These
are the regular organized clubs of the
city. Besides these there are the Casino
and Turner clubs. They are not real
bowling societies. as every member of the
Turn Nerein and Casino GeSellSchaft can
bowl. But their regular practice and
prize bow and regular attendance give
them decidedly the nature of club.
As regards this sport there is no doubt.
but that San Antonio is the banner city
Of the state. The writer was told by
some who were posted on this subject
that Galveston had six allPES, and these
belong to one club. the Garten Vercin.
In New BraunfelS there was one club and
IN Austin there was also one single bowl
Ing society, there being no city in the