The Jersey City news., 1892-01-11
PALMA BOWLBR2
How They Stimulated the
Club and Started the
Present Boom.
LORILLARD'S LIVELY STAG
With the WheeImen - Spliulers
from Many Alleys.

have been brought into existence ov the
merest accident The powerful Palma
Club was the creation OF four men
who had a spasm OF enthusiasm arising
from the victory of the American Rife
team in England. They contracted the
disease and organized rife club. They
were content to display their ardor and
skill on seventy-fve foot range.
which they did not own. The proprietor
observed that interest was wanting. and
retired to engage in some more lucrative
occupation. He quit before the Palma
marksmeu's enthusiasm had oozed out.
They enormously imagined that like kind
words the pastme and club would never
die, consequently they must find new
home. 1t was found. The glory OF
bowling as an amusement had temper
arily faded. and painter who
had taken possession OF an abandoned
alley as a shop, accommodated the DJys
and accepted them as tenants. lie was
Il religious brush pusher, and In the cou-
tract stipulated that the boys must not
desecrate the Sabbath and must also ob-
serve several of the fast and holy days.
The terms we're hard but the rent was
low and the agreement was signed. NOW
for the accident. fortuitous ctrcunStah ce,
fate or whatever one may elect 10 term IT,
If the club, then u small band, had not
located where it did the very swell or
eauization would have many moons ago
have casbeel its stack. The rifles began
to grow dusty and rusty, symptoms that
the disease had run its couse. A
faw of the cracks spoiled targets.
but the majority having fully recovered
desired a change. A. bowling boom be-
gan and the old alleys were patched up.
They had heap of fun aud the club be-
came u prosperous institution. The death
grip was broken aud IL was decided to
build the clubhouse. A rifle range was
put in the new and handsome home; so
were six bowling slleys. The alleys are
still there. but the range. we'll it makes
AN excellent hat and coat room. The in
terest in bowling increased, and the club
has barely taken possession OF the new
home when Its bOwlers conceived the
idea of forming league to be composed
of similar clubs. This was the original
Amateur Athletic Bowling League. the
pioneer organization which has been in-
strumentai in resuscitatiDg the very
ancient sport on respectable basis.
FORMING THF LEAGUE.
No first class clubhouse is now COM
plete without bowling alleys. Hundreds
of bowling clubs now exist. and leagues
and associations are numerous. When
the clubs were invited to the conference
at the Palma house. the delegates We're
SO lukewarm that they designated the
Palma Clubs committee-W. H. Car
rick and Samuel Hathaway. to
draft all the laws. regulations, etc. for
government Mr.. Carrick was elected
President. The clubs that entered were
the New York Athletic Club. Brooklyn A.
c., Jersey City A. c., Roseville A. G. and
Palma. The League had been formed
only few weeks when the other clubs
I'm aa
full of fire as the Palma boys
They still have it, except the
Brooklyn A. A., which surrendered the
ghost several seasons ago because of
apathy in other branches. The initial
game of the mother league was bowled
The team bowled against the New York
A. C. and shattered the pins for nearly
seventeen hundred The restrictions
were not then rs they are now. The first
team and It's score were:-
FaIma-H. V. Vultee. 190 J. A. Han
sell, l39; George H Earl, 173. w. A. Van
Orden. 204 W. F. Middige, 1855; r. s.
Kunkel. l4o; H. Behrens. 1859: i. S.
Caster, 1856; S. Hathaway, 157; r. C.
Vrooni, 1885, Total, 1.690. Their rivals
were beaten by 151 pins.
A glance at the list will show that sew
eral veterans are still III the arena and
doing grand work. The Palma did not
win the championship. and singular to
relate they have never secured the fist
honors in the Organization which is now
known as the Amateur Bowling As
soclation. They came very near it,.
The second honor they grasped
and have thrice been second. In the
second season they tried for first place,
and last year lost the honor by game.
Despite the fact they bob up serenely
every season. The team has won manv
hopors and u score Of beautiful
~ ~. LII. II
of their Skill. One of the best records
was made last season when they won the
second place in the Herald tournament.
The first was taken By the Jersey City a.
C.'s team.
The Palmas excelled all the crack
teams in the averages. Their average
score was $50 81; individual average.
l66 1885. A comparison gives them de
cided avantage. The JERSEY City A. G.
had an average score of Sl2 81. nearly
Is pins less than Palma. The Pal
mas opponents secured an average
of SOB, while the clubs that
opposed the first honor winners bowled
). an average of only 1872 or 2l points less to
game than when they met the Palma
boys. The two teams will bowl in the
same tourney this season and Palma
hopes that luck will be with them. and
the positions of the two leaders will be re-
versed. They are anxious that Jersey
SOME OF THE BoWLERS.
A few words about the leading bowlers
will undoubtedly be interesting.
Henry Lutz is one OF the steady and re-
tables. He has been on the team since
December. 1883. and has missed not more
than two or three games. He is a great
pigeon faucier and is President CT the
Greenvllle Homirg Pigeon Club. Fly
the Coop. Hen" never fails to bring q
strike in a match. He bowleol on "Big
Five" in the Herald tournament last year
and was third IN the average. In fourteen
games his average was l13
Samuel Hathaway, senior member of
the team, but not oldest iu years, is
chairman of the Bowling COMMITTEES. He
has been on the Committee ever since its
organization. He was fourth In averag e
of all players in the Association games
with 168 in 1889 and 1890, aud third in
average with 16S in 1891 and 1892 He
also bowled in Herald tournament last
year, aud in twelve games his average
was 1873. He bowls swift quarter ball.
john F. Smith, South Paw" is very
enthusiastic. He is an athlete with an
enyiable record as jumper, aud Is good
man on any team. Keeps the boys Keyed
up and never gives up until the last ball is
rolled. A total abstainer who never used
strong drink or tobacco, but is always
ready TO speculate on results of games.
In the Herald tourney last year his aver
age was 168 ln IA games.
John +. Rich is a very careful bowler
vino stndies every point in the game
Never ratlles and quotes first verse of