Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-10-03
30 many bowling clubs have sprung up

o. many UOWllLS CLUBS nave sprung up
that it was decided to increase the
membership of some of the Journeys
from fifteen to twenty-one Twenty
one clubs in tourney is by far too
great a number and the length of time
1t takes to decide it keeps the interest
out of it until almost the final games
are rolled. What bowlers, and those
who find much pleasure in watching
the games rolled like is a tournament
that runs about thirty or forty nights.
In this way the interest is always keen,
because the strongest teams become
apparent after few weeks play.
Such, however, is not the case with
tournament made up of twenty-one
or more clubs. The twenty-nine-c1u
straightaway tournament of the Royal
Arcanum League of Brooklyn, last sea-
son, proved a huge fizzle because the
length of time it took to decide all the
games. The tournament then began in
october and did not end until April.
This was more than the bowlers and
public could stand, and numerous ev-
en1ngs went by when there were only
empty benches to greet the bowlers.
This season, as said before, the clubs
have been divided in two sections.
which makes it a fifteen and fourteen
club tournament. Eight winners in
one section and seven in another will
come together for a final struggle. In
this way three interesting competi-
lions are likely to result. Certainly
this method of deciding competitions
with such great number of clubs is
not favored by all, especially the play
ers OF the teams entered. What bowl
ers want most is to try their skill
against every other club in the tourney.
In this way they do not do it.
The Hamilton County League of Gin
cinnati, coming to the West, decided to
hold straightaway tournament con-
sisting of thirty-two clubs. Those who
have been connected with the SPORT for
many years are positive the Cincinnati
bowlers will regret their move before
their tournament is half finished. 1t
takes exactly 165 nights with three diff
ferent teams bowling every night in the
week except one to decide a thirty-two
club competition. If Cincinnatiars will
interest themselves in this kind of a
tournament from start to finish and at
tend the games night after night for
nearly six months, they will do soma :.
thing that bowlers in other parts Of the
country never before attempted to do.
In other words. if this monster tourna-
ment is go, then the Queen City Of
the West is bowling mad.
The boom the game has taken in Cen
tral Ohio is truly wonderful. Before
the famous trip of the Brooklyn Bowl
ing Club to the west in the season OF
'25. Sc, there were only a few bowling
alleys in Ohio. Now they are spring
ing up like mushrooms over night in
every part of the State Columbus.
Dayton and Springfield all have the few
er, and Cleveland. Toledo and other
places are likely to be in line before the
winter season is many months old.
What is even more surprising is the
wav the new recruits to the game are
picking up the game. Somt are al
ready so proficient at the game that
they can safely hold their end with
some of the old timers. What is most
needed now in Ohio to boom along the
game and insure its perpetuance is a
State league. One could easily be
formed with Cincinnati. Dayton. Spring
field and Columbus. New York has
one with Niagara Falls. Buffalo. New
York and Brooklyn. and 1t has helped
along the game wonderfully in ire
East. Chicago could be easily added 20
the circuit They have the fever bad
- thre Windy City, and sinco her havo