The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-15

est taken in the sport as there is mani
tested all over the country this winter.
Many cities have experienced the larg-
est kind OF "A boom. and the alleys are
so crowded with people who wish to
play that many have nightly to goaway
disappointed
Tor many years Brooklyn was noted
for containing more bowlers and bowling
enthusiasm than any other city in the
country, but for the last two or three
seasons New York has taken the lead.
with Buffalo probably n good second.
Chicago has taken up the game with so
much enthusiasm this winter that she
bids fair, IL the interest increases in
proportion, to become in a few years
the greatest bowling city on the ccn-
tnent.
Together with the growth I'm the nCm-
Der OF bowlers there has also been noted
a gratifying increase In the number OF
players who may be termed good bowl
ers This Improvement has been more
especially on the second ball, or spare
work which is the secret Of the game.
The spare work is what enables n team
away from home To hold it's own in
contests. The Improvement among the
Individual rollers is also marked one.
Ia New York the greatest interest al
ways Centers i'm the contests of the
American National Bowling league.
Some splendid games. marked by high
scores and consistent work. have been
features this year. The Oriental Bowl
ing club, who were winners Of the tour
nament last season. will not win again
this year though they started out with
n good team
Later on I'm the season the individual
bowling contest takes place, the winner
of which is generally considered the
champion bowler OF the country
The colleges and universities have be-
gun TO recognize bowling. and some of
them have many students who are very
good bowcrs. Brown university made
its bow In the bowling circles last win
ter i'm the Rhode Island lnterclub
league The team made a good show
ing for new one. with rollers not up TO
the fine points OF the game The team
showed the universal weakness OF
new team. that OF the spare work. This
was severely felt when the men were
on strange alleys. Then, again. the
team was changed good deaf, and the
men did not get accustomed 10 each
other and lacked steadiness. This scd-
son the rollers iu the tpilttt dlt III ttN-
i've practice. and a tournament was re-
Gently held Co obtain the best rollers
possible The fault of the second bail
is being corrected. and IL the team goes
into the league with the spirit shown
by the other athletic teams OF the coli
lege, Il viii be heard from before the
schedule is completed.
The sport OF bowling IS by no means
q new game. for traces of the modern
game OF teupins can be found away
back in the dark ages OF antiquity
The.e are Indications OF the sport I'm
biblical history. In the archives of the
Chinese empire. and later ia Roman
history as well as i'm that OF England,
Germany and France.
The popular belief. aowcver rs that
tho game is OF German origin. but this
Is erroneous. as the game OK "bowles,"
as we know IL. Is Of English origin and
antedates the German game by many
centuries.
The sport derives its name from tho
large spherical stones, called bowls
that We're used as implements Of war
ty the ancient Romans when repelling
an ihvasSr. The stones hsirs hurled
upsn the heads or breasts OF the IN
vadefs. In times of peace these stones
were used il jhc forum in athletic con-