Evening star., 1900-05-26
THE LOCAL BOWLERS
Official Close of the Most Successful
Season,
REVIEWING WORK OF The LEAGUE
Eight Clubs Likely to Be Members
Next Year.
SCORES AND THE WINNERS

The bowling season which recently closed
had Its official termination last night. when
the board of managers of the District Bowl
ing League met at the Business Mems Club
in South Washington and heard the reports
of its officers and official scorer.
The league has just passed through the
most successful season since its organiZa
ton in 1893. when Jacobus Jones. Will
Dove DR.. Kicker and few other pioneers
of bowling in Washington conceived the
idea of bringing the four bowling organiza-
tions then eXtant into close union. The
first year the membership of the league
consisted of the Columbia Athletic Club,
Carroll Institute. Young Mems Catholic
Club and the Washington Athletic Club.
The two last named are now defunct, and
while the Columbia Athletic Club is not
now active in any branch of athletics some
of Its old bowlers organized the Columbia
Bowling Club last fall and have played the
season through under that name. They.
however have no connection whatever with
the c. A. c. OF the four clubs above
named the Carroll Institute is therefore the
only one yet in the league.
In the first years play 1t was the custom
for three of the clubs to go on the same
night to the alleys of the fourth, where the
home team would meet all comers, playing
one game with each of the others. This
naturally tended TO develop the social posi-
bilties of the game, since all of the league
players would thus meet at one time. The
next year the schedule was arranged so
that but two clubs played in an evening
though for several years but two games
We're played in a match instead of three. as
now. But when the American bowling
congress changed its rules and the number
OF balls to a frame was reduced to two
the game was shortened to such an extent
that the three-game matches We're intro
duced. The effect of this change was very
beneficial for under the former arrange
ment each club would frequently win one
game leaving the evenings play practically
without decision.
The Veteran Players.
But few of the players who bowled in
1893 are still in the league, but it is notable
that those who remain are still steady play
ers and men whose services are valuable TO
the team on which they play. Among these
men are DR.. Kicker of Columbia, Rice of
Carroll Institute and Kidd, originally of the
Washington Athletic Club. but now of the
South Washington Business Mems Club.
Throughout the seven years of its exist
ance the league has been model amateur
athletic organization. 1t has been well Of
ficered, and the men who have directed It's
affairs have been faithful in their efforts
to keep the records clean and the quality
of the sport at high standard. There
has never yet existed the slightest friction
between any Of its members, and the
harmonious a manner that nothing but the
most friendly rivalry exists between the
teams.
Eight Clubs Probable Next Year.
While the past season has been of great
interest on account of the fact that the six
clubs have been SO evenly matched in
strength that up to the last week 1t was
not possible to pick the winner with any
degree Of certainty. it seems likely that
another year will bring even a greater
measure of success to the organization.
New clubs have been formed and will be
knocking al the door for admission to the
league family, that expansion stares the
league in the face. The present members
are happy together and will be discrimi-
mating as to whom will be admitted. but
that next years league will contain eight
teams seems already an established fact.
The report of the official scorer, Mr.. Fred
eric Schaich. presented at last nights meet
ing, contained much of interest, part Of
which follows:
A-iE