New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-22
CRACK BOWLERS AT WORK
ENTHUSIASTIC GERMANS AT UNION HILL
PLAYED-A SCENE characteristic
OF THE FATHERLAND.

III the enthusiast class because they devote one
evening every week during the fall and winter
months to the game, should have the
gathering at Schiitzen Park, Union HILL n. J., |
last week to make them realize that making |
spares and strikes" in a comfortable, well |
ventilated place, where cold bite and drink
are served in the course of the evening, is not
enough to enttle one to the enthusiasts Iaurels
The bowlers VINO went to Union Hill came from
all over the country, and despite the exhausting
heat they worked and bowled and cheered their
friends and coached the wavering ones with
an ardOr and fervOr that left no doubt in the
minds of those who watched the bowling that
little things like the Chinese question, the Presi-
Dental election or the fate of the polar ex-
piorers were nothing in comparison with the
question: Who will capture the intercity prizes?
The contests and the setting of the scene were
interesting even to those people who knew moth
ing about the game, and while the pavilion
where the bowlers worked and watched and
cheered and shouted attracted much attention,
the other parts of the grounds, which were ar
ranged to resemble a cross between a New
England cattle show and German "Jahr-
markt," were equally attractive. Implanted
plank booths, decorated with streamers of red,
wkite and blue, were sprinkled literally all over
the grounds, and while the greater number
devoted to the sale of drinks, there many
in charge of the well known county fair fakr.
There was a tight rope walker, a troupe of
acrobats a shooting gallery and music on all
sides. over of the booths the bowling
Enclosure inscription in old German
letters:
Trink ich Wasser, so sterb' ich,
Trink ich Vein. veTderb ich
SO list S beSSer Vein drunken und VerdOTben,
Ais Wasser getrunken und gestorben.
All the visitors to the grounds seemed to be
lieve in the motto and men, women and chill
dren patrOnized the beer bars literally. and in
many instances parties took possession of long
tables and benches under the trees and ordered
their drink by the key. But despite the liberal
indulgence there intoxicated men to
be seen and the police force on duty at the park
had little to do. This fact commented upon
by visitor. to whom the proud bowler made
no reply, but pointed to inscription over one
of the beer places which read:
Wo Plattdeutsche thronen
Da list gut Wohnen.
A wag had written this free translation under
the inscriptions Go with the Plattdeutscher and
you'll have good time"
The prizes in the intercity games were con-
tested for by clubs from Baltimore, Wheeling
CIV Va, Toronto (Canada), st. Louis, Brooklyn,
Columbus (Ohio), Cleveland Chicago and New
York. Besides these games there were seventy
team contests in the regular strike" and
worked for the head pin prizes and a number of
contests took place for the candle pin, duck pin
and cooked hat games. All these games were
played alleys which had been built especially
for the occasion, the pins were all new, and as
to the balls there was everything in the line
that had ever been used. The good bowlers
brought with them queer leather, canvass and
network pouches in which the balls were care
fully carried, and between games players held
forth on the subject of bowling balls in the
same manner that fishing sharps expatiate on
the merits Of their particular style of the
anglers paraDhernaa.
The games which naturally attracted the most
attention were the ordinary strike" and spare
class and the head PIN" class in which the
player does not count unless the head pin the
one which stands at the angle of the triangle
nearest the player falls. In this game all pins
are set again after the first ball has been de-
Gvered. Whatever advantage there may be in
having ones own ball, it counted for nothing in
the tournament games, because one of the rules
stated: No private balls will be allowed and
there VIII be no larger than the regulation sized
ball, ~ inches in circumference used" When
the head pin is hit first, all the pins falling as a
result Of that ball are credited to the bowler
but the head pin must be bOwIed down, not
simply touched.
Two alleys set aside for duck and candle
pin games. The duck pins are short squatty
affairs, shaped like the regulation II inch min