The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-03
Are Having a Battle Royal for
Honors in the Big CandIepin
Tournament in Progress on the
Sherwood Alleys
EACH HAVE. AN
AVERAGE OF 1902
Bates Leads for Individual Hon
ors with Mccain a Close Sec
ond,- Averages of Teams and
Men Up to Date - Many New
BoWlerS Beinu Developed

Manager Conneff's candlepin tourna-
ment, in which 20 teams are engaged,
whirls along like well oiled machinery
and the Sherwood Alleys figure in
nightly scenes Of especial interest to
lovers of the game. In no recent sea-
son has interest in bowling been so
general, and among the new bowlers
being developed, enough are finding
their way into the tournament to keep
the veteran talent on tiptoe.
During the past week, JaKes safes
Of the Midgets won the weekly prize
Of box of cigars for the best three
string total Bates rolled 305 and his
nearest competitor H Furey of the
Blackstones had mark of 301. One of
the most conspicuous Of the bowling
surprises of the week was William e.
Bransf1eld, first baseman of the cham
pion Pittsburg National League Base
ball Club. Bransfield tried his hand
at knocking down the thin pins months
ago, but until the past week he never
became an enthusiast, He has signed
a winter contract with the Suffolks and
in his first match averaged better than
so per string.
Manager Conner intends to keep the
20 teams together until Jan. 1, at least,
when more than one-half of the seasons
scheduled games will have been played.
At that time he will give teams that
are anxious to drop out an opportunity
to do SO, but no organization will be
coaxed to cease connections with the
tournament.
In many Of the teams there has been
gradual Improvement and neither the
Midgets nor Woodchoppers, generally
M Id e. 10 r,%,s
teams, has a rosy path ahead in the
scramble for pins. The City Guards,
South Ends and Capt Deignan's
hustling North Ends are rapidly devel-
oping into we'll balanced teams and mel
Their will be counted out early in the.
tournament.
Although total pins count in the
tournament, owing to the large number
Of teams participating, it is difficult to
get a fair line on the playing strength
of the teams through this source. OF
the teams that have rolled six matches,
the Suffolks lead on total pins with 1918.
This does not give the position of hon
or to the Suffolks, however. On a basis
of team averages, the Woodchoppers
and Midgets, the hottest pair of bowl
ing rivals created in recent years, are
tied. The average team total of each is
1902, but the former is a fraction of a
pin above that figure.
There is big gap between the lead
ers and the City Guards. The militia
men have a. team average of 1868. In
each of the three matches in which the
City Guards have participated there has
been gradual improvement in all depart
ments, and the quintet is sure to figure
more heavily in the running later. The
South Ends and the North Ends, rival
teams follow in order, Capt. Deignan's
men on the scent.
Jack Bates of the Midgets, one of the
best of Worcester's candlepin bowlers,
is In the lead for individual honors.
His average of 2S4 was gained by grand
spare work and persistent plugging. P.
H. Mccain of the Woodchoppers, an
other crack, is second in the race for
individual honors with an average of
279. Bates and Mccain have a clear
lead over the other individual cracks
and the pair will undoubtedly figure in
a stiff battle that will not be decided
until the close of the tournament. An
idea Of the pace being set by the Sher-
wood candlepin experts may be gained
from the fact that Joe Carroll, one of the
best of the individual rollers in last
seasons tournament at the alleys is
more than 40 points below the average
Of the present individual leader, Bates.
Following are the figures of teams
and the rollers having the highest av-
erages: