River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-02-20
FRED STRONG.

Little did we think when day after
day we watched Fred Strong bowling
in the City club games that he would
become national champion Of the Unit
ed States. A more unassuming, mod
est, quiet, unobtrusive fellow it would
be hard to find Called at two o'clock
in the morning at Buffalo to roll his
three games for the American Bowl
ing congress championship, he made
no sound of complaint over the late
ness of the schedule, but rolled. His
average of 216 1-3 captured the gold
medal and high honors. Yet he has not
yet worn his emblem-letters written
to him by enthusiastic rollers from
all over the country asking him for
instructions on bowling, congratulate
ing him on his victory, ETC., all have
remained unanswered. Strong is en-
ployed in dentists supply house,
works hard, and rolls because he
thinks the sport is good, wholesome
and beneficial to his physical develop
ment.
Not paper in the country printed
character sketch of the new champion.
This is due chiefly to the fact that
Strong does not talk about himself,
and all the critics know of him is that
he is a member Of the famous Tosetti
team, that rolls SO many games over
the 1000 mark. / have known Strong
for some time. Two years ago when
he began to roll tenpins Pop Brill
the man Strong succeeded as national
champion-gave him lessons 1t is a
credit to the new champion that he
declares: eff the west must have the
champion, ] would rather he were Brill
or Worden than myself. Both of these
men manage alleys, and the title has
it's value to them. Of course | felt
gratifed over winning from such
large field of representative bowlers,
but I am not going to let the honors
disturb my peace of mind"
Strong used to bowl cooked hat and
four-back, and the constant use of the
small ball in these games gave him
his bowling eye. When Brill took him
in hand he saw material for a good,
steady roller "Under the tutelage of
Brill / quickly acquired the knack of
rolling tenpins," said Strong to me re-
Gently. 81 studied the game. A man
never wins anything in this life unless
he studies it out beforehand. / came
to the conclusion that a slow, twist
ing ball with good direction was much
more effective than the abnormally
speedy ball that so many bowIers think
they must throw. I do not get many
games above 220, but average close to
the 202 mark. Strikes are hard to get
in competition. / only had Is of them
in three games in the championship.
But with the 'dopey' ball | roll gem
orally get nine when / miss strike,
and nine on every spare counts consiG-
erably~
"Crotching the ball by the way, the
sphere I roll weighs about 14H pounds
only. although it is regulation in di-
ameter-in the 1-3 you do better than
bv hitting the pins any other way,
This play ~nmoves the 5 pin oftenest,
and that pin is really king pin. As
a matter of fact, think there is more
real enthusiasm displayed by the
bowlers in our league in trying to get
TO the front in the individual average
race than there was in the national
event. AS for rayself, | would rather
win. the state championship from a
field of my intimate acquaintance
than get the national trophy from a
lot of rollers had never met befnre
the tournament"
E C. WEsTLAKE.