Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-31
SPORTS TALK
Bowling in Many Iowa Towns
is Not as Popular as 1t Was
a Year Ago
THE CAUSE
Prospects for Many Fast Harness
Horses During Coming Season
Western Colleges Want Iowa Star
Football PIayers-costly Squirrels
Sporting Notes of General. Interest.

few months of this winter, to ask the
question, What is the cause of the
lessening interest shown in bowling this
season, as compared with q year ago?'
in general way, and SO far as certain
sections are concerned, it can not be
answered, for just the opposite is true.
But in many cities and towns in Iowa 1t
is a fact, to the close observer, that
bowling has not the number of follow
ers now that it had a year ago. Some
very significant signs of this can be
readily seen in the greatly lessening
number OF match games being played
between teams from different towns.
The falling to pieces of the league,
which for Il time last season promised
to become a considerable factor in the
sporting circles of the state, is another
sign of a lack of interest.
That these things do exist, and that
they foretell a likely further slump in
the bowling interests can not be denied.
The cause of 1T all is much harder to
be determined. The game of itself Is a
good one. 1t requires both skill. prac-
tice and time to become proficient. The
one great thing against II Isl 1t is an
expensive pastime, and one in which
not all can indulge with sufficient fire.
quency to grow at ali adapt. The cost
is prohibitory, and to the average man
or woman, who can only afford to play
the game occasionally. the intervals Of
practice are so far separated as to rem
der ths results most unsatisfactory, and
for that reason the game is abandoned.
This, without doubt, is the principle
reason Why fewer are spending time
with the sport now in many places than
heretofore.
Every trainer, driver and owner in
the country is looking fer a greater sea-
son on the trotting turf this year than
ever before. More horses are being
carefully logged from Maine to Cali
fornia than at any time. From the char
acter of the horses that went into vim
ter quarters without being marked the
past season. 1t looks like an absolute
certainty that the slow classes will de-
velop sensational performers by the
dozen the coming season. Many of them
were separately timed in races around
the 2:10 mark, while others showed
ability to go miles at wonderful speed
in their trials and were saved over for
the slow classes next summer
Allerton 2:00A, now 16 years old, is
the sire of one hundred performers that
have made records from 9 :o6la to 9 80.
He is younger by four years than any,
other stallion that has ever been re-.
presented by 100 performers with rec
ords of 2.30 or better.
What Is to become OF the football
teams of several of the we'll known coll
leges of the state If the efforts Of train
cure the cream of the teams Is success
full? This is the question that is being
talked of most among the players in.
many Of the state schools. And yet
these same schools, who are making
such an effor. to secure 1oWa's players,
are some of the very ones who are cry
ing the loudest for purity in college ath-
letics.
There is one Jackson county farmer
who will be very liable to familiarize
himself with the game laws of the state
before he again offers for sale game af-
ter the open season has closed. Three
small squirrels, placed in the public
market by this,cost him $500. Thisis
the firstinstance, brought to the notice
Of the press of Iowa, of violator ofthe
game laws covering this particular
species of game being arrested The
deputy game warden in this case is es-
.pecially worthy of commentator.
The probabilities are the annual tour
nament of the Iowa Chess Association
will be held in Des Moines, February ID
and Ia. Arrangements are now being
made for the convention, the headQuar-
tiers of which will probably be at the
Kirkwood hotel.
Boone bowlers are out after the scalps
of any and all of those who profess to
know the game Of tenpins. They have
recently issued a sweeping challenge to
any team in the state. If they are still
their past clip they are GER
tainly well prepared to back up their
offer.
Fred Gilbert, the we'll known Iowa
trap shooter made another most excel
lent score at the Pocahontas shooting
tournament this week. He finished with
a score Of 1856 out of a possible 1854.
Harry Forbes and Andy Tokell will
fight for the bantam weight champions
ship of the world before the Metropol-
itan Athletic Club of Detroit, Feb. %.
After a week of argument over the
match, articles were signed by John
Hertz for Forbes and by Jimmie Kelly
for Tokell last night. The club agrees
to guarantee a purse of $1,000, with an.
option of SO per cent of the receipts.
The length Of the bout Is ten rounds.
In a letter to his hacker Tommy Ryan
says that Fitzsimmons' proposition to
stop him inside of four rounds or forfeit
the sum of $3.50 is all right, only it is
about $4,000 shy of the mark. Ryan
writes: why should not go Fftz-
simmons one better and offer him $500
if he stays four rounds with me? It's
the same thing, only get the big end
md E,;tzsi,nmons gets cigaret money