The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
By GLEN, Collins.


The main issue to be advanced at the
coming convention of the American
Bowling Congress at St. Louis next
month will in all probability be the ad-
visibility Of adopting the individual
scheme of membership. The question as
to whether bowling clubs shall be enter
cd as unit and pay one entry fee. or
whether each individual member shall fill
out an entry blank and pay his own fee.
will be the principal bone of contention
which will comfort the delegates.
Those who will back the individual plan
claim that the revenue of the American
Bowling Congress will be more than tre-
bled and in view of the fact that the or
Eanization needs money in the worse
possible way they are confident of its
adoption. They further present figures
in which they claim that with men,
bership of more than 10000. if taxed or
assessed thirty cents each. $4,000 would
be netted the congress annually.
Abe Lanstry, secretary of the national
organization is one of those in favor of
the plan. He has the following to say:
Il would like to sec the scheme tried
in a city like St Louis he declared.
1T has been given trial in a number
of smaller cities, and has proved fairly
successful Somehow. somewhere, in the
scheme however. there is a weakness
that has not yet been overcome. and |
am inclined to think the St. Louis bowlers
are going to make the same mistake
that has been made a good many times
previously. The plan. as it exists at
present, is deficient in a great many i'm
pOrtant details While I am not thorough
ly conversant with what the St Louis
Gplevafps have in mind I informed
the plan is. in the main, what has been
tried heretofore i'm other places.
The individual membership scheme
would throw more work on the Secre-
tary at tournament time than he could
possibly handle II is bad enough now
when nearly 500 five-men teams enter
at the last minute and throw their en-
try and sanction blanks on the secre-
tary's desk in a heap. Imagine what
it would be if nearly 30,ooo individuals.
all intent on holding onto their entry
blanks until the last moment. mailed an
avalanche of entries a day or two be-
fore closing time The secretary would
have 20 hire a corps of expert assist
ants. who could classify and file the en-
tries as fast as they came in. 1t would
be impossible for one man or two men
to accomplish it in the short time al
lowed. Each entry. whether of FIVE
man team OF a two-nan team or an in
dividual. has TO he card indexed and
filed away in its proper place. Team
sanctions have to undergo the same
procesS- 1t would he an almost hope
less task to look up the validity of so.
Oco individual sanction blanks
Manager John G. Floss. of the Buffalo
Tournament Company. under whose aus
pices the fifth annua! tournament of the
-ofi al Do, h.
held. has sent broadcast a challenge to
all two-men teams of the country TO
roll Jimmie Smith and Eddie Gebhard
the Queen City's two best bets. The first
ones to respold were Louis Franz and
Charley Gilbert. of Cleveland. When
these two teams hook up. some very
classy bowling will be or tap.
Edmond Ho9in, president Of the St |
Louis Tournament Company, which is
financing the next convention OF the A.
Z. G. reports that the Anheuser- Busch |
Brewing Company had contributed s. 30 |
toward the expenses of the league. The |
suds makers will be represented in the |
coming tournament by sixteen teams. |
Secretary Langtry gave out the fol- |
lowing statement in regards to the ru-
mors concerning the Cincinnati trouble |
Possibly there are a few men who |
were dissatisfied, but that is only natur- |
al, said Mr.. Langtry. There NAV also
have been some feeling created by boost
ers for the y. B. A. The stories have
been shut out and it is now up to the |
Cincinnati bowlers to spike this rumor
good and hard
A St Louis dispatch says:
w H. Hunt manager of the Copvap
tons Bureau OF Washington. D. c.. YES
tcrday telegrdphcd Secretary Langtry for
full particulars of the holding of the A.
s. C. competitions, and for statements
II the cost of last years tournament at
Detroit. He said he wanted the state
ncnt in hurry and that the Capital
'ity probably will be here to ask for the
81 meeting.
Washington was a candidate for fhe |
several years ago and worked
land in hand with ST. Louis. when this
'fty wanted the event. For this st. Louis
'owlers feel grateful, and it is possible
hat they may support Washington should
hey ask for the meeting.
Even though Washington should not
END more than the four teams already
inferred, there is movement on foot to
lect Edward Meyers of that city to
ither vice presidency or a membership
N the executive comUiittee.
It's strange how out-of-town bowlers
,et il in into their head that Washington
very year Will make a bid for the next
onvcntion of the A. Is. c. In the first
lace those who are in a position to
wing the congress to this city seem to
abor under the impression that all that
necessary TO get the convention is to
% out and ask for it. Let Washington
md a. al t1 4