New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
LOADED BALL MUST Co
National Bowling Body Massso
Vote at Meeting.
ALSO OBJECT TO THE $1,000,
Plan to Substitute Individual for
Club Membership May Make
Range Of Territory Greater.


Considerable more than the usual amount
Of legislation will have to be considered BY
the American bowlers in the annual con-
vention Of the National Bowling Associa-
ton which will be held in Entire Nous Hall,
oliver street, Paterson. y. j. next Satur-
day az 2 p. m. There are three matters
that affect every man that rolls, one being
the loaded bail, the other the method Of
registration and the third the expansion Of
the national governing body in tenpins.
There are thousands OF bowlers who 90
not know just how a hall can be loaded or
what is meant by the term 'dodo." =
loaded ball Is one which is weighted in the
centre with lead. so a. 20 make II a dead
weight, thereby carrying of the pins from
the alleys more certainly II this lead
weight in the centre Of the ball is placed
more to one side than the other. an arti.
fcisl curve is developed which. IL was orisi.
nally believed, would enable the expert
bowler TO land the ball between the much
desired "one and three pins the plscs
where strike hits are made. A curved mo.
ton to the bali works IL In this pocket
to considerable advantage.
When the American Bowling Congress
held it's convention in Buffalo in 1892 thers
was a great debate between the Eastern
| and Western bowlers as 70 the merits OF
this loaded ball So strong were the East
erners against il that they refused 10 havs
anything to do with legislation that recos-
nzed it. and when the Westerners were
equally determined the Fasteners left tbs
convention. The New York bowlers par.
ticularly were keen for the bail mads
wholly Of wood, and they returned 10
Gotham and formed the New York Bowling
Association as the sponsor Of the game in
the East
SO strong has this opposition developed
| within the last year that il will be mar.
ter for the national association to consider
at its Paterson convention. Moreover,
there came into the game another phase ot
! the loaded ball, which also is strongly op-
posed BY the rank and file. That is the SO.
called "dodo" ball This instrument Ia
made by cutting two balls in half, one
being over the legal weight and the othsr
being under the legal weight. The un-
evenly weighted halves are then vulcsnized
or cemented together and the finger holes
bored. producing ball wholly Of one SUBJ
stance" but still weighted more on one side
than the other. This. too. is a matter 70,
the bowers TO consider
The use of both the loaded and "dodof
balls was greatly discouraged about yeas
ago by the announcement of manufacturers
that they would have nothing TO do with
these kind Of balls, either in the making
of them, which they never did. or the re-
pairing of them in any way. This made 10
necessary for the bowers themselves 10
experiment But the feeling Is still there
that these balls should be made Illegal
again and kept So and it is probable that
il will be done.
While tho national tournament now run
ming in Paterson is not 50 large as the ons
in Buffalo last year in point OF entry, tbs
association itself has undergone consider
able reorganization IN the last twelvs
months, some forty-threo cities being repre-
sented in it's councils a. present. but thers
has been somewhat Of a difference in the
form OF membership, and II is this form
which II Is desired 10 change, another I'M
portant matter for the bowlers n consider.
| IL is planned 10 eliminate the club men,
tership idea and mako the form individual
membership throughout dues 10 both tbs
national and the local associations Being
covered with one assessment, the member.
ship cards 10 he issued by the national as
sociaton through tne local branches an1
the card emitting the holder 20 compete m
in all tournaments. no matter IN what city
which also would include the metropolitan
and national tournaments. This would save
the bowlers three or four assessments ann
would bring tho game UP 10 the iudiNidHa''
themselves This plan will be submitted %
1.-The convention next Saturday for consider
alton. II Is argued that this method wv
bring under direct supervision al contests
no matter what kind and no matter Vhers
rolled and would give the hovlers muca
better representation In the ruling BODIES
than at present
The third matter will be the appointment
of committee on plan and scope 20 an
large the membership Of the national as'o'
lc,stion and make the range OF territory con-
siderabl greater than at present, although
the membership has grown 10 considerans
proportions in the last year, as IS atteste'
bv tie Joining Of Richmond, Va Harttora'
Conn, and Montreal II Is planned 10 en-
large tho board Of governors 10 thirty IN
stead Of fifteen. As az present ana 70 es.
ltablish records and data with the sectetap
which will make II unnecessary 10 waste
vast amount OF work each year IN hunuhs
IN carelessly kept records. The sscret4p
will be esta blished in headquarters ot ne
own and Will be given means 10 confuot Ms
Office in a proper and businesslike manlhpe'