The Washington herald., 1912-01-21
BY L. A. RELHcAsI.

nights which Londoners consider a rare
treat and most of the people In the West
End stroll TO HYDE Park. temporarily
forget the cares of the day and enjoy the
sweet tunes OF a Kings military band;
the writer left his West End Club. and
Joined the multitudes OF others.
After the concert and while walking
toward Picadilly Circus l suddenly felt
q desire to bowl a game. / tried to think
where I might have seen bowling
sign. Not being able TO remember having
noticed one. I ventured to ask one OF the
polite and always Obliging police Of
fcers-ln London they call them boobies.
Any one ever having taken a stroll down
Picadilly after sunset, between Lester
square and the Circus. along the we'll
known Picadilly white way. can easily pic
ture the London bobby, especially after
theater hours, politely and with the grace
and dignity so becoming a London po-
liceman. asking the crowds to move on
One officer, about six feet two inches in
height. manly and OF commanding ap-
pearance long red mustache delicately
twisted at each end, blue eyes which
seemed TO see every one and everywhere
at a glance. was the one ! selected as my
object and inquisitively j said "Oficer,
where is 'the nearest bowling alley /
beg your pardon, sir? was his polite ana
courteous reply. Il wish to bowl a game
officer. and do not know where there
is an alley around here"
II Is certain that J could not possibly
have been suffering from heat attack,
neither had ] partaken of drop OF
black and white and a small soda the
English way OF asking for Scotch high
bald. A quick survey OF my personal
self satisfied me that was all there, of
sound mind, perfectly sober. and my
query should have brought forth a quick
and definite answer.
Bobby, after carefully sCrutinizing me
from feet to head and with real look
of astonishment on his face glanced
around and beckoned to two other officers.
who were Standing near by, who came
to the scene, and by this time began 10
wonder II 1 was quite right" Thank
you. sir: what Is II you wish to know
Nearly trembling. apparently for fright.
but really a desire 10 throw a tenpin
at some one. l again almost shouted:
Bowling alley, 1 want 10 bowl a plain.
common everyday game of tenpins or
duckpins. That's all I want-a bowling
alley
Thought Me Meant Cricket.
The officer turned his glance from me
to the other three. who. to my astonish-
ment. faced about and began TO ask the
crowds to move on. The bobby with the
artistic Inustache and blue eyes then
raised both hands to his face, as though
he had suddenly remembered something
great and in the fashion 50 noticeable
among English gentleman when in ap-
parent serious mental deliberafion, be-
gan to proudly twist the extreme ends
Of the pride Of his lower facial makeup.
and in a deep voice said, Sir, there Is
a bowling green at Streatham Ia suburb
OF London and very likely there Will
be a match game there one day next
week There are many bowling greens
in Scotland. and in the north OF England.
The big match of the season, think, Is
PLAYED IN September in Manchester. Ac-
curate dates and complete accounts can
be had by writing 20 the Sporting Life
After saying all this my kind informant
gave me a smile. which indicated that
he believed he had parted with valuable
information and was apparently very
proud Of the data he had stored in his
mental warehouse and OF which / was
now sharing the benefit, that I concluded
that here was my opportunity 10 make an
escape The ordeal was too trying even
for an athletic American. and hastily
put my hand in pocket, pulled out shill-
ing, handed II to bobby. said Thank you"
as politely as possible and hurried away
at. seemingly sixty -mile-an-hour gait. 1
remember land at this late day often
imagine hearing bobby saying Thank you,
sir'D, but / had no time to acknowledge
the gratitude or even to take a farewell
look at the dear old chap. Finding my
self getting a little warm and noticing
the electric sign "Frescatls," I went in
side and ordered a nerve bracer or two.
I learned before the evening was past
that there were no bowling alleys in
London. nor in Great Britain. People
who had not Deen in America never heard
OF a regulation bowling alley, or the
game OF tenpins or duckpins. Such a game
was entirely unknown to them. Old
fashioned skittle beds were the nearest
to an indoor alley. and these had almost
grown extinct.
bowling alleys were the principal
thought of the writer. Why were there
none in England or the European contin-
ent? Could Il be possible that with bowl
ing alleys and the game so prominent In
America and Canada no one has ever
the introduction in Europe?
UnsuecessfuI In Paris.
learned later that unsuccessful at
tempts had been made in Paris A place
near the Rue de st. Petersburg had two
so-called American bowling alleys in the
basement They were about twenty-five
Balls, pins. cutters. ball returns. &c,
were Of very primitive nature. in fact,
any name except bowling alleys might
have been more suited. The price charged
At this place is franc GO cents) person.
There are no bowling alleys in Germany
or any of the other European countries.
In Switzerland and Germany there exist,
and has done so for a century, old-fash
oned "Kegelbahnen," similar to those
Dne might find I'm the basement of old
German Turnvereins in the United States.
The alleys or games have no standard
regulation and are any size from thirty
10 100 feet in length, and from three to
sight feet in width, with black strip OF
wood about two feet in width down the
,enter OF the bed The principal objects Is
10 keep the Eall from rolling on this
strip OF black, and II II does roll OF. then
he ball Is counted poodle" (fouD. The
balls, are very heavy, badly kept and
have no finger holes. Pins are any size.
whichever the local builder makes them, |
md no two are alike. The games played |
fary, sometimes eight pins and large !
center pin called '-koenig'' are used and !
sometimes an attempt at cooked hat Is !
played. No effort at organization, ex- !
,ept local kegsl clubs. has ever been I
made. Nevertheless. the Germans and I
swiss are very fond OF their "kegel."
Ind when they are once familiar with the (
POINTS OF a real game OF tenpins or I
luck, they beceme ardent enthusiasts |
md devotees OF the game
Game VIII BE Popular.
Bowling alleys, having once been in /
reduced in Etlrore are destined 10 be-