South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-11-06
LEADING INDOOR
SPORT HAS SEEN
GREAT PROGRESS
Surprising Amount of Capital
is Invested in Bowling Game
Throughout United States
Old PaStime of Nobility.

NEW YORK, Nov. 6.-Few persons,
even among the devotees Of the
game. have any clear idea of the
enormous strides made By the game
OF bowling in the last few years. both
IN the amount OF capital invested in
bowling equipment. in the number Of
persons actively engaged in the sport
and in the well merited popularity it
has come to enjoy with the public
in general.
Since the birth OF che game at
which time it was little more than
crude pastime INDUCED in by few
country gentlemen. many changes
have been made in the playing rules,
in the implements used and in the
scoring methods employed. Origin
ally played in the open on the greens.
or level grass plots, with half-round
balls, IL was much affected by the
nobility and was so played by the
early Dutch settlers of this country.
First Alleys in 1874.
The first enclosed alleys in this
country were built in New York along
in 1874. and from this time can be
dated the gradual Improvement in the
sport. For some years there were no
established rules for the conduct Of
the game, nor in the equipment used;
the length and width of the beds de-
pending entirely on the space avail
able, and the weight and size OF the
balls on the within of the participant.
AS the game grew in popularity inn
prOvements were made and intro
duced in the sport and public alleys
were opened in different localities.
For many years, however. one pair Of
ed the average equipment of an es
tablishment. These were sometimes
built OF wood planks laid fat and
nailed TO crOsspieces, sometimes of
cement or stone; the balls were re
turned on the beds, the runway being
a feature Of later years The balls
were made OF wood, sometimes weigh
ing as much as "a pounds.
Now Organized Sport.
The game has passed through many
vicissitudes and it is only in the last
g few years that it has witnessed a
settled place in recognized sports,
with almost perfect equipment by
authorized legislative bodies.
Today bowling establishments Of
16. "a or even IS alleys are common
throughout the country, deliberately
equipped with expensive comforts and
materials, representing an outlay Of
InOQSbuQS or dollars. Exact uSQTeS
are not available as to the total
amount Of money invested in bowling
alleys and supplies. but that 1t
reaches well over the 500, 100000
mark Is a conservative estimate.
Acres of forest are used every year in
providing material for alley beds, pins
and balls, whose value runs into mil
lions Thousands of skilled workmen
and special expensive machinery are
employed 10 turn this timber into the
perfected articles we see I'm use every
day IN such plants.
King of Indoor Sports.
From crude pastime INDUCED in
by a few of the leisure class in the
time OF Shakespeare, il has grown to
be recognized as the king of indoor
sports, patronized by all classes of
people. Hardly a town or hamlet in
the United States but has it's bowling
hall equipped with latest and best OF
alleys. balls and pins OF standard con-
structiOn where the game is played
under universal authoritative rules.
How many alleys are there in the
United States? There are no figures
10 show. but IT runs into thousands.
In Brooklyn alone last year there
were issued 545 licenses for from two
to 20 alleys. How many bOwlers?
Again there are no accurate figures.
IN Greater New York there are over
% 200 followers Of the sport.