New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-03
HANDICAPS
FOR THE BOWLERS
H. J. Bergman Would Rate
Pin Men as 1t Is Done
in Other Sports.
PLANS TORUN TOURNEY
UNDER THIS SYSTEM
Proposed Innovation in Scoring
Makes Each Frame Conn.,
plete in Itself.

Henry J. Bergman. Of Philadelphia, who
has taken over the alleys used by the Ma
tional Bowling Association for its recent
championship fixture IN Atlantic city and
will hereafter conduct the establishment
as an academy, will'run off tournament
shortly under conditions entirely new TO
the world OF bowling.
Bergman is a firm believer in a handi-
cap system in tenpins. He would have all
districts issue handicap lists and the ma
tional organization do similarly much the
same as is done in golf The matter OF
handicaps came nearly being adopted by
the New York Bowling Association sew
eral years ago. when pr. Stratford +.
Corbett. then president, was setting
things upside down with his ideas.
II was shown that often bowler would
run high in one series and fall far below
It the next, so that even "A seasons aver
age would scarcely be true estimate.
The work Of figuring also would entail far
too great task. for there are not nearly
enough workers 10 carry out the greatly
needed reforms at present.
BE that as IT may, Bergman. besides
his handicapping ideas. also believes that
the scoring system Of the present day is
somewhat Anticipated. The advent of the
patented ball has tended 10 make the
scores rather high. and there is a CORE
spending Improvement in the other equip
ment.
He maintains IT is easier to get a string
Of strikes now than ii was ten years ago.
Therefore, Bergman plans 10 run off a
tournament on his Atlantic City alleys
wherein all competitors will be handi-
capped and all will also roll under the
new system of scoring.
Few more interesting ideas have been
brought forward I'm recent years than this
scoring system. II consists of having each
frame complete in itself instead of count
ing one or two balls in the succeeding
boxes. For instance, if a man began with
strike he would get 20 in the first frame.
Then if he bowled over eight pins In the
next inning and then made his spare, his
count would be 10 plus the number OF
/
or IS. Thus his total in the second frame
would be 80.
If il happened that he missed a single
pin spare in the third he would get all,
as at present. In case Of a split circum-
stances would alter the case. II 1t hap
pened that the 10, $40, 40, 40 or a.
IL combinations remained standing in
stead Of merely rolling ball TO get as
many of them as he might. he would be
entitled to new set up. In other words,
a split impossible TO make through skill
fu bowling would be considered dead.
/ On the other han if the pins remaining
standing could be removed of scientific
carroming the bowler should take his
chance on turning the problem into a
spare.
Under this idea a man who encountered
the 81 would have TO go for IT," and in
the event of sparing 1t would be credited
with 10 plus s. or Is.
TO carry out the illustration of scoring.
a man who began with a strike, then
spared. then missed single pin in the
third frame, spared a ST. split in the
fourth and struck out from there on would
obtain a score OF PAS according to the
present idea. Under the Bergman plan
his frames would be scored as follows
20, 3s. a.. 90. IS. los, 1875. las. 165. 49,.
The Bergman plan limits perfect
score to 200, instead Of 800, as at present,
but it may easily be seen whore man
who makes no marks at all under the old
plan would score exactly the same as In
the new system.
The Bergman idea unquestionably
places more value on spare bowling, a
consummation devouty to be wished
and, although it makes little difference