Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-15
|DAN SMITH, A MEMBER OF BIJOU
TEAM, DEFENDS BOWLING RECORDS
Brockton Man, in Letter to Stars Bowling Editor,
Gives Conditions Under Which His Quint
Rolled Phenomenal Set of 2023
Short While Ago.

For the Past two months there has been
considerable comment and discussion here
relative to the work Of the Rijou and
Marston bowling teams in Brockton,
Mass. 1t has been claimed that the con-
ditions under which the phenomenal
scores. which were accredited to the
Bijou FIVE especially, were not the same
as those under which the games are play
ed here, and that some conditions pre-
vailed which allowed a greater number of
pins than ordinary to be knocked down.
Anent this discussion. Dan Smith. cor
respondent Of the Boston Globe in Brock
ton. who is member Of the Bijou team.
which recently rolled the game of 2,o23
writes to defend the records made by his
team and gives the measurements Of pins
alleys and other conditions governing the
game In Brockton. The letter is very in
teresting and Is printed verbatim below:
Brockton Mass, February 10
To the Bowling Editor Of The Star
Washington. D. c.
Dear Sir: Having read considerable
comment the past few months regarding
the style Of duckpins BOWED in Washing
ton and in Brockton have taken the
opportunity to attempt to give the Wash
ineton followers Of the sport an idea of
what the duckpfn game Is In B-Ockton
which means practically all Of New Enc
| land. for the game bow1ed in this city
is the same as is bowled in all other
cities In New England except for the
character of the allevs-that is. the sur
face. In Brockton and manv other duck
pin centers sandpapered alley is used
while in other places the alleys are pol
ished
AS member of the Bijou team. which
recentlv established two records. which
we c'airn are worlds records. I am nat
urally interested in the game. which 7
have followed since the fall of 1894, when
I was in high school
In the first place might as well make
II clear that while we believe we are en-
titled to worlds records. we do not CLAIM
that We can go on strange alleys and
make the same showing we have made
in this city. We claim. however. that
Brockton duckpin bowlers are the best
in New England. and we have proved ii
In the past Broctton teams have how1ed
AGAINST teams from Providence Taunton.
Attleboro and other duckrin centers, and
we have never been defeated. even win
ming from these teams on their own al
leys. We have even sent teams to Bos-
ton and won from the Boston bowlers on
their own alleys and against candlepins.
which style of game is not bowled here
at all.
In the series Of fifteen games recent,v
finished between the Biiou AMI Marston
teams. both of this city. the ten best men
in the city were selected. These ten men
have been bowling on the same alleys
steadily for more than q year. while most
of them had howled on the alleys for
three years prior But every man of the
ten knew every inch of the alleys. And
right here is the secret of the big scores.
We claim that these same ten men.
after bowling as long on the same alleys
| as we did on these. can make the same
scores. providing the alleys are as well
| taken care Of as the Biiou alleys.
We admit that our scores are not taken
| in Boston Let me cite an example of
| this. Last week Mr.. McOuestion. who
| is manager Of an alley in Nashua. N H.
and another bowler came to Boston and
| in the course of conversation with Bos-
| ton bow'ers mentioned the Brockton
| scores. The Nashua men were told that
the Brockton bowlers used bigger pins and
bigger balls than other alleys 1t so hap
mems that I am ACQUAINTED with Mr.. Nc
Question. who was bowling in the Merit
mack Valley League several wears ago
when ] lived in HaverhiIl. Mass
Mr. McQuestion and his friend decided
the alleys Themselves. and thew admitted
afterward that after talking with the Bos-
ton bowlers they expected to bowl zoo or
so. The two Nashua men rolled four
strings each. and neither could touch
the 400 mark After they had finished
| bowling they admitted that there was
nothing wrong with the Brockton alleys.
pins or balls. that it was the curve"
which did the business I might add that
al, the Brockton boWlers throw u curve
| ball.
All the Brockton alleys are regulation
as specified by the National Duck and Can
dlepin Congress. which has Jurisdiction
| over all New England. The entire equip
| ment Of the Bijou and other Brockton
| alleys will stand the test of the most ex-
pert investigation: In fact. the alley own
ers welcome any investigation as to al
| leys pins balls. etc.
game bowled here in New England is diff
ferent from that of Washington. We IN
derstand that in Washington you use
larger ball and larger pin than we do.
| You will be able to decide that after l
give you all the measurements.
| Our alleys are ~ feet long from foul
line to the head pin. and 3 feet from the
head pin to the pit. The regulations pro-
vide for width Of not less than ~
| inches nor more than AZ inches. As 1t Is
! impossible to get an exact width on all
alleys this regulation Is SO made The
Bijou alleys vary perhaps a quarter of
an inch In width. the average width be-
| ing about Ala inches.
| The cutters are 31s inches in width and
the pin spots are "a inches In diameter.
| The pins are IL inches apart-that Is.
from the center of one pin spot to the
| center of another. =
u
every pin is stamped with the seal OF the
National Duck and Candlepin Congress.
The bottom of the pin is 3-16 inches in
diameter. the belly 3 9-16 inches in d.
ameter and the top Ia inches in diameter.
| The ball. which is made of either wood
or hard rubber, is A.. inches in diameter
and weighs not more than = pounds 4
| ounces. These arc the limit regulations,
and measurements of the pins and balls
at the Bijou alleys show that both pins
and balls are somewhat smaller accord
| ing to wear. Constant use of the rubber
b II naturally wears 1t down considerably.
In front of each pit burner. and at least
inches from 1t. hangs curtain, against
which the pins fly when hit. This pre-
vents "fybacks." A "f1yback" on the
Brockton alleys is almost unknown
Once in a great while flying pin will
strike the woodwork Of the bunter In
such a way that 1t is forced back on the
alleys. but this IS seldom accomplished.
fiyback from the curtain is impossible
| In every one of the fifteen contests be-
tween the Biiou and Marston teams there
| was a referee at the foul line, a judge at
the pins and scorer for each team, each
scorer watching the other.