New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-07
BOWLERS Line UP
in STRUGGLE TO
CONTROL Game
Followers of Sport Are
Facing Big Business
Interests.
N. B. A. TOURNAMENT
THE BATTLE GROUND
Members of Atlantic Coast Asso.
citation Oppose Holding Of
Local Competitions.


War 10 the knife in bowling, with
the bowlers themselves on one side and
the business interests, powerfully
backed. on the other. That is the pres.
ent situation in the game OF tenpins
with which the National Bowling Asso.
citation governors have 70 deal at thel,
meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon a,
the Hotel Imperial. The meeting is
omen To all those who wish 10 attend
Martial spirit has been aroused
through two comparatively recent Dc.
velopments: First, the organization o.
the Atlantic Coast Bowling Association
and its subtle opposition 70 the Nationil
Bowling Association, although the CLAIM
is that it is not an opposing body; and,
second, the opposition Of some OK the
local alley owners TO the national tour.
nament, scheduled to begin March q
, in the Grand Central Palace.
Ii may be said with authority tina.
politics is playing a big part in this
fight, with bowlers and business inter.
ests opposed. The Eastern Alley Own
ers' Association held a meeting Thuu.
day afternoon, attended by John J.
Doyan, of Boston, Atlantic Coast secre-
tary, and the majority of those present,
even after having tacitly promised 70
get in line, stubbornly resolved 70 mel
Their support nor attempt TO hurt the
national tournament.
Last fall william '. Thompson, q
representative of a Chicago manufaet-
uring firm, visited Philadelphia and
other cities in an attempt TO foster the
Atlantic Coast Bowling Association.
Thompson was long way from home,
and it is supposed that he was there BY
design, TO try to do something against
the National Bowling Association. This
attitude was popularity attributed 70
him. He could show no reason for the
formation Of the new association.
First the duck and candle pin in.
terests were brought into line. Tbs
National Duck and Candle Pin Asso.
citation of Boston abandoned Its
tournament in favor Of one 70 be
fostered by the new association.
Philadelphia has been approached 70
get into it and this week local
branch was organized there headed b.
Thomas G.. Jones. Michael j. Costa
was one OF the supporters. Costa by
the way. is disgruntled because the
y. b. A. would not officially adopt
alleys smaller than they have been
for many years, an act the new asso-
citation has already performed.
II is understood that the new asso-
citation has powerful business backing
and that several New York alley own
ers have been approached regarding =.
William Cordes, founder or the \.
b. A., already is registered IN me
new association and has been me
leader in opposition TO the y. b. n
tournament his year.
William Kirk, of Wilmington, Del'
former president of the n. Is. A., Is
one of the most earnest opponents OF
the new scheme. In letter 10 Jones
and f. c. Johnson, director, prior
10 the organization meeting, Kirk SAID
in part as follows;
"if one-half of the labor, expense,
and cooperation which have ATTENDED
the efforts of the prime movers ia
organizing the Atlantic Coast BOWL
inc Association had been applied TO me
yortbv interests Of the national assoc
citation. bowling would be booming N
the East in spite Of general business
depression. ~,
your new association WEI
in no degree be superior TO the men
who bowl, and of these the Nauohs'
Bowling Association has always had Us
share of the best, and the leaders IN
its different city units, while you must
begin eight years behind and with no
assurance that you will make less er'
rors than did the y. b. A. in working
| out YOUR purposes and solving your
/ problems either of construction or con-
/ troll.
NXo,,r :, osv assoclatIOu taN-
not be more honestly managed nor
/ stand more firmly for the paramount
rights of the bowler himself than has
| the National Bowling Association, nor
can you be more independent Of control
| by the commercial side OF the game
! both alley owner and alley BUILDER
! than has the \. b. A.
Indeed, this honest independence OF
! the ~ B. A. is-as you Will ma "
your regret later-the underlying ana
real cause for the elaborate and e1'
tended efforts to organize an assocls'
ton covering only the territory ID
which the n. b. A. has jurlsdictlon-s
territory in which there is no need Tor
| the Atlantic Coast or any bowling as
sociation other than the y. B. A.
"The East has had bitter experience
| of the domination of the West IN Us
bowling affairs. and OF the brose1
promises which have been a part OF
that period Of the history OF the game
rot so very far in the past that we can
forget; yet you would seek to promots,
an association the very orlglnators o.
which have come out of the West WIZ
( this new proposition, so cunnIngV
framed. so adroitly aimed at the "a
tionsl Bowling Association that tne
zeal purpose is hidden even from suea
fairmipded men as yourself and you,
fellow organizers in Philadelphia o.
| this needless association.
II feel it my duty TO give you IN esh.
dor and fairness this plain statement
of truth regarding the situationL,S
statement which can neither be trGth'
fully denied nor successfully COMBAT
ed. Very truly yours, ..,n,,y
WILLIAM KIRK