Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-04
PIN TUMBLERS' SET
TO INVADE RAPIDS
Peoria Looms Up at Probable
Location of Next American
Bowling Congress.
BUFFALO PUTS UP FIGHT

Grand Rapids, Mich, Feb. 3.-City
howlings associations all over the
country will hold their annual cleo
ton OF delegates to the American
Bowling congress, scheduled in this
city on March 9 and 10. tomorrow.
There are five more days left, but
most of the pin-knights are taking
advantage Of tomorrow being the last
Sunday available and are getting to-
gether their workers and planning
for the invasion OF the Furniture City.
Indications still point to 300 teams
~ entrants to the big national tour
nament, held in conjunction with the
congress annually, the skepticism of
the promoters who predicted only
about 700 clubs having finally broken
down before a terrific stream of en-
tries that poured in all last week. The
home town now looks as though It
will press Toledo's home entry OF 234
clubs pretty closely, count of the
local entries this morning showing
that over 100 clubs had already fur
nished their lineups to Secretary
Bicrce, the Grand Rapids promoter.
Secretary Abe Langtry Of the
American Bowling congress, who is
handling all of the outside entries,
wired here yesterday that he had more
entries in his hands now than he ever
had at "a similar period before. The
list will not close until February IA,
but he has over half Of the schedule
drafted already.
Peoria Looms Up.
Peoria is beginning to loom as the
next tournament city, although Buff
falo is said to have an ace up its
sleeve that will trump the final trick
1t the annual meeting. The Bisons
are drumming up entries from all over
northern New York and Langtry's re-
mark that the west will be the heavy
end of the entry list may prove in
correct.
Pittsburgh, which has finally come
back strong with an entry OF fifteen
teams, is backing Buffalo, while it is
rumored that President William Ag-
new OF Cleveland Is also more than
friendly to Buffalo's claims, chiefly
on account of its nearness TO his home
town. Cincinnati Is also lining up
strong for the campaign and will have
4 big entry, counting the Columbus
players who work with them along
political lines.
Hundred from Chi.
chieago's 100 teams will go down to
Grand Rapids uninstructed as to the
next tournament location, following
its custom for years, and its delegates
will be amepable to reason from all
OF the bidding cities. The Windy City
turned the 100 mark during the week
and the end Is not yet In sight. The
small town entry this year is bound
to be heavy, as the whole state OF
Michigan will enter clubs from its nu-
meseus hsmiets, while Wisconsin, IL
lipeis, Ohio and IndianaA its border
states, have been firing in entries
right along.
Work on laying the alleys will be
started the coming week and the six
teen drives will be rushed to COM
pletion In time for the big opening on
March 5. Hardly state, city or
national champion will be missing this
year, although Few Of them calculate
on repeating their title victories the
way the Com Barrys did last year
when they added the Toledo medals
to the ones won at Peoria, and the
way Larry Sutton did when he won
in 1912 at Chicago after the Roches-
ter man had beaten Fred Bruegge.
mann Of Sioux City in the .roll-of OF
the tie at Pittsburgh in 1902