South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-04
PIN MEET STARTS
At GRAND RAPIDS
Fewer Clubs Are Represented
in Bowling Tourney, But
Prize Money Is There.

Associated Press Service:
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, March
Eighty leading business men of
Grand Rapids faced new pins on
brand new alleys in the Coliseum
building in this city shortly after
o'clock tonight, their appearance
mar'Sing the opening of the 18th
annual tournament Of the Ameri-
can bowling congress. Brief
speeches by George Curry, presi-
dent of the Grand Rapids Bowling
Association Tournament Co, and
officials OF the national body were
made and then the business men
were allowed to attack the ten-pin
army.
Conditions for a successful bowl
ing meet were never brighter. ac-
cording TO the men in charge of the
affair. While the tournament is
second in size 10 those which have
gone before, the difference is only
three percent in the prize money,
a fractional falling off that Will not
be noticed by those who get slices
of the melon that is TO be cut
month hence.
A count of the entries for this
tournament shows that there are
ia fives, 1884 doubles and 5000
singles The losses from the pre-
vious high water marks are heav-
lest in the five-men combinations,
where there are AZ fewer clubs
represented. There are SO fewer
doubles and 10 fewer singles, but
the total loss in prize money is only
S1,176.
To compensate for the loss in
size the meet shows the greatest
number OF cities represented in the
history of the competition for the
national titles. There are 40 more
visiting teams than rolled at To-
ledo's 1915 meet and nearly every
one OF the travelling combinations is
figured as a possible bidder for the
title and capital prize. The so
home eiuns that are missing are
usually figures as complimentary
entries.
The four champions. whose
crowns are about TO topple if the
usual custom of congress tourna-
ments is followed are the Commo-
dOre Barrys of Chicago, who up
set all A. B. c. form by repeating
their victory of 1915 with a team
score of 1905 at Toledo: Henry
Marine and Sykes Thoma of Chi
cagO, who won the doubles with
1879; Sam Schliman of Toronto,
who won the singles championship,
after tieing at SIS in the regular
competition with Frank Shaw OF
Chicago and Ben Huesman OF Gin
cinnat; and Sykes Thoma. who add
ed to his doubles laurels by taking
the all-eyents honors with a total
of 1919.
Records set since the American
Bowling congress started its tourna-
ments IS years ago are as follows:
Five-men teams-Flor de Knis-
pels, St. Paul, SOO6, made at Toledo
in 1913.
Doubles-Al and Tony Schwoege-
Ter. Madison, Wis, 1904. made at
Pittsburgh in 1909.
Singles-Wallace II. Pierce of
Pueblo, Colo, III, made at Peoria
in 1915.
All-events-Ed Hermann of Gin
cinnati, 1872. made at Toledo in
1913.
The political pot Of the congress
will boil next week with the main
fight centered on the choice of the
next tournament city. The two
most prominent candidates thus far
are Peoria and Cincinnati. Peoria
held a tournament in 1915 that
proved successful in every way,
while il is 10 years since Cincin-
natl entertained the bowlers. Buff
falO is a third party to the con-
test and John Smith, vice presi-
dent Of the congress. has lined up
all Of the eastern delegates for that
city, Pittsburgh ard western New
York showing considerable strength
this year in voting power.
No contests are expected for the
leading Offices. William Agnew.
Cleveland, is figured as certain of
reelection as president. a. L.
Langtry of Milwaukee. secretary,
and Frank l. Pasdeloup Of Chicago.
treasurer were elected for terms Of
10 years each last year. There
probably will be some minor con-
tests for the twenty places on the
executive committee.
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