The Washington times., 1923-02-10

II guess the holes in these balls
are too small" complained the
rookie.
A tenpin veteran guffawed.
Nothing the matter with those
balls, sonny" he laughed. i've
seen many a newcomer to the game
get worse thumbs than yours.
saw a fellow who was a fairly good
tenpin' bowler shoot until not only
the skin but a lot of his thumb
came off. 1t was at the old Palace"
Then the veteran told the story
of POilus.
well, the crowd from Phila.
delphia called on a youngster named
Johnny Stevens to bowl the Greek, !"
continued the old timer.
CHOSE florists had a lot OF pep.
The Boosting Of the big Greek
over his bowling ability started
something. One of the Phila-
deIphia gang stuck q wad on
young Stevens.
1.-THE crowd from Cleveland
backed Poilus strong. The Phila-
delphia bunch got behind young
Stevens loyalty.
Stevens was what is known as
pie alley bowler. Put pie alley
bowler on alleys he knows and he'll
bowl a million. On strange alleys
he's likely to be rotten.
well, Stevens was rotten. The
Greek won ten straight games, He
needed only three more to win the
match.
"Then some queer fireworks
started. The big Greek had been
planting the ball in the pocket with
resounding crashes. He had speed,
that big boy. He rolled the ball
with all his might.
''But every time he turned
loose d ball, his thumb rubbed.
First it turned q bit red. Then
the skin broke. Then blood
dripped. Then the Greek got irri.
tated.
"By the time the tenth game was
over, the Greek was in agony. The
sweat stood out on his forehead.
That guys thumb hurt like thun-
der.
Finally it got his goat right.
Gentlemen he announced at
last, I gotta quit. Look! My
thumb It is busted! win enough
games already. He can't beat"
But the chap who bet on Stew
ems couldn't see 1t that way. He
insisted on seeing the thing through.
'Poilus' thumb was in bad shape.
It was raw. Someone got q bottle
of collodiom It was poured on the
stuff was put on that toucny
thumb.
"The match was continued. Stew
ems began to win. The Greek was
getting weaker and weaker. His
thumb got worse. The match was
stopped again to fix up the thumb.
This time adhesive tape was
wrapped around it.
''They kept on, Stevens winning
game after game. Then POiIus
got peeved because the tape inter
fered with his bowling. He
yanIxed it off viciously. Wow! 1t
must have hurt!
"Again he wanted to quit. Moth
ing stirring. The Philadelphia guy,
seeing his bet won If things contin-
ued. yelped louder than before.
"The Philadelphia crowd was with
him too. In fact, both sides were
roofing wildly.
"It was getting late. But that
didn't matter to the crowd. 1t did
matter to the Palace manager, for the
place was supposed to be closed at
midnight Frequent chickering's with
Poilus' thumb had wasted lot Of
time.
"At fifteen minutes past twelve
the manager announced that he'd
have to close. But he was almost
mobbed. That match would have to
be finished.
1.-THE front door of the place was
locked to shut in the racket.
''Then another funny thing hap
pened. The big hacker Of the Greek,
seeing Poilus all but helpless. in
sisted on calling it off. Nobody would
listen to his argument.
But darned if that guy didn't
threaten to have the manager ar
rested for keeping open after hours.
"Poilus lost, in spite Of his ten
game lead.
"But-that guys thumb-Whoopee!
Boy. your thumb is in the pink of
| condition"