Evening star., 1925-02-18

When compared with the 1900
five-man team entries announced last
Sunday for the International tenpn
tourney to be held in Buffalo next
month, squads from only 10 or a
dozen cities make a small crowd in
deed. However, when it is considered
that duckpin rolling has no national
governing body similar to the Amer
lean Bowling Congress. and that
nearly every community has it's IA
vorite style of maple, the bringing
together of 40 or so teams from wide
ly separated centerS would be a
worthy accomplishment and a definite
forward step in the Standardization
of the game
Bowlers who use the rubber band
ed pins, shorter drives, smaller balls
and the numerous other variations
that are found in different sections
do not make ready converts to the
plain wooden pin and the style of
ball employed in the District, Balti-
more and the neighboring territory,
but the honor of participating in a
national event may greatly offset the
influence of local tradition and preju-
dice. Then. too. Washington's posi-
tion as the Capital City also might
serve as a drawing card.
At any rate, "a sduckpin tourney
featuring bowlers from New York.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well
as from the nearer cities of Balti-
more. Roanoke and Martinsburg,
would certainly be an attractive prop
osition, and Earl Stocking has prom
ises that If the event can be ar
ranged each will send one or more
teams to compete with the pinspillers
OF Washington. Frederick, Hagers-
town, Annapolis. Hyattsville and
Alexandria all have made definite in
dication of desire to come into the
fold and are willing to do their part
toward boosting the proposition once
the initial move is made.
All these promises of support are
fair indications that the starting of
sectional and national duckpin COM
petition would be a welcome move.
Furthermore, it seems to be the one
way to bring about a gradual stand
ardizing of the sport, which has been
tried before with small success and
can be brought about only by a slow
process of evolution. But it can be
done, and the possibilities of ma
tional tournament next Winter are
not to be overlooked.
The preliminaries already are un-
der way. Putting the affair across
will require the undivided interest
and support of District bowlers and
a bit of hard work on the part of
some one. That some one, in all proba-
bility, will be the president of the
Washington City Duckpin Associ-
alton.
baltimore King, Pins have post
poned indefinitely their match with
the Capital City Stars scheduled for
March and IA, for the same reasons
that the meeting with the Curb Cafe
team, set for February IA and 21,
was cancelled. Ed RommePs depar-
ture for Connie Mack's training camp
and the illness of another star per-
former has disorganized the team
somewhat and makes it likely that
matches with the Baltimore five are
over for the Winter. However, some
thing interesting in the way of inter-
city matches may develop out of the
negotiations being conducted be-
tween Roanoke and Washington
teams.
High scores rolled during the pres
ent season have been the cause of
the Washington Duckpin Associa-
tion's raising the average for class A
bowlerS in its annual tournament that
opens on the Coliseum drives April
u. Last year season averages of 101
admitted one to the top class, but be-
cause of the general improvement
noted over last years averages bowl
ers must be shooting 103 or more to
make the grade. Fractions not count
ing, class B includes SO to 102 bowl
ers and class C those under SO.