The Washington times., 1931-10-01
PLANTS RAISE
GUTTERS0F
DRIVES
By GINO SINH

BY GINO SINH
The National Pale Dry Juniors
record breaking feat in the Ma
tional Capital Duckpin League at
the Lucky Strike alleys is more
remarkable in that it is the first
bowling record made on duckpin
alleys in the District.
Hold on, don't purse up your
lips for a generous round Of up
per Manhattan cheers. We hasten
to explain.
Though the duckpin game has
been popular here for 25 years,
it Is only this year that Wishing
ton has duckpin drives.
AL this time local duckpinners
have been bowling duckpins on
tenpin alleys. This Is also true
Of the alleys in Baltimore, Rich
mond and in all the Central
South Atlantic region.
Built for DuckpinS
Only in New England, the land
Of Nick Tronsky, Archie Walsh
and Jack White, we're the alleys
built expressedly for the small
pin game.
Since the National Duckpin
Bowling Congress was organized,
George L. Isemann has been
working diligently to have all
duckpin equipment standardized.
Up North he has succeeded in
having standard duckpin balls and
pins accepted, but down South,
despite a vigorous campaign and
much earnest arguing he couldn't
make local bowling alley magnates
convert their tenpin alleys into
duckpin ones.
However. interSectional matches
between local and New England
teams soon convinced local top
notchers and their followers that
the Northern game was faster.
more colorful, and the real duck
pin game.
The only difference between a
eenpin and duckpin alley is in
the depth of the cutters flanSing
the pin-bed. Both games require
alleys Of the same width and
length, but alleys built for duck.
pins have cutters at the pin end
only 11a inches deep, besides they
are rounded and narrower. Ten
pin drives are cut three inches
deep alongside the pins, and the
cutters are squared.
This summer the majority OF
District bowling alley owners
stepped up their cutters to vari
Gus heights, though the increase
is by no means uniform through
out the city, the alleys are no
longer. tenpin alleys.
Raised Cutters
Bill Wood and John Blick,
major bowling alley bowlers IN
this city, were the leaders in this
direction. Many of the smaller
plants have followed suit.
AS to the amount the cutters
have been raised in each plant,
there is NO uniformity. Some
raised them one inch, and some
an inch and q half. Some in
staIling rounded cutters, others
kept the square edges.
By next year, it is expected all
cutters will be made uniform and
that the N. D. B. c. will officially
specify the proper measurements
as it has for balls and pins.
Isemann, the Daniel Boone CT
duckpins, deserves unstinted
credit and praise for this new
achievement. His eternal struggles
to standardize the game and its
equipment nationally, and his
eagerness to break new trails will
make duckpinS a national sport
in its own rights.
Unfortunately, the magnificent
scores, a 698 game and a 1856
set, rolled by Lewis Hopfenmaier's
glittering combination can only
be recognized as District records,
the New England or raised gutter
marks in these two departments
are a 721 game and 1890 set
rolled by the Charter Oak team
in South Manchester, Conn, on
April 10 last.
The Central-South Atlantic
records, necessary because of the
gutter differences, will go into
discard next year. and all records
will be grouped under one head
ing. Last nights scores:
NATL. PALE Dry JUDD & DETw'L.