Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-27
FINAL FIVE GAMES
POISON TO LEADERS
Elicit, Burtner, MegaW and
Brad Have Been Victims
of Sudden ReverSaIS.
BY r. ID. THOMAS.

~ RADLEY MANDLEY, off to a
X great start in the Campbell
IL Sweepstakes, looks with
confidence to the second
set, to be rolled next Saturday
night at Convention Hall, but after
that
"They ought to call the last five
games of this tournament the
Suicide Set" says the Cornell
ace.
In hearty agreement with
Mandley are Perez Elicit, Red
Megaw and Harry K. BURNER.
1t was the final skirmish of the orig
inal Campbell event, in 1927, that
marked the finish of Elicit as a star of
the first rank. For several years up to
that time he was one OF WaShington's
five best boWlerS.
Perez opened the '27 tournament
with sparkling 6l0. He followed with
brilliant 638 that put him far in front
OF all others excepting Glen Weidman
who trailed by IL pins. 1t appeared
that only Weidman stood between Elicit
and triumph. But Perez finished we'll
out OF the money.
He couldn't control his hook on ex-
ceptionally fast drives, and the result
was a score of sos, which was lot pins
short Of his first set and 135 shy of the
second. 1t was the most pronounced
reversal of form witnessed up to that
time in major duckpin event. Whether
it was responsible for Ellett's fadeout
is a question, for about then business
opportunity was coming his way and
bowling proves was losing its i'm
poItance. The fact remains, however,
that Perez has never been high
ranker since.
d ED MEGAW barely escaped Ellett's
N experience the following year
When Red rolled 653 as a starter
and backed 1t up with 621 the rest of
the field gave up thought of victory
and battled for the minor money. Me-
gaw won, right enough, but 1t was a
struggle. His final score was q paltry
$40. 1t was striking example of the
vagary of duckpinS. TO shoot $40 Red
was almost as accurate as when he
reeled off $50 and 621. He survived by
virtue of careful wood gathering.
In 1929 Hap Burtner almost dupli-
Gated Ellett's performance. Burtner
opened with GA and followed with 608,
which gave him a comfortable margin.
In Ellett'S case the drives were too slick.
BURNERS trouble lay in CLASSY runWays.
Uncertain footing threw him completely
off stride. and 1t was a struggle to get
500. He finished fifth.
This was ''Happys" swan song, or
dirge. He hasn't bOwled seriously since
Mandley himself was the next victim
of the Suicide set" With only one
game to go in last years sweepstakes
and not much of a s,ring needed to
put him on top, everything went scIewy
and Brad turned in an astonishing n.
He would have won with q wind up
game of no.
So Mandley with his opening set of
662 this time has little cause to re-
joice. The real test is yet to come.
This tournament is never won," says
he, until the last game is rolled. If
l were 100 sticks to the good after the
second set I wouldn't feel SAFE"
NHANDLEY undoubtedly is the great
w est duckpin bowler of recent years,
all things considered He has won
the District League championship and
the Campbsll Sweepstakes. the two out
standing fields of competition; finished
second in the national stakes and
otherwise distinguished himself. Twice
he has been honored with the No.
position in the rankings of the Wash
ington City Duckpin Association and
received similar national RECOGNITION