Evening star., 1932-02-17
B[|CK THINKS IDEA
IS BIT PREMATURE
Intercity League With Paid
Performers Predicted
by Promoter.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.
b1 FNHNOIo Z. . Ih.Ns
r VAVING encountered both
~ success and failure in his
bowling shows staged in

Il i UUWIlllS o1loWo oIo5SN AAA
the miniature stadium"
at Convention Hall, John S. Blick,
although steadfastly confident
that a pin stadium possesses
potentialitieS, is convinced that
bowling fans are not yet ready
for a steady, weekly diet of at
fractions on which a tax is levied.
Only star matches with an in
tercity flavor have drawn we'll,
and these, at this stage of the
game, are not only difficult to ar
range attractively, but still lack
something for perfect box Office
appeal.
A signal success marked the opening
of the stadium" when two OF Wash
ington's standout stars, Red MegaW
and Ollie Pacini, opposed Ray Barnes
and Ray Won Dreele of Baltimore i'll
doubles and singles. The grandstand
was we'll filled.
But the next show, involving quar-
tet of local bowlers, drew only 166 Gus
toners for both blocks, one in the after
noon and the other at night. Then a
girls match, involving local and Balti-
more maids, was attempted and this
drew only % Even the most recent
Offering bringing together Make RoSen-.
berg and Paul Harrison against Ray
Barnes and Wesley Askew Of Baltimore,
four of the games brightest stars, at
tracted only 146 for the double-header.
Promoter John Blick believes that
eventually a big intercity league with
paid performers will come to pass and
then a stadium will become necessity
and a paying proposition. but in the
meantime it will be somewhat OF task
to fill the grandstand with local or even
star intercity matches.
WHAT undoubtedly would have drawn
w a capacity crowd to the Conven-
ton Hall stadium" this week
would have been three-cornered
singles match between Ollie Pacini of
Washington. Ray Barnes of Baltimore
and Nick Tronsky of New Britain, Conn.
Tronsky is coming this way Friday.
where he will show his wares IN
HagerstoWn, Md, both on Friday and
Saturday.
Such match, bringing together the
Dixie Sweepstakes champion, the
United States Sweepstakes title holder
and the No. ranking bowler nationally
of last year ostensibly would be as at
tractive a match as could be arranged.
Gene Raney to appear at Hagerstown
both Friday and Saturday-F'riday
teamed win Bill Tato in doubles against
Pacini and Barnes, and Saturday in the
Cumberland Valley Sweepstakes.
Washington overlooked a good bet
to all appearances.
a THREE-CORNERED free-for all
"A down the home stretch is what
Columbia Heights League followers
are due to witness now. Surprised by
Crandall Realty Co.'S team last night,
the leading Swans team dropped all
three while Liondale Shirts won three
by forfeit from Aircraft and Cools
Drinks took pair frim Chaconas Mar
ket creating triple tie for first place
with 38 wins and % losses apiece.
The Columbia Heights League boasts
many expert boWlers-many insist it
has the National Capital loop skinned
and this -cornered battle for the
flag is certain to draw as much atten-
tion as any league race in the city.
ROWLING fans will have their eyes
- peeled on three special stake
events which will come off within
the next 10 days-the Cumberland VAL
ley, George Washington and Potomac
Sweepstakes. They may have. to a
degree, a bearing on the Washington
City Duckpin Association and even the
national rankings.
For instance Ray Barnes, Baltimore'S
great star, would be riding in a nice
spot for the No. l national ranking If
he followed up his victory in the United
States Stakes with a triumph in the
Cumberland Valley Stakes Saturday.
So would Nick Tronsky, probably the
greatest bowler in the country and one
of the best of all time.
Washington has two or three potential
No. l ranking men in Red MegaW, Astor
Clarke and possibly Ollie Pacini, and if
one of these should win he would be
about even with Barnes and Tronsky
for the season.
NEXT Mondays George washington
~ Sweepstakes, to be held at the
Lucky Strike, will have more of a
bearing on the local ranking than ma
tionally for the field will be almost
strictly Washingtonian.
1t will be real test, patterned after
the Dixie. Eastern and United States
Stakes. Fifteen games will be rolled,
in the morning, 5 in the afternoon
and at night.
Bill Wood. promoting the event, ex-
poets around so or 60 entrants. The
entry fee of SIS lower than for other
major stakes, will, thinks the Lucky
Strike manager. appeal not only to the
star but also the near-star. Also the
popular policy of awarding prizes for
the high games and set of each block
will be carried out.
The Potomac Stakes, scheduled for
February 81 at Northeast Temple, will
bear the least importance mainly be-
cause it is only a fiVe-game test-not
really long enough to be taken seriously