Evening star., 1932-01-12


tor in a 15-year struggle to
standardize duckpinS.
While Washington bowlers revel
in high-scoring spree the like OF
which has been witnessed only
once before in the history OF the
game, the man responsible for 1T
enjoys a quiet chuckle.
1t was Lon Krauss, manager OF the
Columbia, who did simple repair Job
last Summer which led to general
raising of cutters and consequent
zooming Of scores this Winter.
BY the simple eXpedient OF nalllng
healthy bit Of lumber over damaged
niece. Alonzo fixed his gutter, but also
Lit upon a daring plan to increase buSi-
ness.
He raised all the Columbia cutters to
conform to the one repaired.
1T was taking a chance. There was
L no doubt the Swallowed cutters would
increase scores and that number OF
boWlers would be drawn to the Column
bia on that account. but would ma
iority sanction the move? Would the
COluUDld Dt Wy NAAe@
trickery? Would records made there
be disallowed?
I'm doing something that should
have been done with all duckpin alleys
years ago." averEed KrauSS.
Whatever misgivingS he may have
had we're quickly dissipated.. His job
hardly was finished wherf virtually
every bowling proprietor in Washing
ton followed suit.
But a complication developed. Some
cutters were raised more than others:
Uniformity was destroyed ana with II
a fair comparison Of scores. Equal
scores did not constitute equal merit.
In many instances, they don't now.
DACK in 1916, the Atlantic Coast
ID Bowling Association tried to
standardize duckpins, but the con-
troversies of those days involved size
of pins and balls. For years the s.
inch ball had been considered regula-
ton and scores took big jump when
somebody introduced "a Inch sphere,
even as they have risen sharply with
the present Swallowed cutters.
The A. C. B. A, which was short
lived, attempted to unity bowlers OF
washington and Baltimore with those
of New England, where a 4l2-inch ball
was used. The A. C. B. A. brought in
a compromise Az inch ball and also
decreased slightly the size Of the pin.
Scores shrlInk to the point where an
aVeraeg. of 100 was excellent. The
bowiers squawked so loud and often
that running pin plant was painful.
The war killed of the A. G. B. A. and
with it went the hated paraphernaha.
Back came the 5-inch ball, probably
for keeps and the pin was enlarged.
The National Duckpin Bowling Con-
grsss a few years ago made still an
other, but very slight, enlargement of
the stick. The last change in that dl-
rection. too, probably has been made.
TIE N. D. BIC. pin has found unani-
nous favor.
There is a possibility that duckpin
with a fiber band around the center
will come into vogue. Such stick,
the invention of a. Washington man,
has withstooE rigorous private test,
but has yet 10 be marketed. Dura-
biity is its s4aling point.
WITH theSsuestion of ball and pin
wv definitely settled-the drives early
were standardized--only the gutter
problem remains and Shortly it will be
dealt with and probably satisfactorily.
The National Duckpin Bowling Con-
gress, through its secretary, George 1se-
mann, will attempt to unity manufac-
turer and proprietor on this point.
And once again, as in the ball size
controversy, Washington and Baltimore
likely will compromise with New Eng
land, with smaller duckpin centers fall
ing in line. For several years, cutters IN
New England have been considerably
higher than those. in this section. OF
a consequence, the N. D. B. c. has seen
fit to classify records according to sec
tions.
Isemann has tried In vain to get the
larger bowling centers together on gut
ter uniformity. Washington wouldn't
raise its cutters TO meet New England
standards. The Northerners feared the
consequence Of q drop IN scores If they
lowered theirs and also they SHE'D at
expense
But Lonnie Krauss took matters into
his own hands and with every arc Of
his hammer he struck blow for the
advancement the game in which he in
cidentaIy, has ever been progressive