The Washington times., 1933-12-18
By GINO SINH

AS long as the duckpin sport
lasts the name Of Howard Ed
mund Campbell will endure as
one of it's brightest figures.
Not only has he been great as
a bowler, but he has also done
promotorial work of lasting merit.
There is no denying that the
Howard Campbell Sweepstakes
which he conceived and first
staged in 1927, will always be a
model for ''big league" duckpin
tests. 1t has played a major role
in making Sweepstakes competl-
ton as popular as it is today.
) Campbell drew his first breath
on February 9, 1900, near Elev-
enth and M Sts. N. w. and has
never resided very far from that
spot in all of his SO years.
Forced to work for a living at
an early age, he nevertheless got
in two years Of high school work
at Business, taking bookkeeping
course. He wanted to become a
patent attorney and put in three
years as a clerk in Victor j.
Evans office.
Captures Imagination
But duckpins had captured his
imagination when he was only
13 years Of age, and he soon gave
up his sedentary position for a
Job as floor manager of the Rec
reation, working under both Joe
Swaggart and Johnny Vaeth.
When Meyer Davis went into
the bowling alley business, Bill
Wood, the man whom he selected
to put the scheme over for him,
grabbed Howard for his right
hand man. Campbell has man
aged all three of the Meyer
Davis plants, and has been in
charge at Lucky Strike since
it was opened in 1927. Efficient,
conscientious, genial. he is a
great favorite among duckpin
patrons.
Howard, a child prodigy, made
his league debut with the Cen
eral Baking team in the Com
mercial League at 13. He turned
an average for his first season
comparable with the best Of the
day.
He climbed into the spotlight
in 1921 when he won the w. c.
D. A. all-events and singles
titles. In the next years tourna-
ment he helped Temple to take
he team title. and the season
following firmly established him.
self among the top-notchers by
turning in second high averages
in the District League.
Finished in First 40"
For seven years thereafter he
always finished among. the first
10 and in 1923, was runner-up
% Jack Whalen, who was hav-
ing his finest year.
He won the w. c. D. A. singles
twice, beating out Irving Bill
,1eimer on a roll-off in 1880 for
he second one. He annexed the
doubles in 1925 with Hap Burt
Ter, and was on the King Pin
ream which won the team
aurels in 1926, 1928, and 1929.
The first National Duckpin
Bowling Congress tournament was
MS meat. Howard grabbed him
:;elf the all-event crown and his
l19 set boosted the King Pins to
he first national team title. The
next year he collected the national
;ingles crown, though he had to
win it twice, beating Whalen IN a
"oll-off. Both had rolled 43O.
Campbell is the first man in the
city to have held 100 average Tor
y season He set a worlds record
With a 121.17 pace in the National
Capital League in 1929-30. This
performance earned him No. city
:,anking and placed him third
nationally.
He organized and captained the
famous King Pin team of seven
years ago, which cleaned up all
opposition in intercity matches.
That team set a five-game mark
If 3,l16 which survived for over
five years. Howard contributed a
S36 set to that particular effort.
Wins in Singles
He attracted countrywide atten-
zion when he Swamped Johnny
Ruppel, of Baltimore; Phil Spl-
nella, of Brooklyn, and Archie
Walsh, of Boston. in a four
cornered singles match in 1927
Howard had 649.
Up to two years ago, Campbell
was an integral part Of every all
star team, and usually got the
singles assignment.
He has faced both Jack White
and Nick Tronsky, Connecticut's
sensations.
In the Sweepstakes he con-
ceived he finished second in 1928,
and third the next year.
Howard is married to a former
Georgetown girl. They have one
child. Another died tragically
last year. Campbell's people hail
from Lynchburg, Va. and are of
Scotch ancestry. In fact, Howard
even now receives letters from dis
tant relatives in Scotland. How
ever, Campbell is plenty liberal.
He believes that the duckpin
game Is strictly a sporting and
recreational proposition and that
the gambling element must be
eliminated.
Brad Mandley is his nomination
for the greatest bowler in the
game. He explains:
"He is the only man who il