The Washington times., 1934-02-05
BY GINO SINH

aLIey lmpreSarlo, can attest 70
that.
He hates the darn weed ana
wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot
pole, but he has done right weN
in spite of it.
Bill gained his present emf
nence through devious jobs.
Born near the Navy Yard on
June 26. 1898, his idea Of q
successful career as a boy was
becoming a mechanic in the
Navy Yard, the dream Of all
Southeast youngsters.
He attended Business High
School for two years, selling news
papers to help defray his ex-
penses. Later he cycled around
town as a special delivery mes
senger.
Then he obtained a job in the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
Next he was employed by the
Washington Steel and Ordnance
Company, in the heat treating
department. making projectiles
and automobile parts, and worked
himself up to assistant foreman.
Becomes COnceSsi0naire
When the company went out
Of business, reSourceful Bill be-
came a concessionaire at Cabin
John Bridge, and then at Chevy
Chase Lake, where he met Meyer
Davis. Davis recognized his
ability and placed him in charge
of the Lake.
In 1928, Meyer Davis was
broached with the proposition
Of constructing a bowling estab-
liShment. He turned the mat
ter over to Bill, though Bill
knew next to nothing about the
game.
Undaunted, Wood investigated
the proposition, thought it profit.
able and the King Pin (now
Columbia) alleys came into exist
ence with 40 maple-ways, the
largest in the city at the time.
King Pin No. 2 was con-
structed two years later and in
1928, the largest establishment
in town today, Lucky Strike,
with So drives, was added to the
list.
A venture at Charlotte, N. c.,
went ker-flooey and Bill decided
that he would stick to Wash
ington.
A forward looking, wide.awake
person, Bill personally promoted
duckpins by not only backing
various tournaments and sweep
stakes, but by originating sew.
eral which are a permanent and
popular fixture on the yearly
duckpin calendar.
Forces Tourney on Circuit
He demonstrated his mettle
early in his bowling alley career.
when he organized the Capital
City Duckpin Association tournA-
ment, which forced the annual
washington City Duckpin EAsso-
citation tournament to swing over
a circuit of alleys instead Of re-
naming at one plant as it had
done up to then.
He personally conceived sew
eral major events, including the
Meyer Davis Sweepstakes for
girls, the Bill Wood Dub" Sweep
stakes, which once drew a field
Of 158, and the Star Xmas
Tournament.
Bill also was one Of the primo
hackers of the Howard Campbell
Sweepstakes, the District mems
classic, and had the honor Of
harboring the first United States
Sweepstakes at his Lucky Strike
plant.
He was also one of the spon-
sors of the Ladies' District
League, and has always been an
supporter of bowling
for women.
Another tournament he orig1.
mated was the Newspaper Tourna-
ment, which one year attracted
200 entries.
BOwled Only Two Seasons
Though Bill has been deeply
involved with bowling for over .
decade, he has only bowled with
two leagues in his life, and only
one season with each.
Around 1918, he bowled in the
Steel Plant League for a season
and averaged around 80, and sew.
eral years ago he finished out q
season with the Masonic League.
However" Bill boasts i'm
mOdestly, II can trim any sports
writer in the city"
Wood enjoys a round Of golf
once in a long while, though he
refuses to reveal his scores. He
is also an ardent baseball and
football fan.
Several years ago he took over
WILLOW Grove Amusement Park.
in Philadelphia, and he spends
lis summer travelling between that
and the local plants.
King Pin Greatest
The King Pin All-Stars Of 1928
was the greatest duckpin team
he has ever seen. He is con-
vinced that that aggregation In
It's prime could have taken the
measure of the Connecticut Blue
Ribbons
Wood recalls that Glenn VOL.
'tenholme reached the zenith Of
lis greatness while assistant man.
Gger at King Pin.