Evening star., 1934-12-06

curve, which struck the side of the
head pin, and SO kicked 1t inward onto
the remainder. Perhaps there were
as many strikes and spares that way
as any, but they no longer do 1t.
Maybe they don't make the alleys
true enough, or modern high indoor
temperatures have more Of q tendency
to warp them out of the perfect level
which is the intention.
Anyway, the speed ball has come
into Its own. and the English" may
still be there, but 1t does not function
until the ball hits the pins, when 1t
twists into 'em for all 1t Is worth.
Duckpins are universally popular.
not only because OF the chance for
display Of skill, but also for two
perfectly plain physical reasons.
In the first place. the ball Is small
enough to permit a good grip by
small hand.
Even the holes in the old-time ten
pin balls do not permit a slight per-
son, either man, woman, boy or girl,
to get decent grip. especially II
the bowler had a small hand.
In the second place, the weight
Of the duckpin ball Is just about right
for most persons. The small-handed
person, even a child, has a certain
mastery right from the start.
He does not feel lopsided, pulled
down to the ground. No wonder they
bowl the big ones from the floor.
The ball just drags the average
bowler down that way. to begin with.
and there is nothing else for him
TO do but let 'er slide.
1t is said that one Of the greatest
difficulties in these modern bowling
palaces" is to get enough boys" 10
set up the pins.
No mechanical device has ever been
invented to take the place OF the
human hand for this work.
Offhand it might seem strange that
there would be any trouble getting
enough men. No doubt the managers
have many explanations, and some Of
them may be right, but probably there
are two reasons seldom taken into
account. A pin boy" is, after all, a
human being, but we are willing to
bet that at times he doesn't seem
like one to himself leaping down,
leaping up, waiting for those hard
shots to slither by him at tremendous
speed. He may feel like mechanical
device, and maybe he doesn't like
it. Then there must not be any par
ticular fun in being on the receiving
end" Of those shots, so swiftly do
the balls come at one. Maybe II
some Of the bowlers took turn at
setting 'em up for day they would
see why it is not all pleasure.
The writer's personal recollection Of
duckpins goes back many years to a
seaside gallery, where they had both
duck and regular big pins side by
side on a two-alley course in the
basement Of big hotel. 1t really was
not a basement. OF course, since such
hotels are built on piles, but was
rather the beach floor
One bowled toward the ocean, whose
breeze swept in at windows at the
end of the alley. where small colored
boys-real ones-functioned at re-
placing the pins.
Failing miserably with tenpins. We
took up the duckpins. as better suited
to small hands. and were delighted at
the progress We made. until an ath-
letic young fellow with precious
mastery Of the speed ball came to
show us what dub We were. after all.
AS we recall, he bent very far to
the right, and slid the ball straight
down the middle of the alley for many
strikes. He was years ahead of the
game. so q modern bowling alley
would be no surprise to him.