The Washington times., 1934-01-01
ONCE SECOND
|NA.B.C.A ALL
EVENTS

LvLVIU !
This is the tenth of the "Duck-
pin Makers" series, biographical
sketches of outstanding figures
in the ducEpin game. The nert
IN the series t0iu appear Wed
neSdGy.
By GINO SINH
When the bowling gods heard
that Francis KrauSS had a baby
that Harry Francis KrauSS had
baby brother and that he was a
southpaw they were overjoyed.
1--WE have endowed Harry
with every element and char
acteristic to make him the peer
among right-handed bOwlerS,
and now we shall make AlOnZO
Herman his left-handed counter
part.
So saying, each one mumbled
few mystic words, and presto,
Alonzo Herman was destined to
southpaW himself to fame and, in
a very modest way, to fortune on
the gliStening maplewayS.
However, when the gods mum
bled their mysterious words, they
forgot to include a consuming
ambition to establish his eminence
among his fellows.
"Lonnie," as he Is everywhere
known, had everything that made
a great bowler, an effective hook
delivery, an imperturbable tenn
permanent and plenty of intestinal
fortitude. Yes, he had everything
but the desire to become a great
bowler.
Now and then he got down to
serious business. For instance, in
the American Bowling Congress
tenpin tournament held in Chi
cago a few years prior to the
World War, L,onnie placed second
for the all-events crown, and he
and Eddie McKnew drew down
third money in the doubles,
thanks mainly to Lonnie's splen-
did tenpin toppling.
Leads Pennant Win
A season or so later Lonnie
was a member of Pop" Halley's
Welsbach team in the National
Capital League, and, according
to "Pop," it was through the
left-handed Krauss' consistent
duckpin mauling that his team
won the pennant that year.
But it was rarely, indeed, that
the tall, somber southpaw un'
leashed the full power Of his
game. However, when it was
necessary, he turned it on in huge
gobs. In fact, he can still do it.
He has bowled in every one of the
past five southpaw tournaments,
and has never failed to win his
entry fee back.
He might have been the great
est "forkhanded" tenpin and
duckpin bowler of Washington If
it wasn't for his Indifference.
The stori1 br, Ight Alonzo Her
man to the KrausSes on March 3,
1886, while they were living in
H-rtford, Conn. They moved to
Washington when Lonnie was
hardly a year old. He attended
grammar school and then became
q butcher with Georgetown firm
when around 16. He played quite
q bit of sandlot baseball, at first
base, and was rated highly.
However, he preferred TO- chop
tenpins to chopping meat, and a
couple years later became floor
man at his brother Harry's Palace
alleys.
During the war he Joined the
Navy and made II trips across the
ocean on transports. Shortly after
the war his enlistment period ex-
pired and he was offered a pro-
motion if he would sign again.
Wouldn't Be Admiral
He is reputed to have said, in
characteristic style:
'T wouldn't sign again, if you
made me an admiral"
He got back his job at the Pal
ace alleys, but Pop HALEY
brought him to Sherman'S Royal
plant as assistant manager. and
when that place was demolished
to make way for the Times Herald
Building, he became manager of
Petworth and little later shifted
to the managership of the Coli
scum. For the past two years he
has been in charge at Columbia.
He was married while still in, the
Navy and has one daughter.
Lonnie as a manager of bowl
ing alleys is best known for the
interest he has taken in fostering
the duckpin game among women
bowlerS. He has haa the Wash
ington Ladies League, once the
city's and country'S topnotch
duckpin circuit, at his alleys al
most since it started.
Tenpin League Star
I,onnie was one of the stars in
the old Colonial Ten Pin League.
AS far as duckpins are concerned
he has bowled in the District,
National Capital and Masonic
Leagues. He led the National
Capital League in averages one
year. He rolled on the Belmonts
the year they won the w. C. D.
"A. team crown and contributed
to the JedS' District record 500
game rolled in 1914, which stood
up for several years.
Few committees are named to
promote various tournaments and
special events, nowadays, on which
Ionnie is not a conspicuous
figure. Though he dresses in the
-IAov.ax1 hI1aS nf on 1InHArto ot<ar