The Washington times., 1934-03-19
BY GINO SINH


or thirty seasons Roy K. Whit
NOrd's shrill whistle has re-
echoed at least one night week
o. some bowling establishment,
hS q signal that a team-mate has
Registered a mark. That whistle
aEe as necessary to the duckpln
game as AL Schacht's when the
Griffmen play.
Roy never knew how he came
Be- emit that shrill blast, but his
teammates, and he has numbered
some Of the city's greatest stars
nS that group, look forward to
i whenever they strike or spare
eWhitford started out as a
GGhool teacher, but after two
years trying to cram the three
FRS" into pupils heads at the
Blake School he became a route
agent for a local daily and has
been at it ever since.
Though his name is listed
among the lesser lights IN duck
Sin record books, his contribu.
don to the game has been Of
lasting quality. He was one OF
the games greatest organizers and
from 1904, when he made his
Debut on the drives, until today
14ever a season has gone by but
he has been captain Of some
team. Some years he has had as
many as four teams under his
supervision.
Peer Of Scorers
He will also be remembered as
peer Of secretary-scorer for 10
years. He kept the National Capt.
Eal League statistics and minutes
IA ideal fashion.
V Royden Keith Whitford was
born near North Capitol and
Pierce Street, November 8, 1881.
lie attended Twining School, then
graduated from old Central. He
completed a teaching course at
Washington Normal in 1901.
While teaching school he also
assisted in collecting for a news
paper route. Finding the route
agent business more to his liking,
he gave, up teaching. in 1904. He
Is married and has one son.
Stamp collecting is one of his hob
hes. He also sings baritone in
his church choir.
He played intramural basketball
and also tennis at high school.
He kept up his interest in the
racquet sport for many years after
and had such standout players as
Spencer Gordon and Major Rob-
6rt Van Vliet as opponents.
Driven to Bowling
But because his work took up
uaost of his daylight time, he was
driven to bowling at night for
recreation.
He joined the "Y" in 1902,
and captained a couple of ten
pin teams there. Two years
later he organized the "Y. M.
c. A." duckpin team, one of the
first in the city, and kept it to-
gether for nearly 20 years.
He was one of the organizers
Of the National Capital League
and from 1910 until he insisted
on quitting in 1920, he was secre.
tary scorer of that circuit. His
'sY"' team won one pennant in
that league and was always near
the top in other seasons.
He also captained the "a. C.
M. Y" and Inglesides in the Ma
tional Capital, Grand Central in
the District League, the Ingle.
sides in the Arcade League, and
the Star team in the Commercial
League for years. He has been
president of the Commercial
League for the past three years
Whitford has bowled in every
w. c. D. A. tournament since
the beginning and twice won the
Glass B doubles, once with Henry
Gundersheimer and again with
Guy Crompton. He was also a
member of the Y. M. c. A. team
which won the Class A team title
ia 1911.
On Three Winners
a. During the 1884 season he
was member of three pennant
winners, the Y. M. c. A. in the
National Capital, Evening Star
in the Commercial, and the
Warriors in the Y. M. C. A.
League. His greatest year was
1917 when he averaged 105.O7
tor 78 games. George L. Ise-
mann replaced him for three
games that season.
Roy originated the dot" and
High and Low" tournament
which concluded the season for
the National Capital for many
years and is still the final event
on the Commercial League pro-
gram.
= Johnny Vaeth, whom he con.
siders the greatest bowler ever
IN Washington eyes, Pop" even
above Harry Krauss), made his
debut with Roy'S Grand Centrals.
Glenn WolStenholme also bowled
for him when coming into promi-
~nence. Johnny Baum is another
immortal who saw long service
under Whitford.