Evening star., 1940-11-12
Qualification Round
Is Slated for Week
OF December 9
National Mark Of More
Than II, 900 Set Lost
Yeor to Be Topped
By ROD THOMAS.

Many QOH KNOW IL, DuI I'LL VIC
men and women who make up
Washington's organized army of
bowlers, probably the largest in the
country in proportion to population,
are about to compete in q tourna-
ment.
1t will be the biggest duckpin
tournament ever held, this the 18th
annual Evening Star Yuletide
Handicap. dates for which were
named today with final arrange
ments to be made December at a
meeting of the Metropolitan Wash
ington Bowling Alley Operators As
sociation.
The qualifying set will be rolled
during the week Of December 8 and
the roll-off December 26 to 81.
Thousands are acquainted with
the setup of The Star tournament,
unique in the history of bowling,
but expected to be copied through
out the country in another season.
More than $4,000 competed in it
last year, setting an all-time ma
tional record for duckpin entries, but
the field this time will be consider
ably larger, what with an influx OF
new mapleites and the installation
OF many new alleys since last season
Dubs Have Real Chance.
For the recruits The Star tour
nament will be new and probably
pleasant experience. for it, more
than any other held, here or else
where, gives the mediocre performer
and the beginner a chance 10 share
in the awards, in this case probably
more than $1,000 in cash and a
couple of gold medals.
Every bowler who shoots league
set during the week of December
automatically will become a par
ticlpant in the tournament. Some
will roll two or even more league
matches in that period, but only the
first in each instance will count in
the tournament qualification test.
For every man with an average of
less than l28 there will be a handi-
cap. likewise every woman with an
average of less than 116, provided the
bowler has rolled IS or more league
games by December 7. The tourna-
ment will be open to non-Ieague
shooters, but they will fire from
scratch.
Owners May Boost Purse.
Twenty-Five per cent of the par
ticipants at each alley will qualify
for the roll-off, in which most of the
prize money will be split, with top
award for each sex being sl00 and
a gold medal Prizes will be sub
stantial and numerous.
Washington alley owners, noted
for their generosity. will play Santa
Claus along with The Star if the
plan of last years tournament is
adopted at the December meeting,
and there is every assurance it will
be Under this, the pin moguls added
to The Stars contribution of $500
a nickel from the bowling fee Of
every qualifier, and the jitneys piled
the prize fund to approximately
$1,000, sum that would be topped
this time.
The Star tournament is one of the
few on record with no entry fee.
The only cost to the participant is
the regular bowling fee paid for
league games in the qualification
test and the cost of strings in the
final, in which women shoot three
and men five.
EbersOle Praises Tourney.
Women will be given handicaps
up to 81 pins set in both qualitica-
ton round and final and men will
be limited to 54 in the prelim and 90
in the roll-off With so many
franked NAPLES. crack bowlers
usually carry off only a modest
share of the prize coin.
It's truly every mans and every
woman'S bowling tournament, To
quote Arville Ebersole, executive sec
retary of the National Duckpin Bowl
ing Congress: Its easily the out
standing duckpin attraction in the
country From it every participant
gains something for nothing, even
if it's only experience"
More details later.