Evening star., 1940-01-28
Old Guard Will Join
With New in Event
In His Honor
Wootton Young Boosts
Prize Fund Of Handicap
Test With 500 Gift

The old guard OF Washington
bowlers next Sunday will join with
the city's present-day crop of duck
pinners to pay honor to Harry K.
(Hap) Burtner, manager Of Con-
vention Hall, when a handicap
sweepstakes named for him is in
augurated at the hall.
And to help in making the affair
q real tribute to the former star
whose name is prominent in Wash
ington bowling history, Wootton E.
Young, president of the Convention
Hall Co., will sweeten the kitty with
500 from his own jeens.
Over two decades burtner enjoyed
unusual success as a team bowler
and won his share of blue ribbons
In special events. 1t wasn't long
after Hap began a brilliant bowling
career that his leadership played
a vital part in the winning of many
team championships.
About the time Glenn Wolsten-
holme was getting in his first licks
on the head-pin, when his dad was
manager of the Ingram Memorial
Church drives nearly 80 years ago,
Burtner also was learning the game
at the Y. NJ G. A. The Eiker boys,
John and Earl were the big shots
at the "Y" when Hap rolled his first
team match with the Navajos.
Quickly Reaches Stardom.
He moved fast along the road to
stardom. In 1914 he Joined the
Garrisons in the District League.
His teammates were such early top
notchers as Red Crowley. Bitty
King, Huber seltzer and Charley
Lord.
Few teams of that time had a
chance against the immortal Royals,
whose home drives were in the back
of Frank Sherman's billiard parlor
on H street. The combination of
Harry Krauss, Harry B. HALEY,
Skinny Carroll, Earl Lewis and
Harry Stanford ruled the roost,
much to the displeasure of Johnny
Vaeth, manager Of the Grand Gen.
tral drives, over the old Center
Market.
But with Burtner in his lineup
along with Wolstenholme. Johnny
Welsh, John Harville, Vaeth watched
his Grand Centrals ride to cham
pionship in 1918. The following year
the Grand Centrals copped the
Glass A team title in the Wash
ington City Duckpin Association
tournament.
When Vaeth moved to the Recrea-
ton in 1920, his teammates moved
up to the Rathskeller at Eighth and
E streets, then rendezous for the
city's leading bowlers.
Rathskellers Mop Up.
The season OF 1922 witnessed
the Rathskellers cleaning up in both
the District League and the city
tournament. When the Rathskeller
drives made way for Lansburgh's, S,
Burtner and his pals found the well
come hand of Bill Wood awaiting
them at the King Pin (now Colum-
bia). The 40-alley plant was by
far the most pretentious in the city.
Also rising to fame about that
time were Red Megaw and Howard
Campbell, two of Woods assistants.
Burtner, Harville and Welsh joined
this crack duo.
With the passing Of the famous
Royals, who had won seven District
League titles in 10 years, two other
potent outfits sprang into existence
Johnny Pappas' Curb Cafe and
Stanford Paper Co. While the King
Primers failed to land a District
League championship, their ability
to reach their peak in city tourna-
ments was uncanny. They won
three titles in four years.
When John S. Blick turned Con-
vention Hall into a bowling alley,
Burtner purchased stock and was
made a member of the Board of Di-
rectors. The 50-alley plans was
opened in 1925 but Burtner remained
a member of the King Pins until the
following year. For the next two
seasons he led Convention Hall
teams to District League pennants.
He retired from the game IN 1880
after a bowling venture IN Roa-
noke, Va, until this season when he
was appointed manager of Conven-
ton Hall.
Starred With Campbell.
With Campbell, Burtner shared
the class A doubles title in the 1925
city tournament. Their record
score of 1853 stood for five years un-
til George Honey and Max Rosen-
berg shot 1888. His first city tourna-
ment title came in 1919 when he
rolled 1886 in class A singles.
His highest game of 1873 was rolled
at the Rathskeller in 1921. Accord
ing to the quiet-mannered Con-
vention Hall manager, a newspaper
piece at the time stated it was
rolled in the National Capital
League. Only recently Joe Di Misa
of the Master BARRIERS shot 1873 at
the Lucky Strike which was thought
to be the first time the huge score
had been rolled in the city's second
Oldest loop.
The forthcoming 10-game affair
will be rolled in two 5-game blocks.
The first round will start at 3 in
the afternoon. The final five games
are scheduled at 8 pm. Bowlers
will receive a two-third difference
between their highest league aver
age and 128 scratch. Entrance fee
will be $3.50. Top prize will be
$50.