Evening star., 1941-01-04
Clarke Leads Stronq
Contingent Tonight
In U. 5. Open Test
Irene Polling, Douglas
Way Smack Heodpin
In YuIetide Event
BY ROD THOMAS.

TIDE Duckpn Handicap reveals NJ
outstanding bowler with a majol
prize in prospect, but a happier
result may be expected tonigh
when a score of aces represent tn,
Capital in the United States Oper
in Baltimore
An indication of Washington.
strength in the money classic was
given last night when the Del Rit
team, sponsored by Herb Sachs
| scored a sweep in teams, doubles anc
singles, over the famed Connecticut
Blue Ribbons in a brilliant series
at the Lucky Strike.
Among the victims was the de-
Tending champion of the national
young Steve Dyack Of Willimantic
Conn, who set an all-time 15-game
record of 2,116 to triumph last year
al Waterbury. although wearily
finishing his turn at am.
In the Lucky Strike skirmishing
Dyack bowed in singles to Hokie
Smith, sensation of The Stars 1895
tournament with a record 5-game
!
failed with many other experts
to qualify this time for the roll-off
Smith tailed 673 TO Dyack's 628.
Clarke at Peak Again.
Hokie, however, was not the bright
star of the evening. nor the one the
field of 70 will regard most when
the shooting begins tonight. This
will be Astor Clarke, five straight
years the top-ranking duckpinner of
the land and three times winner of
the United States Open. He alone
has won the latter twice. That
Clarke is primed for fourth
triumph was shown last night when
for 10 games, rolled in teams and
doubles, he averaged one stick more
than Dyack did at Waterbury, to
Wit. 141-2.
Astors tremendous performance
followed closely upon his tradi-
tional flop in The Star tournament
a bonanza for the buffers with score
bulging handicaps.
The United States open and The
Stars event are tops for the coun-
try in different ways. One presents
the richest purse, the other the big
geSt entry but with better chance
for any contestant to collect To-
night the Nations stars will fire for
a top prize of $1,000. First place in
The Star tournament will pay 500,
a gold medal and trophy-high
score at each alley will gain a trophy.
No Risk to Yule Bowlers.
Between these outstanding maple
parties is another vast difference
In The Star tournament there is
no entry fee. In the United States
Open each contestant planks on the
line so frogskins. The events have
one thing strictly in common-both
are tough to win To quote Hokie
Smith: That Star tournament is
easy enough for the dub and tough
enough for the best. For a victory
against odds I'll take The Star
tournament over the United States
Open"
With Clarke leading the way with
$50. the Del Rios whipped the Blue
Ribbons, 3,16l to 5000. The duck
pin king came back with TAB in the
doubles with Tony Santini to whack
Joe Gacek and Harry Peters, 1.4O4
to 1907. The Washington pair were
eight pins short OF the national
doubles record held by Nova Ham,
llton and Winfield Guerke of Balti-
more, who, by the way, are tied for
the No. 8 United States ranking.
Peters, making his first appear
ance here as Blue Ribbons, pinch
hitting for the great Nick Tronsky,
was the invaders ace in the team
match with 652. Nick will be on the
firing line in Baltimore.
Among the newcomers to the
United States Open is Elvin Shank,
the horseshoe pitcher who this
season has moved rapidly into the
front rank of tournament boWlers.
He holds the single-game record
for The Stars event with 1856.
incidentally, in the Mount Rainier
League, Shank has rolled six "40Os"
for an all-time league mark.
Harry WOodfield Cheers.
Shank's showing as duckp:nner
Is a peculiar delight to Harry Wood
field, promotional director of the
National Capital Horseshoe Pitchers
Association who also is the chief
statistician of The Star tournament.
So far he seems to have turned in
the best job in the history of the
event in that capacity, considering
among other things the record field.
Some new names appear today
among the tournament leaders,
principally that of Irene Polling of
the Treasury No l team of the
Ladies' Federal League who fired
46-3e9 at the Arcadia to take over
fourth place. In that niche she
supplanted another Arcadia patron,
Gilmore Nugent, and reached for
the Arcadia womens trophy.
At Convention Hall is hailed a
new mems leader in Douglas E.
Way of the Lumber and Millwork
League with 70-706. Vic Haydel
of the G. A. o. Mixed League at
the Hall shot one of the big games
of the tournament, ITS, which, how
ever, won't land him prize.
Other new alley leaders are Al
Tanner, Arcadia, with 60-687 and
NJ. Rose in the women's competition
at the King Pin with 54-358.
Published standings of the tourna-