The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-01-30

KNOCKING the plnS OUT from u0QeT
the Axis and bowling Hitler over
with production are more import
ant now than knocking down wood
en- pins in bowling alleys. Demands
Of war production have made scarce
many materials needed to produce
equipment for Americas favorite
games and sports.
50 WREN it's question Of OBJ
tanning critical materials for war
goods or for sports equipment, war
goods come first. That goes for
bowling, billiards and pool, bad
minton, ping-pong archery, and
other sports.
The more than ~ million bow
1ers who roll their strikes and
spares in the five thousand bowling
ADJUSTMENTS in the United States
each year are better of than ice
skaters, who won't see any new
skates for the duration. They are
less fortunate than billiard players,
who don't give their equipment so
much wear and tear and hence need
fewer requirements.
Strong AS Ever
So far In this Wharf.-The biggest Of
all wars the game has weathered
during its 102-year history in the
United States bowling has been
going strong as ever. But there'll
be some changes made.
Eventually all the balls will be
wooden ones. Some animated wood
balls are aready on the market.
Paste bowling balls are out, unless
new plastic Of soTne-non- critical
material as carein or lignin can be
found for the purpose. Experiments
to. this end have been conducted
for . number Of years, and Q sample
ball Is now being tested at the
National Bureau Of Standards. ~ N,
Whistler the million and more new
pins manufactured every year can
continue to be made IS uncertain
Pins call for extremely welI-season-
ed maple, Of even better grade than
Is required for alleys. the same high
quality now needed for lasts for
Army shoes.
Shortage Of pin boys has already
entered the picture. Most able
bodied young men-and pin setting
requires q certain amount Of agil-
ity-are either in the armed serv-
Ices, or about to enter. working In
war plants, or about to do war work.
The day Of girl pin-setterS- natty
uniforms, Of course-may be just
around the corner.
Bowlers will see no new pin-sek-
ting machines for the duration. but
iron and steel may be obtained for
repair and maintenance Of old
equipment.
Alley upkeep is bound to present
new problems. Most bowling alleys
take lot Of shellacking-
" and literally. The alnokint Of re-
finishing required varies, Of course,
with the wear to which an alley Is
subjected. The space behind the
foul line Of well-kApt alley Is
shellacked every 10 days, and the
entire alley gets about six coats each
year.
But shellac, the isaeal coating for
bowling alleys, Is now needed in
huge quantities for essential war
equipment-for planes, tanks, and
guns. There jusE isn't enough for
bowling alleys. A possible solution
might be for maintenance men to
use . special wax. This. If APP
piled frequently enough, would pre-
serve the sheklac now on the alleys.
Few Rev Alleys
New alleys will not be built at
the same rate-about four thousand
year-f& formerly. Though the
necessary maple and pine might be
available Buildings to house new
alleys gEre not.
Bowling shoes remain unaffected
by WPB prohibitions and restric-
tons Of styles. colors, and use Of
leakhers and fabrics for footwear.
Use e rubber, however, is prohibit
ed. Leather and fabric are still
available for bowling bags.
For ping-pong players there still !
are balls, paddles, and tables. The
balls are now being made of low
grade celluloid. The material that
used to 90 into high-grade celluloid
balls Is going into gunpowder. Pad
0kSS S8s&1G WAtkkVos EuSoS4 4@SSos = -
playwOod can no longer be used Tor
ping@pong tables.
Badminton players win ind nets
and rackets as before. Shuttlecocks,
too. are skili on the market. Scrap
cork. unnseahie for military ptir-
poses, Is readily available for man.
llfaefiving the bases. Kid Is no
longer available to cover the bases.
but sheepskin makes Q thoroughly
satisfactory substitute. Supply OF
gooss feathers for ahutElecocks Is
also ample for this season.
War production a not having
much eject on pool and Billiards
either. Not much new equipment Is
being made. but what there is, is
being kept 70 good shape. eervicing
involves largely rellnIshlng of tables,
xeit q the low grade required for
this purpose & readily available.
AFcssnTy AfReote8
TIsegeu Be plenty g eliooilng-
with BOW and egEoNE~on the hons
front during this war. No lack q
weed fnE hoNa and arrows Il In sight.
NeF h0WN there arc 0Haae Grange
ard sew. ndt normally required fof
military purposes. Birch. though II
aIeaI demand Ger war Fooaa viii Be