Evening star., 1959-11-19
BOWLING
WITH ROD THOMAS

Edward H. ed Blakeney,
for years one Of the leading
duckpin bowlers In the country
died in Sibiey Hospital yester-
day morning Of lukemia. He
was So.
Blakeney's heyday was in q
period extending from 1882 to
1s45 when seven times he was
ranked among the games first
10, twice a. high IS fifth. He
came to Washington in 1880
from Baltimore, which he rep
resented many times in inter-
city matches.
He retired from bowling last
season because Of q heart at
tack and thus for the first time
missed the National Duckpin
Congress championships. Only
he and Nick Tronslxy Of New
Britain. Conn. had participated
every year in . tournament
inaugurated In 1928.
Blakeney's last team was
Coca Cola in the Metropolitan
Circuit League, and another
famous member Of that team,
Tony Santini, long associated
with Blakeney, today termed
him "one Of the greatest clutch
bowlers of all time"
&A
Santini recalled the season of
1883 when the Cun 6s San
TIM team won the champion
ship Of the District Major
League, at . time when there
was no limit in averages in
forming Q lineup.
"Blakeney rolled anchor, "
Santini said, "and although he
was not our high average man
TONY was), he was responsible
more than any Of US, I believe,
for winning the championship.
He pulled game after game out
of the fire with marks in the
last box.
Ed turned in one of the
finest duckpin performances I
ever saw when he and I rolled
against Bub Guethler and Fred
Murphy in q special match at
the old Queenpin on Eighth
street Sc. In the first game,
Ed shot a measly 100. Then
he put together games Of 1s0
and l8l for the two biggest I
ever saw BOWED in succession.
In them he made 10 consecutive
marks. ..
"At the time of the United
States Classic of 1871, Ed was
short so I staked him to the
$50 entry fee on a sharing
basis II he hit the payoff. Going
into the final set Ed seemed
TO be out of the running. But
he said, Tony, have q feeling
I'm going to save your money.
He did. He relied 72S and came
within 20 pins of catching
Harry Peters, the winner"
This reporter and many
others who knew Blakeney over
the years concurs with Santini
when he says, Ed Blakeney
not only was one Of the finest
duckpin bowlers Of all time,
but one of the finest characters
in the game"
A similar tribute was paid
Blakeney by George w. HUI
guely, jr., Of Galliher 6C
Huguely, Inc. the lumber Arm
with which Blakeney was as
Sociated for the last II years.
Blakeney, who lived at 4207
Thirty-eighth street NV, is
survived by his wife, Helen;
three daughters, Mrs. Ann
Thurston Of Hartford, Conn,
and Helen and Margaret Blak-
eney Of the home address; five
grandchildren, three sisters and
one brother.
Prayers will be said at 1880
am. tomorrow at Chevy Chase
Funeral Home and requiem
mass will be said at 11:l5 at st.
Gabriel's Church. Burial will be
In Parklawn Cemetery.
- q
AS II in honor Of the memory
Of his friend Blakeney. Santini
last night fred his first 400
Of the season, q AL with Coca
Cola at Queenstown Bowl which
contained games of 144, 120 and
ISL. He was the evenings best
in the Metropolitan Circuit,
with Larry Burdette OF Van
Horn Plumbers next at 4Ie fol-
lowed by Joe Pricci of Pizza
Bucket, 16l-406.
Shutouts were scored by
Cameo Appliances, Foley Ford