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Show GAINS IN FAVOR RAPIDLY. BOWLING PROMISES TO BECOME THE GREAT NATIONAL WINTER SPORT. For some lime devotees of bowling have claimed their particular branch as the National winter sport, and now that the entry list for the next National championship Is out, they seem to have good grounds for their claims. Between 500 and 700 players will take part in the tournament at Cleveland next month, and It is extremely doubtful If any other branch of winter sport would attract at-tract nearly as many entries from a territory covering thoiiEands of miles. Properly classified, boiling is both a sport and a pastime. Under the latter head can be Included thousands of players who roll merely for exercise, but are not Identified with the competitive competi-tive side of the game, and If these are taken Into consideration the sport must certainly be awarded the honor claimed for It from a numerical standpoint. The sporting end of the game is found in leagueind tournament competition, and it is from this standpoint It must be Judged when comparing It with other vyinter sports. Like even other game, bowling has gone through a period of Inflation, and many men and women who were enthusiastic for a season or two have turned to other amusements. Despite this fact, It is evident capable players have multiplied' In all of the bowling centers, and at the present time there are more expert players than can be found In any branch of winter sport. Since the game was taken from the basements and put on the upper floors, there has been a steady advance In the quality of the- piny. Chicago set a good example In the first tournament of the American Bowling congress, and Buffalo Buf-falo followed with a bigger one, which was quite eclipsed by the splendid gathering ga-thering at Indianapolis. Cleveland will excel them all, and It is up to the bowlers bowl-ers to see that this progressive ratio Is maintained. Intermural strife has threatened the sport for two years, and it Is to be hoped that at tho coming meeting of the congress the warring elements ele-ments will bury the hatchet and work together in advancing the sport which provides enjoyment to hundreds of thousands of players during the long winter months. i |