Show Smith Gives Out Oit Dope op On o Upkeep of f Alleys More Money Invested in Bowling Game Than Thanin in Any Sport Says World Champion ChampI Champ Champ- ion Bowler I By JIMMY SMITH Worlds World's Greatest Bowler I am going to tell my readers about the cost of the game of bowling bowling bowl bowl- ing both from the bowlers bowler's vIewpoint viewpoint viewpoint view vIew- point and that of the man in the business There is a great deal more in this subject than many suspect and some of at the facts will willbe willbe be surprising Unlike most sports bowlers are absolutely dependent upon the man manIn manin In ins the business for their enjoyment arid participation atlon in the game A group of bowlers would find it a most difficult matter to operate a pair or more of alleys themselves Not only is the original investment I somewhat prohibitive but the daily dally outlay required to keep alleys and accessory facilities in tip condition condition condition condi condi- tion is considerable in both money and time and requires expert ex experience experience ex- ex and knowledge The inside pages of an alley owners owner's owners owner's own own- I I ers er's diary reveal an altogether dif different different dif dif- I ferent story from what patrons I dlf-I of or orI the game and the general public I see Nowadays many seem to think that having furnished the equIpment equipment equip equIp- ment mont and opened his doors the al alley alley alley al- al I ley owner has nothing to do but sit tight and wonder how to in inI invest invest in- in vest his receipts Bowlers know little about the I amount of time and money which IsI is spent sp t every avery day in getting his pet alleys aIlys re ready rendy dy for tho the next days day's use j j I nor the amount of thought and ca cave care e j which is devoted by the management manage manage- manage manage-j I ment in trying to increase his plea plea- j sure and liking for Jor the game and i these same pet alleys i I Man Ian Many of my readers somewhat at I unfamiliar with the cost of equipment equipment equip- equip ment will be surprised to learn that there is actually more money invested in bowling alleys alleys' in the United States than in any other form of athletics including baseball base base- ball I speak of actual cash investment investment invest invest- ment not franchise values which J are dependent upon certain certain- condi condi- I In New Now York City alone there are more than bowling academies with from four to twenty-four twenty al alleys alleys al- al r- r leys each costing without other othel equipment upwards of 1500 a pair the present cost Is 2200 or a total of over Multiply this sum by several thousand to inch include de I such cities as s Chicago Detroit Milwaukee Cleveland eland Toledo Buffalo I falo in fact every town city and andI hamlet ip in the country country- country and and you will willbe willbe I be astonished at the stupendous total Much of of- this growth has come in inthe inthe I the last decade and particularly I since the present day alley owner I has moved his academy from baseI basements basements base base- I ments in out of the way streets to higher levels on an Broadway and similar thoroughfares Along with 1 this growth has come great ad advances advances advances ad- ad vances in cost of or equipment up upI upkeep upkeep up- up I keep etc The cost of alleys is isI three times what it was twenty I years rears ears ago pins are four times more pin boys' boys salaries are four tour times more shellac is three times more modern requirements have Increased service and upkeep cost over three times balls are three times What they used to cost light has gone up immensely because the modern bowler demands a well we'll lighter cheerful alley rents have increased sed many times depending i upon location and so on through I the whole list II i Twenty years ago bowlers paid I 10 cents per game but now notI notwithstanding notwithstanding not not- I withstanding the fact that practically practically I cally everything needed to conduct conducta I a bowling business has increased I from three to four times and even more the bowler only pays pys twice the price of twenty years years' ago the average price today being 20 cents per game Consequently it is easily seen as most alley owners will tell you that his margin of profit is less s than a decade ago |