By Mark R. Kerr
BOWLING: BEER-BELLIED guys and polyester-clad gals decked out in clown shoes and smoking, drinking and sucking down greasy food.
The Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) wants to change that image through its Championship Tournament, which begins this week in Tucson and runs through June 12. The tournament has a strictly enforced--some say Puritanical--dress code, and rules prohibiting eating, drinking, smoking and gum chewing on the lanes. The idea is to showcase the sport as wholesome and family oriented.
The championships are the largest participatory sporting event for women in the world, with more than 42,000 bowlers from across the U.S. and eight foreign countries converging on Tucson. It's run by volunteers and costs the taxpayer nothing. More than $1 million in prize money is at stake.
But some local bowlers have mixed opinions about all the official wholesomeness:
Joy Lanning, bowling in her third tournament, says all the rules are archaic and confusing. "You even need permission to go to the bathroom. The WIBC is 50 years behind the men's organization."
And when it comes to the dress code, she recalls at the last tournament she competed in, Orange County in 1986, "The officials stated the split skirt I was wearing, which came to the top of my knee, wasn't suitable attire. My teammates were allowed to bowl in their mini skirts, but I had to put on blue jeans!"
Nancy Killian isn't participating because of the restrictions. "They state you can't drink anything, smoke, chew gum or suck on a damn piece of candy!" Killian gripes. "How does any of that interfere with bowling? If they offered a squad for smokers, I'd reconsider."
Renee Schlitz, WIBC communications director, says the dress code is imposed by the local committee, and the rules against food and drink apply to the bowling area only and are designed simply to keep the tournament on schedule.
"With on average of 665 bowlers competing daily, five squads at each house for a total of 16 hours, a schedule is necessary," Schlitz says, adding bowlers with a medical condition like diabetes will be allowed to eat--with proper notification and documentation, of course.
But there are signs the restrictions are becoming slightly more liberal as the years go by. Phyllis Eagar, local publicity chair, says, "Bowlers can't smoke, but they can eat candy, and there will be bottled water for them on the concourse." Marilyn Hensley, Tucson Women's Bowling Association president, notes split skirts are considered suitable attire these days.
This is the 76th championship tournament. The first took place in 1916 at Washington Recreation Parlor in St. Louis, with 40 bowlers. The games were suspended during World Wars I and II.
The WIBC Championship Tournament consists of three separate "satellite" events:
Championships: 42,000 bowlers compete in singles, doubles and team events (9 games). The balls start rolling at 7:30 a.m. daily March 30 through June 12.
Senior Championship: Bowlers 55 years and older compete here. Qualifying for this event begins May 15 and 16 starting at 9:30 a.m., with match-play finals on May 16 following the qualifying.
Queens: Bowlers with a 180 average or better compete in a double-elimination tournament. The winner gets a big check and a tiara. But, alas, no song from Bert Parks. Qualifying starts at 8 a.m., May 14 and 15. Match play begins at 9 a.m. May 16 and 10:30 a.m. on May 17. The finals begin at 7 p.m. on May 18.
The singles, doubles and queens events take place at Golden Pin Lanes. The team and senior events are at Brunswick Camino Seco. The lanes owners, according to publicity chair Eagar, spent a total of $400,000 on remodeling for the event.
WIBC research predicts the tournament will bring an estimated $25 million to the local economy.
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