July 1908

Bowling Comes to Whitehorse

The sport of bowling rolled into Whitehorse in a big way in July 1908. The alleys were located in a new annex of the North Star Athletic Association building on the north side of Main street between Third and Fourth Avenue.

The first game was played on July 1st. between councilman Robert Lowe and Star editor E.J. White, Lowe won and was then challenged by Yukon Governor Henderson, Lowe won again and was, according to the STAR's front page story, "very much inflated over his two victories."

The alleys remained open until long after midnight, as did the bar.

The ladies of the town were immediately offered free use of the club Wednesdays and this proved so popular that the offer was quickly extended to Friday "afternoons." Afternoons were considered to be "as soon as lunch dishes are washed and continuing until 6 ..."

Star editor "Stroller" White joked that the ladies didn't keep score of their games but "played by the half-day," during which time the pin-setters had plenty of time for leisure discussion.

Teams were quickly formed and tournaments held with Skagway every second week, the participants traveling by train between what the STAR called "the wind-swept burg of the Skagwayans," and the "rapids city."

After the games dancing was indulged in until nearly 3 o'clock, the full band being in attendance.

The quintet of Mesdames White (wife of editor "Stroller" White), Armstrong, Edwards, McRae, and Barranger soon made their presence known by consistently beating the Skagway women and various local "Hubby," "Grass Widower" and "Mossgrown Bachelor" teams playing against them in Whitehorse.

"The `Suffragette' movement at the bowling alley Monday night was a Waterloo to those arrayed against it," moaned the Star after one such male defeat, "to the ladies went the honor of having both the highest scores and highest averages."

Not bad for a team that could only practice "after the lunch dishes are washed and until 6."