Bowling Official Alberta Crowe Dies

An era in women’s bowling has ended with the death of Alberta E. Crowe, a founder and former five-term president of the Women’s International Bowling Congress. Mrs. Crowe, 74, died Wednesday at Community-General Hospital of leukemia, said August W. Karcher, spokesman for the Congress in Milwaukee.

Mrs. Crowe joined the group during its formative years and was named a national director in 1940. In 1960, she began a 21-year stint as its fourth president. She also served on the board for 42 years.

During her tenure, the Congress, which includes professional women bowlers as well as those who bowl in sanctioned leagues, grew from 1.5 million members to 4.2 million. “Mrs. Crowe was a moving force for women bowlers and particularly the WIBC,” current President Helen Baker of Cocoa Beach, Fla., said in a statement. “She had countless friends in the sport and will be missed by everyone.”

Mrs. Crowe also was past president of the National Bowling Congress. She had been inducted into the halls of fame of the Congress and the Syracuse and New York State bowling associations.

The Syracuse native began bowling as a teen-ager and met her future husband, Arthur (Pat) Crowe, in a bowling alley which he managed. He died in 1967.

The family asked that contributions be sent to the National Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Louis.