Blind Federal Judge Dedicates Alley
December 2, 1960 – The Alameda Times Star – This Day in Bowling History
WATERTOWN, Mass. (LTD — The graying, distinguished looking man took the familiar, quick steps of the bowler and sent his ball racing toward the pins at the end of the alley. His aim was not quite perfect and as he waited for the returning ball and a second shot, he fingered a special electronic device at the alley’s edge.
BLIND FOR 32 YEARS
It was much more than just another bowling game. The man was Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice William E. Powers who has been totally blind for 32 years. Most of his audience’last night could no more see Powers than he could see the candlepins. They were the sightless youngsters of the Perkins School for the Blind. The crash of the pins told the story for them. Blind Justice Powers had successfully dedicated their new, specially equipped bowling alley and opened up another field of activity for the sightless.
With the help of an electronic device called “Bowlaide.” Judge Powers knew exactly where the
pins had fallen. The little box translates the action of the 10 pins into Braille. The bowler knows which pins are still standing and can keep score for himself.
VALUES WORTH WHILE
The alleys will permit the Perkins students to practice without aid from sighted friends. An improvement in their scoring will improve their confidence. “When we go to outside alleys now we won’t feel so strange,” one explained.
“It takes longer to be an effective blind bowler than a seeing bowler, but we feel the values are well-worth it,” said Perkins Principal Benjamin Smith.