Carpet bowling a dying sport in the Eastern Townships

When Dick Tracy started playing carpet bowling in the 1950s, he had options.There were teams across Quebec'sEastern Townships, most of which competed against each other.

In the end, he chose to play with theWaterville, Que., partly because he had his eye on a lady on the team. That woman would eventually become his wife, and the two carpet bowled until her death, a couple years ago.

Now Tracy is part of an elite club of about 16 committed carpet bowlers who meet every Thursday in the Lennoxville United Church basement to throw ballscalled bowls while having some laughs with old friends. They're the only clubthat meets regularly, and though they do keep score, it's a shadow of the competitive league that once existed.

I know them, I have a good time with them, and I thoroughly enjoy their company.- Dick Tracy

The crowd at the church is undeniably elderly at least three attendees have been playing the sport together for over 50 years.

"I'll be honest with you, a lot, I have a problem of names. So half of them I can't give you the names of. But I know them, I have a good time with them, and I thoroughly enjoy their company," said Tracy.

Game originated in England

Carpet bowling is very similar to curling, but done on rugs rather than ice. Originating in Britain,scaled down variationof Indoor Bowls, making it playable in smaller halls. At its most basic, competitors roll a ball down a carpet towards a target called a jack and the team that gets a bowl closest to the jack wins the round.

What makes the sport unique, sayfans of the game, is its accessibility. Traditionally, competitors go onto their knees to roll the ball, but if that's too hard on an aging body, there's a broom-like stick they can use to propel the ball forward without having to bend over.

Tracy recalls a game where a 93-year-old grandfather competed against his seven-year-old grandson.

"They were both equal in ability," he said."And they both had a good time."

Sport dying in the Townships

Despite that, the president of the club, Judy Beland, worries it's a dying sport in the Townships.

"No matter how much we advertise, we can't attract anybody," she said.

This year's season began last Thursday, and Beland was optimistic about turnout. Everyone who played last year is back, but no new players came out.

"I think that more people are curling than they used to," said Frances Smith, who has also been playing since the 1950s. "It's hard to get the younger people because they're so involved in sports," she said.

The clubs meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Lennoxville United Church basement.