ELMER SNYDER

Elmer Snyder, a native of Pennsylvania, started working at the tender age of 13 as a pretzel twister. He also was a pinsetter at the local YMCA where he started learning the game of tenpins.

At the age of 18, Elmer went to work in the mines. He pursued this effort for seven years until he was injured. He did recover, however, and bowled in several leagues in his hometown area.

Elmer came to Washington, D.C., in 1950 and worked as a cabinetmaker at the Pentagon. After 15 years there, he transferred to the Smithsonian Institute, from where he retired several years later after an unsuccessful encounter with a power saw.

Upon his arrival in the Washington, D.C., area, Elmer joined the Mixed Travel league at Lucky Strike Lanes. He later joined the Classic Division Traveling League (Maryland Division) and became its first president. He also was president of the Washington All Star League at Greenbelt, Md. He has bowled in and assisted with management of tenpin leagues in Frederick, Rockville, Bel Air, Timonium and Glen Burnie.

Elmer has bowled in several of the association tournaments and has participated in 10 ABC tournaments. He also has bowled in the Southeastern Bowling Congress Tournament.

He was elected a director of the Washington City Tenpin Bowling Association in 1960. He progressed to fifth vice president in 1964 and was elected president in 1969.

Elmer has served the bowling community in a very commendable manner for the many years he has been in this area, and thus a special spot has been reserved for him in the Nation's Capital Area Bowling Association Hall of Fame.