From 1905 to about 1912, Henry L. Haupt ran one of Spokane’s most popular entertainment venues, The Pfister Bowling and Billiards, a place where a man could get a cigar, a cold beer and a game of pool. Haupt organized statewide and regional bowling tournaments, which led to the founding of the Spokane-based Western Bowling Congress. It was a man’s game, but Haupt advertised almost every day in the newspaper that ladies were welcome. The Pfister produced champion bowling teams and with 16 tables, it was the largest billiard room in Spokane. Despite its popularity, Haupt’s other schemes caused The Pfister to struggle. On the side, Haupt ran Montana Mining, Loan and Investment Co., a penny-stock company that promised a dividend only if a winning stock certificate number came up in a monthly drawing. He was convicted of running a de facto lottery in 1905 and sentenced to pay a fine and serve six months in prison in Montana.