Pre ’49 General
Alfred ALLEY - Vic. *
Alfred was affectionately known as ‘the grand old man of bowls’ throughout Australia. As well as representing his state and country on 158 occasions it was his contribution as an administrator that gained him recognition.
In 1914 he was elected to the position of delegate to the Victorian Bowls Association, he was also a member of the executive of the VBA from 1921 to 1930, Vice President from 1930 to1938 and President 1938 to 1941.
He represented Victoria on the Australian Bowls Council for 27 years and was President of that Council from 1938 to 1947.
Alfred donated the Alley Shield for Perpetual Interstate Competition in 1959. It is still played for today at the Australian Sides event.
Alfred is a life member of the Victorian Bowling Association, Australian Bowling Council and was inducted in the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame in 2005.
John MONRO - Vic. *
John represented Victoria on 30 occasions but it was his administrative skills that made him known.
He became involved in state affairs and was elected as Hon Secretary of the Royal Victorian Bowls Association in 1943.
John was a noted historian and the author of many bowls books and articles, including ‘The Australian bowls encyclopaedia’ and the ‘The history of the Australian Bowling Council’.
“His name will live for ages as one of the greatest historians of all time,” Peter Hanlon, Bowls Victoria chief executive.
John was inducted into the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame in 1998.
John YOUNG - NSW. *
As a builder of the game of bowls he was the originator of the inter-state matches between NSW and Victoria, and one of the originators of the international matches. He was also involved with the forming of the Victorian Bowling Association and the English Bowling Association.
John was instrumental in establishing the fledgling NSW Bowling Association in 1880, holding the Presidency for almost 27 years from 1880 to 1907.
Led an Australian team to Britain in 1901 and played in India in 1891, Yokohama and Kobe in Japan, and at Kowloon opposite Hong Kong, Jersey City, Boston and Chicago in USA and at Toronto and Hamilton in Canada.
The NSW Bowls Hall of Fame is named in John’s honour.
Pre ’49 Athlete
Charles McNEILL - NSW. *
Joining the Hamilton Bowling Club in 1919, Charles became a committee-member in his first year. He won the club singles title for the first time in 1921 and for the eighteenth in 1964. In 1929 he was elected vice-president of the Newcastle District Bowling Association.
As a team-member, he was victorious in the district fours in 1924, 1926 and 1927, and the State fours in 1925. With Aubrey and Harold Murray and Thomas Kinder, he was one of a team known throughout Australia as the 'Big Four': they won the State title in 1936, 1939 and 1943, and represented Australia at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, winning a bronze medal. Charles also won the State pairs with Kinder in 1934, 1935 and 1938, and in 1954 (with C. Comins); he took the State Singles Championship in 1928, 1931 and 1944, and represented New South Wales more than one hundred times.
Following his win in the Australian Singles in 1955, the Hamilton Bowling Club - of which he was a member for fifty-five years - hosted a celebratory 'Victory Dance'. He became club patron and a life member in the 1950s, and was Champion of Champions twice in the 1960s. ‘
Charles’ name appears eighty-five times on his club's honour board. In 1973 he was awarded the British Empire medal.
His club named its number one green after him in 1976 and introduced the C. A. H. McNeill memorial two-life pairs tournament in 1993.
1950-74 General
W Jack SPEAR - Vic. *
Jack made his interstate debut in 1948, ultimately playing 100 tests for Victoria.
He was elected as a Councillor to Royal Victorian Bowls Association in 1951, assuming the role of Vice President from 1956 to 1960, before taking over the reigns as President from 1960 to 1962.
Jack was involved in administration at both state and national levels, including managing the Australia side during the 4th World Championships and visits to Japan in 1969 and 1971.
Was also a renowned writer and historian, co-authoring ‘In the groove’ and ‘Advanced bowling’.
Jack was inducted into the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame in 1999.
Keith WILSON - Vic. *
Keith was heavily involved in the sport, particularly at club and state level, as an administrator.
He was a delegate to the Royal Victorian Bowls Association for more than 30 years, serving as a Councillor for 14 years and as Chairman of the Umpires Committee from 1976 to 1983.
Keith was actively involved with the World Bowls at the City of Frankston in 1980 as Director and Umpires Chairman, and the Women’s World Bowls held at Reservoir in 1985.
Keith was the author of the book ‘Laws, duties and etiquette for markers’.
Inducted into the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame in 1999.
Naomi WOLINSKI - NSW. *
Naomi played a significant role in the foundation, development and status of bowls in NSW and Australia. Naomi played a particularly pinnacle role in NSW, having remained President of the NSWWBA for 25 years, she initiated and oversaw significant growth within the Association, continuing to promote the development and status of the game in NSW.
This experience and enthusiasm for the game of bowls was continued when she initiated the formation of the Australian Women’s Bowling Council, which she was then elected the foundation President, in this role she oversaw the continued growth and development of Bowls throughout Australia.
Naomi was awarded for her contribution to bowls, being presented with the Queen’s Coronation Medal in 1953, included in the New Year’s Honours List in 1959 and finally being given a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E) for her Service to Women’s Sport in 1960.
Naomi has been a strong influence on the modern game of bowls and her contribution to the development and status will be long lasting.
1950-74 Athlete
Glyn BOSISTO MBE - Vic. *
Glyn is one of bowls preeminent players, having represented Australia, New South Wales and Victoria 256 times. He created so many records that he was dubbed the (Sir Donald) `Bradman of bowls’ by his peers.
Glyn was a perfectionist who was intense and of utmost concentration when on the green. He was the winner of 55 master singles events. At one stage in his career he won 68 consecutive singles matches in championships.
Glyn published three books, ‘Lawn bowls tactics’, ‘Bowls by Bosisto’ and ‘Bowling along’, and raised considerable funds for charity through lectures and exhibition games.
Was selected to represent his country in three consecutive British Empire Games, 1950, 1954 and 1958, and is the only player to win four successful Australian singles titles.
In 1966 at 67 years of age, he twice defeated a 35 year old, David Bryant.
Glyn will be inducted as the sports first ‘legend’ during the inaugural BCiB Hall of Fame.
Errol BUNGEY OAM - S.A.
Errol epitomises all that is good in our sport. Despite an early retirement from pennant bowling, Errol is a great supporter of his home club, Grange, where he is a life member, and of South Australian and Australian bowls in general.
On the greens Errol represented South Australia on 130 occasions and chalked up 68 appearances in the green and gold between 1972 and 1979. At the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch along with Errol Stewart, Keith Poole and Robert King he picked up a silver medal in the fours.
A winner of the Australian champion fours in 1980 he went on to become a member of the Australian selection panel from 1998 to 2002. He has won state titles in champion of champion singles, state pairs, triples and fours and in 1986 he was awarded the order of Australia medal for services to the sport of lawn bowls.
John DOBBIE AM - Vic. *
One of Australia's most successful exponents of lawn bowls, John represented Australia at two British Commonwealth Games and at the first and second World Bowls championships, and represented Victoria on 227 occasions.
He first represented Victoria in 1948 and continued to do so until 1980. In 1950 and 1959 he was the Victorian Champion of Champions. In 1962 he won the metropolitan and Victorian singles championships and in 1964 he won the metropolitan and Victorian fours championships as captain. In 1969 he won the Legacy pairs tournament as captain and in 1970, he won the metropolitan and Victorian pairs championships, again as captain.
John's international career began in 1964, where he competed in South Africa in three Test matches. In 1966 he competed at the first World Bowls championships in Sydney, where he won gold in the triples and silver in the fours. He also competed at the second World Bowls championships in Worthing, England, in 1972. He represented Australia at two British Empire Games, the 1970 Edinburgh Games in the men's fours, and the 1974 Christchurch Games in the pairs.
John was also involved in the administration of lawn bowls and the media. He was the original presenter of the bowls report on Channel 7's World of Sport from 1959 to 1987. From 1959 to 1980 he was secretary of the Royal Victorian Bowls Association and from 1975 to 1985 he was the honorary secretary of the Australian Bowls Council. In 1978 he was appointed as the Executive Director of World Bowls. In 1980 as Executive Director, he managed the successful staging of the World Bowls tournament, held in Frankston (Melbourne).
He is a life member of the RVBA, the International Bowling Board, and the Australian Bowls Council and was an inaugural member of the RVBA Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1977 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to lawn bowls and in 1986 was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Connie HICKS OAM - W.A.
Bowls Australia was saddened to learn of the passing of former Australian representative Connie Hicks OAM on November 3.
During a long and decorated career, Mrs Hicks made a significant mark on the world of bowls both on and off the green. She represented Western Australia with distinction 23 times, and pulled on the green and gold on no less than 41 occasions, including the 1985 Australian Games where she was a Gold Medal winner.
Mrs Hicks is bowls only inductee - male or female - into the Western Australian Sporting Hall of Fame (1997) with service both on the field through her test career for Australia and off, rising to the highest ranks administratively of the game in this country.
Her administrative career spanned more than 30 years as a Western Australian Ladies Bowling Association President, Australian Women’s Bowling Council President and International Women’s Bowling Board delegate, ensuring her place in WA history.
Mrs Hicks has the unique distinction of being the first bowler to represent Australia and serve as president of the Australian Women’s Bowling Council, and was an inaugural member of the Bowls WA Hall of Fame in 2006.
Connie was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1988, and her contribution to the sport is marked by the Women's WA Bowler of the Year award being named in her honour.
Dot JENKINSON Vic. *
Dot first represented Australia against South Africa in 1969, but her international success came at the 1973 World Bowls, in which she won the pairs and was runner-up in the fours. She continued her success on the international stage four years later when she was victorious in the fours and runner-up in the pairs at the 1977 World Bowls.
She won two Australia singles and four Australia pairs titles in the decade period from 1971 to 1981, and four state Champion of Champion titles between 1963 and 1985.
Dot represented Victoria on 124 occasions.
The Dot Jenkinson appreciation pairs was first played in 1997 and is still conducted in October each year. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious events on the ladies calendar. It currently attracts up to 150 entries. .
Mary ORMSBY OAM - S.A.
Mary’s sporting achievements at international, national, state and club level have been extraordinary and possibly will never be equalled again by a South Australian woman. At the time of her achievements at a national level she was the only person, male or female, to have won all three Australian titles – the Australian singles, the Australian pairs with Erica Murada and as skipper of the Australian fours.
Mary started playing bowls in 1951 at Minlaton, before transferring to The Grange Bowling Club in 1960 and spent 22 years in the club administration during which time she was president.
Her international highlights include a silver and bronze medal at the inaugural World Series played in Sydney in 1969, and she was a back-to-back winner of the Mixed International Pairs in 1987 and 1988.
Mary was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985 for her services to the sport, and is honoured by the Grange Bowling Club by having a green named “The Mary Ormsby Green”.
1975-99 General
Catherine (Mimi) FROST OAM - NSW.
Mimi has played a significant role in the current administration of Bowls internationally, as well as in Australia and NSW.
Mimi has served at every level of Bowls administration, showing dedication and commitment to the development and status of Bowls in Australia through these varied roles. One of her most significant contributions is the 10 years she served as Secretary of the Australian Women’s Bowling Association, seeing it through the initial stages of the unification with the Men’s Bowling Association.
Mimi received an Order of Australia Medal in 1997 for service to Lawn Bowls at a Club, State and National level and to the community.
For her contribution to Bowls, Mimi Frost was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, and in 2010 the NSW Sports Federation Distinguished Long Service Award to Women’s Bowling.
Charles FROST - NSW.
Charlie was a tireless administrator for the sport. He was a state representative on 40 occasions, a state selector for RNSWBA for 15 years from 1984 to 1999, 13 of which he held the position of Chairman, and a national selector for 10 years, 6 years as chairman, during which time Australia won gold and silver medals at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.
Charlie was recognised for his contributions and awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his services to bowls.
1975-99 Athlete
Cameron CURTIS - NSW.
Cameron first rolled a bowl when he was 12 years old. He is widely regarded as the most successful junior male bowler Australia has ever produced, making his debut for New South Wales at 19. He then became the youngest male bowler to ever represent Australia at 21, a record he still holds.
Cameron won a Commonwealth Games pairs gold medal in 1994 and in the same year won the World Indoor Pairs title.
Cameron was Australia’s first ever paid national coach, from 2004 to 2009, taking the nation from their worst performance in 42 years at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games to the best Commonwealth Games bowls performance ever, in Melbourne in 2006.
Rex JOHNSTON OAM - NSW.
Described as one the gentlemen of the game, Rex has represented Australia 450 times, first earning selection in 1987, and is the second most capped NSW player in history with 320 tests under his belt.
He has played in four consecutive Commonwealth Games, winning a gold medal in the pairs in Victoria, Canada in 1994 and silver in the fours at Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
Rex was also part of the team in two World Championships, winning bronze in the pairs and fours plus team bronze overall in 1996, and silver in the triples and team gold overall in South Africa in 2000.
He has four state titles to his name, four Australian Champion of Champion titles, and eight Australian titles and was named NSW Bowler of the Year in 1990, 1991 and 1997.
Rex was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2006 for his service to lawn bowls as a competitor and administrator.
Rex was earlier this year inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions, which was established in 1978 and honours sports people dating back to 1876, with 336 athletes representing 50 different sports recognized.
Dennis KATUNARICH - W.A.
Dennis is among the top exponents from Western Australia, with his record speaking for itself.
Dennis was first selected for Australia in 1983, but it was his Australian singles title in 1985 coupled with a National Champion of Champion fours that cemented him in the National side. He represented Australia until 1993. Dennis was runner up in Jack High in 1987 and 88 and the 1992 National Indoor Singles win features among his six Australian titles. Three gold, two silver and a bronze medal at the Pacific Championships are among his highlights internationally.
Dennis was ranked number one in Australia in 1991, and claimed the Rosenthal Medal for WA Bowler of the Year in 1985, 1986 and 1989.
Norma MASSEY OAM - Vic.
Norma was a member of the very first Australian women’s bowls team that played South Africa in a Test match in 1967.
Her distinguished international career spanned almost two decades and included contesting the Women’s World Bowls Championship in 1969, 1977 and 1985 as well as the 1985 Asia Pacific Bowls Championship. She won the World triples crown in 1985, the national fours in 1969 and singles in 1973.
Norma played state bowls for 34 years, 31 of which was consecutive, and represented Australia on 101 occasions.
Norma was acknowledged for her service to lawn bowls as a player at local, state, national and international level and through executive positions with bowling organisations in 2007 when she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
In 1992 the number one green at the Yarraville Footscray Bowling Club was named in her honour.
Mavis MEADOWCROFT - Vic. *
Mavis was recognised throughout the bowling community as a fine player with a friendly personality.
Mavis represented Australia at the 1981 and 1985 World Championships, winning a gold medal in the triples and silver in the fours, and the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
Among numerous national achievements, Mavis was the Australian Round Robin winner in 1979, runner-up in 1981 and 1987, and the winner of the 1981 Australian Fours in Hobart.
As well as being involved as a player, Mavis became involved in administration at club, district and association level.
Mavis has the distinction of representing Victoria on 22 consecutive tests from 1966 to 1988, and was the Goulburn Valley sports star of the year award winner in 1981 and 1985.
Robert MIDDLETON OAM - Vic.
As a player, Robert is one of the greats of Australian Bowls. A Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame inductee in 1999, Bob has also played many significant roles as an administrator, including a fourteen-year stint as an employee of the RVBA.
A Past-President of the City of Prahran BC and Mitcham BC, his most significant contribution has been in the areas of Coaching and Junior Bowls. Robert was the RVBA State Director of Coaching and the national Director of Coaching between 1990 and 1998. He also served on the RVBA Match Committee Chairman and the RVBA Coaching Committee and Promotions & Development Committee.
Robert represented Victoria in 339 games and Australia on 59 occasions, with a silver medal in the singles and bronze in the pairs at the 1976 World Bowls.
Robert has provided major support to Bowls Australia in recent years as National Tournament Director, and was Elected Vice President of Bowls Victoria in February 2008.
He was inducted into the Bowls Victoria Hall of Fame in 1999.
Robert PARRELLA OAM – Qld.
Robert, affectionately known as Mr Bowls, is arguably the game’s greatest ever showman.
A three-time Commonwealth Games representative, one of only four Australians to achieve that feat, Robert made his Commonwealth Games debut in Brisbane in 1982 and captivated the nation’s attention with his on-green antics
After claiming a silver medal in Brisbane, Robert went on to become Australia’s first singles gold medallist at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, before completing the set in Vancouver four years later when he won bronze.
Robert also claimed a gold medal in the 1991 Asia Pacific Games and was the winner of the 1992 Mazda Jack High International.
Robert was inducted in the Sport Queensland Hall of Fame earlier this year, the only bowls representative to be inducted, with the remaining spots going to the likes of Greg Norman, Cathy Freeman, Mick Doohan, Kieren Perkins and Rod Laver.
Keith POOLE MBE - Qld.
Keith is a legend in the sport of bowls. Keith’s performances in the bowls arena over many years rank him as one of the best bowlers to represent Australia, with a list that includes a silver medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the fours, silver at the 1976 World Championships and skipping Australia to a gold medal at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
Keith, an icon in the sport of bowls, enjoyed a career spanning over 50 years, in which he played over 500 games for Queensland and represented Australia 176 times.
Keith was appointed as Australia’s first Side Manager outside Council in 1992.
The fact he was awarded the MBE and an Australian Sports Medal is proof of the standing he has had in bowls through Australia.
Peter RHEUBEN - NSW.
Peter was a tremendous New South Wales representative, playing 386 games for his state and holding the record for most tests played. He claimed the 1972 State Singles title along with the two NSW Champion of Champions crowns in 1971 and 1993.
International highlights include a gold medal in the pairs at the 1980 World Bowls and a bronze medal in the pairs at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.
Peter was inducted into the RNSWBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
Merle RICHARDSON OAM - NSW.
Merle Richardson was introduced to lawn bowls in 1959, when she was invited by her husband to roll the first bowl under new lights at New South Wales' Bulli Club. Within a year, Merle had recorded her first win, defeating the club champion at the president's singles competition. She would go on to win more than two hundred and fifty games over the next thirty years, representing Australia in 136 matches and NSW in 497 games between 1963 and 1995.
Named the New South Wales Champion of Champions in 1970, Merle has represented Australia three times in international competitions. She won the world singles and the world pairs competitions held in Melbourne in 1985. The following year she defeated New Zealander Peter Belliss, also a world champion, in 'the Battle of the Sexes' held in Victoria and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to lawn bowls.
Merle published her book ‘Bowls for everyone’ in 1988.
Alf SANDERCOCK - S.A. *
Alf’s lawn bowls career spanned a period of some 40 years during which he represented Australia 73 times and South Australia on 198 occasions. In addition, Alf was also very successful at region, association and club level.
International career highlights include a gold medal at the 1980 World Bowls in Victoria and a gold medal in the pairs at the Hong Kong Invitation in the same year.
Alf also contributed to the sport in an administrative capacity, as the Maitland Bowls Club president, treasurer, greens manager, coach, bowls instructor and delegate to the association and wrote regular articles that featured in the local newspaper on ‘how to play bowls’.
Ian SCHUBACK OAM - Qld.
The 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who has enjoyed a stunning career as a player, coach and commentator, is one of Australia’s most recognizable bowlers, having claimed a string of major titles on both sides of the globe.
He was selected in the Queensland team just twelve months after he began playing, and in 1986 was selected as Australian singles representative at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. In his green and gold debut the 34 year old won a silver medal.
Twelve months later he was back in Britain to compete in the World Indoor Championships with countryman Jim Yates. To the surprise of the bowling world, Ian and Yates won the World Indoor Pairs title - the first time in the events history the trophy had left British shores.
Ian was invincible in 1987 taking out a number of Australia's most coveted tournaments. He won the most sought after of Australian titles, the Mazda International Jack High, the Golden Nugget Invitational Singles, the Queensland State Titles, and the Australian Singles Championship. To cap off his performances he was named Queensland Sportsman of the Year.
In 1990 Ian was selected to compete in his second Commonwealth Games, this time in Auckland. He won gold in the pairs with playing partner Trevor Morris. Two years later, a decade after he rolled up for the first time, he took out the singles at the World Indoor Bowls Championships. Like the World Indoor Pairs title he won in 1987 the singles crown too, had never before been won by a non-British bowler.
Ian teamed up with Cameron Curtis for his 1994 assault on the World Indoors'. The combination proved successful with Ian winning his third World crown. He continued his dominance at the World Indoor Championships in 1996 by taking out his fourth World title this time with fellow Hall of Fame inductee Kelvin Kerkow.
Ian was awarded his OAM in 2009 for his service to lawn bowls as a coach, competitor and commentator.
Daphne SHAW - NSW.
There have been plenty of highlights in a marvellous bowls career for Daphne, that started at North Haven Bowling Club in 1978.
Daphne was part of the Australian Fours women’s team to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Auckland in 1990, the first Australian women to win Commonwealth gold in the sport of bowls.
Daphne is a four times world champion and achieved just about every accolade the sport offers including representing NSW for 13 years and Australia for nine years, holding the number one position in Australia for many years, carrying a torch in the relays ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. She has coached a number of junior girls in the sport, including fellow Hall of Fame inductee Karen Murphy.
Her knowledge of the game was key when she was asked to commentate the bowls during the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games for channel nine. She has also commentated for ABC TV.
John SNELL OAM - Vic.
John won his first Club Singles at Ararat City Club in 1965 and his first major event, the Echuca Easter Singles, in 1966.
After winning the Victorian Master Singles in 1968 & 1969, John made his debut in the Victorian State side in 1969. Nominated as a "possible" for the Australian side as early as 1970, John finally made it, in 1978, for the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
A state representative 255 times (232 Victoria - 23 New South Wales) between 1969 and 1990. John also boasts a staggering record against arguably the greatest player of all time, David Bryant, facing off 10 times in singles matches for six wins and four losses.
John is also the author of two books ‘Winning bowls’ co-written with Bill Pritchard in 1982 and ‘So you want to be a skip’ in 1988, and was the feature writer for Victorian Bowls in Focus magazine between 2001 and 2010.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1984 for his on-field performances and for conducting more than 200 coaching seminars and sportsman nights over more than 20 years and received the Australia Sports Medal in 2000.
Steve SRHOY - W.A.
A great ambassador for the sport of Lawn Bowls Steve started at the bottom in 6th grade pennants as a foundation member of Cockburn Bowling Club and reached the pinnacle by representing Australia, narrowly missing a Gold Medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.
Known by the nickname of “the Slammer” due to the power of his awesome drive, but with a full array of shots at his disposal and a fiercely determined competitor there is not much in the game that Steve has not done or won.
Steve represented Australia on 54 occasions winning a Silver Medal at 1994 Commonwealth Games, along with two Gold and a Silver Medal at the Pacific Games and represented Australia in three Trans-Trasman Series victories.
He played for WA in 237 games from 1978 to 1999 and won the National Sides Championship on eight occasions winning the Allan Eddy Medal as best player of the series on two occasions. With nine state titles and seven masters titles he was also crowned WA Bowler of the Year Rosenthal Medalist in 1978 and 1998.
He was a National Selector from 1998 to 2006, and in 2004 he was an inaugural Inductee to the City of Cockburn Sports Hall of Fame and the Bowls WA Hall of Fame in 2006.
Steve has remained loyal to his very first club in Cockburn ever since he stepped onto a bowling green in 1964 as a foundation member. With a 47 year unbroken association continues to play at the highest level choosing to pass on his knowledge of the game to up and coming bowlers.
Margaret SUMNER OAM - Vic.
Having first represented Australia in 1992, Margaret is one of the nation’s most coveted female bowlers, enjoying a golden career which spanned across two decades including two Commonwealth Games and three World Championships.
Margaret started her career playing carpet bowls, representing Victoria over a 10-year period; she pocketed The Australian Singles (1986) and four Australian Pairs (1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991).
Her first attempt at the outdoor game was cut short by Clarice Power, after having won her Club and Association Championship, Margaret had to be content with Runner-up - Country. Next year, with the same determination and skill, Margaret made it to Victorian Singles "Champion of Champions", beating the renowned Edna Harling in the Country final and Pat Giles in the State final.
Apart from State and National duties Margaret was kept busy winning 3 State Champion of Champions (1986, 1996 and 2001), being Runner-up three times (1990, 1993 and 1998), winning the State Singles (1997) and being Runner-up (1998 and 1999). All up, Margaret has so far represented Victoria a 184 times in tests and also has the distinction of representing her country on 184 occasions.
Margaret plied her trade at three World Bowls; Scotland in1992 (a Bronze in the Fours); England in 1996 (Gold in Fours and Silver in the Triples) and Australia in 2000 (Bronze in the Triples and Fours).
There were no medals for Margaret in the 1994 Canada Commonwealth Games but the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games saw her win a silver in the fours.
Margaret won Gold medals and Silvers in 3 Pacific Games in Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand and added to her tally over 5 Trans Tasmans against New Zealand.
In addition to her sporting prowess, Margaret has also held the Presidential reins of her Club (Terang 2001-3) and her Association (Warrnambool D.L.B.A. 2003-5).
Ken WILLIAMS OAM - ACT. *
Although he was an outstanding Australian Rules footballer, a brilliant cricketer and a better than average tennis player, it was in lawn bowls that he carved his name in history winning numerous international, national, state, zone, district and club tournaments during his star studded career.
In 1971, 1973, 1974 and 78 Ken won Gold Medals in the Canberra South's National Master Invitation Tournament, a record that has never been broken. Between 1969 and 1977 Ken captured various titles for Canberra and Queanbeyan. Ken's illustrious career hit a high in the 1980's when he attended the World Indoor Singles and the Hong Kong Master pairs in 1986.
One of Ken's most significant achievements was a bronze medal in the World Pairs in 1984 and a gold medal in at the Pan Pacific Games in 1990. Ken also represented Australia in the singles and Triples and the Pacific Games in 1987. Ken's total major lawn Bowls victories exceeded 100 and included Master singles titles in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Another highlight of his career was winning the Australian fours title with his close friend and fellow Australian representative bowler Ken Woods, Barry Slater and Tisha McIntosh.
Ken represented Australia on 100 occasions and at the time was the nations most capped player.
Ken was awarded an OAM for services and outstanding achievements in the sport.
Ken WOODS - ACT.
Ken’s Ability to play bowls is superseded only by his level of sportsmanship and the esteem in which fellow players hold him.
He represented NSW between 1970 and 1984, the ACT from 1985 to 1993, and Australia between 1987 and 1990, which included the Commonwealth Games in Auckland. He was an Australian Squad member from 1986 to 1992, and was an Australian selector from 1994 to 1997. Ken played 87 State games for the ACT.
Some of Ken’s major career highlights include his participation in the Australian Fours, the Countrywide Trans-Tasman Master singles in New Zealand, and the Arafura Open Singles and Fours. From 1970 until 1993, Ken had 45 victories in the Club and District Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours.
Ken was inducted into the ACT Sport Hall of Fame in 2001.
2000-10 General
Betty COLLINS OAM - Vic.
Betty joined Auburn Heights in 1978 and held the offices of Secretary and President prior to being elected to the Council of the Victorian Ladies’ Bowling Association in 1985 where she served on many different committees prior to election as State President in 1991.
Whilst is this position she was a Delegate to the Australian Women’s Bowling Council and was Chairman of the AWBC Selection Committee for three years. In 1997 she was elected National President for a two year term and was a Delegate to the International Women’s Bowling Board.
In 1998 Betty was appointed to the IWBB to represent the women of the southern hemisphere on the Steering Committee working with the World Bowls Board towards unifying the associations of the men and women at world level.
Upon the formation of World Bowls in July 2001, Betty was elected Deputy President and, in 2003, was elected President of World Bowls. Betty also served as a national umpire, a national coach and has been Chairman of the World Bowls Laws and Constitution Committee.
Her many experiences during the years include Manager of the Australian women’s bowls team at the Commonwealth Games in Canada in 1994 and Malaysia in 1998. At the Manchester Games in 2002 she was on the Jury of Appeal for Bowls. She will chair the Jury of Appeal at the Melbourne 2006 Games.
Betty was Chairman for the Women’s World Championships that were held in Moama NSW in March 2000 when players from 35 countries competed in four disciplines over an 18 day period.
Betty was awarded the Australian Sports medal in 2000, had life member ship conferred upon her by Bowls Victoria in 2001 and in 2002 she was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal in recognition of her service to the sport.
2000-10 Athlete
Lynsey ARMITAGE - Qld.
Lynsey was at the time the youngest representative ever selected to play for her country at the open level. At 19 years of age she led the charge as the new young face of lawn bowls which to spread throughout Australia. Her success and attitude both on and off the green has provided inspiration and motivation to both young and older bowlers alike. Spirit, dedication, and commitment to her sport has led to success at all levels.
Lynsey boasts a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal, 3 World Titles, 7 Grand Prix Gold Medals, 5 National Round Robin Gold Medals, 11 State Titles, and has played over 160 games for her country and over 100 games for her state. She has significantly achieved and contributed to the sport of bowls and is now widely recognised throughout the world.
Earlier this year Lynsey was appointed as the nation’s inaugural captain.
The many successes, her personality, sportsmanship, and demeanor both on and off the green, show Lynsey to be a great role model and an ideal ambassador for our great game of lawn bowls.
Steve GLASSON - NSW.
Steve, the current national coach, earned the title of Australia’s greatest male lawn bowler when he became the first Australian to win the world outdoor singles crown. He has won in excess of 100 events, including 19 Australian championships and the national indoor title on nine occasions.
Glasson was Australia’s first world singles champion after defeating Alex Marshall on his home turf in Scotland in 2004.
He also holds a record of nine Australian indoor singles titles and was a gold medallist in the 2000 World Bowls Championships in Johannesburg.
Steve was ranked number one in Australia from 1997 to 2005 and has won more than 100 masters, invitational and open events.
He has represented Australia on more than 300 occasions including twice at the Commonwealth Games.
Kelvin KERKOW OAM – Qld.
Kelvin Kerkow is arguably one of Australia’s most recognizable and successful lawn bowlers. When Kelvin won the Commonwealth Games Gold medal in the men’s singles tournament in Melbourne, 2006, he created one of the enduring images of Australian sport when he ripped off his shirt and was chaired around the green. To get to this point was a remarkable achievement as Kelvin was crippled as a child with the life threatening, rare Guillain Barre syndrome which attacks the nervous system. Kelvin was in a coma, paralysed and spent years undergoing surgery and being wheelchair bound. To this day, Kelvin bowls with the aid of a stick.
That Kelvin could then rise above his ‘handicap’ to be the youngest bowler to represent Queensland at 19 years, the youngest to be selected in the Australian side at 25 is a remarkable story. What makes it even more remarkable is that Kelvin not only went on to win the Commonwealth Games bowls gold but also the World Indoor Pairs Titles three times, the Welsh International Masters three times and one of Australia’s most prestigious singles tournament, The Golden Nugget three times, amongst many other victories.
Throughout his life and career Kelvin has maintained a down-to-earth larrikin streak and typifies the never-say-die Aussie spirit.
Kelvin has been a coach and mentor for junior bowlers and those with a disability, as well as being an ambassador for lawn bowls in Australia and internationally.
Karen MURPHY - NSW.
Karen made her Australian bowls debut in 1997 and throughout her career she has made 402 international appearances. Karen is Australia’s 56th Women’s bowls representative and it is evident by Karen’s listed international achievements that she is a well capped and very successful Australian bowler.
Karen has represented Australia at almost all international competitions over the past 14 years, having been selected for 3 Commonwealth Games teams, and also participated in the Trans Tasman Championships for 12 of the 14 years she has been competing at an international level.
Karen has represented Australia at three Commonwealth Games, winning 2 silver medals and one gold, as well as having competed in almost every major state, national and international competition throughout her career. Karen’s first success was at the 1998 Asian Pacific Championships, collecting four gold medals and one bronze which was quickly succeeded by a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games that same year. Karen has remained a consistent top performer at an international level for the past 14 years.
Karen has also contributed off the green with her Coaching Clinics to assist the profile of the game of bowls in the wider community.
Karen is inducted into the Bowls Australia BCiB Hall of Fame alongside her mentor, Daphne Shaw.
LEGENDS
Glyn BOSISTO MBE - Vic *
Glyn de Villiers Bosisto was one of the most successful and colourful performers in Australia's lawn bowls history. In his prime, press writers described him as the 'Bradman of Bowls'. He is the only man to win four successive Australian titles - 1949, 1951, 1952, and 1953 (no national title was held in 1950).
Glyn commenced competitive bowls in 1933 and until 1970, there were only three years in which he failed to win an Australian, state, masters, or club championships. He had to forfeit his semi-final in the 1936 North Sydney club championship due to illness, in 1940 he reached the final of the City of Sydney club championships when all tournaments were cancelled and the Honour Board marked 'At War', and in 1942 he changed the size of his bowls and failed to win a major championship.
He represented Victoria in his first year of competitive bowls and in his third year in 1935 he was chosen as skipper of New South Wales. He retained his position as interstate skipper for 35 years. In all, he played for Australia, Victoria, and NSW on 256 occasions. This total could have been doubled if he were able to obtain more leave from his employer to compete interstate.
Bosisto was chosen to represent Australia as singles player in three British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Auckland 1950 (he withdrew due to business commitments), Vancouver 1954, and Cardiff 1958.
When aged 67, Bosisto was considered too old to represent Australia at the World Series at Sydney in 1966. However, he twice defeated World Series winner David Bryant (then aged 35) in exhibition games in Melbourne. However the English team came to Melbourne to play exhibition games against Victorian fours, pairs and singles players. Bosisto was chosen to play David Bryant, England's singles player and winner of the current World Singles Series. Bosisto won the game 21-17 and after a further game of 14 ends was arranged, Bosisto won this 9-6.
No bowler in the history of the game in Australia can match his record of major singles championships. These include one round robin singles for the right to represent Australia at the Cardiff Games, seven Victorian champion of champions, one Metropolitan and five Victorian championships (1951, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1963), four Masters singles, two Mildura Carnival singles, one Moomba Anniversary singles, one Victorian Veteran singles, 29 club singles (55 in total). At one stage of his career he won 68 consecutive singles matches in championship competition.
He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1976 for his service to sport and the community, and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.
