Autographed photo of Tommy Ryan

First Bowling Centre in Canada - 1909
 click on image to enlarge

History of 5 Pin Bowling

Bowling in its primitive form, is over 7000 years old. Sir Flinders Petrie, a professor of Egyptology at the University of London, found the origins of bowling, a complete set of pins and balls, in a large tomb in Egypt dating back to 5200 BC.

The American form of bowling, TENPIN BOWLING (circa 1840) came to Canada in the 1880's. In 1905, a billiard academy owner, Thomas F. "Tommy" Ryan decided to install Canada's first "regulation" tenpin lanes, a 10 lane setup, in the second storey of the Boisseau Building (over top of Ryrie-Birks Jewellers) in downtown Toronto, Ontario.

Ryan's establishment, known as the Toronto Bowling Club, resembled a southern plantation, with potted palm trees, ceiling fans, string orchestra, piano and an immense lunch counter. Ryan insisted that his establisment was a very elite and private club, catering only to the well-to-do, carriage trade of Toronto society.

Customer complaints about the size and weight of the tenpin bowling balls and the game being far too strenuous, led Ryan to experiment. He had his father whittle down five of the larger tenpins on a lathe, to approximately 3/4 of their original size. He then spaced five of these pins equally on the 36" (91cm) tenpin triangle. Ryan took a hand sized hard rubber ball (approximately 5" (12.7cm) in diameter and 3 1/2 lbs. (1.6kg) in weight) and rolled the ball down the tenpin lane at the five pins.

Thus in 1909, the original sport of 5 pin Bowling was born. Even though many changes have taken place through the years, the original concept remains and is enjoyed in hundreds of modern bowling centres by millions of Canadian each year.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF 5 PIN BOWLING

1909 Thomas F. (Tommy) Ryan invents 5 Pin Bowling in Toronto, Ontario. Original Pin Count is established as "4-2-1-3-5".
1910 First 5 Pin Bowling League was formed at Ryan's Toronto Bowling Club.
1912 Rubber band was added to the Pins.
1918 Alfred Shrubb of Toronto bowls first (recognized) 400 game
1921 First perfect "450" game bowled by Bill Bromfield in Toronto, Ontario.
1921 First Ladies' 5 Pin Bowling League started by Marion Dibble in Toronto, Ontario.
1922 First inter-city match between Toronto and Montreal using a telephone hook-up.
1923 Winnipeg's Charles Gibson introduces 5 Pin Bowling to Western Canada.
1927 First 5 Pin Bowling organization "Canadian Bowling Association" (CBA) formed in Toronto, Ontario. T.J. (Tommy) Simpson elected first President.
1928 First "Official 5 Pin Rule Book" printed by the C.B.A.
1930 Western Canada adopts own scoring system. Pin Values equal 1-4-5-3-2.
1932 First sanctioned perfect "450" game bowled by Joe Heenan of Toronto, Ontario.
1935 Blind bowlers' leagues introduced in Western Canada.
1935 C.B.A. creates Ladies Section. Mabel MacDowell elected first President.
1938 N. Berry of Winnipeg records first perfect "450" game under Western Canada scoring system
1940 Tillie Hosken of Toronto becomes first female bowler to roll a perfect "450" game.
1944 Western Canada 5 Pin Bowling Association (WCFBA) was formed in Regina, Saskatchewan. Bill Hawrylak elected first president.
1952 National 5 Pin Count (2-3-5-3-2) introduced by Charlie Hill (Presi-dent of the CBA) and adopted only by Western Canada.
1953 First Canadian Championship (East vs. West) conducted in Regina, Saskatchewan. Deaf bowler, Tommy Mallon wins Men's Singles. Regina wins Men's Team event.
1953 C.B.A. changes name to Ontario Bowling Council.
1957 First youth organization formed, Canadian Junior Bowling Congress.
1957 First automatic pinsetting machine introduced.
1958 First "Pepsi-Cola High School Championships" held in Alberta.
1959 Entire country uses National 5 Pin Count as Eastern Canada adopts the "2-3-5-3-2" system.
1959 5 Pin Bowling introduced to international markets in British West Indies (Bahamas) and Scotland.
1961 Founding father "Tommy Ryan" passes away on Nov. 19th.
1962 Lane Certification and Tournament Sanctioning introduced
1963 Bowling Proprietors' Association of Canada (B.P.A.C.) formed.
1963 BPAC introduces Youth Bowling Council (YBC) to replace the defunct Canadian Junior Bowling Congress.
1963 First automatic string pinsetter introduced.
1964 First provincial Master Bowlers' Association formed in Ontario.
1964 Canadian Bowling Congress receives charter from federal government.
1965 Bowlers' Association of Canada formed.
1965 Bowling pin measurements standardized.
1965 Carling O'Keefe Breweries obtained as Canadian Championships sponsor.
1967 Counter (Blow) Pin abolished by C.B.C
1968 Eastern Canada adopts the no-counter pin ruling but Western Canada disagrees and opts out of C.B.C. and Canadian Championships from 1969 to 1971
1970 Master Bowlers' Association of Canada formed.
1971 Tommy Ryan inducted posthumously into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
1971 Western Canada agrees to abolish Counter Pin rule.
1972 Western Canada 5 Pin Bowling Association (WCFBA) disbands in favour of Provincial Associations.
1972 Canadian 5 Pin Bowling Championships restored.
1972 B.P.A.C. introduces National Golden Age Bowlers' Club.
1975 Government survey reveals 680,000 bowlers in 20,000 leagues across Canada. 102 Local (Zone) Associations with 105,000 members affiliated with the C.B.C.
1976 5 Pin Bowling "Standards & Specifications" Committee formed.
1976 National 5 Pin Bowling "Instruction & Coaching" Program introduced by the Master Bowlers' Association of Canada.
1977 5 Pin Bowling included in Ontario Winter Games for the first time.
1978 Canadian Bowling Congress and Bowlers' Association of Canada dissolve to form new national body, the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association (C5PBA).
1980 First International Bowling Cup competition held in Manila, Philippines. Canada & Philippines participate.
1981 Dave McNutt of Alberta and Sid Manning of British Columbia honoured with Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1983 5 Pin Bowling participates in Canada Winter Games in Chicoutimi, Quebec.
1983 Hiram Walker Distilleries Ltd. is welcomed as the new national sponsor of the Hiram Walker "Special Old" High-Low Doubles and League Executive Championships.
1983 2nd International Bowling Cup held in Toronto, Ontario with Canada, Philippines, Argentina and the United States represented.
1984 5 Pin Bowling returns to national television on CBC's Championship 5 Pin Bowling.
1984 5 Pin Bowling celebrates its 75th birthday.
1986 100 Local (Zone) Associations with 165,000 affiliated members belong to Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1987 National 5 Pin Bowler Ranking introduced by the C5PBA.
1987 Bert Garside and Ernie Roggie of Ontario honoured with Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1990 Rules changed to allow the use of personal bowling balls.
1990 New Brunswick dissolves as a Provincial affiliate to join as a Zone affiliate of the Nova Scotia 5PBA.
1992 Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association is bestowed upon Jack Hales of Ontario.
1994 Ray Landkamer of Manitoba and Ernie Doucette of Prince Edward Island receive Life Memberships in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1995 Pat McNamara of Northern Ontario honoured posthumously with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1995 Government statistics report 521,000 Canadians participate regularly in 5 Pin Bowling (37% male vs. 63% female).
1996 Fred Hawco of Newfoundland/Labrador honoured with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
1998 First face-to-face national championship of the Canadian Youth Challenge Championships conducted in Hull, Quebec.
1998 Barb Thompson of Northern Ontario honoured with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
2000 Norm Adelberg of Manitoba and Glenda Gallant of Prince Edward Island honoured with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.
2001 Tom Cowen of Ontario honoured with Life Membership in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers' Association.