At the age of 40, in 1994, Diane Macleod became the first person to be inducted to the Players Division of the Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.
Born in Newmarket, the Ingram family was synonymous with bowling in that town. While Diane first bowled at the age of four at Counter Lanes, her parents, Marg and Bill, became the mainstays of Odeon Bowl in Newmarket, a centre that was also part of the Bowlerama chain. While Bill was the Assistant Manager and Marg ran the Snack Bar and was the Program Director for the Youth Bowling Council, Diane began her career in bowling as well.
While she was a member of a Bantam Provincial Championship Team, that won Provincial honours prior to the beginning of the YBC, her first major title was secured in 1968 as Diane won the Canadian Junior girls title in Edmonton. In addition, Diane was also a Master Bantam Provincial Champion, bowling with Henry Knuckey.
While Diane starred in both the Open and the Masters, she takes special pride in a 1976 win at O’Connor Bowl. In the annual Labour Day tournament, Diane was the only female entrant in a field of 109. However, with a strike in the final frame of the ten game event, Diane bowled 2894 and won the $500 first prize.
In the Open, Diane has qualified thirteen times in three zones, namely York Simcoe for six years as the Ladies Singles, Ontario Durham and Agincourt. In 1988, representing Ontario Durham, Diane won the Singles titles both Provincially and Nationally and in 1990, she was a member of the York Simcoe Ladies Team that won the Ontario title.
In the Masters, Diane has been a dominant bowler over the last twenty years. In sixteen years and 1020 games, her average is 249.08 and only four bowlers, all of which are younger and have bowled considerably fewer games, are higher. On six different occasions, Diane earned Bowler of the Year honours beginning in 1975-76 and ending in 1989-90. In six national single efforts, she earned a gold metal in her first appearance in 1976 at O’Connor Bowl. In addition to these six National efforts, Diane also bowled on two Ladies Teams that won gold and also coached both the Tournament Men and Teaching Ladies at the Nationals, and the former also won gold medal honours. The 1977 Master’s Ladies Team of Diane, Sue Wise, Helen MacCallum, Pat McNeil and Charlene MacCormack may have been the best team ever assembled as they won 15 straight games as they were undefeated at the national finals in Saskatoon. In summary, in a sixteen year MBA career, Diane won eight events and bowled in ten national championships.
Diane’s 1988 National Open win also involved Diane in a piece of bowling trivia. From her victory, she was ceded to the first TSN Pins Game and actually bowled in the first game ever bowled in the popular television series.
Gord and Diane were married in December of 1985, they have two children, Kailey 13 and Kara 11 who are both active in the YBC. In 1991 they purchased Stellar Lanes in Newmarket and while Diane has been retired from bowling for the past two years, Gord is still very active in the day to day operations of the bowling centre.
Tonight Diane can add another feather in her cap as she joins the York Simcoe Hall of Fame in the Bowlers division.