The “Snowman” or just simply Al Snow, is the only man in the history of 5 Pin Bowling to bowl in thirty Provincial Opens. This feat has been accomplished in an event that has been staged thirty-seven times.
While this achievement is the centerpiece of Al’s fifty-five year career, he also made his mark in several major leagues, including the Toronto City Major League, the Master Bowlers Association and a multitude of all-events and open tournaments.
Born in Toronto in 1928, Al honed his bowling skills in Toronto’s west end Bowling Centers. Al was introduced to 5 Pin Bowling at the age of eighteen by his brother Vic, who worked for Lyons Teas and bowled in an industrial league at Lakeside Bowl on Queen St. W.
Al’s skill level increased rather quickly and Al was bowling in leagues at Richmond Bowl in Mimico and new Toronto Bowl. With the opening of the Queensway Bowl in 1951, Al moved there with his brother Vic and the Industrial League from Lakeside. Coinciding with this move to the Queensway, Al began a new job at Neptune Meters and at this locale he met Hall of Fame bowlers, “Red” McQuaker and Holly Leet. Already top bowlers, Red and Holly introduced Al to a new level of 5 pin bowling which included tournament play and travel throughout Ontario.
In the Toronto Major League, which showcased the best bowlers, Al bowled for New Toronto Bowl and Lucky Strike Lanes and carried averages as high as 265. Al traveled to all-events tournaments in Kitchener-Waterloo, Peterborough, Oshawa and Scarborough, and along with Basil Gasdia, Connie D’Allessandro and Don MacLean won several single and team events.
These individuals would also form the basis of several championship teams that represented York West in the Open. In fact, Al was a member of the 1963 York West team that won both the Provincial and Canadian Championship. Among his teammates that year was another Hall of Famer, Rusty Starr. In 1965, Al began his thirty year participation in the Open, missing only in 1975 and 1990, until a stroke forced him from competition in 1997. The 1965 team again won Provincial and Canadian titles as the event was held in Guelph and Kitchener respectively. The York West men’s team won again in 1969 and this team however was denied a Canadian title as the National Championship was not held due to the controversy over the elimination of the counter pin. In Al’s thirty Opens, he has been a Singles representative twelve times, on twenty-four Men’s Teams and six Mixed Teams. Along with Al’s Open success with York West, he also represented York Simcoe from 1972 to 1982, along with Huronia, Grey Bruce and Central Ontario. While representing Huronia in 1986, Al stunned the Open with a perfect game, the first at the Open since 1965 and only the second in the history of the event. The 450 game, bowled on March 28, 1986, earned Al the Miller perfect game award which included a television set and sportswear. This perfect game was the second of Al’s career with the first one bowled at ABC Bowl in Richmond Hill during league play with the 450 as part of a 1013 triple.
Al joined the Master Bowlers Association in 1965, and in a thirty year career, won three tournaments. Two of his victories came in 1967 and his third win didn’t come until 1992, twenty-five years apart. Al’s total games 1588 and total pinfall of 401,540 are currently second to another Hall of Famer, the late Lloyd Ormerod, and these numbers compute to a 252 lifetime average.
In open tournament play, Al was an automatic entry. While he won several minor events, his greatest achievement was his victory in Ontario and his appearance on CBC television in 1988. Unfortunately, Al lost his first match and earned only $500.
While Al may have been a tournament bowler, he certainly did not ignore the Youth Bowlers. Along with Earl Jones, he started coaching Youth Bowling at the Queensway before Al switched to Newmarket Bowlerama in 1975. Among his best students were his four children, Marianne, who is also being inducted tonight in the Bowlers division, and Sheila, Cathy and Al Jr.
All four youngsters were top bowlers, participating from the local to National level. As well, eight grandchildren are now part of the Snow clan and, while Al and Shirley hope to slow down and enjoy their retirement, he has returned to league play at Stellar Lanes, in the SLM Match Play league.
Al was inducted into the Players division of the Ontario 5 Hall of Fame in 1996 and tonight, along with his daughter Marianne, becomes the first father and daughter to be inducted into the York Simcoe Hall of Fame.