Fred was first introduced to the sport of five-pin bowling through his Dad, John, in the early fifties at Carry’s Bowling Alley in Toronto with the CN league. This started a love affair with bowling that has lasted for more than sixty years.
Fred became a welcome addition to parents Flo and John on August 31,1933. In total there were three brothers, Jack, Hugh and Jim and two sisters, Jean and Patsy.
While growing up in Parkdale, with a limited education, Fred started working at the age of nineteen as a driving instructor. Next to bowling, Fred’s only other interest was roller-skating. In his words, he couldn’t ice skate so he stared roller-skating at Mutual Arena. During this time, Fred became a floor usher, a position he would hold for eight years. It was during this time where he would meet his best friend’s sister, Mae Yee
In the winter of 1972, on a balmy minus fourteen-degree day, Mae and Fred were married in Toronto. That same year they moved to River Drive Park. In no time Fred continued honing his bowling skills at Bradford Plaza Bowl, which was owned by Don DiRocco. It was here, on the Wednesday Night mixed league where Fred would meet Rick and Pauline Babuik, two individuals that would have an everlasting impact on his future bowling career as a volunteer.
During the mid 80’s youth bowling continued as a popular sport for parents to get their children involved in. It was then, in 1984, after registering their daughter Brenda with the YBC that Fred’s involvement really took flight.
Initially, Fred started out like many bowling parents as a scorekeeper, under the guidance of Program Director Linda Tooley. As time progressed Fred became more involved, not only as a coach, but as a supervisor, keeping the books for the Junior division. In 1988, the Babuik’s purchased Bradford Plaza Bowl and Pauline took over the reigns as Program Director. Pauline, who had quickly realized that Fred was a dedicated coach and volunteer, encouraged him to obtain his Level one and Level two coaching certification through the National Coaching Certification Program. After all, she had already encouraged him to join the Master Bowlers’ Association.
By now Fred was heavily involved with the youth program. In 1987, Fred had joined the Masters as a Teaching Master. Kids seem to attach themselves to Fred like a magnet. His laughter was contagious and he could always see the lighter side of any situation. Even after Brenda graduated from the YBC in 1994, Fred remained a part of the Bradford bowling family. Fred has coached over twenty 4 Steps to Stardom teams at the Zone level, being victorious on three teams at the Provincial level. In total, Fred was a member of the Master Bowlers’ Association for twenty-two years.
As a bowler Fred was a competitor, always coming up with that big game when you would least expect it. Again, it was Pauline who influenced Fred to participate in the Open tournament. While the York Simcoe zone had always had a strong Men’s’ contingent, Fred qualified for the 1986 Mixed team. In total, besides his appearance on this Mixed team, Fred appeared on two other Mixed teams, as scorekeeper. The 1985 Mixed team has one of tonight’s inductees, bowler Betty Wolfreys, while the 1987 team has another inductee, John Cresswell. Up until his health started to deteriorate, Fred would bowl three times a week averaging between 215 and 225.
A late bloomer by many standards in the bowling world, Fred made the most of it. He represents the hundreds of volunteers that have contributed time and effort to our sport and while he may not realize it, has touched the lives of all who he calls his friends.
Today, Fred at the age of eighty-one is still active as a bowler in the seniors’ league at Stellar Lanes in Newmarket. Sadly his beloved Mae passed away just last March after forty-two years of marriage. Tonight, as York Simcoe welcomes a worthy and deserving entry into the Volunteer division of the Hall of Fame, I’m sure Mae is looking down beaming with pride.