Ian Cameron was labeled a champion from the first game he bowled at Allencourt Lanes in Richmond Hill. His 199 score, at 10 years old, caught the eyes of Hall of Famers, Jim Hoult and Doug Miller and the rest is history.
Originally born in Leeds, England in 1950, Ian and his parents, Gordon and Eunice, moved to Richmond Hill in 1956. Ian attended Beverley Acres Public School and eventually ended up at Allencourt Lanes where Doug Miller was the Proprietor and Jim Hoult, the star bowler and instructor.
Ian was an instant success and, with the birth of the Youth Bowling Council imminent, there was ample opportunity to display his talents. In 1962, at just 12 years old, Ian appeared at O’Connor bowl and was the Ontario Bantam Singles Champion under the banner of the Canadian Junior Bowling Congress, the forerunner of the YBC. Challenge matches of youth groups were arranged throughout Ontario and Ian and his Allencourt group defeated an Aprile Lanes team, under the leadership of George Smith in Hull, Quebec.
Doug Miller also contributed to establishing Ian’s practice ethic, something he still believes in today. With lanes at an premium and money tight, Doug gave Ian five pins and balls to set up at home and Ian rolled for hours in his basement, perfecting his three step approach.
The Youth Bowling Council began with the 1963/64 season and Ian was a rising star and dominant bowler from Zone G. In 1966, Ian was Ontario Junior Singles Champion and second at the Canadian finals. He bowled in the first Master Junior tournament and also participated in a YBC travelling league from 1967-69.
In 1970, Ian, now 20, moved to the adult ranks and, in 30 years, had been a dominant bowler in both the Open and the Masters.
In the Open, Ian has qualified 29 years, bowling in York Simcoe for seven years, as well as Hamilton and London. Moreover, in these 29 appearances, 23 are on the men’s team, of which, 17 were also as a singles player. His first success came in 1976 when Ian won the singles crown in Ontario, representing York Simcoe, only to finish fourth in the national finals in Regina. However, Ian again won the Singles title in 1988, this time with London, and traveled to Hull, Quebec to win Canadian honours. Following this National title, Ian was selected to star in his own video and the finished product “How to Improve Your Five Pin Bowling” was produced and sold across Canada.
Ian joined the Master Bowlers Association in 1971, and, to the start of the 2001/02 season, has won fifteen events. Ian’s wins, in a period from 1973 to 1995, covered every type of Tournament. Whether doubles or triples, from television events such as the Hiram Walker Special Old, from single knockout to double knockout, from the Holiday Classic to the Bowlerama Classic to the Spring Classic to Brampton to the Special Olympics, Ian beat the best bowlers in Ontario. In addition, Ian was Bowler of the Year three times, in 1975, while bowling out of ABC Bowl, in 1980 and 1989 and won the national singles title in 1975 in Vancouver. Ian qualified for the Ontario team on nine other occasions and even coached at the national level three times. This national participation produced two gold medals and four silver. Ian has followed in the footsteps of the late Tom Horton in guiding the affairs of the Master Bowlers Association as their President, since 1996.
Ian also recognized his obligation to give something back to the sport. Al Richardson of York Simcoe was the catalyst for this phase of Ian’s career as he brought Ian to the York Simcoe board in 1972. Ian immediately showed his administrative talents by winning the zone publicity award in 1975 for his weekly column in the Richmond Hill Liberal.
Along the way, Ian has shared his successes with his wife, Lynn. A bachelor until 27, Ian met Lynn, rather appropriately at a Master Bantam tournament at Thorncliffe Bowlerama and following their wedding, moved to London in 1979, where they raised two children, Michael and Tracey.
Ian was inducted into the Ontario 5 Pin Hall of Fame in 1996 as a Player and tonight joins an elite group, inducted into the York Simcoe Hall of Fame in the Bowlers division.