Russ was born into the bowling family of Jack and Doris Stewart on February 10, 1954 in Toronto. Older brothers Ken and Dave and younger sister Diane are also part of this bowling family.
Russ grew up in Scarborough attending both public and high school in that area. After graduating from W.A. Porter High School, in 1972, with the award for highest marks in the Science Technology and Trades program, Russ started working in the family business, Advanced Engineering, a metal stamping and fabrication company.
With their bowling background, the Stewart’s, Jack, Doris, brother Dave and Russ appeared on television, bowling on the Bingo Bowl show in the late 60’s. Russ was strongly influenced by his mother, as she was building her hall of fame career, as a top-notch bowler in both the Master Bowlers Association and in the Ontario Open. As a graduate of the Youth Bowling Council program, first at Aprile Lanes and then Brimley Bowl, Russ was eager to continue his bowling career. He first joined the Master Bowlers Association, in 1980, first representing Brimley Bowl and later Stellar Lanes. In total, Russ spent eighteen years in the Masters, eleven in the Teaching division and seven on the Tournament tour. Russ’ lifetime average in the tournament division, in 323 games, is 230.
Russ attended the Carling Ontario 5 Pin Bowling National Championships in Niagara Falls, in 1977, as a spectator, to cheer on the Scarborough Mixed team, which his Mom was a part of. After that experience, Russ continued to bowl in the Open qualifying rounds and in 1982, was successful in landing a spot on the Scarborough Mixed team. More important than this victory, was the pleasure of bowling with his Mom on the same team that year, something he considers one of the highlights of his career. There were two more spots on the Mixed teams as well as three coaching positions with the Scarborough zone before a move to Keswick and a new zone.
This move to Keswick, proved to be very fulfilling for Russ. A new zone, a new centre and a new league provided Russ with a wife, a son and some new friends. Originally, Russ had met Kathy Duggan, through his earlier days in the YBC. You see, as a teenager, Kathy also bowled in the youth program, out of Ace Bowl. They later re-connected through a social league at Brimley Bowl. In 1993 Kathy and Russ were married and shortly after, son Kyle was born, and life was good. In the S.L.M. league, Russ also met Michelle Swan, another of tonight’s inductee’s, and Jeff Canham. You could say that this friendship was partly responsible for the success that Russ has had as a coach.
While attempting to qualify for an Open team in York Simcoe, Russ quickly found out that wasn’t going to be an easy task. After a number of attempts, and with the likes of Hall of Famers, Geoff Stevens, Shawn Morris, Russ Hurcom, our newest Hall of Famer Mike Rancourt, and good friend Jeff Canham, constantly making the men’s team, Russ realized that if he wanted to make it to the Ontario Open Provincial Championships, he would have to rely on his coaching abilities. Already a level one coach, which he obtained through the YBC as a Master in Scarborough, Michelle and Jeff, convinced Russ to get his level two coaching certificate. That decision proved to be a turning point for Russ, as for the next thirteen years, Russ never missed a Provincial Championship. He ties the record, with Hall of Famer Jim Preston, as a coach of York Simcoe teams. In total, there were nine men’s teams and four mixed teams that would benefit from Russ’ expertise. The 2003 Men’s team highlighted all of this.
It had been forty years since a York Simcoe Men’s team was victorious at winning the Provincial crown. The 2003 Men’s team, consisting of Jeff Canham, Geoff Stevens, Shawn MacCormack, Steve Barker, Mike Rowe and Jeff Mackey, ended that drought by qualifying in top spot after the fifteen game round-robin series. They defeated the London zone by a score of six to two in the final stepladder match to earn a trip to the National Championships in Surrey, British Columbia. After advancing from a double round-robin qualifying round, in third place, they then defeated British Columbia and Newfoundland to advance to the finals against a powerful Alberta team. Needing to beat Alberta twice, they scored a seven to one victory in the first match, only to loose the second match, to settle for the silver medal.
While coaching at the Open has been very satisfying for Russ, coaching in the YBC at Stellar has also provided some memorable highlights. In 2003 Russ coached the Senior Boys team at the National Championships in Ottawa. The next year it was the Bantam Boys team, where Russ had the pleasure of coaching his son, Kyle, as a member of that team, at the National Championships in Oshawa at NEBS Fun World.
While a gold metal has yet to come his way, Russ can boast about his hole in one in golf. York Simcoe is thankful that Russ, in his own words, was not very good in hockey and that he followed his Hall of Fame mother, Doris, into the sport of five pin bowling. We’re sure she’s looking down with great pride, as her son takes his rightful place in the York Simcoe Hall of Fame.