Thelma Stevens of Newmarket joins her younger brother Geoff as a member of the Bowlers’ Division in our Hall of Fame.
Thelma was born in Toronto on September 13, 1952 but grew up in Newmarket along with her sisters Shirley and Carol and brother Geoff.
Bowling was a way of life in the Stevens’ household, as Thelma’s dad, Rod, was the first manager of Odeon Bowl on Davis Drive. Thelma started bowling at the age of eight in the youth league, where she remained for a short time, before joining the adult ranks on Friday night with her friend Pauline McNaught.
Outside of the bowling centre, Thelma enjoyed shooting pool and playing hockey until the early hours of the morning when her mother would have to call her in. Thelma had a habit of skipping school and going to Kronins Pool Hall for french fries and gravy.
It was in 1977, after cruising around Main St. in her new ‘77 Camaro, where she would meet and settle down with her partner, long time Newmarket resident, Warren Tomlinson. Together they have two children, Stephen (25) and Heather (22).
After a short stay in Aurora, they returned to Newmarket and while bowling at Superbowl, Thelma joined the Tuesday Firemen’s league and the Friday Majors league. In 1990, she joined the SLM league at Stellar Lanes shortly after it opened.
In 1993, Sid Morris and brother Geoff encouraged Thelma to join the Master Bowlers’ Association. Over her thirteen-year period in the Masters, Thelma has compiled a total pin fall of 60110 in 270 games, for a lifetime average of 222 and has three tournament wins under her belt. Her first tournament win was the All Plays Trio in 1996 with partners Jeff Canham and Gary Henderson. The following year she won the Scratch Division of the Mid-Winter Blues tournament in Cambridge. Thelma considers this tournament her greatest accomplishment. In 2003, Thelma was on the top of her game. Not only did she win the Mixed Triples tournament with Terry Little and Steve Barker, she was also a member of the Seniors Team that won a Gold medal at the Nationals in Quebec. In the Masters’ Senior Division, Thelma is also credited with winning two scratch events and one pins over average event. For the past ten years, Thelma has participated in the Masters Special Olympics tournaments.
In Open competition, Thelma has qualified a total of fourteen times, all with York Simcoe, on either a Ladies or Mixed team. Only her good friend Pauline McNaught has qualified more times. In total, Thelma has been on the Ladies team ten times and on the Mixed Team four times. Three years ago, the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association introduced a Seniors Division to the Open and Thelma has been a member of that team every year. In her first year, 1988-89, Thelma qualified fourth for the Ladies team and was coached by another of tonight’s inductees, Jim Preston. In 1995, Thelma was a member of the winning Mixed Team that won the Provincials and went to the Nationals in Hull, Quebec. Members of that winning team include Hall of Fame member, Russ Hurcom and coach Lauretta Wright. Lightning struck a second time for Thelma, as the Open Seniors team captured the Provincial Championships in 2005. Hall of Fame member and coach, Sid Morris, claims that Thelma is one of the most consistent bowlers he has had the pleasure of coaching.
In other tournament play, Thelma has bowled twice in the National Classified Championships, finishing in third place at the Provincial Finals in 1991.
Thelma was President of the Legion Ladies Auxiliary for six years and during that time was a member of the Provincial Euchre Championship team.
York Simcoe is thankful that she listened to her younger brother years ago and tonight takes her rightful place in the Bowler’s Division of the Hall of Fame.