Both on and off the lanes, Al Hardiman sought perfection. Al began his bowling career with his enrollment, by his parents, in the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) at Hopedale Bowl in Oakville, at the age of four. As well as some success in the YBC, Al excelled in ball hockey, soccer, and baseball.

Following high school and a short stint in his father’s roofing company, Al discovered the bar-b-que (BBQ) business and joined Vermont Castings. This company sponsored Al’s education and, as an engineer, Al travelled the world from Vermont to Kentucky, as well as Mexico and China, securing the best BBQ parts for his employer.

In addition, Al designed the first BBQ for Vermont Castings, and this company grew to become a world leader in the field. The company would eventually be sold to Monesson Hearth Systems and this group is recognized for excellence in the marketplace.

While Al won many trophies in the YBC, he joined the adult ranks in 1981. He qualified for his first Provincial Open in 1982 at just 21 years old. In all, Al bowled in 19 Provincial Opens and coached on two occasions. Included were six times as a singles representative, 13 on Mens teams, and six years on Mixed teams as Al represented Lake Ontario, Central Ontario, and the Hamilton zones.

Al won provincial team titles at the Open in both 1985 and 1986 as a member of the Lake Ontario zone. Nationally, the 1985 team was third in Newfoundland, and in 1986, the Lake Ontario Men won gold bowling in British Columbia. At this event, Al bowled a tournament high single of 408 and he was named to the event All-Star Team.

Al bowled for 21 years in the Master Bowlers’ Association of Ontario (MBAO). In all Al won three tournaments, namely the 1992 Rose Festival, the 1997 New Year’s Classic, and the Fall Classic in October of that same year. Al qualified for the Masters nationally in 1994, and this team won a gold medal while bowling in Hamilton. Overall, in the MBAO, Al averaged 257 in 1066 games.

Al continued his winning ways in other tournaments as well. Specifically, he won the prestigious Bowlerama Match Play in 1991 and represented Ontario on the CBC television series in 1992. While Al did not bowl a perfect game, he bowled a five-game record score of 1727 at the Provincial Open, a mark that stands to this day. In the TOP 90 survey in 2000, Al was selected as number 31 on the all-time list.

Al took his leadership skills to the administrative side of our sport. With the Lake Ontario zone, Al was Vice-President and also the Record Scores Chair. His accomplishments, both on and off the lanes, were recognized by the Central Ontario zone with his induction to their Hall of Fame in 2014.

In his personal life, Al courted Beverley Mutch for 10 years before their marriage in the Bahamas in 2009. Bev says, “Al was an awesome father”. They raised a blended family of his children Jenna and David, and Beverley’s youngsters, Lauren, and Douglas. To be closer to Al’s work in Mississauga, the family eventually settled in Stoney Creek. Sadly, in 2012, Al lost his battle with cancer. Bev stayed in Stoney Creek for two more years and currently lives in Binbrook. Be assured her memories of Al are all positive and at just 51, Al left us way too early.