Hall Of Fame Inductee
Arnold Witley
Inducted into: Builder Division in 1998
Inducted into: Builder of the Bowling Industry in 1980
Location: Hamilton
Deceased: DEC
- Builder
- Industry
In 1980, Arnold Witley was honoured as a Builder of the Bowling Industry for his commitment to the spirit of volunteerism. Tonight’s induction to the Hall of Fame is the final jewel in an already decorated crown. A review of Arnold’s career, which has been entirely centered in the Hamilton area, includes an involvement in his church, community sports and 5 pin bowling at the local, provincial and national level. Arnold was a leader from the very beginning and, in the early forties, for example, he was elected president of his bible class with the United Church. From this position, Arnold moved easily into the community sports arena and, when his sons, Glen, Gord and Greg, were playing minor hockey, Arnold organized the program under the sponsorship of his employer, Westinghouse and he served as director, coach, manager and treasurer. Arnold joined Westinghouse in 1945 and overall spent 43 years with the company. As well, and most important, he married Irene in 1948 and this year, they celebrated fifty years together.
On the bowling side, Arnold initially played on a team from his employer and immediately became a member of the league executive and served in a variety of roles. When the Hamilton and District 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association began in 1963, Arnold initially volunteered the services of his wife, Irene, as a Councillor at the old Winter Gardens, a centre where they bowled. However, by the next year, the association asked Arnold to sit on the rule book committee and, subsequently, the tournament committee. By 1966, Arnold was tournament director for Hamilton and the Open, which was now being run by the bowlers. Initially, Arnold was a Judge of Play at the provincials and quickly was elevated to Chief Judge of Play for the Open, whether it was in Hamilton or not. Up to 1974, Arnold, not only coordinated the zone roll-off, that covered up to thirty games, but also handled the Open, which, prior to 1974, moved around Ontario to locales such as Guelph, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Sudbury, Peterborough, and Toronto. However, from 1974 to today, the Open has been in Hamilton for every year, except one, and Arnold, along with Ev Wood, was responsible for beginning the recruiting process that today has over fifty volunteer workers at the provincial championships.
Also in 1974, Arnold not only received a Life Membership from the Hamilton Association, and also was named first vice-president. Three years later, Arnold advanced to the presidency and led the Steel City bowlers through 1982. During that time, the Hamilton Association was honored as Zone of the Year provincially in both 1980 and 1982. Also, as president, Arnold is only one of eight individuals to assume the challenging role. The others were Ken Edge, Ernie Roggie, Harold Buchner, Fred Smith, Henry Pachulec, Anne Depew and currently John Conti.
At the same time, Arnold joined the provincial board and, during a period from 1974 to 1986, Arnold advanced to the position of first vice-president. Further recognition followed during this tenure as Arnold was recognized with the first life membership under the new banner of the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, which was begun in 1979.
With this induction, Arnold now joins his wife, Irene, as only the second husband and wife team as members of the 5 Pin Bowling Hall of Fame. The other couple, of course, is Flo Cutting along with her late husband, Percy.
Arnold’s bowling career now spans fifty years and, in that time, he has observed our sport through several evolutions. In his own words, the cancellation of the counter pin may have been the major change he has seen over the years. In retirement, Arnold and his wife, Irene, have moved from their home on Waverly St., which Arnold himself built in 1950, to the retirement community of Glancaster Estates. In addition, three grandchildren are now nearing adulthood and Arnold’s recent health problems all increase the activity and excitement in the Witley household.
Arnold Witley is a bowling volunteer with a list of long service records that belies his age of 52 years. Consider that he is a 35 year employee of Westinghouse Canada in Hamilton, has been a regular league bowler in various Hamilton centres for 33 years, has been a volunteer bowling executive for 17 years, and for 16 years was also an active volunteer official in minor hockey in Hamilton. Born in Hamilton on March 24, 1928 he grew up in the city, and after attending Technical School there, served an apprenticeship with Westinghouse Canada where he has been employed as a machinist for the past 35 years. In 1965, Arnold was elected to the Board of the Westinghouse Employees Union where he subsequently served as a member of the Education Committee and is still an active member of the union Sports Committee. Arnold and his wife Irene, were married in 1948. The Witley family now included three sons and two granddaughters, and Arnold recalls it was the boys’ interest in sports that first drew him into involvement as a volunteer administrator.
He was instrumental in the formation of a minor hockey program sponsored by his employers and fellow employees at Westinghouse, and his sons were involved from 1963 through 1979. Arnold was also deeply involved throughout that 16 year period, serving as a Coach, Manager, member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer.
Arnold Witley’s bowling career began in 1947 when he joined a Westinghouse Shop league and immediately agreed to serve on the league’s executive. When the Hamilton & District 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association was founded in 1963, Arnold volunteered Irene’s services as a Councillor at the old Winter Gardens where they both bowled. He became a member of the Hamilton Association’s Rule Book Committee and in 1964, he became a Councillor representing the old Grand Lanes. Soon after, the Hamilton Association prevailed upon Arnold to become a member of its Tournament Committee. In 1966, he became Co-Chairman of the Tournament Committee and from 1967 through 1974, he served as Tournament Committee Chairman. In September of 1973, Arnold was first elected as a Vice-President of the Hamilton Association, which in June of 1974 honoured Arnold with presentation of Life Membership. In September of that year, he was elected First Vice-President. Three years later, in 1977, Arnold Witley was elected President of the Hamilton & District 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, and he is now serving his fourth year in that post.
The Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, known in those days as the Ontario Bowlers’ Congress or OBC, was quick to recognize the administrative skills Arnold Witley brought to 5 pin bowling as a volunteer official. In 1966, Arnold agreed to serve as a judge of play at the Ontario Open Championships in Hamilton, and he has been involved as a Judge of Play and more recently Chief Judge of play for each of the past 15 years. In the summer of 1972, Arnold accepted appointment of Tournament Director for the OBC and at the convention, one year later, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Ontario Bowlers’ Congress. For the past five years, he has served the Provincial Board as Chief Judge of Play for all tournament events.
As a member of the Provincial Board, Arnold has served every year as Chief Judge of Play at the Colt 45 Open Ontario 5 Pin Bowling Championships. At the same time, he served two years as First Vice-President and four years as President for the host Hamilton Association. His has been the monumental task of recruiting the scores of volunteers required to run a successful championship.
At the end of the 1978-79 bowling season, the Ontario Bowlers’ Congress changed its name to become today’s Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, and Arnold was singularly honoured at the 1979 convention. He became the first Life Member of the O.F.P.B.A. to be inducted under the new banner. At that point, after 15 years of dedicated service, some of us might have been tempted to slow down or retire. But not Arnold! In June, 1980 the O.F.P.B.A. announced that Arnold Witley had won the Award as "President of the Year" for 1980. The Award for the "Association of the Year" was shared by the Executives of the Hamilton & District 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. Four other members of the Hamilton Executive carried home individual awards as the Year’s best Secretary, Tournament Director, Awards Chairman and Coach. An Association President’s primary responsibility in any organization, is to recruit and motivate his fellow volunteers. Arnold Witley has succeeded in spades!
He continues as a Director and Chief Judge of Play of the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, and he continues as President of the Hamilton & District 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. Today, Arnold and the members of his Hamilton team are making plans next April to host their seventh consecutive edition of the Colt 45 Open Ontario 5 Pin Bowling Championships. At the same time, his team is making plans for May 1981 when Hamilton will host the National Championships in both the Classic and the Open events sponsored by Carling O’Keefe Breweries.
Arnold’s leadership and administrative skills have made him a valued member of a long list of sports, church and community groups. We are all fortunate that he decided many years ago, to become a "Builder of the bowling Industry", and we gather tonight to salute his loyalty, dedication and enthusiasm.