Hall Of Fame Inductee

Connie D’Alessandro

Inducted into: Player Division in 2007

Location: Toronto

Deceased: DEC

  • Player

From Ortucchio in central Italy, Connie D'Alessandro was born in 1933 and, following a posting in the Italian army in 1954, he chose to emmigrate to Canada. While a job in the construction field was his first employment, he joined the City of Etobicoke in 1961 and stayed until his retirement in 1993.

Now in Canada and through his brother, Connie was invited to try a new Canadian sport of 5 pin bowling at a nearby location, namely Queensway Bowl. This twenty four lane center, with its owner Art Biffis and manager Tony D'Atri, would become Connie's home away from home.

Connie not only became an outstanding bowler, but he also became a Master Bowler representing Queensway. In addition, along with such notables as Hall of Famer Al Snow, he instructed in the Youth Bowling Council for over twenty years and even maintained the lanes which identified Queensway as one of the highest scoring bowling centres in Canada.

As bowling was now organizing into zones, Connie was part of the York West Association with another Hall of Famer Fred Pechaluk. Overall, he represented York West at twenty Opens, with four in the singles, ten on the men's team, seven mixed team appearances and, as well, coaching three times.

With these teams, Connie won three provincial championships, mixed teams in 1972 and 1980 and the 1994 men's team.

As a Master Bowler, Connie joined in 1966 and, through to 1988, bowled in 1425 games, averaged 250 and won three events. Two of these wins came in the 1979-80 season and these victories propelled Connie to the Master Bowlers Association national championships. However, the Ontario men lost to Alberta.

Connie enjoyed a variety of bowling activities. Away from the Open and the Masters, he bowled in the Saturday afternoon major league and was a dominant player. In 1978, he won the annual singles title and, in tournament play, won the York West Classic at Albion Bowl, the Snow Bowl Tournament at Brampton, the overall aggregate title at the annual all-events tournament at Agincourt Bowl, and the first singles tournament at the Sportsmen's Show in 1976.

Connie bowled a perfect game at Queensway Bowl in 1969 and also rolled a five game score exceeding 1700 at another York West center, namely Glen Valley. These accomplishments placed him in fifty eighth place on the Top 90 list for the twentieth century and, as such, only highlight one aspect of his overall commitment to his chosen sport of 5 pin bowling.