Described as a fun loving individual, Dick Adams rose to the top in everything he tried. In a short lifetime of only fifty seven years, Dick excelled in his job in the fruit business and was an exceptional bowler, both on the lanes and also the lawn variety.

Dick was born in Whitby in 1910 and, by 1925, he was employed by Red Wing Orchards, the largest apple grower in the Durham region and recognized across Canada for its excellent packaging and presentation of its apple products. In this process, Dick packed the apples and his wife, Dorothy, did the polishing and this combined presentation was rewarded with first place recognition at the Royal Winter Fair, held annually in Toronto every fall. Red Wing Orchards was also unique, since the head office of the orchard also included a four lane bowling centre. These lanes were part of the orchard operation and the employees formed two leagues, a major league for the men and a mixed league to meet both the bowling and the social needs of the entire orchard staff. In addition, the four lane centre was different in that, due to its existence prior to the invention of spot bowling, there were not any dowels or spots on the lanes to use as targets. Bowling on these lanes, Dick became an excellent bowler and the mainstay of the Oshawa invasion of the Toronto bowling scene.

Dick also bowled and instructed at County Bowl in Whitby and one of his pupils was his own son Robert. With this preparation, Dick=s talents were ready for tournament play. Among his first successes was a double win in the first three years of the Dave Black Memorial Tournament in Oshawa. Originally the event was open to Oshawa bowlers only, but, by his second win, the entire province was involved. In 1956, Dick was a member of the first team from outside Toronto to be admitted to the Toronto City Major League. Originally called the Spitfires, and sponsored by Motor City Bowl and Matt Kotelko, the team consisted of Dick, manager Alex Donaldson, George Elliott, Harry Gillard, Ozzie & Ron Keeler, Denny Linton, Lloyd Sabins, Henry Sarnovsky and sponsor Matt Kotelko.

This team bowled together for eleven years and, in 1962,, under the name of Acadian Cleaners, became the first non-Toronto team to win the City Major League championship. This team repeated in 1964 and, with this win, the Acadian Cleaners team advanced to the All-Ontario team championships held in Thorold and included teams from Toronto, Niagara, and the Inter-City League, which was centered in the Kitchener-London area. The Acadian group finished second, continuing a series of fine performances by representatives of the Toronto City Major League.

In 1959, Dick reached the national stage as the only bowler from the Whitby area to qualify, through the proprietors association, for the Canadian 5 pin championships, which were held in Vancouver. In the west, the Ontario men set a record score for the championships as Hall of Famer Fred Pechaluk rolled a high ten game score of 2674 and Dick added 2661. Dick=s national success paid off and, in the following year, Dick was selected to open Plantation Bowl, now Bowlerama West, and Dick and his Oshawa teammates rolled exhibition matches as 5 pin bowling founder and Hall of Famer, Tommy Ryan, watched.

While Dick and his Oshawa teammates were a dominant force in the Toronto City Major League, Dick, in 1962, also joined the Friday major league at Willow Bowl. Sponsored by Hefferings Esso Station, the team consisted of Dick, Gerry Bennett, Jim Cassells, Bob Gallagher, Reg Hickey, Sel Himes, Ed Lugtenburg, Dave Reynolds, Hank Sarnovsky and manager, Alex Donaldson. Dick also made the television scene and, with only a few spots available for the popular Saturday show, Dick qualified in 1960 and bowled on two shows, winning once before losing and being eliminated. Dick bowled in all tournaments including the all-events tournaments in Waterloo, Toronto and Peterborough. With his outgoing personality, Dick was a steady force in the singles and also a popular choice for doubles, triples and team play.

Dick passed away in 1967 and unfortunately missed much of the excitement and accomplishment attached to the Master Bowlers Association and the provincial Open, both of which were just beginning. While never bowling in the Masters, Dick qualified for the Open in 1965 and 1967, bowling in Guelph and Ottawa respectively.

Coincidentally, Dick also took up lawn bowling in the sixties and, by 1965, Dick and his five pin teammates, Bob Gallagher, Grant Murray and Dave Reynolds competed on the greens as well. Dick left a wife Dorothy, sons Robert and John, and five brothers and sisters. Memorial tournaments were established in both lawn and alley bowling and, today, the Dick Adams memorial 5 pin tournament is held annually at North End Bowl in Oshawa.