A man who came along when strong leadership and control was needed aptly describes the contribution of Fred Halle in the formative years of the Ontario Bowlers Congress.

As President for eight years from 1960-61 through 1967-68, the Ontario Bowlers Council and subsequently the Ontario Bowlers Congress grew from an idea in the minds of many volunteers to the reality of sixteen local associations. It was also during those eight years, that the Ontario Bowlers Congress established itself as an administrative body with a full time staff. “However, it is impossible to think this transformation would have occurred”, explained Ontario Bowlers Congress Managing Director, Bert Garside recently, “without a man like Fred to see the potential for growth and make a decision to strive for it”. “ I believe in Bert Garside”, recalled Fred “and recognized the organizational possibilities in five pin bowling. Also as early as 1963" added Halle, “ I developed a primary objective in my own mind for five pin that the Ontario Bowlers Congress would be self supporting in regard to its programme and administrative costs.” To help reach this personal objective, Fred, who had been Treasurer of the original organization, the Ontario Bowlers Council, established the first set of books and accounting records for the Congress to produce a financial statement each year for its members.

However Fred’s most significant contribution to bowling may have been in solving the East- West split involving the counter pin. As President of the Ontario Bowlers Congress, Fred was also one of this Province’s delegates to the Canadian Bowlers Congress. While both East and West had adopted the national count of 2-3-5-3-2, the West insisted that the left two pin remain as the “blow pin”. Ontario had eliminated the “blow pin” scoring system in 1967 and it was Fred who engineered Ontario’s withdrawal from the Canadian Bowling Congress in 1968 and ultimately left the West no alternative but to agree to the new scoring system and renew the East-West rivalry for the Canadian Championships in 1972.

While Fred saw the organizational possibilities in bowling, this strength of purpose also came from his own personal background which included involvement in labour and credit unions.

In a business career that has spanned more than thirty years, Fred could have easily won the nickname as”The Organizer”. At Continental Can, he was instrumental in organizing the union and served as President of the local as part of the United Steelworkers. Fred joined the Consumers Glass in 1956 as office supervisor, and later became Credit Manager and is currently Materials Control Manager. However, his belief in strength through organization has paralleled his job functions with membership in the Credit Institute, the Purchasing Management Association of Canada, the Glassworkers Etobicoke Credit Union Limited and the Etobicoke Civitan Club.

Fred’s contribution to bowling was not only on the administrative side, but he also excelled on the lanes. Originally exposed to bowling as a pinboy in 1938, at New Toronto Bowl, Fred moved to the Majors in 1945 and bowled with Jack Cooke, Vic McCabe, Bev Lewis and Jack Williams.

He carried a lifetime average of 245 and as a personal highlight, rolled a 10 game set at Albion Bowl of 3246 which is certainly one of the highest totals ever bowled.

Born in New Toronto, in 1924, Fred was educated both in this city and at Sacred Heart College in Victoriaville, Quebec. He is joined here tonight by his lovely wife, Jean, and it is with a great feeling of pride that the bowling industry says “thanks” to Fred for his guidance in the formative years to produce the strong organization that exists today.