A native of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Gerald Carlson, the oldest of eight children, chose the bright lights of Toronto rather than follow his father in the coal mines of Cape Breton.

Gerry moved to Toronto in 1956 and, following a series of short term jobs, settled into the piano industry in 1963 and today is an expert in the repair and tuning of Heintzman pianos. Moreover, despite his diminutive stature, Gerry was a good athlete and excelled in both hockey as a goaltender and softball as a right fielder. However, both these sports were hard on Gerry’s small physical stature and eventually 5 pin bowling became his game of choice.

Always a Toronto east-ender, Gerry bowled his first three games at the old Ace Bowl on the Danforth in 1963 and, with a 709 score, he was hooked. Initially, Gerry toiled in the mixed leagues, but eventually joined the Crosstown Major League in 1966 and the Major “B” League, a new league that would eventually replace the prestigious City Major League. Gerry’s left-handed style, while mainly self-taught, was eventually refined by Al McKenzie Sr., who, along with Cec Ferby, ran the Ace Bowl before it was destroyed by a fire in 1966. Following the fire, Ace Bowl remained dormant for a year before Cec Ferby re-opened the 24-lane establishment at the Golden Mile Plaza in Scarborough.

At Ace Bowl, Gerry became one of the dominant bowlers and also coached with the Youth Bowling Council. A confirmed bachelor, Gerry literally bowled every evening following his daytime vocation with the piano. In fact, in one season at Ace Bowl, Gerry bowled in an incredible eleven leagues, a record I don’t think anyone else has every approached.

On the lanes, Gerry benefited from this abundance of activity and began to dominate league play, winning several high average titles. Included were two of the most prestigious leagues of the day the Crosstown Majors and the Scarborough Major league on three occasions, as well as major leagues at Aprile Lanes, O’Connor Bowl, Brimley Bowl and Saturday Major League. Gerry also won the singles title in the Saturday Major League, with that rare double, became one of only eight bowlers to accomplish that feat. Overall, Gerry won four singles crowns in the Saturday Majors, beginning in 1972 and earning his fourth win in 1990.

Representing Ace Bowl, Gerry joined the Master Bowlers’ Association in 1970 and over a twenty-year career averaged a very respectable 254.09, while bowling 990 games. In 1972-73, Gerry won both the singles and team titles in the Master Bantam Tournament and won the Holiday Inn Classic for back-to-back tournament wins in that same year. For his efforts, Gerry made the Ontario men’s team as he lost the aggregate singles title by just one pin to Scarborough’s Don Gorman. However, Gerry and the Ontario men won a gold medal in the Master’s nationals, the first Canadian MBAC event that included team play. Gerry returned to the Master’s nationals in 1987 and that team won a bronze medal in Saskatoon.

With bowling as Gerry’s almost sole recreational activity, he pursued tournament titles throughout Ontario. His initial victory was the Acorn Bowl Invitational in Toronto in 1969 followed by two Ace Bowl titles, the Snow Bowl in Brampton and the Dick Adams Memorial in Oshawa in 1983, all events that attracted the top bowlers of the day. Gerry’s second home, Ace Bowl, also exposed him to television as he won the original cable show at the centre three times. Gerry advanced to the big leagues in 1984, when a qualifying win at Aprile Lanes landed him on CBC television, but, unfortunately, he lost his first match.

Gerry has become a perennial participant in the Open representing both Toronto and Scarborough. Gerry has qualified sixteen times and predominantly on the men’s team but, to date, has been denied a provincial crown. Finally, on the lanes, Gerry bowled the coveted perfect game during major league play at Brimley Bowl.

While Gerry’s off-lane activities were concentrated on the growth of his expertise with Heintzman pianos, Gerry has also become somewhat adept in a new area, namely babysitting. When his employers Paul Hahn & Co., were without a babysitter five years ago, Gerry seemed like somewhat of a last resort. However, a new skill was uncovered and Gerry has now spent considerable time with both Allister, age 6, and, more recently, 4 year old Andrew. Each day, and now on several evenings, Gerry has become somewhat of an uncle and even more important, a part of a family here in Toronto, his long adopted home.

With his induction, Gerry also has broken more new ground as he becomes only the second left-handed bowler to be inducted into the 5 Pin Bowling Hall of Fame.