Jim Thorpe has proudly represented the city of St. Thomas in his bowling career. Beginning at the age of six, Jim made his first visit to Park’n Bowl and the centre has been home to this day. Jim bowled in the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) and, by age ten, was working at the lanes under the guidance of Bill Matis. As his average reached 240, Jim, while still in YBC, bowled in the adult leagues. He would become a dominant player, specifically in the high profile Select League. Against the top bowlers in western Ontario, from 1981-1998, Jim averaged as high as 285. In addition, he bowled a perfect game on April 23, 1995, at Park ’n Bowl. With that success, Bill Hornbostel introduced Jim to the Master Bowlers’ Association (MBA) and in the tournament division, Jim averaged 260 for a twelve-year period. In 1997, he qualified for the Ontario Men’s team and this group finished second in the MBA nationals in Winnipeg. Jim also won a provincial event, capturing the Jeffrey Allen Classic in 2010.

However, the Provincial Open, conducted by the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association, became Jim’s stage for success. From his first year of qualifying in 1985, Jim has represented his zone twenty-six times, including nineteen times in the singles, twenty-two on the Men’s team and four times on the Mixed team.

At the Open, Jim loved the spotlight and it shone on him several times. In 1997, Jim was second in the singles qualifying round and proceeded to win the provincial title with a final game victory over Shawn McGhie of the Bay of Quinte. In 2004, Jim was second again in the qualifying round and this time won the singles crown with a final game victory over Tom Cullen of Niagara. Jim parlayed that win into a national title as he won the Canadian singles title in Gatineau, Quebec. In 2006, Jim was undefeated as he moved up the stepladder process and he ultimately defeated former Ontario singles champion, Doug Plummer of the Bay of Quinte, to win his third provincial singles crown. A loss in the stepladder final in 2014 marked the first time Jim had lost a stepladder game at the Open.

In team play, the Middlesex-Elgin zone broke a long drought of losses as both the ladies and mixed teams were victorious at the Open in Hamilton and advanced to represent Ontario at the Canadian finals in Newfoundland. Jim was the leader of our provincial mixed team and, in St. John’s, Jim bowled a four game score of 1230 to lead his Ontario team to a national gold medal and his second Canadian title.

This success, both provincially and nationally, gave Jim the toughness to excel in tournament play. He qualified for the TSN Pin’s Game in 1996 and won $2,500.00 on the nationally televised event. He won on the MBAO tour and annually competes in the Club Tour events in Oshawa and Newmarket. With Kevin Dhaen, Jim runs a very popular Best Ball tournament in St. Thomas in March each year.

Jim is in a select group with four Ontario championships and two National Open gold medals. He continues to bowl in the local major league in pursuit of more titles. He is extremely proud of his children. Bradley is a child and youth worker and Kelly is a nurse in St. Thomas. Jim enjoys golf and with his life partner, Tracey Miller, are beginning to travel. Jim also coaches Tracey’s ladies slo-pitch team. While hockey’s Joe Thornton may be the most famous athlete from St. Thomas, 5 pin bowling’s Jim Thorpe has some impressive Hall of Fame credentials himself.