A native of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Joe Chiki became one of the dominant bowlers in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario and Canada.

Joe left his mark on five pin bowling in both the Master Bowlers’ Association and the Carling O’Keefe Open Provincial Championships. In the Masters, Joe was a charter member in 1964, and continued in the tournament division till his retirement in 1985. Before winning his first tournament in 1971, Joe was the aggregate champion in 1969, and with Norah Oakley traveled to Vancouver to win Canadian Masters singles titles.

This Canadian victory, plus Joe’s other bowling accomplishments earned him the Sportsman of the Year honors in Welland in 1969.

Joe continued in the Masters and in the early seventies, won four more titles, including two ten percent victories to earn the large diamond for his Master Bowlers’ Association ring.

In the Open, Joe represented the Niagara zone fourteen times, including four appearances as their singles representative. Joe was also a member of six other men’s teams and four mixed teams in the period from 1964 to 1983. Joe is best remembered for the 1965 championships in Guelph. Joe bowled a perfect game in the eighth game, the first 450 score ever rolled at the provincial championships.

In other events, Joe was a winner in the Ace Bowl Invitational, the O’Connor tournaments at New Year’s and Labour Day, and the Dick Adams tournament in Oshawa. In 1976, Joe won over $4,000 in tournament play and in 84 tournament games, he averaged a phenomenal 281.

Living in Welland, Joe joined Atlas Steel in 1963 and with his wife Connie, raise three children, Robert, Florence and Linda. Connie passed away in 1983 and Joe subsequently married Shirley Neal and is now enjoying his retirement in Fonthill.