"Somewhat self-taught", Norton Sims began his bowling career as a pinsetter at Wellington Lanes in downtown Guelph. Norton's father, Bob, worked the lanes on the weekends and with a 240 average himself, inspired his young son to try the game as well.

Already a very good athlete playing both hardball and softball, Norton transferred his speed on the diamond to the lanes and his trademark fastball became part of his bowling delivery. At seventeen, Norton joined an adult league with his father and immediately averaged 242.

When Wellington Lanes closed, Norton took his newfound ability to Sportsman's Bowl and, with his dad in the men's league, Norton averaged 250 and won the overall high average title.

Only eighteen, Norton still had one year of eligibility in the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) and a fellow bowler, Dan Laufman, convinced him to join. In an outstanding year, Norton began by dominating the YBC Senior Mixed Championship in Zone F (Central Ontario), averaging 260 and bowling the high single and high five game totals. The Annual Youth Championships, called the Four Steps to Stardom, features house, zone, provincial and national rounds and Norton dominated every step of the way averaging 256 at the zone, 290 at the provincials and 252 at the YBC Nationals in Calgary to win the gold medal, along with a commemorative plaque from the city of Guelph.

Now twenty years old, Norton headed to the adult ranks and looked for the toughest competition he could find. Locally, he joined the Intercity traveling league and the home and away format, just two teams per centre, certainly built Norton's competitive spirit. That same year, Norton qualified for the provincial Open and, overall he has been to the Ontario finals thirty-one times including fourteen times as a singles representative, twenty-three on the men's team, two on the mixed team, three as a senior in recent years, and even three more years as a coach. While his best singles finish was fifth, Norton did win provincial gold with the Guelph and District men's team in 1981 and this group advanced to win a bronze medal at the national championships.

Norton joined the Master Bowlers Association in 1977 and bowled fifteen years, averaging 255.64 over 946 games. Individually, he won two events, the Mixed Triples in 1984 and the Annual Mixed Doubles the following year. His outstanding play qualified him for three Ontario teams in the Canadian Masters Championships. As well as earning a silver medal in 1984 in Saskatoon, Norton did win gold with the men's team in 1986 in Hamilton.

A level two coach, Norton is always eager to contribute from the teaching side as well. Remembering his mentor, Guelph's Tom Storr, Norton first coached in the Open in 1980 and ultimately twice in the national Masters, wining two silver medals, in 1988 with the Ontario Teaching men and in 1991 with the tournament ladies. He has also coached in the Youth Challenge and won gold leading his alma mater, Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, to a gold medal in both the zone round in Hamilton and also the Ontario Winter Games, which were held in London.

Norton's bowling career has exceeded thirty years and he continues to participate at the league and tournament level. In addition to his traditional accomplishments through the programs of the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers Association and the Master Bowlers Association (MBA), he has reached other milestones. While bowling against the best bowlers in his own area, he also traveled to Toronto for two years, testing his ability against the beset bowlers in the prestigious Metro Toronto Major League. He won the Mark Ten Accuracy Competition in the MBA, out dueling Wayne Hein, accurately hitting thirty of thirty-one required shots. His MBAO high single in 1985, won an Air Canada trip, to, of course, Norton took his family to Walt Disney World. Norton has carried a league average of 278.8 for 115 games, rolled three five game sets over 1600 and, in 2000, was selected forty-seventh in the Top 90 list of bowlers ever to participate in Ontario and, this year, was named one of the top One Hundred 5 pin bowlers in Canada as part of 5 pin bowling's 100th birthday.

As well, Norton has participated at the last ten Bowling Schools conducted the O5PBA. In dealing with Ontario's most dedicated bowlers, Norton brings his knowledge of 5 pin bowling to help his students, both technically and psychologically, to enjoy their chosen sport.

Off the lanes, Norton has been with Tigercat Industries in the steel business since 1976. Moreover, he married his high school sweetheart, Marian, in 1979 and they have two children, Amy Lee and Brett. With this induction, Norton joins another Guelphite, 5 pin inventor, Tommy Ryan, in the 5 Pin Bowling Hall of Fame. Not bad company in this 100th anniversary of Norton's chosen sport.